How Governments Destroy Prosperity
Another Example of Politicians Acting Against the Public Interest
I was enraged(!!) when I read this article in today's "Sydney Morning Herald" (see here) - "After a shunt or three, off the rails." The article relates the case of a proposed road-rail freight transfer depot that has been held up for four years! Anyone who still clings to the misguided belief that governments are the solution rather than the problem needs to read this!
"It started in August 2000, when Patrick Corporation lodged with Campbelltown City Council a proposal for a road-rail freight transfer depot beside the Ingleburn rail line. It was actively supported by policy at every level - and yet, for four years, Patrick awaited an answer. Any answer."
Why the delay? Read the article for the full story but it basically boils down to the local Labour government wilfully acting to obstruct Patrick Corporation, presumably as part of a political "grudge" against the company (Patrick was the company that took on, and beat, the waterfront unions in a bitter dispute a few years back).
Yet another example of the evil consequences of government and over-regulation. This particular tale seems like something out of "Atlas Shrugged". I've sometimes thought that Rand drew a somewhat extreme caricature in that book to make her point, but the frightening thing is that many of the things she talked about are happening right before our eyes!
I was enraged(!!) when I read this article in today's "Sydney Morning Herald" (see here) - "After a shunt or three, off the rails." The article relates the case of a proposed road-rail freight transfer depot that has been held up for four years! Anyone who still clings to the misguided belief that governments are the solution rather than the problem needs to read this!
"It started in August 2000, when Patrick Corporation lodged with Campbelltown City Council a proposal for a road-rail freight transfer depot beside the Ingleburn rail line. It was actively supported by policy at every level - and yet, for four years, Patrick awaited an answer. Any answer."
Why the delay? Read the article for the full story but it basically boils down to the local Labour government wilfully acting to obstruct Patrick Corporation, presumably as part of a political "grudge" against the company (Patrick was the company that took on, and beat, the waterfront unions in a bitter dispute a few years back).
Yet another example of the evil consequences of government and over-regulation. This particular tale seems like something out of "Atlas Shrugged". I've sometimes thought that Rand drew a somewhat extreme caricature in that book to make her point, but the frightening thing is that many of the things she talked about are happening right before our eyes!
posted by Kevin Francis at
6:10 pm
