The lucky country by GDL

In Australia, we do ot seem to be afraid of uncertainty and not scared of what tomorrow will be. We take forgranted that we live in the land of plenty, in the lucky country and that we are  allright. How many times have we not heard, said to someone in trouble, " You'll be allright mate".

In Australia, we have seen boom and bust, we have seen recession and growth, we have seen changes from left wing to right wing governments, we have seen natural catastrophes like flood, fire, cyclones, even earthquakes, but we are still going.

Australia is in fact the lucky country. Many migrants who were living in abject poverty, living on the edge and starving in their thirdworld contries, or again in refugee camps  where tomorrow culd not even be compemplated, have come to this country and now living like a decent human being.
Some have come from wartorn countries to find peace and harmony in Australia, and sleeping tight at night. Others have fled persecutions and discrimnation to find their self-esteem restored here.
Others without any qualifications whatsoever, or could not even say a word of english, have found their way in life here. Not  only they are living very comfrotably, but have had children who are today graduades and professionals.

Australia is a first world  country by living standard and its high GDP per capita.  The country has a rich deposit of mineral resources, has vast arabe land and pastures, and the fundamentals of its economy are strong. We have 10 percent of the very rich, a very big middle class and a very small percentage of  proletariat. Poverty is a relative term in Australia. Someone will  find that he is poor  only by comparison. A relatively poor person in Australia, will always be able to cut his/her clothes according to the cloth. There is always a shop where a poor person can find what he/she needs, and/or find ways to have a roof over his/her head.

Australia is a generous welfare state, with an effective social security system including dole for the unemployed, invalidity benefits, new start allowance, Austudy for the students, and a means-tested old aged pension, just to name a few.

Like most of the developed world and economies, Australia has its social problems. The level of mental health is very high, 285 people are diagnosed with diabetes everyday, there is a high rate of death from cancer and alcohol related diseases. The unemployment rate, if it is only around five percent, means that close to 400,000 people are living on the dole and not able to envisage a clear future. The youth suicide is high and drugs is on the rise among the youth.
There is a proliferation of nursing home because of our ageing population, and that the baby boomers have now reached retirement age. Many children found it easier to send their old ones in nursing homes rather than to care for them, even if it amounts to paying back their respect and dues to their fathers and mothers.
With affluence come individualism and Australians and even migrants, are going down that path. In Australia most people do not know the name of their neighbour and rarely hear a cry for help and step out of your comfort zone and lend a hand, not even find the time to do it. The call is most of the time simply ignored.
This is what characterises our society, the modern and post modern society: individualism, indifference, consumerism, competition, greed, money, money and money.... And the individual will only find this out the day he/she faces the hard reality. But then its is already too late, after the nursing home is the grave, and then forgotten for ever..

GDL.