Messed Up Magazine

“Living in a World of Silence”, which was released in mid-August wraps her powerful poetic, political-driven penmanship in swirls of enchanting sound.”

“A recent addition to the Australian music industry, Camille delaquise is the musical manifestation of poet Camille Barr. Shifting shores from the glorious beaches of Byron Bay to the world class surf of Torquay, Camille reflects her earthy landscape, digging into the whimsical waves of sound.

Her debut EP, “Living in a World of Silence”, which was released in mid-August wraps her powerful poetic, political-driven penmanship in swirls of enchanting sound.”

Forte Magazine - Camille Delaquise

This is Camille Delaquise

Forte magazine recently did this little write up about me!

CLICK TO READ FULL PIECE 

Green Left Weekly – Winter is near

Green left weekly published my poem  – Winter is near, from my new poetry book RISE,

WINTER IS NEAR

The winter of humankind draws near
Science has spoken in alarm
The day may be warm, unseasonal
Land whips at our faces
Too spoiled to take root
For all the rot we fed it
The well of life ran dry
As the last drop fell from our swollen lips
Our gods of gold had fallen short
Adorned in accolades we buried them too

Perhaps one day another kind
Will unveil our bones of mystery
On what was once such fertile ground
Should they enquire
How we never grew to regard our limits
To value the welfare of life and land
There remains of course one moment left
One movement to change the trajectory
Write a new chapter
To mark a start not the finale

Camille Barr

www.greenleftweekly.org.au

…Because I was born a girl – Release

I would like to firstly acknowledge that it was with the support of four men that the production of this song was made possible (the irony of which is not lost on me, I assure you). The lyrics are definitely not about pointing the finger at men, it is the challenging of a system that limits human potential and holds us all captive to a past system that is long overdue for change. I view the dismantling of this system as having as many benefits for men as women for that should be the point of equality.

What this song is about then is bringing into the general consciousness the fact that our societies are still predominately organised within the *realm of a patriarchal system of doing things. Women may have won equal rights in some places but we are yet to win equal treatment. Our modern version of the patriarchal system may sound different from the past, however this only acts to silence any challenge to its power. With the framing of deceptive language that creates an illusion of equality rather than a reality of equality.

We are confronted by this illusion everyday that passes and fails to break through the wall that is the gender pay gap. The patriarchal system still prevails in our laws even when they tell us women have equal rights, these laws are enforced in a way that makes sure we experience them from a position of disadvantage. Take for example the Shared Parental Responsibility amendment under the Family Law Act of 2006 in Australia, on the surface it declares itself as equal with words such as “shared”. In action though what these words do is deny the lived experiences of women, which tell us that for the majority of mothers when it comes to parenting they fulfil the bulk of the caring duties. This is an extremely important fact to note when deciding on parental rights but it becomes irrelevant with laws that aim to distract us away from the significance of caring duties. The implication of laws such as these is that they keep women in a position of subordination and at worst put their lives and lives of their children at risk.

So this song is referring to the realisation that the patriarchal system still exists within our culture and that it is a system that not only limits women’s opportunities but it is a system that is limiting human potential as a whole. It is very empowering to be able to recognise what you are up against because it provides the the opportunity to question it and ultimately challenge it.

Women hold the power to change the patriarchal system of doing things and this song is just as much about recognising that power. (Note: the realm of the patriarchal system within this context just means we organise our societies based mostly from the perspective of the lived experience of men, the consequence is the benefits are directed to a greater degree towards men compared to women whether consciously or unconsciously). Camille X  

To listen to and watch the music video …Because I was born a girl please visit my music page

RTRFM Perth Radio

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Emily Green from RTRFM in Perth about my poetry & music. 

Festival City Adelaide Radio Chat

Festival City Adelaide Radio Interview Camille Delaquise

I will be having a quick chat with Bec from RTRFM 92.1 in Perth about my new single Blossoming again. Tune in AWST: 11.30 am (1.10pm EDST) on Friday 1 October

8ccc Radio - Chat

I will be having a chat with Andy from 8ccc Brekky Show Alice Springs & Tennant Creek on Tuesday the 31st of August at 7.30am ASTC. And they will be playing Blossoming again as well as one of my other songs. To find out more about my music visit my music page here.

Pulse 947 Geelong

I had the pleasure of talking with Kylie and Chris on KickArts 947 the pulse in Geelong about my music and poetry.

3cr Melbourne - Camille Delaquise

I will be on Melbourne radio station 3cr this morning talking about my new poetry book RISE with Brendan Bonsack tune in to listen.

Beat Magazine - Camille Barr

Beat Magazine Write Up

Thank you to James Robinson and Beat magazine for this little write up! 

“For Camille Barr, transitioning from poetry to music was a natural progression”

A little gypsy song – release

A Little Gypsy Song

Excited to announce the release of A little gypsy song now available on all streaming services.

A little about this song, it came about as I was writing my second book of poetry and decided to turn some of my poems into lyrics (a natural enough progression). The music came to be as I dared to explore a hidden desire. The production by Sefi Carmel came as a dream, one that even my wild imagination could not of conjured up. But here it is A little gypsy song, Where poetry became music and music gave me the freedom to dream.

A huge thank you to everyone that has made this project possible Sefi Carmel & Lucas James for the production and a big thank you to Cam Watts for the cover shot.

CLICK HERE TO STREAM ON YOUR FAVOURITE SERVICE

The catalyst for a weak economy

Consequences of devaluing our welfare system

There are far reaching ramifications to the economy by keeping “Newstart” at unbearably low levels. Firstly, we must note that this monstrous assault on the unemployed together with, the economy at large began in 1994. Subsequently, there has been no increase in real terms of the Newstart rate since 1994 (Fact checked by Q&A), effectively laying the groundwork for the weak economy we have today. For evidence of this look to the correlation between the freeze on the Newstart rate and wage stagnation cumulating to an actual decline in real terms.

The economy as a whole suffers under such savagery, something we are now beginning to see unfold as wages have been suppressed by such vile legislation. The reason for this is that the economy is run under a capitalist system that is unable to provide full employment. To say that full employment is possible is a reckless as saying climate change is not real.

A brief explanation of why full employment is not possible is basically as follows:

Capitalism is unable to bear the forces of competition, it will always end in a race to the bottom due to being a profit driven system. Profit is the main aim of the system without it a business cannot function even when the enterprise provides the necessities of life.

To secure profit, supply and demand becomes a game of manipulation within the market. With attempts to control supply in order to guarantee demand captive market style tactics ensue.

The profit motive is further amplified by inflation, caused by debt created by leading money that was not in existence (the black magic of banking otherwise known as Capital Asset Ratio in Australia and Fractional banking in the USA). This inflation means prices must continually rise forcing the need for continual growth (ever increasing profit) in order to service the debt that diminishes the value of the money in circulation from the means of production. This is how inflation works; the more abundant a trading tool (money) the lesser the value, more money, higher prices(even when it isn’t evenly distributed and this is why we see the increase in billionaires).

