In the 1860s, ten years after the Australian gold rushes had got under way, most of those who had left to join the Californian gold rush had returned. Many more also made their way here, but thewhitefella population was still only around the one million mark.
Many people wishing to migrate from Europe chose a 2 week trip to America over a 7-10 week trip to Australia. Private investment funds, too, were quite sensibly finding their way to America rather than Australia. This left our governments - with a very low number of taxpayers - to provide for essential services and infrastructure.
Australia was well on its way to becoming a mixed economy rather than one driven by the prospect of reward for effort or investment risk.
Towards the close of the 20th Century there was a shift to privatisation of services which had once been the responsibility of government. There is a tendency now for governments to think of the next election rather than plan for the country's longer-term needs. Growth in infrastructure has also been held back by the usual cycle of natural disasters - drought, flood, bushfire and cyclone.
Our 5 yearly census is due soon [2011] so the following figures are possibly dated. While they don't account for recent natural disasters either here or in the United States, they can still give us an indication of the infrastructure problems we face.
Many people wishing to migrate from Europe chose a 2 week trip to America over a 7-10 week trip to Australia. Private investment funds, too, were quite sensibly finding their way to America rather than Australia. This left our governments - with a very low number of taxpayers - to provide for essential services and infrastructure.
Australia was well on its way to becoming a mixed economy rather than one driven by the prospect of reward for effort or investment risk.
Towards the close of the 20th Century there was a shift to privatisation of services which had once been the responsibility of government. There is a tendency now for governments to think of the next election rather than plan for the country's longer-term needs. Growth in infrastructure has also been held back by the usual cycle of natural disasters - drought, flood, bushfire and cyclone.
Our 5 yearly census is due soon [2011] so the following figures are possibly dated. While they don't account for recent natural disasters either here or in the United States, they can still give us an indication of the infrastructure problems we face.
We're so short of places to land planes, signs like this one are found in remote areas, including Hwy 1 across the Nullarbor.
There is little danger of being hit by a plane while driving across the Nullarbor, you are more likely to die of boredom, or perhaps encounter other types of trouble:
Transport is an expensive business and, with a small population, goods must travel further to reach customers, making transport a significant portion of the cost of everything we buy.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий