Sam Shahin: We need to focus on population growth and getting things done
Whether you like him or not, Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce gets things done for his state, and South Australia needs somebody similar, writes Sam Shahin.
Opinion
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I feel like I’ve seen this movie before!
Electioneering is well under way, and while there was never any doubting the usual slogans on ‘health and education’, I hope there will be more to come on “big picture” issues critical for the future of South Australia.
Our leaders have done well to guide the state through a difficult period. It is difficult to focus on anything unCovid but fact is that we should be looking at the lessons of the past two years, and to search for the opportunities that came out of that messy time.
We have emerged a better and more resilient population, and I think we’ve learned more about what we’re good at. It is imperative that we work on our strengths and capture opportunities, some of which are not without risk, but here lies the first issue; we are largely a risk-averse bunch.
Key to the evolution of South Australia as a sustainable and desirable place is Population Growth: Notwithstanding that this is a federal issue, the state can do much to promote it. Some of our SA representatives need to unashamedly fly our state flag rather than worrying about ruffling feathers. Think of it this way, and I am no fan of Barnaby, but who’s our Barnaby? I can assure you that he gets s**t done for his state despite not being in state politics.
Population can come from other states, or other countries and SA has key differentiators that are often understated (lifestyle, accessibility, security, nature, the outdoors, the regions, etc.)
I think a 2.5 per cent annual population growth target is sensible, with a sensible focus on skilled migrants, and compulsory basic mastery of the English language.
Tourism is a central pillar of our economy, and I think can be a subservient to population growth. The number of people I meet who ultimately decided to migrate to SA after visiting here on holidays is incredible. I would like to see the promotion of SA completely boosted with more comprehensive resources in the hands of those tasked with inbound tourism. Let’s work to our strengths. Think about what Formula One and the Tour Down Under have done to our standing internationally, and then consider what events are likely to deliver bang for buck.
Education is another pillar of our state. We should aim to become The Australian Education Hub. I was vocal during the pandemic spruiking SA as the safest place for international students to return, and not only those that were previously studying in Adelaide but to get ahead of the curve and attract those who were studying in other cities but were unable to return; Melbourne in particular was in extended lockdown.
The idea was quickly shot down by many keyboard warriors but I regret not agitating harder. Aside from the benefit to the education economy, some of those will stay, work and live in SA, and will be the best advocates for our state. The critical follow-up step is the establishment of a meaningful link between academia and business to help retain the graduating talent. We rank lowest in people aged 25-45 with a tertiary degree; bringing talent to study here is a first step to then keeping them here!
Governments should reward those that take risk, and resist biting the hand that feeds them. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ll demonstrate with a simple analogy. Shopping centres have lost many tenants during the past two years. Most centres are trying to extort bigger rents from those that survived the Covid carnage; that’s penalising those that have shown resilience and found a way to survive.
What they should do is to support those that have survived, in as much as they should have supported those that didn’t make it during the crisis. Everyone wins, and everyone has an incentive to succeed.
Greater support for the regions is necessary: we have gems everywhere. The north, the south, the southeast, the west, the coast – are all promotable. The jewel for me remains Kangaroo Island for which I have previously spruiked a bridge to connect it to the mainland. I can think of no other tourism project that, if done sensitively to protect the natural habitat of this gem, can be more utterly transformational for our economy. I honestly think it can be up there with the Galapagos and the other natural wonders of the world.
During the election campaign, I am hopeful we will hear more incentives to lure business back to SA by relaxing some of the taxation imposts, of which we have many: emergency services levies, payroll tax, and land tax to name a few. Several industries, and small and regional businesses in particular will greatly benefit from payroll tax exemption.
The SA Great slogan still resonates with me. I want governments, current and prospective, to work harder at re-establishing state pride.
One the key challenges to getting on with business in SA is red tape. It keeps getting worse despite pledges in every election in living memory promising to reduce it. The bureaucracy is paralysing. We have ended up with fewer and fewer people willing to make decisions for fear of persecution or humiliation. Whether it is in state government or local government, processes have slowed down over the past 10 years. Start with cutting the number of councils by half. Consolidation of resources and economies of scale will be a good start. If that works, government bureaucracy should be next.
Development of the River Torrens precinct: every great city has a vibrant CBD waterfront. Ours is good but far from great.
We have some incredibly smart people in our state. Invite them to compete to master plan the waterfront, then support it with infrastructure services.
Government is a facilitator. I am not a fan of big election promises. They scare me. The solutions are rarely difficult or obscure. We fail because we fail to execute. The reason most governments fail is because they give up what they want most for what they want now! I am frightened when I hear bombastic grand election promises; they’re seldom needed. Instead, the focus should be on executing good policy. Voters will judge you by your results, not your rhetoric.
One notable issue is support for motorsport, a thriving industry in South Australia, once the home of Australian motorsport. We are proudly regaining that reputation with the best facility in the nation. One party wants a street race in Adelaide; the other doesn’t.
While I will respectfully stay out of that politically charged debate, I do hope the support for motorsport at the world class facility up the freeway is binary to any potential support for the street event. It must be.
If an Adelaide street event returns, I do hope it is conditional on ongoing support for the other; it must be both, otherwise SA may miss out altogether as almost occurred in 2022.
Climate change has been missing from the election exchanges thus far.
We are a mature and innovative nation and we ought to always consider innovative ideas important now, and into the future.
We do not have to look too far beyond our own country to see climate change.
Fires and significant rain events are nothing new but their severity and unpredictability in recent times is nothing short of terrifying. We no longer need to crystal ball the future; it’s being played out in front of us, and right now.
It will be a tragedy for a future generation to lament the opportunity we may be missing now to institute change, and if we are serious about instituting long term fundamental shift of our emissions, we ought to re-consider mining uranium as a source for nuclear energy generation given our state has one of the largest global uranium deposits. Our respective leaders should be given the opportunity to canvass their thoughts on the subject and an election is the perfect platform.
And lastly, I would like everyone to appreciate that politicians have a much harder job than most people think. The personal sacrifices are often under-rated. Yes it is a privileged job but it does come with baggage; I bow to those who persevere with the desire to serve community, state, and country.
Note: the views expressed here are my personal views and in no way represent the views of others, or my business
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