The way in which this relates to employment is via the way in which employees (or labour) are valued. Employees are not valued for their contribution to society; their value is based on the profit their labour can provide for their employer. When someone sells their labour for a wage a business must consider if the cost of the labour will be viable in terms of the amount of profit that will be made from such labour.

Leading some to falsely believe that low wages are a good thing for business but this is an error in calculation. In doing this assessment they should also take into consideration their customer base in terms of the impact of their financial capacity to recycle money back into the market. When wages are driven down too far then the customer base for the product is also driven down. Eventually decreasing the amount of profit that can be made and lessening the incentive to hire employees, which furthers restricts the amount of money available to be spent.

Some business owners in the wealthier countries may fantasise about being able to pay wages at the rate of poor countries and in fact some do move their production to these countries precisely for this. However, this is an ignorant assessment that eventually catches up with them.

The low wage assessment is short sighted and therefore incomplete for two reasons; Firstly, the poor countries are not where the biggest customer base resides as the poor cannot afford the products. The majority of their customer base obtains their money through wages so the wages must be high enough that they will drive the demand that produces the profit. Otherwise demand cannot keep up with supply and prices fall. This is when the cycle goes into its bust period as seen during the Global financial crisis.

The fantasy over low wages catches up first with small businesses as their employees receive lower wages beginning a flow on effect through the economy resulting in customers tightening their belts. Since a customer and a wage earner are one and the same in this arena the domestic business feels this pinch the earliest.

Secondly, there is still a slow erosion of profit even for those that took their production to poor countries in order to exploit low wages because they also took the jobs. When this happens on mass then eventually the customer base that provided the profit is eroded.

This trend happens because capitalism buckles under competition. As one company looks to secure their market share by paying lower wages overseas this puts them at a huge advantage at first, they can offer their product at lower prices to secure demand. By capturing the market this way it forces other business’ to follow by example, as they cannot compete on such unequal terms.

This does however come full circle when large amounts of profit are gained at the price of lower wages as this causes fewer jobs as our trading tool (money), becomes too concentrated at the top. Which puts a stranglehold on the economy, as even though those at the top end of the wealth spectrum may consume the most resources per person overall their numbers are too small to drive enough demand to keep the economy ticking over.

What the above examples show is that the markets attempts to stem the flow of competition through low wages are nothing but a fantasy, a story of fiction passed on. Part of this fictional tale is also that full employment is possible, however the capitalist market reaction to competition happens here too.

For instance have you ever wondered why there are always less jobs available then there are applicants? This is not an accident, it is part of the design fault to prevent capital feeling the full pressure of competing against other capital in order to secure labour. As a consequence a section of the workforce are relegated to the unemployment line as sacrificial lambs, conveniently referred to as the natural employment rate.

If all the unemployed followed the advice of the Liberal party and went and offered their labour for less to secure the job then this would flood the market and drive demand down throughout the entire economy. As each person offers their labour for less, less money is recycled back into the economy starting a race to the bottom and thereby eroding profit. Unemployment would actually skyrocket as a result of this willfully ignorant advice that distracts from the fact that capitalism has ingrained in it many system faults, including being the root cause of unemployment.

On the other side if capital had to contend with the pressure of full employment then demand for labour would force businesses to offer higher and higher wages until it too eroded the profit margin to such an extent that the business would become unviable. A different race to the bottom of the profit margin. Capitalism is a system designed for one purpose only produce a profit this is no more evident then in the climate emergency, where the urgent action needed is sidelined for profit.

The reason we end up with unemployment over increasing wages is due to the power money holds within society, this power can and does buy influence. It enables lobby groups to ensure legislation is written to favour capital over labour (money over people). A capitalist system is at odds with the democratic system as a business runs from the top down, creating an incentive to make the system more business friendly which is to say more autocratic. The intensified attacks of recent times by the Liberal party on Trade Unions are an example of corporate influence over government; capital is trying to diminish the power of labour.

What owners of capital so often forget though is how dependent they are on labour not only for production but also for profit, one flows to the other. Low wages interrupt this delicate flow and freezing Newstart exasperates the downward pressure on wages.

A strong welfare system comes into play as a benefit to the owners of capital just as much, if not more, than wage earners. Simply put welfare keeps the market stable, it is a subsidy to business that keeps the doors open. For capital it provides the right environment for business to turn a profit compared with the individual that receives a payment that provides for a painful and stressful transition to another job.

Payments such as Newstart actually provide a safety net. Not only does it prevent civil unrest, social security payment also ensures that poverty does not trap people in a way that would prevent them from being able to get a job. This way capital can keep alive the narrative of a natural employment rate, which sees people as transitioning from one job to another. This narrative around natural employment rate acts as a remarkably effective distraction from the real issue of a system designed to fail workers.

When the safety net of social security is curtailed to the point that it no longer provides the shelter necessary to weather the storm then the unemployed have no other option than to offer their labour for less. The amount of Newstart is now so low that it would be better to offer labour below minimum wage, unfortunately this adds to the race to the bottom. A quick example works something like this:

Newstart plus rent assistance =$346.45 per week (less if you are in a share house or have a mortgage)

Minimum wage = $19.40 x 38 hours =$737.20 – $92 in tax – in pocket income =$648 in real terms this is what you have available to live on.

Poverty line = $433 (although this seems out of date with the cost of living especially housing)

Even a small drop of offering labour at $15 an hour would get you well above the Newstart rate at $570 a week – $52 in tax = $518 In pocket. This would put you over the so-called poverty line.

However, don’t get excited yet. This is not something to celebrate because the amount paid under the minimum amount would not allow you to even contemplate buying a house (or in other words secure a sense of stability) or support a family. So, what do you do? Get a second job? If so do you again offer to work for less? Both these scenarios are unsustainable, the first due to not providing the necessities of life and the second because of the limited resources of time and energy each person has to give.

You can see though how this scenario of working for less is forced upon the wage earner and how it eventually trickles through the entire economy until it becomes a flood.

When there is no safety net that allows you to scrape by until a job becomes available then the only option is work for less until even this cannot save you. Of course, this a slow-moving disaster that can take decades to come to a head. Nevertheless this is the path we started down back in the 90’s with the freezing of Newstart that has been allowed to become a slow erosion of our social security system.

This scenario poses a real risk to an economy with low growth, high inflation, falling house prices, wage stagnation, and record breaking household debt. It has been said many times recently that the Australian housing market is a house of cards and it will only take one shock to the economy for it to crash.

Could this shock be coming via the slow dismantling of social security? The very system that was designed as a safety net but has become a form of punishment.

Let us think about the words “social security”, what do they mean for the Australian people and the economy as a whole?

Social security implies our social contract to take care of each other, yet this is forgotten when media and politicians speak for the corporate minority setting an agenda of division with terms such as dole bludger frequently flaunted. The term stigmatises, marginalises and automatically silences voices of opposition.

Social security after all is not a safety net for the individual but a safety net for society by keeping things civil. What then can be said of a government that creates legislation that forces its own citizens into poverty? Given poverty is a violent act against a person is not the government itself a threat to security on both an economic and social level. The increasing of Newstart should not only becomes a moral obligation of the government but a requirement as evidence of managerial competence.

