Letter

In response to Australia looks like a winner – but we’re losing where it counts by Stewart Swee

Future industries – a question mark?

Back in the 1950s, the wool industry provided wealth for the nation. It employed shearers and stockmen and other farm workers to build shearing shed s and fence lines. And the property owners paid taxes. Then synthetics became in vogue and the wool industry crashed. We built factories and built cars then removed tariffs and they crashed. We discovered iron ore, gas and coal and they provided funds for governments while avoiding to pay taxes.

In a generation or two that extraction racket will collapse as countries respond to climate change. What will replace them? Who is making plans for that future? Yes we are attempting to address climate change though with persistent opposition. Yes we will (maybe) get a nuclear submarine to employ a few sailors. We may have a fast train from Newcastle/Sydney/Canberra! But who is exploring the possibilities of the future and who will become its agents?

— Ian Bowrey from Hamilton South