[383hq]

1. Politics /legal system (not everything should be treated as a political /legal problem) subsets of this include
a) multiple levels of bureaucracy at national, state and local arenas, AND
b) the shift to policy that includes all minorities, not THE majority AND
c) lack of policy on "Core necessities" (Water, food, Transport, energy)

2. Corporate Tax receipts in a global environment - $ doesn't stay where it's earnt
3. Low population / large distance = user pays NOT a feasible strategy, and given we've moved away from nationalising infrastructure (see 1)
4. Ageing population (see 2)

There are examples of goodness - i.e Wagners' runway in Toowoomba

Sydney harbour bridge was built 10x larger then was needed in the day - they just knew the population would grow into it, and "Right first time" was more expensive at the time, but much cheaper long term. Short termist views (refer 1) mean nowadays they can't get the economics/feasibilty study through for sufficient payback.

The runway mentioned was primarily a private project so avoided many of the issues mentioned above, it may be great to send fresh veg to China, with demand from over a billion people increasing year on year- long term, it will probably push veg prices up locally, so not everyone will be in favour (see 1b)

Opposite example: insulation saga involving Garrett, some kid dies installing insulation, and a politician from Canberra is held responsible - There is risk to politicians in doing stuff, so appearing to do stuff, whilst actually doing nothing is safest.

Just my thoughts