Sydney: The effigy for Australia
Sydney is an effigy for Australia right now. Cold, miserable and over filled, with absolutely nothing to do. Well and truly gone are the heady days of “Breakfast at Sweethearts”, released before I was even a year old. It foretold of fun times, things to look forward to. A bustling Australia, an optimistic Sydney. Industrious, innovative, entrepreneurial, yet laid back and Ted Bullpit funny.
That Australia is slipping away, determined to go woke, go broke as it slides down a slimy staircase of safety culture and political correctness. As if beaten and bounced out the back door of the Tunnel Nightclub. It’s hard to tell exactly what put Syndey on life support, but it has been ailing for a very long time. While the slow destruction of Australia as an economic and social success has been a bipartisan affair, the same is true for the destruction of Sydney. I think the first blow came in the form of Mike Baird’s lockout laws. I think it is the one thing with which I am in furious agreement with
@JacquiMunroMLC, it was wrong headed. All to save us from one punch attacks, gee thanks Mike - now there is nowhere to go and nothing to do. Sydney’s nightlife was world famous. Not anymore, now Adelaide is more fun. The halo effect that King’s Cross had, echoed through the whole city, from Circular Quay to Reactor 1 in Penrith, there were things to do in the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s, gone now. It was not all red-light naughty, but that kept open 24-hour restaurants, bars and places to go everywhere as people kicked off or kicked on.
I think the horrendous IR situation, increasing wages, increasing rents, increasing power costs, increasing tariffs on tobacco/alcohol and insane levels of green and safety red tape all have taken their toll. A person has to be paid to wear a yellow vest with the letters RSA Officer emblazoned on their back, pubs have to pay for their own fun police. As much of a mood killer as having to stop every few minutes to get enthusiastic consent. Way too many rules.
To be fair though that none of this is what has taken the final toll, that is reserved exclusively for the massive, insane COVID overreaction. Sydney was stumbling, about to fall and the Governments and Oppositions around the country, collectively, together and in unison one punched Sydney to the ground. Lockouts, vaccine mandates, passports and other very bad ideas killed whatever was left of our once brilliant town.
It is going to take more than a bit of government assistance to get her back on her feet again. It is going to take Local, State and Federal Governments to get right out of the way. Deregulation is the only way to get our ailing city and flailing economy back up and alive again.
Whatever the reason, no matter how well meaning, we are not going to government grant our way out of this. We have to pluck up the courage to cut back on regulations, laws and rules that have destroyed the heart of our nation, the spirit of Australia, the jewel in our crown. A vibrant Sydney is a healthy Australia. I say bring back the good times. “At six o'clock, I'm goin' down The coffee's hot and the toast is brown Hey, street sweeper, clear my way Sweethearts breakfast, the best in town”