The consequence of not raising the rate of Newstart can now been seen as putting downward pressure on all wages, meaning the effect can be felt through the entire economy if given enough time, which we have had.

This is the road the USA took owing to the roots of capitalism in slavery as Mathew Desmond writes in The New York Times Magazine (August 2019) “It is a culture of acquiring wealth without work, growing at all costs and abusing the powerless…It is the culture that has produced staggering inequality and undignified working conditions – union busting, poverty wages, gig jobs and normalized insecurity; a winner take-all capitalism” We must ask ourselves is this the vision we have in Australia or will we demand better from our government, will we demand a true government for the people?

Or will we continue down the “low road” (Mathew Desmond) paved by slavery?

The raising or not raising of the Newstart as much as anything else will clearly symbolise the path we have chosen.

For all my art prints and poetry books click here.

Poem: About that bird that sings

Green left weekly recently published by poem, About that bird that sings, which I dedicate to all the whistle-blowers who have given up so much for our freedom.  

About that bird that sings

Bold and true
Beautiful abandonment
Belonging to just a few
Behold its sweet song of sorrow

Whistling at winds of change
The spotter on the lookout
Shot down by denial
Such is the disgrace

The hunter’s rifle smokes
As it chokes out that flame
The fanfare never arrived
For that song bird that whistled so true

Camille Barr

Visit here to read full article.

For my poetry books please click here

Green Left Weekly – Watch your language

Green Left weekly recently published this piece and poem I wrote after the election result in Australia. “

This election win for the Establishment is the expected result that comes from “manufacturing consent” through the use of propaganda in some covert media campaigns.

We must take control back over our narrative or forever be silenced. We must not allow ourselves to be directed by corporate media monopolies. Because their fundamental nature is to be self-serving, which is completely at odds with democracy…” To read the poem and full piece visit www.greenleftweekly.org.au

Julian Assange – Poetry: A battle over truth

Green left weekly recently published my piece & poem about Julian Assange.

This is a battle over truth and freedom of the press.

But the debate has been shifted to focus solely on one man, because it is much easier to vilify a man than freedom and democracy.

Freedom will be plucked from our hands if we debate it on the merits of one man… for more poems check out my poetry books or art prints.

For freedom, not Assange
Silent steps are taken in the dark
The shadows of history are seen on the walls
Power cringes in the light of truth
Behind closed doors truth is classified
Our fate sealed with government stamps
Truth only becomes truth by inspection
 
So the gates are locked
Truth deemed such a fragile flower
That it would wither in the public eye
Or could it possibly be the blossoming of liberty
Forces of freedom now stand
Or forever have it plucked from your hand
 
Information is the key
To unlock the chains around democracy
If it is lost, then we have all lost
Surrendering freedom because we didn’t like a man
Distracted by conjecture the battle is won
Without ever whispering the name of the game

To read the full piece visit www.greenleftweekly.org.au

Indaily – The beauty that is found

Indaily Adelaide’s independent news published my  poem – The beauty that is found which can also be purchased as an art print.

The beauty that is found

In the days that tire the bones
the mind looks to escape
step back, breathe slow
observe time pass by

Refocus, delve within
break free in the reflection
reopen your heart
let it guide your sight

Hear the rain fall,
drop by drop
feel the sunshine,
flush of warmth
feel the sand at your feet,
sink them deep
lay still in the gentle embrace,
hug tighter
watch the light rise and fall,
stars sparkle
as the moon illuminates
unwind as the water washes it all away

Give it a moment,
let the tears fall
pick up strength
radiant beauty shines through.

Camille Barr

www.indaily.com.au

The best person for the job – a question of merit

Merit – claim to commendation; excellence; worth. Something that entitles to reward of commendation, a commendable quality, act, etc (Macquarie dictionary fifth edition).

When the question of quotas are referenced to ensure the equal representation and opportunity of women in various industry departments it quickly turns into a discussion of merit. The question of merit is validated around the narrative of finding the best person for the job regardless of gender. This is then received more widely as the reasonable approach as we make it about the merit of the person regardless of gender, or so it is believed. However this proposition simultaneously removes the debate on how to achieve gender equality. For if we state we are not looking at gender then we are also stating that gender equality has been achieved, something that most of us can easily identify as false. It is when we recognise the question of merit however as a guise to quash the gender equality debate that we more fully start to understand it as a misogynist tool that makes women prove their worth.

Kate Manne writes in Down Girl – The logic of misogyny that “misogyny should be understood primarily as the law enforcement branch of a patriarchal order”. Manne continues to illustrate this function under sexism vs. misogyny with the example of the misogyny speech made by the former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. This speech helped to crystallise for many how misogyny is a mechanism of a patriarchal society and prompted the updating of the word in the Macquarie dictionary which had become out of step with how the word had been used for the past 30 years. It was too restrictive to mean only the hatred of women. It was more accurate to widen the scope and it now therefore more accurately includes “entrenched prejudice against women”(Macquarie dictionary 2018).

Prejudice – an unfavourable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason (Macquarie dictionary 2018).

Within this scope we can more clearly identify misogyny, as a mechanism used within society to keep women in their place, a place as defined through the eyes of a a patriarchal society. Certainly it seems not a place of power but rather of servitude. We could be convinced then that we did not get the job not because we are female but because we lacked the so called merit to do the job, there was just a better person suited to the position and that person just happened to be a man.

To demonstrate how language is used to undermine the feminist movement I have included dictionary definitions. For when we brake down the components and examine them closely we discover how the mechanism works in this context and it opens up inquiry. Simone De Beauvoir in her book the Second Sex asks the question “What is a woman?” as De Beauvoir goes on to explain “Merely stating the problem suggests an immediate answer to me. It is significant that I pose it. It would never occur to a man to write a book on the singular situation of males in humanity…A man never begins by posting himself as an individual of a certain sex that he is a man is obvious”.

Just like De Beauvoir used this type of inquiry to ask the right questions here too we must ask questions of merit and what constitutes it; who and how is this determined; can it ever be unbiased in a system that was built on gender bias. Especially if the same men holding positions that they acquired through gender bias decide it, how can they be expected to see through the bias?

An example of the inability to identify this bias is that a man may assume he had the required merit to acquire his employment position, that gender played a role will not be questioned. This is the accepted norm once he gets the job. For women though they must argue why they deserve equal representation, for men they can assume the over representation is based on merit. If women were given equal opportunity, then mathematically it would equate to them being equally represented to men within all departments given that they represent roughly half the population. However we still do not see anything close to this despite the new slogan of merit.

For women we continue to make separate rules as we tell them employment for them will not be based on gender but merit. In effect we are still separating them from men who used their gender as proof of merit for centuries. Apparently now that women want to use the gender card to gain opportunity it is suddenly deemed a flawed system. It is a flawed system, however it is difficult to make the argument that within a gender that represents roughly fifty percent of the population a woman could not be found with the correct merit for the job.

Merit in this context is at worst telling women they do not possess the merit for the job and at best puts obstacles in the way of them achieving equality. Making it an excruciatingly slow if not impossible device to achieve equal opportunity for women in the workplace.

