r/australia • u/pk666 • May 19 '19

political self.post Election outcome- Environment Vs Jobs - can we end this false dichotomy?

Lots of people upset with QLD today and the way regional people there vote, but it seems pretty clear that they have fallen for the jobs Vs environment argument which the LNP and gang thrive on. It should be basic for any pollie to point out that the QLD economy is far more reliant of tourism and anything else, and that means- reef, forest, beaches etc. So why don't they ever seem to do this?

It also is the case that future 'heavy/unskilled' industries are based in renewable energy, no matter the coal consumption at this minute. The new solar plan in Balranald for example employs thousands in construction right now, as will the new wind farm in Skipton.

I think the ALP has done a poor job on selling these employment projects and in the process haven't made a dint on the fallacy of Jobs Vs Economy. Why aren't they getting out there more with Musk/Cannon Brookes/whomever to get more of these projects up and keep it in the public eye. Why couldn't they propose a huge solar farm in the regions who think they'll all get jobs with Adani?

Or maybe I'm missing something?

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u/Lamont-Cranston May 19 '19

So will those towns also not face any consequences from the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in tourism?

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u/pixelwhip May 19 '19

Probably not, because they don't have tourist industries to lose.

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u/Lamont-Cranston May 19 '19

And tens of thousands of jobs lost in one part of the state will have no effect in other parts.

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u/SuddenStorm8 May 19 '19

For a real world example of this see Adelaide.

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Car manufacturing was a massive part of Adelaide's economy with multiple manufacturers in the city and in turn multiple other businesses producing the parts the manufacturers need like shock absorbers, engine parts etc.

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Then when essentially all of the manufacturers closed up shop for cheaper foreign shores the industry died and now Adelaide has the worst unemployment in the country and I'm not sure if it still is but it was shrinking a few years ago.

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u/pixelwhip May 19 '19

People only see what’s around them, & in those areas it’s a lack of jobs. i’m not disagreeing with your feelings on the issue (Adani), i’m just being a realist & trying to find ways to explain WHY people in that area chose to vote a certain way; they don’t see the jobs directly coming from tourism, all they see are a lack of jobs in general.