Australia is a young nation and well you can read yourself on wikipedia. Perth was growing the most during the gold rush era around mid 1800 and one gold site was village of Ballarat. I went there with a new friend from Melbourne university and we walked around in the “wild west” eh wild south east? theme park village trying to find gold (picture). We also attended the museum. I really like the settlers romantic, and if I lived 100-200 years ago I would probably be one of the swedes leaving the country for new opportunities. However I would prefer selling spades than digging for gold. It was however interesting to see the beautiful littographs of mining company prospects with lists of “sleeping” and “working” shareholders.
Wild Down Under (Ballarat theme park)
Mauro searching for gold
Prospect for investment in gold mine company
Also a bit romantic but I wish sometimes stock market could be more of the old style of funding a project (trade ship to far east or a gold mine) by spliting risks and by investors who belived in the outcome rather than selling stocks over lunch to be liquid and have better apetite. I actually belive the market would benefit of having a small Tubin tax, effectively damping day/hour/second speculation but still keeping the ability of trade of shares and derivatives.
Freemantle town hall
Citizenship cermony
Back to settlers. The idea of building a new society, set up shops and see the progress all around really fits me, and the free and even subsiderized immigration is also so right. But one day Australia and America stopped immigration. What happened with that really? Yesterday I walked by the town hall of Freemantle (coastal city next to Perth, founded by some guy named Freemantle by riseing the Union Jack in early 1800), and there was a new citizenship welcoming cermony. I was welcomed to have a look and it was a very charming event. Few speeches and a local acapella quaire sang the national anthem, which was without god or war references but for freedom and happiness. I saw a man proudly posing with his certificate of citizenship, photographed buy his relatives and it was a moving sight. I have thought much about if Sweden could have free immigration and how it would affect job market etc but the conclusion in my heart really is – yes.
September 17, 2009 at 11:51 am |
Awesome trip, glad to see you made it to Perth and Freo. WA is generally missed by the masses but has so much to offer from the southern cities to central gorges and northern beaches. Enjoy the rest of your world tour. Jamie Perth
September 23, 2009 at 12:06 pm |
Nice to read about your reflections, comparing various places, countries and political systems to Sweden. We have a lot to learn from others.