A quota system works because it demands equal representation. Whereas as a merit system is based on a subjective analysis that can unwittingly be decided under an unconscious bias. A quota system enables a diverse representation (it can apply beyond gender) whereas a merit system falls short due to being subjective from the perspective of the person(s) deciding what constitutes merit.

If we tell women and men that merit was the deciding factor then we are telling them all the men in leadership roles have those jobs solely because of their merit alone. The bases of merit in this situation then starts to fall apart at the seams because we can clearly see the inequality it continues to justify.

So we must continue to ask questions. Such as, what is the merit of having an all male work place or only males in leadership roles? What type of culture does that create and does it become detrimental to have such an unbalanced work place? The more questions we ask the clearer the answers become as it brings awareness to the lack of equality achieved through a so called merit system and it displays how this continued structure has inhibited desired outcomes due to a lack of perception caused by looking through the narrow lens of a male only experience.

These questions have illuminated the fact that there are still many men in leadership roles today not because they were the best person for the job but because they were the best man for the job. Again we are back revealing the merit objective as one that acts as a wall for women and validation of entry for men.

Women may themselves argue for a merit based system over a quota system as we have in seen in recent Australian politics. Again questions must be asked; such as, is this response by women one stemming from the fear of being viewed as not having the merit for the job?

Again when we ask this type of question we realise that it is only women asking themselves this question not men for men assume that merit was valid upon appointment, despite the overwhelming evidence that suggests the opposite. The evidence being if men and women where given equal opportunity to leadership roles then given they represent half the worthy candidates then we should see this reflected in leadership role representation, we don’t. So why don’t men ask themselves if they have the merit for their position?

The simple answer is it probably never occurred to them to ask, because within our patriarchal society it is only women that we ask to prove their worth/merit. That a man has worth is a given he is a recognised human being (a man does not need to fight for his rights they are given), for a woman though it seems debatable. When we are not given equal opportunity we are not given equal rights or equal status as a human being.

If we continue this merit rhetoric then we continue to tell women that we were unable to identify their worth and we trap them within the patriarchal system they are forced to abide by. The hidden agenda of finding the so called best person for the job based on merit is a bit like when the term ‘post-feminism’ was pushed in “the mid-1980’s”(All the rebel women Kira Cochrane 2013) as an attempt “to banish feminism to the margins” (Cochrane 2013). We were told that women had achieved equality we could aspire to become whoever we wanted; we could do away with feminism and the struggle was won, it was not. It was in actuality being sidelined so that the momentum that had grown out of the feminist movements could be quietly disarmed. For if we thought we had won what did we need feminism for?

Merit in the context of employment is being used in just the same way. It tells us that women will only be judged on merit but what it doesn’t tell us is that men will be given advantage because of systemic gender bias. It prevents women from being able to point out the disparity in the ratio of men verses women in certain jobs, because it indoctrinates the accepted response that the men had more merit. Just like telling women they live in a post-feminist world, telling them merit was the deciding factor deters women from raising feminist issues and prevents them from achieving equality as they are silenced. The language conveyed by post-feminism and merit systems attempts to remove the perceived need for feminism precisely when it is most needed. So lets give feminism the merit it deserves and call for mandatory quota systems to be enforced. The flow on effect of this could also open up an opportunity to close the pay gap, as women would be empowered to do it for themselves.

A poem inspired by my reading and research of merit.

Social experiment

Take away the scales
Add a boy and a girl
Place one in front of the other
Blind the boy with sugar
Tie the girls hands
Bake the boy in golden sunshine
Beat the girl down and leave to rise
Measure only the material
Add judgement to the girl
Add praise to the boy
Discard cause and effect
Walk away from the results

Camille Barr

How a constitutional monarchy is a chain around democracy

In making this statement, I believe language plays an important role in determining which direction would provide the most suitable structure for the Australia of the future. This belief led me to first look up the dictionary definitions for "Monarchy" and "Democracy," as they are the two structural ideals of governance that Australia currently identifies with.

New Oxford American Dictionary definitions:

• Monarchy: A form of government with a monarch at the head. (The monarchy) the monarch and royal family of a country; the monarch is the focus of loyalty and service.

• Democracy: A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives. (Late Latin Greek demokratia, from demos, the people + kratia, power, rule).

From these definitions, we can easily identify how much these two forms of governance are at odds with each other. Their fusion does not strengthen democracy but instead weakens it by validating the monarchy's prime position within a modern society. The monarchy focuses on loyalty and service to the royal family, whereas democracy prioritizes power to the people, allowing loyalty and service to be directed toward their benefit.

For context, we must also recognize the nuance of what a constitutional monarchy means for Australia. According to Australian Politics, "This means that the head of State is a monarch, or sovereign, who is governed and bound by the Constitution" (Constitutional Monarchy, 1995–2017).

In Australia, the majority of power is restricted within the guidelines of the Australian Constitution, thereby diminishing the power of the head of state, making it more of a figurehead than a direct ruler. This brings us back to the question of language and what it represents in terms of influence, acknowledging that influence wields a certain amount of power in this context.

Having a monarch as a head of state validates undemocratic values, as the influence of the monarchy can undermine democracy. A position granted by virtue of birth inherently creates a class system that is fundamentally unfair. Even when restrained through Acts of Parliament, the prestige of the position still holds power through influence.

This influence is so entrenched in society that it can feel disloyal to even question it. This reveals the true power of influence in our lives. We give loyalty to individuals we do not truly know. Even if they are kind and respectable people, is that a legitimate reason to maintain them as head of state? There are many lovely Australians—shouldn’t they have a chance at the role?

A monarchy suggests that power and wealth are birthrights, while those born into poverty are deemed powerless as part of a natural order. This dynamic undermines Australia’s "fair go" ethos, creating an intrinsic inequality in society.

The question, therefore, is not simply monarchy or republic, but whether it is appropriate to continue enshrining this hierarchy of birth in our political system. The monarchy undoubtedly represents a significant part of Australia’s history, but perhaps it is better preserved in history books than in modern governance.

The First Peoples of this country have a history spanning over 50,000 years, yet much of it remains untold. Instead, we focus on the last 230 years. Is this emphasis because the British monarchy remains the head of state?

It would be arrogant to claim there is nothing to learn from a civilisation that has thrived in harmony with its natural environment for so long. Therefore, while we must remember history, it should be told in a way that fosters a fair and balanced society for all Australians. Furthermore, keeping a head of state that symbolizes the uninvited colonisation of this land seems blatantly unjust.

The significance of language becomes even more apparent when revisiting the dismissal of the democratically elected Prime Minister Gough Whitlam on November 11, 1975. The Governor-General exploited reserve powers to dismiss Whitlam, undermining Australian democracy. According to journalist John Pilger, “Invoking archaic vice-regal reserve powers, Kerr sacked the democratically elected prime minister. The Whitlam problem was solved, and Australian politics never recovered, nor the nation its true independence” (The British-American Coup That Ended Australian Independence, 2014).

These reserve powers, as outlined on the Governor-General’s website, include:

• Appointing a Prime Minister if an election results in a hung parliament.

• Dismissing a Prime Minister who has lost the confidence of Parliament.

• Dismissing a Prime Minister or Minister acting unlawfully.

• Refusing to dissolve the House of Representatives despite a Prime Minister’s request.

The language describing these powers, particularly “in certain circumstances,” highlights their undemocratic nature, leaving room for exploitation. Even if the royal family claims not to interfere in domestic politics, the existence of a Governor-General linked to the monarchy allowed this exploitation.

The monarchy’s influence perpetuates a class system and weakens democracy through the Governor-General’s reserve powers. This creates a political structure that undermines Australia’s democratic aspirations.

Finally, let us consider the definition of a republic: “A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.”

This is a powerful democratic language, one that could strengthen Australia’s governance. While we may not all have the chance to be kings or queens, a republic allows every citizen the opportunity to aspire to become the head of state. The conversation then becomes: Do Australians prefer a weakened democracy tied to the monarchy or a stronger democracy under a republic?

In simpler terms: a weak democracy or a strong democracy—what would Australians choose?

Here is a poem inspired by the research while writing this essay, to purchase more of my poetry books please visit my shop page

Watch your language

Words weave in and out of our lives

Hold the power to tell truth or lies

Can build a bridge or a wall

Spoken in foolishness they divide

Conveyed in understanding they unify

This is why I carry a dictionary by my side

Disassemble the literal meaning

Enfold in modern discourse

Watch to see if it holds its burden

For there is no hiding intention in expression

Misuse reveals their mark

As much as missing lines are a sign

A stranglehold has prevailed in silence

Shoved into mouths conversations are lost So watch your language

For it communicates the composition of society

Why reading legislation isn’t boring

There is often talk about wanting to change the system or that a certain component within the system is broken and must be fixed. However, when you look at the original premise of a particular Act it may actually be sound in its objectives. Where it can go wrong is in the implementation or amendment stages. Also, if you are unaware of the legislation then it makes it easier for governments to disregard the intent of the objectives. As the majority always holds the balance of power, many distractions are employed to make sure they don’t take it upon themselves to be informed.

This is where reading legislation comes in as it helps to hold governments accountable and gives citizens the ability to protect themselves from misinformation. And where necessary change the system.

Furthermore, when legislation is dealt with only by the ruling class then it is evidently written to enrich them while forcing the majority into servitude.

The good news is that it is all there, hidden in plain sight just waiting for you to discover it. All easily accessible through government websites. Here is one I suggest you start with to see where it leads. www.legislation.gov.au

Then click on “What’s New” on the left-hand bar, then click “Bill” in middle of screen and then pick a date from the dropdown, then select any that piques your interest. Those that were introduced on the 24th of August 2018 include the Australian multicultural Bill 2018. From there scroll down to Section 3. Definitions In this act – Australia’s multicultural policy: see section 10. This is a good read in relation to understanding the true objectives and if you then compare it to what is said in the news and what comes out of some politicians mouths it is hard to see how they intend to actually achieve these objectives. And therefore the question must be asked are they even really trying to achieve them?

A further dig takes you down to Part 2 – Section 7. Alternative constitutional basis. 3 (c) “the international covenant on Civil and Political Rights done in New York on 16 December 1966 ([1980] ATS 23)” enter this into your search bar click on International Convent on Civil and Political Rights – Treaties Australian Implementation Requirements, scroll down to Human Rights Commission Act 1981 (No 24 of 1981) click on this and even a quick browse will reveal the need to create a world that fosters the human ideal of freedom;

“Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, Recognizing that these rights derive from the inherent dignity of the human person, Recognizing that, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the ideal of free human beings enjoying civil and political freedom and freedom from fear and want can only be achieved if conditions are created whereby everyone may enjoy his civil and political rights, as well as his economic, social and cultural rights,”

If freedom in this context is the prerequisite for peace which ultimately provides for the best form of security, then it makes for some interesting reading when you relate it to matters such as the offshore detention of asylum seekers for instance. It may cause you to question if what is written into law is actually what is acted upon. And if it isn’t then what really is the legislation achieving if it is impossible to implement?

I know there is a substantial amount of fear mongering that is done in regard to asylum seekers and this can distract from the real issues. Which include the function of law, responsibilities as global citizens and accountability of the ruling class. For example if in the legislation that governs the people it states one is allowed to seek asylum due to fear of say political or religious persecution and then the government makes another law that requires entry to be done by only one method and failure to adhere to this method results in non-grant of asylum, and then government blocks refugee registry method “in November 2014 Australia announced it would no longer resettle refugees from Indonesia who had registered with the UNHCR in Jakarta after June 2014.” (Missbach. August 8, 2018. www.policyforum.net/falling-through-the-cracks)

Is the second law in contravention to the first? And if so then the question becomes what legislation governs the lawmakers to allow them to contravene the law?

What I am pointing out here is if the amendment to the original piece of legislation makes it harder or near impossible for the goals set out in the original legislation to be met, then an implementation problem has occurred. It has created a roadblock to achieving the objectives of the legislation that was meant to be good for humanity and freedom and in turn security. So, what are the hidden objectives of the legislation if it is blocked from being implemented?

If we fail to ask ourselves these hard questions, we put democracy at risk because we create a situation where “people don’t even know what they don’t know” (Noam Chomsky). This leaves us open to exploitation through misinformation, also known as propaganda.

Reading legislation ensures democracy can function because it then becomes the topic of conversation as opposed to say just which football team won on the weekend. Knowledge helps form opinion, opinions then form ideas and ideas can have consequences. As we can see from capitalism, communism, democracy etc these entire concepts were formed from ideas. Making knowledge very powerful stuff, even though the football game might be more fun legislation has the bigger impact on your life. It’s not a case of one or the other it is more about expanding on areas of interest.

Considering this importance, it might seem that watching the news would be enough to gather this information, it isn’t (unfortunately). As it can be told from a personal or business bias in some cases and in others it may not be detailed enough to convey the full story. Whereas written legislation is uncensored raw policy allowing you to build your own opinion? The news should supplement this as you can draw comparisons from what is written and what is said and then acted upon.

We can further see the pitfalls of only relying on the media for our information when we look at the US and despite all its democratic ideals it has officially been downgraded to a flawed democracy (The Economist Intelligence Unit. 2017. http://dagobah.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Democracy_Index_2017.pdf). And no not because Trump is president, it is due to their loss of public funded media, it has all been privatised. Leading to the information being put out comprising of a message that must support the business agenda that it works under. Some grassroots media will still exist, but it will struggle to have its voice heard. Perhaps this is why they are trying to get rid of the ABC in Australia because “those that set the agenda win the debate” (Noam Chomsky) and it becomes the ‘manufacturing of consent’ (Chomsky. 1992. Manufacturing Consent) by the manipulation of information. Ideas are then formed not from real information but rather misinformation, otherwise known as propaganda. Not that the ABC is really left leaning at all, it is simply that it does have the ability to do real investigative journalism should it choose to and that poses a real threat to neo-liberalism.

