Economics in Other Countries
Economic divergence in Australia - it is an issue that I feel all Australians should be aware of and deal with, because if the gap is not bridged, then Australia's economic prosperity and social fabric will be under serious threat. Evidence of this divide is seen with the differences in unemployment rates and household income between the urban and rural regions. Australia's economy has sent inner-city employment levels through the roof - thousands of millionaires created each year by exploding real estate prices in Sydney and Melbourne have helped to feed a huge retail boom. This, however, goes only so far - there is a 'dark' side to our prosperity - Australia is experiencing a wealth divide, and areas in the bush and other rural communities are struggling for survival. Evidence may also be found in the city, where suburbs a few kilometres apart differentiate enormously in terms of income and unemployment rates. Take the bush, for example, where
However, there are things being done to prevent such a contrast, and governments are continually considering regional inequalities. Much can be achieved through an innovative policy development and strong leadership. Reducing the economic divide requires long-term commitment; there is no simple solution or magic formula that will immediately solve the problem. Living on unemployment benefits is most definitely not a high standard of living, especially when most Australian parents aspire for their children to do better in life. The growing chasm may also be seen with the differences in household income, where in an area such as the Wide-Bay Burnett region in Queensland has barely half the household income of inner Sydney. The best social security in Australia is undoubtedly the wages cheque. In terms of unemployment, the number of jobs in rural and mining areas has been on the decline and particularly in the past 15 years. Increased expenditure in rural areas, ranging from the $1. But then the glaring fact remains that there are still many, many suburbs and regions of Australia with unemployment rates above 10%, and low household income. Moreover, it is of no use to go into these areas and give lectures about welfare dependency. Not only this, but low prices for key commodities such as wheat and wool is making life very tough for many rural communities across Australia. This can plainly be seen in Elizabeth, north of Adelaide, where almost one in four of those seeking work are unemployed and the suburb remains heavily dependent on the car industry. 5 billion national heritage trust to the $1 billion Telstra 2 social bonus, is unequivocal evidence of this.
Common topics in this essay:
Sydney Melbourne,
Alice Springs-to-Darwin,
,
Dividing Range',
Wide-Bay Burnett,
South Australia,
Melbourne Sydney,
household income,
unemployment rates,
unemployment rates 10%,
city bush,
urban rural,
rural communities,
sydney melbourne,
rates 10%,
seen differences,
regions australia,
|