December 29th, 2019

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I’m sorry. This could be an accumulated boiling-over rage-induced little rave.

The time around Christmas festivities and New Year celebrations is often the time for people to tune-out and relax. Time to stop worrying about what is going on in ‘the outside world’.
But, just to break the torpor and be a thorn-in-your-side nuisance, I’d like to point out a few facts:

Let’s do some maths. There are a few figures that need looking at:
I may be wrong, but there seems to be a bulk leakage of $$$$ from our government that does not go towards helping anyone— those in need, or otherwise —or as I would view it.
Others have different views, of course.

A lot of this (following) comment has been lost to most media outlets—and therefore the public’s communal brain.

Let’s start at the latest news concerning Australian Police.
“More than 700 police will be trained to use high-powered semi-automatic rifles, with frontline officers expected to take immediate action to confront terror attacks and active armed offenders…each valued at nearly $6000”. (The Age, Dec 2019).
That seems reasonable — or does it? “…to confront terror attacks…” ?

700 police, each with a semi-automatic rifle, valued at nearly $6000.
700 x 6,000 = 4,200,000.  
In words: Four million, two hundred thousand dollars.
Maybe they’ll share their weapons, meaning an entire $4.2m may not be needed at once…but, but, there’s all that training. What will that cost? And all to make us safe in airports - and out in the street! (Not a good look, by the way).

But that amount is small bikkies.
Let’s look at ‘our’ submarines for a minute:
“Australia's new fleet of attack submarines is now estimated to cost about
$225 billion to build and maintain, according to Defence officials.” (SMH, Nov., 2019)

Would you like to read that again? That’s 225 BILLION dollars! And for submarines that are out of date…and, even if they weren’t, why the hell do we need attack submarines? If ever (heaven forbid) we needed war-like protection, I’m pretty sure it would be done using drones, missiles and hypersonic weapons and not out-dated submarines. (Submarines that cost Australia $225 BILLION, by the way).
Ahem: $225,000,000,000.
 
Then what about other war machines? For instance:
“The RAAF is expected to have its first squadron of F-35s operational in 2020 with the delivery of about 30 aircraft. The Australian government has budgeted $17bn for 72 of the aircraft.” 
(Dec 9, 2018)

Just another few BILLION. This time, only (only!) 17 BILLION dollars for 72 aircraft. (And that figure is a year old). And only what has been ‘budgeted for’.
By the way, 72 billion, looks like this: 72,000,000,000.
 
That’s just a very small summary of some latest BIG spends.
But, let’s add up just those THREE items:
Semi-automatic rifles =       $4,200,000
Attack submarines = $225,000,000,000.
Fighter planes =          $72,000,000,000.
Calculators out, please.
Total = $297,004,200,000
In words: two hundred and ninety-seven billion, four million, two hundred thousand dollars.

IMAGINE what GOOD works could be done with even a fraction of that amount!

(Look, my calculations may be wrong. I am not in the habit of working out dollar amounts that are any larger than my meagre bank balance – or estimating how many bananas I can buy for $4— so have a go yourself and see what you make of it!)
 
Meanwhile, lots of little smaller amounts pile up to make this country poor as opposed to how  funds could be used to help people grow and function.

Incidentally, did you see the (almost hidden) announcement that
…the Australian govt has recently given $110,000 to a church attended by the prime minister. (For safety measures, apparently). That’s $110,000 for a church which has a ‘brother’ church (Hillsong) boasting millions of dollars in revenue and a three-level Manhattan apartment.
 
Then there was another little amount—just (just!!) $380,000—used for an architecturally designed coffee kiosk for Parliament house.
 
And did you know that the LNP has taken $4.6 billion from the NDIS (National Disability Scheme) to prop up its useless ‘Surplus’?
I wonder what that $4.6 million could have done for disabled folk? Any ideas?
 
Meanwhile, as the country burns, funds are being raised by the public to help provide equipment for VOLUNTEER firefighters.

AND…People on ‘Social Welfare’ (horrible term) are being demonised for asking for help.
 
To me, this all seems very wrong.
And there seems NOTHING we can do!
 
PS:
BTW: “... of the top 100 companies that paid no tax, 22 were fossil fuel companies, meaning most coal and gas companies are not contributing a cent to the cost of the natural disasters their product is fuelling.”
 
AND the gov has just (quietly) privatised the Aged Care Assessment body. So be ready for profit-making corner-cutting cruelty for our elderly.

How good is Australia? (NOT).

I apologise for this rage induce rave.
I could go on—but I won’t.