The argument that within a democratic country like Australia your life is determined by your own actions of free will and choice hides the influence of legislation. We all accept that we must have certain rules of law to keep society functioning so we must acknowledge that our freedom and choices are influenced by legislation. Obviously, I am not arguing that legislation is bad because it impacts on freedom, I am making the point of the importance it has in shaping your life. In this way it is not boring to read about what is influencing the way you live.

The way legislation is worded and implemented will be a contributing factor to the types of opportunities that will be presented to a person(s). From the opportunities made available to the person(s) choices will then be made.

You may think I’m too tired to read that mountain of over complicated paperwork. Watching a game of football is much more entertaining compared to the huge amount of legislation that absolutely does discourage inquiry. However, this isn’t school there isn’t going to be a test at the end you don’t have to read it all, just pick an area of interest or something you have heard about on the news and see where that leads. It also makes for interesting conversations.

I know that we are taught ‘no politics at the table’ but I often wonder about this because we are never told no football talk at the table. Actually, it can be what makes up the majority of polite conversation these days. Considering how passionate people are about their football team then if we can trust ourselves to have a polite and civil conversation about football surely, we can trust ourselves to talk about the latest legislation that is going to be introduced. Getting another perspective should not be feared, when it could have the ability to promote a more inclusive and better functioning system. So perhaps change starts at the dinner table, just a thought.

We can be tempted to think we should leave these sorts of conversations to those who are making the legislation as they are meant to benefit the country as a whole. Yet I can’t help but ask the question; can they always do this and still get past what is in their own best interest?

Not really sure the evidence supports that? And then the expectation might at times be a bit high. The best safety net is then to inform yourself. Especially for those that would like to see change, you must first understand what you are fighting against and where the problems exist.

In short reading even a little bit of legislation provides the best protection for democracy, makes politicians accountable and is a great fact check resource. Especially for when you suspect a government department might be trying to pull the wool over your eyes by acting as a gatekeeper. It’s not about going through piles and piles of paperwork it’s about reading it when you need the facts. This is an empowering tool that starts the conversation for change as it is a way to uncover the truth and “the truth can set you free but first it will piss you off” (Steinmen 2015).

Some poems inspired by my reading and research of legislation. You can also see my poetry prints and poetry art prints in my online shop.

The Truth Cannot be forgotten

Stand it on its head
Spin it, until disorientated
Turn your back on it
Lay it down to die
Bury it in the paperwork
Lose it to carelessness
Throw it out with the trash
It still bobs to the surface
The cheerful friend…
Always ready to progress forward
The dignity of trust we all deserve
And the best companion of freedom

The truth cannot be forgotten
It is in memory’s service
Unless the mind is lost,
It will always be there

No Integrity to their Written Word

For I have held it up
In black and white
Watched it disintegrate
Wept over its disservice

Pondered words without meaning
With their false sense of security
Armed to discourage outrage
These words of weightless blockades

The secret code to oppose
Any chance to correct
Destructive facilities are not serviceable
As the silent witness will testify

The Alien Refugee

I am told they are not found
Until at least a human tries to flee
From one land across a sea
Then the threat is unreal

The guns come out to greet
These humans from the same planet
The alien now declared real
These illegal aliens with human hearts

Travelling to seek refuge
From a home unsafe to stay
Saddened to need a new home
Unlucky to find the lucky may not share

This shared planet earth
With plenty to share in diversity
Amongst a group of human beings
But no aliens live here on Earth

Camille Barr

Inflation, Wage Stagnation & A Housing Crisis – Capitalism in full swing

Inflation, Wage Stagnation & A Housing Crisis – Capitalism in full swing

(This article was first written back in 2019, pre pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine. Inflation fuelled by low interest rates and growing inequality already had us on this trajectory, just most people didn’t know it yet and those that should of known turned a blind eye. Profits were too big to pass up and so the problem has ballooned.)

Before anything else it is fundamental that we look at the nature of how inflation and deflation operate. Stay with me don’t hit the snooze button just yet, I will get there as painlessly as possible.

When someone is talking about inflation and deflation they are talking about the “exchange value of money” (Varoufakis 2017, 142), in reality this means “its relative abundance or scarcity” (Varoufakis 2017, 143) or in my understanding lots of money circulating or very little money circulating.

Inflation – Is created by more money being pumped into the system increasing trading capacity within the economy. The more money in the market the less it is worth and so prices go up.

Deflation – A decreasing amount of money being distributed in the economy. Less money to trade with causes it to be worth more so prices drop as its value increases.

Yanis Varoufakis in his 2017 book Talking to my daughter about the economy; explains this in the context of a POW camp where they used cigarettes as the currency to trade for other things like chocolate, coffee or tea.

In the camp each prisoner gets say 10 cigarettes, 200g of coffee, 20 tea bags and 200g of chocolate and the prisoners want to trade amongst themselves they work out prices to help trading go smoothly and as such they create a market price for their items. Remember the cigarettes are the currency (money) in this equation. So, they may start with something like 2 tea bags is worth 1 cigarette, 50g of coffee or chocolate. But as markets are subject to change what happens if say the next month extra cigarettes are delivered and the prisoners now have 20 cigarettes to trade with, the cigarettes lose some of their value due to their ‘abundance’ so now their trading power has decreased resulting in paying 2 cigarettes to get the same 2 teabags and so on. Then the opposite could also happen if say at the end of the month there are less cigarettes circulating because they have been smoked. This would create scarcity, which means their value goes up, trading power increases and the same one cigarette may now buy you 4 tea bags. The scarcity caused the price to change as trading power increased. 

What we gain from this example is that exchange rates fluctuate due to the supply in the market of currency.

However, be careful to watch out for how easy it is to misunderstand this, as is often the case when people think that more land releases will lead to cheaper and cheaper prices. Although true to a certain point this does not convey the whole picture and process. It often starts with a statement like this; releasing more land for development will make it cheaper. New land releases certainly start off with cheaper prices, then comes the second land release and prices have elevated slightly, third land release and you can’t believe you missed the first because now prices are really starting to soar.

So, what happened here to cause this after all wasn’t more meant to mean the value went down? The answer is yes, but as mentioned earlier under inflation, if the supply of the commodity goes up like in the POW camp with cigarettes then the cost of the commodity goes up too as the trading power has increased causing the exchange value to inflate the price. The driving force behind this is the huge injection of money that came from all those new loans being granted. The new loans have generated a means for inflation to occur as now there is more money in the overall system (the economy) and the price of houses go up NOT down which is commonly misunderstood. This can mark the emergence of a bubble, especially when it does not stay relative to wages.

Banking and Capital Adequacy Ratio CAR (previously Capital Asset Ratio)

Most people don’t think about or ever question where the money from their bank loan comes from, they assume that this is money that the bank already had, not always so. In actual fact banks can legally create money to loan a customer “at the stroke of a pen or a few buttons on a keyboard” (Varoufakis 2017) it is “the bankers’ magical power” (Varoufakis 2017). This ability of the banks to legally conjure money into existence is what is referred to as Capital Adequacy Ratio (previously Capital Asset Ratio) in Australia or Fractional Reserve Banking in the US. Very neat and somewhat distracting language that causes most to overlook how bank loans operate.

