A
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ny understanding of
what troubles the world appears to escape Australia’s Federal Government.
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| Resource depletion and environmental concerns demand we slow our consumption, become poorer in a managed way and so work fewer hours every day. |
Rather than be the solution to all our social problems, our
prevailing market system is actually the cause.
The Harper Competition Review, which followed the election
of our coalition Government and has been orchestrated by economists who are
oblivious to what is happening in the world, or who have chosen to ignore
realities, and yet makes recommendations that take us deeper into the
difficulties that threaten humanity.
The “Harper Review” as it is known, wants to lift market
restrictions to put consumer interests first, but actually ignores them
completely.
It claims its proposals put consumers' interests ahead of
commercial interests, firing new market opportunities. That is not true.
Contraction rather than expansion is what needed, if the
world is, and by implication Australia, and so Shepparton, is to avoid a collision
of circumstances, ranging from resource depletion and catastrophic climate
disruption.
Consumers actually need an outbreak of sanity combined with
an equally generous helping of good sense to help them understand that in a
world facing energy, resource and climate constraints, they need to be building
a world in which they live with less rather than more.
The implication there of course, is that rather than
extending retail trading hours, we should be structuring our communities so
lifestyles can be similar, although different, and trading hours significantly
shorter.
The ills of the world can be attributed to many things, but
it is difficult to argue that the market system, so lionized by so many, is not
the root cause.
Our developed nations are simply too wealthy making
consumption of energy and resource-rich goods and services extreme, and
consequently pushing the world into serious ecological debt.
Rather than adopting the Harper Review plan of extending
trading hours and effectively allowing a laissez-faire approach, we should be
discussing and moving toward reducing and limiting times for traditional
business.
Instead of a 24/7 arrangement for retail businesses, our
communities should be looking to move in the opposite direction, that is a
four-hour trading day, no overtime and no double shifts, but not including
public services or primary producers.
Such a change would shift the emphasis away from simply
making money and gathering “stuff” to allow people time in their communities to
bond with those around them and build resilience in their neighbourhoods.
With just four hours on the job, people would live closer to
their work and so would be able to walk or cycle, eliminating the need for road
transport, making a significant difference to personal costs and easing the
worsening of human damage to earth’s ecological systems, along with being far
more resource efficient.
The GV Community Fund
and Slap Tomorrow have worked together to bring author, teacher, editor and
environmentalist, Kerryn Higgs to talk about aspects of this and her new book, “Collision Course: Endless Growth on a Finite Planet” in Shepparton at the Harder
Auditorium on April 29 at 6:30 for 7:00pm.
Tickets at $10 for
the event can be bought at Collins Booksellers at 262 Maude St, Shepparton, or
from Andrea McNab at the GV Community Fund at 5832 8221.
