Public Relations in Australia
Order Instructions:
What are the single most significant issues facing the Australian system of government at local, state and national levels in the short and longer terms? Pick one short term and one long term issue at one level of government and outline the reasons you have chosen those issues.
Short-term issue: tackling use/addiction of methamphetamine (ice).
Long-term issue: privatization of state assets.
Current state of play:
Ice addiction and use in NSW is currently exploding. It is readily available and infiltrating communities state and nation wide. NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley recently described Ice use in the state as being an “epidemic” (SMH, Feb 26, 2015).
The recently re-elected Liberal state government of NSW is currently in the process of the privatization of the state’s electricity poles and wires. There has been much debate over the merits of such an act which will provide a short-term financial boost for the government and will raise taxes for the state’s residents.
Background:
1. Ice addiction and use in NSW has risen rapidly over the last decade. A 2006 report indicated there was about 37,000 regular Ice users in NSW with about 28,000 addicts (Drabsch). The rate of Ice use more than doubled between the years of 2010 and 2013, rising from 22% of speed users to a whopping 50% (National Drug Survery, 2013). The Salvation Army has also reported a 122% increase of Ice users presenting to their drug recovery programs since 2010. NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione recently wrote in the Daily Telehraph that: “if we don’t adequately address this problem, it is not an overstatement to say that it could bring us to our knees as a nation.” (Hildebrand, March 31, 2015) Ice is an incredible addictive drug, which can draw extremely violent behaviour from its users.
2. Mike Baird’s NSW Liberal party has promised to sell off the state’s electricity poles and wires having recently won the state election. The government will lease 100% of Transgrid, which runs the electricity network, for the next 99 years, while 50.4% of Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy will be offered for lease (SMH, March 30, 2015). The government hopes to raise about $13 billion from the sales while generating a $300 billion boost to the economy and adding over 100,000 jobs over the next 20 years (SMH, March 30, 2015). Money made from the sales will be invested into state infrastructure in the form of roads, re-developments etc.. However, there have been arguments against the merits of the move as the lease of pubic assets removes an income-generating asset for current and future governments (ABC News, March 17, 2015). In essence, the lease of public assets will create a short/medium-term economic boost, but it also removes what would have been guaranteed income for future governments.
Main points of contention:
It is important to discuss the way Ice has grown in NSW and how best to curtail the increasing rates and effects of its use. Looking at who will be responsible for the implementation of strategies to battle Ice use (government, police etc.) is also of importance.
In regards to privatization, the main discussion point is whether the government is making the right call by selling off the rights to a public asset. Do the short-term benefits balance out the possible long-term shortcomings?
Where I have gained my information:
I have obtained information by reading through studies on methamphetamine rates in Australia as well as a number of news articles. The NSW government website also provides fact sheets and advice for Ice users on their website.
Most of the information I have gathered on privatization plans have come from various news articles and the NSW government website.
QUESTIONS:
- From your knowledge, is Luke Foley right in his claim that Ice use in NSW at “epidemic” levels?
- A major collaboration between the NSW government and NSW police force is required to tackle methamphetamine use in the state. However, is one side more responsible than the other (law making vs law implementation)?
- What would be an effective strategy to implement in the fight against increasing rates of Ice use?
- Do the short/medium term benefits of privatisation (boost in economy, creation of jobs, more taxes) outweigh the negative aspects of losing public assets?
- Do you think previous acts of privatisation (Qantas, Telstra, power stations, etc.) been successes for both governments and the organisations themselves?
- How will privatization effect the people of NSW?
SAMPLE ANSWER
Public Relations in Australia
Introduction
On the platform of public relations in the Australia, government of this country is faced with short and long-term disturbing issues, which comprise of ice (methamphetamine) addiction and privatization of public assets respectively. Therefore, the following discussion will engage in discussing some of the controversial issues revolving about ice use and public-asset privatization in Australia.
Discussion
Ice addiction is an epidemic that needs to be wiped out as it has physical, psychological, and emotional effects that are detrimental to health population of Australia (Babor, 2010). The collaboration between the NSW police and NSW government can help eradicate addiction. However, NSW police is more responsible than the federal government on ice addiction, as they are within the grassroots where use of this drug is executed. However, due to corruption, the police let the criminals to go on with selling of these drugs (In Baker, In Robards & In Buttigieg, 2015). The effective strategy to fight against those increasing rates is by the NSW government being responsible for the use of ice by drafting policies that it oversees their implementation to the latter.
Privatization of public assets such as electric wires and poles poses a risk to NSW government in future. Although privatization will have an immediate boost of economy, creation of jobs and more tax pool, this does not outweigh the pain of losing the assets (Chinyere & Xu, 2012). Instead, Gaffey (2010), due to reduced dividends, the government will be forced in future to tax its citizens more heavily as they will have no stable investment sources. The previous acts of privatization of Qantas and power stations have not been beneficial for both the government and organizations (Warner, 2010). This is because privatization has led to the privatized companies trying to make use of the existing plants rather than invest in new ones. The people in NSW will lose trust to the government, as they will view that the government is mainly concerned about their current concerns, but not future demands of which are more critical than current ones.
Conclusion
In summary, the government can address the issues of ice addiction and privatization of public assets. The government, taking into consideration the effects of its action can either increase the use of ice or its decrease. On the other hand, the NSW should avoid privatization of its assets due to future adverse effects such as lack of investment structures.
References
Babor, T. (2010). Drug policy and the public good. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Chinyere, I. and Xu, X. (2012). Public-Private Partnerships: The Underlining Principles of Infrastructure Investment, Finance and Development Projects. International Journal of Business and Management, (7): 109-125.
Gaffey, D. W. (2010). Outsourcing infrastructure: expanding the use of public-private partnerships in the United States, Public Contract Law Journal, 39(2): 351-372.
In Baker, S., In Robards, B., & In Buttigieg, B. (2015). Youth cultures and subcultures: Australian perspectives.
Warner, M. ((Dec 2010). The Future of Local Government: Twenty-First-Century Challenges. Public Administration Review, suppl. Special Issue on the Future of Public Administration in, 2020 70: S145-S147.
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