So ultimately more land supply will lead to more bank loans which pump more money into the economy. The problem with house prices sky-rocketing in this manner is that so do the loans, over time these huge loans are devaluing money generally. An asset bubble doesn’t distribute wealth well and so the growth needed to offset the loan amount isn’t generated. Wages can’t keep up, the value of money declines, the bubble bursts and people get hurt.

Interest rates

It is important to understand how inflation and deflation should correlate with interest rates. For that we look again at the example of the POW camp. As Varoufakis tells us even in the POW camp they created bankers.

If a prisoner acting in the role of banker is offering an interest rate of 20% as Varoufakis explains but expects a larger shipment of cigarettes to arrive next month causing inflation by the exchange value dropping by 10%, then to keep his profit at the same level he must then raise his interest rate to 30%. As his profit would be calculated by the ‘real interest rate’ being 20% minus 10% (due to inflation) adjusting the profit down to 10%. The banker then to maintain the profit margin increases the interest rate to 30% so that it is 30% minus 10% thus maintaining the 20% profit. 

This is how interest rates are meant to work if undisturbed.

The difference between the real-world economy and the POW camp economy as Varoufakis points out is that the POW camp operated without outside interference. Whereas the outside world economy has many interferers.

It is worth noting that even though low interest rates can seem like a great opportunity to borrow money at a low cost, what they can represent is a deflated or deflating economy. 

Sometimes interest rates are deliberately reduced to try and stimulate the economy with increased borrowing of credit. The theory is the injection of money will generate more spending and the economy will grow enough to keep up with the debt. Within in our system though one must remember that we have other forces coming from Capitalism that can simultaneously function in a way that reduces spending power, such as wage suppression. 

The sky-rocketing cost of living doesn’t lie but CPI might 

Consumer Price Index doesn’t really relate well to the real world as it is a bit like a mixed basket of mystery. CPI is made up according to the persons putting the commodities in the basket at any given time even though they use a formula the formula is subject to change at the discretion of the disruptors within the system. Due to this it can have huge variations in composition and discrepancies emerge rendering it fairly useless tool for measuring inflation in real terms. 

In other words, it may not relate well to the real economy you live in. Because when they say what the level of inflation is you cannot be guaranteed they have included things like housing in the basket and even if they have, have they given it sufficient weight as a percentage of the basket makeup, who knows? it is subject to change and this is not mentioned nor the formula revealed at the time of stating the CPI. Unless you look it up each time it is unclear how relatable and therefore useful as an indicator of inflation it is to your life.

This is my real life example that illustrates just how useless this tool can be in real terms; I rented a 3 bedroom house for $180 per week in 2000 and inflation rates according to CPI have on average sat at 2.63% for the period of 2000 to 2017, twice going as high as 5 per cent over this period (ABS). We can take the rent I paid in 2000 of $180 and for the purpose of this equation I will use the average inflation for the period of 2.63% to compare what CPI tells me the rent should be today to what realestate.com tells me I will actually pay. To do this calculation requires a simple maths equation of $180 + 2.63% = $184.73 (this gives me the amount after rent increase for the first year according to CPI). I then take the $184.73 + 2.63% = $189.59 to get the second year increase and identify what I should be paying according to CPI by the third year and so on. The process must be continued 17 times to arrive at what should be the market price for this rental come 2017 in relation to what CPI tells me. 

The short version of this equation is $180 + 55.52% equalling the grand total of rent that should be paid by 2017 of $279.94. Anyone out there still paying this for a 3 bedroom? (only a very few I suspect and certainly none where I was paying it, that being Byron Bay, my unaffordable hometown). In any case a look on realestate.com tells me that this property would now net a rent price of approximately $750 per week (this was 2017 now it is $850-$900 for the same sort of rental I once occupied).

What this tells me is that the CPI is completely unreliable in real life terms when it comes to being able to gauge true inflation in real terms for one of the most essential items like housing. Which I would think should rank high enough in the formula basket to give a good indication of where inflation is actually sitting. For fun try also using this formula on your electricity bill and again you will find how it falls short. 

GDP is unable to indicate the true health of the economy because GDP disregards the health and well-being of the people.

The other indicator that is often used to measure the health of the economy is Gross Domestic Product GDP. Like CPI though I find it to be useless and here’s why; “It is fundamentally flawed as a measure – because it counts financial transactions only, it ignores significant areas of activity” (Ian Lowe 2016, Lucky Country? Reinventing Australia) Professor Ian Lowe goes on to explain this by comparing domestic tasks with commercial, in this example if we are a carer for a loved one even though this activity is hugely valued within society it does not count towards GDP. “However if a person brakes the headlights on a car this is counted towards GDP and therefore if they were to smash every window as well they would be a minor economic miracle” (Lowe 2016, 145). What he is clarifying here is that GDP only measures activities within society that have been commercialised irrespective of whether they have consequences that are harmful to people. They do not predict or pick up on the fall out that may come from spending on things that have caused harm to people and the economy needs people to exist. In this way it is a short-term view of spending that doesn’t account for future turmoil that may be caused by the type of spending that is occurring. In the most extreme example war is good for the GDP but just wait for the impact on human lives before you go announcing that the economy is doing great because GDP is high.

Historical road trip

I will now take you down a little history road trip just to point out that Australia has in fact had a housing collapse in the past. This will tie into the boom and bust economic cycle that we have created.

1890’s depression and the largest housing crash in recorded Australian history.

Gathered from RBA Two depressions, one banking collapse authored by Chay Fisher and Christopher Kent, June 1999:

• National investment grew in the lead up

• Wealth gained by agricultural and mining allowed for the money to be transferred into the cities

• Need for housing increased as population boomed at a “rate of 3.1 per cent from 1871 to 1881, and 3.4 per cent from 1881 to 1891” to contrast it currently sits at 1.8 per cent (Lowe 2016)

• The view emerged that you couldn’t lose money on property (sound familiar)

• Credit far out-stretched deposits and “bank advances as a share of deposits rose over the 1880’s”

• From 1892 to 1898 bank trading banks deposits fell 20 per cent

• “Historically one of the major causes of financial instability has been rapid increases in bank lending in conjunction with unsustainable rises in asset prices”

Gathered from an Australian financial review article January 6, 2016 by Stewart Oldfield – Why the great Australian property crash of 1891 could happen again:

• City blocks in Melbourne increase 100 per cent in 1887, Increases of up to 80 per cent in Sydney from 1880-84

• The housing crash came in 1891 when prices fell by about 50 per cent “In the suburb of Prahran, prices peaked at an average of more than 1000 pounds in 1888 and fell to 520 pounds by 1898.”

What we see from this is that although the economy seemed to be doing well and people believed that they could not lose on property it did go down and they did lose on property. The question then becomes could it happen again?

Going back to the Two depressions, one banking collapse research paper, there was one sentence that particularly stood out to me it was “Historically one of the major causes of financial instability has been rapid increases in bank lending in conjunction with unsustainable rises in asset prices.” (Fisher & Kent 1999).

