I totally disagree with Tony Abbott. When I came to Australia, I thought I was very progressive. I moved to Australia from Ireland in 1984. So, in the whole Keating era. It was a long time ago, you know, but to me Australia felt really progressive and moving forward and I loved it. I’ve been in Australia for 31 years, plus I lived in Germany as a student. So I was here for 5 years, then Germany, and I’ve been back in Sydney since 1992. I think we’re in a really bad state. I think housing affordability is something that needs to be looked at but that’s just one thing. It’s a drop in the ocean. I just think we’re really going backwards. You know, I don’t think we’re progressive or moving forward. Our whole view on climate change, it’s all the same. I kind of think we’re in a very depressing stage. It should be said, I also think Australia is extremely lucky and hopefully we’ll get over it. There are definitely people who are not thinking along the lines of Tony Abbott. As you can tell I’m not a Liberal voter. Ever. But I just think a lot of the stuff we’re doing…I don’t think it’s good. I don’t think it’s progressive.
I mean, I’m okay. You know, I’m relatively okay but how they’re going to fix things like housing affordability or unemployment, I don’t know. I don’t think there is any real plan for the future with employment. I mean, if we were looking at alternative sort of sources of energy, then there would be more jobs available. I think Australia should be putting a lot more money into research and small businesses because the creation of new jobs is there and it can benefit people.
I’ve got a small business – a very small business – and I think the way you get treated by the banks and everything like that is appalling. I’ve had the bank person say to me “You’re a small business, we know what they’re like”. They don’t want to invest or help along small businesses. Yeah, I am a small business. I’m employing people. Which I am! I don’t have anybody employed with me on a regular basis at the moment though. They’re all contractors but it’s still some form of employment. There’s no kind of respect and support for it, I find.
When it comes to the big banks, I think it’s very easy for them to pick and choose what they want to invest in. I wanted to find an investment property and they were sort of making me jump through hoops and I basically said to this person, “I’ve got plans and I’ve got goals and I’m going do them with or without you”. Loyalty apparently doesn’t count for anything with them. I’ve been with the same bank for 23 years now, I’ve got a brilliant credit rating; can’t you give me what I’m due? I’m currently looking at investing. I had a couple of investments in Sydney and was working and doing really well for myself. But three years ago – before the boom – I sold everything, which was the worst thing to do and then the banks looked at me really badly so it’s like, any little misstep or poor choice, they see it as a mark against you. There’s a hesitation there because you have people saying “There’s all these young people that are getting loans and they can’t repay them” but, with all due respect, that’s got nothing to do with me.
I think the way we’re heading is wrong in terms of foreign policy is wrong as well. Tony Abbott has said that ISIS or Islamic State is after us and he’s just creating this kind of fear of the Middle East. I think they should be interviewing the people who’ve gone over there and ask “What’s going on? What can we do about it?” rather than just fear mongering. A lot of these people are very young and they’re obviously being influenced by something, but we need to know why. This whole thing with taking their passports off them? I think, get on with your politics. For the people who are making a big hoo-ha about changing the whole Australian constitution to address this, I just think it is all misdirected and just talk. I can’t stand Tony Abbott as you can tell. I can’t believe it. I’m so disappointed in how Australia is running, honestly.
