Bob Katter on Q&A (ABC) tonight, talks about one farmer every 4 days topping himself. He claims that so many farmers come to see him in his office for advice on how to keep the farm solvent.Drought, floods, LOWER PRICES and debt mean that they cannot see a way out. They are trapped. His advice is to go bankrupt.. It is not only confined to farmers but to mine workers as well. He says that 25,000 have lost their jobs with another 10,000 to follow. Depression hits the northern part of Qld. An interesting point he made was that both Qld and WA didn't grant mining licences to companies to fly in fly out workers up to 1990. Corporation profit is the reason? Maybe Campbell is in trouble in Qld with all the bushies waiting with baseball bats to clobber him. :| Is it too late to cancel the G20 and give the $$$ saves to the lifters of the cities. REgards Errol 43
Awaiting the usual suspects to explain to us how these people are just lazy, or that it's the fault of the unions and minimum wage laws.
Can I blame a corporation? - http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-seeds-of-suicide-how-monsanto-destroys-farming/5329947
How about bad economic theories which promote financially reckless behaviour rather than good personal financial management?
News flash! Qld farms subject to drought and flooding. Theres an average of 4 people a week topping themselves in my local area, some are farmers but most are not. Hope Bob is as concerned about them as he is for his own constituents.
In our society the prevailing economic wisdom is that we need to spend and spend. Taking on debt is good, in fact the more the better. That fuels the inflation machine. Saving is heavily disincentivised. Artificially low interest rates. Inflation eating away at any money you have saved. etc So is it any wonder that when bad times come around, as they always do, that people aren't financially prepared? And we get the inevitable results?
On a more serious note its just been announced that much of Victorias wheat crops have failed due to lack of rain and frosts. A lot wont even get to cut them for hay. Farming is a season by season wager that often provides undesirable outcomes.
This has been true forever though hasn't it? It's somewhat of a known quantity that there are going to be bad years. Aren't the associated risks factored into the business model? Or are farmers a bunch of crazy gamblers?
This is EXACTLY what is happening, I worked in Qld coal for many years, I'm now in Iron ore, couldn't have put it more succinctly myself The company I work for provides 'free' financial advice through 'McDickhead and Co' I went along for the first session to see what it was about, I explained what I had achieved and where I wanted to be, all he would say is I had to mortgage EVERYTING I owned and take on more debt with multiple investment properties, I told him I wasn't mortgaging anything I already owned!, after some heated discussion , I invited him outside for some contact counselling, he ended up shouting out and ranting on, saying that if I didn't want to be a millionaire when I retired I was a fool, his was the only way forward etc. etc. I am looked upon as a bit 'different' in this industry because I don't own a Mcmansion , or a jet ski or two HSV's A lot of the people in the mining industry may be intelligent in some ways, but aren't all financially literate, the amazing thing is, it's always someone else's fault
What's the longer term viability of agriculture in Queensland? I've seen talk of doubling agricultural output over the next few decades, but what needs to be done for this to come about?
Continual development of new seed varieties. Continued productivity improvements on inputs. Access to water. Changes in restrictive native vegetation laws. Increased consolidation of smaller enterprises to enable larger collectives with deeper pockets to optimise across a portfolio of assets distributed geographically and to encourage a greater level of opportunistic farming. No arbitrary bans on exports.
