The Lucky Country Essay, Research Paper

THE LUCKY COUNTRY

Australia is A lucky country but it not necessarily The lucky county. Australia is one of the luckiest countries in the world but it is not justified say we are the luckiest because it is by no means perfect in any way. Australia like any country has disadvantages and problems, as well as all its attributes. Lucky is defined as something that happens by chance and has good effects or consequences. Australia success as a nation has defiantly not only been about luck however. The population have not just sat back and watched Australia develop into the country it is today. A lot of hard work has gone it to make and country that we know and love.

Australia, the island continent situated between the Indian and South Pacific oceans, southeast of Asia, is often depicted as the ‘lucky country’. It is probably the oldest landmass in the world, yet one of the youngest nations. Since the beginning of time, Australia has presented a harsh challenge, which has always been met with gusto, vivacity, a cheerful sense of adventure, and an ability to adapt. As a country it is filled with the energy and vibrancy of youth.

Australia is, indeed, the lucky country. We have been blessed with a wonderfully unique land, a contrasting climate and the knowledge to understand it and the diversity of people who are to carry it into the next millennium. Australia has had a rich past and continues to have such an exciting present, but no one knows what will be ahead of it. Being only 200 years old, Australia is living history. Yet at the same time we are creating our future. The success we enjoy today and have enjoyed for many, many years is not only due to luck. Our youth will be our future decision-makers, and we are educating our children at present to ensure prosperity and advance in times to come. As a nation we learn from yesterday, live for today and dream of the future. Australia has it all!

In 1984 a new national anthem was released, signifying our past, proclaiming our present and looking towards our future. Advance Australia Fair celebrates Australia as the lucky country.

Australia is lucky to be a democratic country. It has a stable government and is not directly involved in any wars at present. The people in our country have a say and do have beliefs forced upon them like many people in other countries. This makes Australia one of the luckier countries in the world.

Australia has a very diverse climate. It varies from tropical in the far north to temperate in Tasmania. In between these there are desert and Mediterranean climates also as well as the snowfields of Victoria. Most of Australia typically has hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. These very favorable conditions for the production of wine grapes, almonds and citrus fruit. In the northeastern section of New South Wales and the southeastern section of Queensland, the sub-tropical climate is the native environment for macadamia nuts. Further north, the tropical climate in Queensland and the Northern Territory provides good growing conditions for mangoes, avocados and other tropical fruit. Australia is lucky to have such a diverse and favorable climate. Much of our success in food industry and tourism has resulted from the weather conditions that our continent enjoys. Australia did not earn this climate; it was just lucky that the land experiences these conditions.

The Lucky country of Australia is one of the largest producers of a huge range of things. It grows and endless array of plant and crops, as well as fruits and vegetables for our own consumption as well as for worldwide markets. It also has large mineral deposits, such as gold, coal, copper, opal and diamond. We are able to excel is this industry because of our huge abundance of resources. We are able to enjoy this success in industry because Australia is lucky to have such natural resources but also because the people of Australia worked hard to find them, extract them, and sell them.

Australia is very large and has a very low population. It population is 19.3 million and its area is 7.7 million square km. Australia is therefor sparsely populated and there is a lot of space for wildlife, vegetation and national parks. As well as housing, shops and factories.

Australia also has several naturally occurring tourist attractions. Some of these include the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru. Australia I lucky to have such unique and beautiful places in its land. The people of Australia have used these wonders for their own benefit. They have developed and built up a tourist industry because of the luck they were dealt. This shows Australia is a Lucky Country not only in the sense that it was giver unique landscapes but also because the people have the knowledge and motivation to use this luck to their advantage.

Australia is lucky to have been blessed with its unique wildlife. Animals such as Kangaroos, Koalas and Wombats are not found anywhere else is the world. Also landscapes such as Australia have are unique to thins country. The red dusts and deserts as well as the snow felids and beaches make Australia a unique and beautiful place to live. The population of Australia is lucky to live in such a diverse and beautiful country.

The Unlucky Australians refers to those disadvantaged individuals and families in our community who either have fallen into a temporary situation that impedes participation in community life, or who are repeatedly blocked from taking up opportunities that could lead to greater participation because of broader systemic factors. “Unlucky” refers either to situational or systemic disadvantage, and not to chance or fate. We think of Australia as the lucky country , but . . .

* Almost one in every seven Australians live in income poverty today (2.4 million Australians or 13.3 percent)

* An estimated 732,000 (14.9 percent) of dependent children live in poverty in Australia

* Over 1.7 million (12.8 percent) of adults live in poverty

* Just over one-half of all Australia’s poor live in families whose main source of income is government cash benefits

* On average the incomes of poor Australians are 43 percent below their poverty lines

* Children living in sole parent and larger families continue to face a high risk of poverty

* Education and training ensure that young people are provided with the skills and knowledge necessary for long-term sustainable employment, thus reducing the risk of poverty.

* The “Financial Disadvantage in Australia – 1999 report showed that poverty in Australia is now a phenomenon that affects primarily those of working age.

* One in five poor Australians now live in a family where wages and salaries are the main income source, thus being a part of the growing number of working poor. In Australia today, having a job no longer guarantees that you and your family will not be in poverty.

* The cost of housing has a major impact on whether or not a family will be able to meet all its bills and pay its way. Home ownership has traditionally been high in Australia and has served as a safeguard against disadvantage. As low-income families are prevented from owning homes, inequalities in society widen even further. Housing costs have increased in recent years in cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. Many inner city areas have experienced particular increases as demand escalates for housing closer to the city centers where new well-paid employment opportunities have been created. This has placed additional pressure on low-income communities in what were once exclusively working-class areas.

* Housing is the single largest expense for most Smith Family clients and therefore has a major impact on poverty levels. (The Smith Family – “The Housing Factor,” Social Issues Paper no. 7, June 1998)

Australia is defiantly A lucky country. It has so many things going for it and has a very bright future. However, I would not go to the extent of calling it The lucky country because there is also many negative aspects within Australia.