Quick Word

QW: Accessibility, not affordability

The old saw. NSW stands for Newcastle, Sydney & Wollongong. Infrastructure: Telecommunications, Road & Rail. The disparity is holding regions back, impeding development & ultimately jeopardising our self sufficiency & security.

QW: Flooding and helping our neighbours

The New England and southern downs has yet again copped the flood of trucks and traffic as flood waters rise and engulf the coasts. It’s exposed serious and dangerous flaws in our national highway system and supply chains as we are yet again playing dodge the potholes on the highway. Listening to idle chatter on the CB radio one truck driver refers to his sea sickness as he travels up and down hills and ranges and winds left and right around sharp bends on the narrow new england highway, pushing it all up hill in a wire canoe along the creek without a paddle. The local member Mr Joyce blasted the condition of the highway a few years back and hasn’t been seen since, perhaps he got lost between the cracks. One has to question even with a fresh coat of tar is  this highway even suitable as a high speed highway for trucks to travel, it’s certainly a highway that tests the truck driving men from the boys to see how well you can change gears, with all the hills and ranges this way it dosnt seem to be superhighway material, by passes are desperately needed for the town’s along the way to. So to keep the new England on the long haul freight route, as trucks grow in size and weight is it feasible in the long run? Could there be a better way? Meanwhile we have a steel highway of rails right beside the main line that could cope with the many heavy loads that need hauling. Is it time to bring back the trains? After a weekend of listening to trucks rip, roar and rattle all day long and all through the night, freight trains seems so much quicker easier and cheaper, and unlike roads that get washed away the trains are above the flood lines. We need to keep our lines alive and not destroy them. Time to bring back the trains before the next shower of rain. 

QW: Universal living wage. Cost of living.

“Cost of living” COL is a crisis resulting from prices rising faster than income. Taking money from some to throw at others will not bring prices down but will put more pressure on prices to increase. More demand on limited supply increases prices not a switch of wealth from one sector to another. Don’t confuse “COL” crisis with disparity of wealth. Not directly related. The way to reduce inflation or COL is to produce more at lower costs, be more efficient in production. Actually make things that can be sold externally ie exported. Australia needs income ie exports to pay for our consumption. We can’t keep borrowing and expect to maintain the same or better living standard. Cut red, black and green tape, get everyone back to working a full week at actually producing exported goods and services. 
hand outs are only a temporary fix to a systemic long term problem. More duct tape will not fix the problem. It will only keep you struggling. 

QW: Barnaby no-show at all candidate forums

Barnaby owes it to his electorate to show up to all ‘meet the candidates’ across the electorate. What thinking person would vote for a candidate that can’t be bothered to attend these meetings

QW: Decentralisation the way to prosperity

Planning for the future decentralisation is the foundation of which Australia should be looking at, for rather than continually creating more of the same within our larger cities opening up the country offers a way forward in not only lowering cost of living standards but offering growth and prosperity once again like in the past.

QW: RU OK Barnaby?

I saw at the candidate forum in Armidale that someone had written on a card for Barnaby Joyce:

“R U OK? (serious question)”

I was thinking the same thing. I know he’s not that old, but he hasn’t looked well for a while. Y’know, when we actually see him. Maybe he’s just tired?

QW: So not everyone has Sky News?

I only just learned tonight while talking about the debate that people in the cities have to pay for Sky News – it’s only in regional areas you can watch for free. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing? Is this why we seem to be on completely different pages?