NO ONE HAS IT HARDER THAN THEIR FATHER DID, MATE:

Australians have come a long way over these past two centuries, as evidenced by the numerous

improvements in our health, education, and material living standards.

As diseases are increasingly being conquered thanks to medical technologies, nutritional

improvements and cleaner living environments, we are surmounting the perilous hurdle of

infant mortality to live, on average, to an older age with each passing generation.

Successive generations of Australians are even growing taller, thanks to our generally improving

health status.

This country has also enjoyed remarkable economic progress in the long run, with average

Australians today benefiting from the fruits of rising national incomes, wages and household

wealth which are unprecedented in a historical context.

There are more people employed by the private sector now than in any other period in

Australian history, and more women than ever are making an active contribution to the

workforce.

Our land is yielding even more food to feed ourselves and a hungry world, and our capacity to

deliver mineral resources for domestic and global advanced production has never been as great

as today.

The vast improvement in Australian material living standards are arguably no better evidenced

than by the historically high extent of motor vehicle usage, and the electrical appliances and

electronic devices which fill up our larger homes.

The present generation of Australians are the most educated in history, with more people

enrolling in universities and other higher education institutions than ever before.

Life has been getting better for most Australians, and it could be even better today if it were not

for intrusive government regulations and wasteful spending which makes housing less

affordable and contributes to cost of living pressures.

Reducing the size and scope of government will be instrumental to securing rising living

standards in the future, as this will harness opportunities for enterprising Australians to discover

new ways of improving the economic and social circumstances of others.

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