Syria II

“Of course, rising population growth naturally would create economic growth”, says Harry S. Dent. Who is Harry S. Dent? Let’s first identify two benefits of economic growth – improves living standards and helps create jobs. One constant in the discussion started from last week’s column about relocating around 500 Syrian refugees to Central Queensland was there are no jobs for them here. No job, no to refugees; which I assume extends to anyone considering relocating to CQ. People need food, clothing and shelter and if they have money they will pay to get it. Necessity determines the federal government will use tax payer dollars to assist the Syrian refugees get established. No matter where they are relocated to in Australia. Why not therefore CQ and stimulate greater economic growth here. 500 people will mean millions being spent, plus extra people will need to be employed to help the refugees assimilate, resulting in more money circulating in the region, helping create even more jobs. Unless coal prices start substantially increasing it is going to be very difficult to create jobs in CQ with a strategy that includes telling people not to relocate here despite our enviable climate, affordable cost of living, less traffic congestion; because there are no jobs. As professed last week I’m no expert on this issue, but Harry S. Dent is. An economic forecaster and bestselling author, Harry studies demographics and has a strong belief that the health of one’s economy comes down to one thing – people. “… The economy is nothing more than people earning and spending money”. Substantial money needs to be and will be spent in helping the refugees get established; because of this more people will also earn. Western Australia is already on the front foot offering to accept an additional 1000 refugees, with regional centre Albany and the small shire of Katanning saying they will take a share. The Shire President of Katanning making no bones that the offer is as much about boosting the shire’s economy as it is on humanitarian grounds. If we want a stronger CQ economy and help create more jobs then we should be involved in discussions with the federal government about relocating a share of the displaced Syrians here. By helping others we help ourselves.