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Australia’s 2020 Forum - They Forgot To Ask Me
Category: Blogging, GeneralAustralia has just witnessed the coming together of 1000 of our brightest minds to help formulate plans for out societies future. The idea was to make suggestions to the government that could be implemented to improve the many facets of Australian life.
We truly are ‘the lucky country’ with far lower crimes of violence that many other western countries. We have only had minor attacks of war, in fact nature has done more damage than any wartime activities - either internal or external.
However, like most western societies, we are about to enter an era that could upset this ‘lucky country’ image. We have a wealth of raw materials that at present are driving our economy. With China being our major buyer things are coasting along nicely. Once China stops buying, we will be in trouble.
At present we have several areas that are of major concern. Health, education and housing are major issues together with taxation, inflation (petrol and food) and industrial relations. The cast of 1000 minds looked at these issues and more - they just forgot to invite me so I will redress the issue by delivering my own views on 2020 and what we need to go forward into the future.
Health
Without doubt health is the biggest concern for all Australians. Cost is a large factor particularly when it comes to health insurance. Just getting an appointment to see a doctor can be difficult. If I ring today to make an appointment I know it will be around two weeks before I can get in. If it is urgent, they suggest the accident and emergency ward at the public hospital. There you can expect anything up to 12 hours wait time before being seen by a doctor. There are, however, several things that could be done to alleviate these problems - probably in a very cost effective way.
One of the problems with health throughout the world now is the over reliance on highly qualified doctors to undertake procedures that paramedics and nurses can do just as effectively. Most pregnant women that have their pregnancy monitored through the hospital system rather than by a private doctor are seen by midwives. Specialist are only called in if there are problems.
It seems to me that one to overcome the crowded public hospital system and the long wait lists for private doctors is to create medical clinics that are staffed by paramedics, nurses and midwives. They can undertake duties such as pregnancy, wound treatments (re-bandaging, suture removal etc), blood pressure monitoring and child health clinics (including immunization). They are also able to provide limited treatment to those suffering minor illnesses such as colds, coughs and influenza’s. Surely a far cheaper medical system.
Housing
Housing is another issues that is troubling Australians at present with the cost of housing increasing from 2.5 times annual incomes to 5 or 6 times. Housing has now become un-affordable. We have public housing policies in place but these are woefully inadequate. I think there are two solutions to the housing problems we face, one short term and the other long term.
The big problem behind housing affordability is not the cost of the home, it is the cost of the land. Remove the high land costs and housing is affordable. The best way to remove high land costs is by removing that cost from the equation. Rather than governments releasing land to developers (who subdivide, build roads and other infrastructure), governments should be developing the land themselves. Land could then be released, either on a first-come or ballot system to first home buyers. The land is made available at no cost under a public lands lease. Conditions need to be applied such as making sure the home is built within a certain period of time, the home owner needs to live in the home, and that when sold, the land price is then claimed by the government (plus inflation). Simple solution.
My long term solution is easier to implement. At present, first home buyers are entitled to a grant of $7000. Parents of new born babies receive $5000. I would suggest cutting the new born allowance to $3000 and placing $2000 into a superannuation style account. Each child is effectively entitled to $3500 first home owners grant when they buy a home. Take $3000 of this and add it to the $2000 making a total investment of $5000. Over 20 years this will accumulate to around $30,000 to $40,000. For a couple, that is a deposit of between $60000 and $80000. If the parents are able to add to this over the years the sum could be much higher. What a wonder gift for our children when they finally want to buy a home.
Stay tuned for part two of the radical bloggers vision for 2020
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