Yeah Jan, The NBN was the one thing that my generation could have passed down to others ... our one legacy if you like.
We've failed on the big things, I can't think of a single major infrastructure project we've actually initiated in the last 30 years. We've talked about a lot, but we can't agree on anything ... short term cost, self interest, not-in-my-neighbourhood, myopia, can't-be-done, and failure of imagination seem to rule. We're talkers not doers. All we have done, is complete the infrastructure projects started by our parents and grandparents 40-50 years ago. We can't even come to agreements on how to fix failing infrastructure and facilities (e.g. the Murray Darling River System, the rail network, the power network, sewerage and water in the cities, new airports and public transport services) because self interest and myopia rule. And it's not just infrastructure, it's the problems we're passing on to succeeding generations with no thought for the future. Pollution, climate change, housing affordability, erosions of rights and privileges, society sanctioned employment practices and the rise of the working poor, the ageing population bomb etc. etc. ... hell, if I was a GenY'er or GenX'er I'd be seriously miffed with the preceding generation. I don't blame them one bit when they rail against us ... telling us to get out of the way. As I said to someone else ... we won the lottery when we were born, but we've just peed it all away. Just my 2 cents worth ... --- On 26 Dec 2013, at 8:41 pm, Jan Whitaker <[email protected]> wrote: > At 07:26 PM 26/12/2013, Frank O'Connor wrote: > >> That is now unlikely to happen, and that's what I still see as the >> tragedy of my generation. We're selfish shortsighted users rather >> than builders ... as I said. > > Not quite everyone, Frank, or else NBN Mark I wouldn't have been on > offer at all. It's Abbott's destroyers, as many commenters to > articles in the Age keep calling the current lot, who are the short > sighted ones at their worst. I just hope we won't have to put up with > them for more than one term, if that. > > Hope all our Linkers had a restful holiday and a super feast. I'm > still recovering. > > Jan > > > > Melbourne, Victoria, Australia > [email protected] > > Sooner or later, I hate to break it to you, you're gonna die, so how > do you fill in the space between here and there? It's yours. Seize your space. > ~Margaret Atwood, writer > > _ __________________ _ > _______________________________________________ > Link mailing list > [email protected] > http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