Wage Stagnation/Suppression  

Debt comes before surplus (Varoufakis 2017), most people need a loan to buy a house, so credit is given, debt is created and more money is injected into the system. This happens over and over again many millions of times, prices go up due to inflation and the loans become bigger and bigger. 

Debt of course is not all bad it can drive investment but not when you have other economic forces going in the opposite direction. Such as wage stagnation, over time resulting in an actual decline in real wages or in other words the available amount of money to repay the debt. 

Retail and Hospitality workers make up the largest industry share of workers at 17.3 percent (Vandenbroek. March 23, 2018. APH.www.aph.gov.au) of the paid workforce and they have suffered government policies that in effect have reduced their wages.

Now you might not work in this sector and think well so what, I don’t work in that area that’s not my problem it won’t affect me. However it actually does, we’re all in this together and here’s how; Let’s say for example you own a home, are university educated, earn a good wage and have a mortgage you can service easily. How does someone else’s pay cut effect you? Well a huge amount of people remember 17.3% of the workforce who had already suffered 15 years of wage stagnation that priced them out of the housing market years ago are now left them in the rental market with the tremendous strain of paying rising rents on a shrinking wage. Maybe you are thinking yeah but I don’t own an investment property how does this affect me if they don’t pay their rent?

This is how it unfolds; House prices have been going up and with them rents have been going up and up to meet the new loan obligations. While wages for 17.3% of the working population have been going down. That working population will struggle to make ends meet including paying rent, their wage has not kept up with the rate of house inflation for over a decade. Now they begin to go backwards. When such a huge mass of people are struggling to pay their rent then the amount that was loaned to the landlord for the rental investment becomes very risky.

Wage suppression is just one example of recent income loss that is working as an opposing force to house inflation. There are many more such as government austerity measures on welfare recipients that act as an impediment to meaningful employment. These too flow onto the rest of the economy and not in the ‘great we saved the tax payer some money’ argument that is often toted out. It’s more like the more suppressed an economy the more depressed it becomes, with a devastating overflow effect.

Austerity measures for the poor create a ripple effect that reach the employed house owner with a well-paying job. Bringing it back to, we are all in the market together.

The reason these cuts from wages or welfare effect you too has to do with recycling, “just like any ecosystem, a modern economy cannot survive without recycling” (Varoufakis 2017), basically what is meant by this is that for a large number of business’ requiring employees for production they must pay wages and then these wages are recycled back into the system by way of purchases.

When you restrain this process through wage cuts and welfare cuts you are restraining the very system that supports you. Making it harder and harder for ‘little fish’ to survive impacts on the ability for this ecosystem to feed the ‘big fish’ as the little fish will eventually not even be able to afford the essentials such as we have been gradually seeing for over a decade now, in what is referred to as the ‘housing affordability crisis’.

This happens slowly and people tend not notice at first. Even though it is there to see as homeless rates are rising around the country 14% nationally and rough sleeping 20% (Baker. “Sydney’s tent city: One year on, where are they now?”. August 17. www.sbs.com.au).

Trickle down economics (Capitalism in full swing)

A book that will change your life is Payback (Debt and the shadow side of wealth) by Margret Atwood, it will shine some much needed light on the history of money and the creation of wealth.  It will also help you to understand how we have ended up with such ghastly ideologies still prevailing such as; “The trickle-down theory of economics” (Atwood 2008, 102) that has us believe money given to the rich will flow down the economic chain. When in reality we get rising inequality, financial crisis’ and wars. Tax cuts to the wealthy are a favourite of the trickle down economic theorists.

Profits go up and wages stagnate resulting in a fall in real wages as has happened to hospitality workers due to the loss/reduction in penalty rates. This disaster of a policy we now see transferring to a mass exodus from the industry, “grind the peasants too much and they cease to yield”(Atwood 2008, 138).

Don’t even get me started on negative gearing and the contribution it has made to soaring house prices. Never in the history of its miserable existence has this trickle down economic bungle of a policy ever benefited a renter!

Unfortunately this isn’t a new story and through a historical lens we see that “if there are no more little fish, the population of big fish collapses” (Atwood 2008, 138). This relates to  housing when a mass proportion of the population experience an uncoupling of housing affordability to income, causing an extreme imbalance.

It is not by accident but rather design that financial institutions and  employment bodies lose their equilibrium, the profits are too lucrative to pass up and money transforms into power, growing evermore. Until those with the money have the power to be unaccountable and this absolute power corrupts, always. Think back to the 2008/2009 GFC and the huge bank bail-outs 

Some things have certainly changed since I first wrote this article in 2017 and they are worth noting. However even though the pandemic and war in Ukraine have had inflationary effects it is more that they have exasperated a pre-existing condition rather than caused it. Distracting us from the bigger picture especially in countries like Australia with its looming asset bubble in housing. The most critical takeaway I believe from a bigger picture perspective of the rising cost of living crisis is that we live in an economic system designed to fail because it puts profits before people.  

In ending I leave you with these final words of wisdom “money isn’t the only thing that must flow and circulate in order to have value: good turns and gifts must also flow and circulate…for any social system to remain in balance”(Atwood 2008, 171). It’s worth remembering I think as we search for ways to regain some balance in our economic systems.

Camille Barr

Here is a selection of my poems that were inspired by the research that went into this essay. To read more of my poetry you can purchase one of my poetry books from my shop page.

The real market

I woke up crying

as the machine pulled

out the life next door

unsatisfied were the owners

of number seven’s beach shack

that sat unobtrusively

They took the trees

with such ease,

these natives gave

so much shelter

Now are exchanged

for a double block

of buildings that

will emit spoil

The soil is already

in protest as it

is picked up by

a howling wind

that has come

to take it away

This slope is slippery

as it falls away

without roots

to keep it grounded

the community falls away

Renting the dream

The roof caved in last night

Even though I had paid

Paid for your service

Paid for your dream

I barely know your name

The one I paid the way for

Your decision is my disruption

And still I pay

It will take time

It will take patience

It will serve up the returns

It will become derelict

I imagine this day

Will not be for me

It will be your returns

For a loss of propriety

I imagine the day

My day to trample

Bought at your loss

Celebrated as savvy

I just wish

We could imagine better

Better to provide security

Better to divide prosperity

Bubbles are built to burst

This comes as no surprise

Can’t change the nature

Can change the device

Roots

A grounding sensation

Growing from a place to call home

The dream we all have

Even when uprooted

They remain attached as memories

Melancholy plays their tune

Sweet and sometimes bitter

Aching to find fertile ground

A place to hang a hat,

A home of ones own

They wander weary from purpose

I have known this journey

Packed the bags, paid the toll

Searched the hills, followed the streams

To find a place, a home

Still the roof is rented

Denying the roots stable ground

Soon all that will be left is rot

Money bought up my hometown

Money displaced communities ground

On holidays in fantasy land

They bought a house

Not a home

It stands alone

Empty of the soul

As no roots laid the ground

One can only have one home

And home they always go

Leaving a community uprooted

Camille Barr