2028 … and Australia has gone to hell in a handbasket

 2028 … and Australia has gone to hell in a handbasket

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       November 27, 2018

 

Author  Ken Saunders

Distributor:      Allen and Unwin
ISBN:                 9781760631062
Publisher:         Allen and Unwin
Release Date:   September 2018  

   Website:   https://www.allenandunwin.com

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 The author has taken us into the near future with this novel. We examine Australia and other world countries in their move to prepare for the future. Some of the “Not very good ideas of today have become ten years worse.”  This is the first novel by Ken, and his humour and insightful ideas keep us laughing and nodding at the same time. So many things are an almost logical progression. For example, the “Parkies,” actual pokies but used to purchase a parking ticket with the added bonus of having a spin which could earn you some money!

The Prime Minister of Australia had a policy of surrounding himself with “Lifers,” those politicians who know how to keep their head down and be seen just enough to stay in the job. He actually thought they were a bunch of dullards, but he had dispatched all of the fiery opposition and was now in a fine position to call a snap election. The Greens were in receivership because they had denounced a chemical, and had been sued by the American owners. Just when the PM decided to announce his Election date, the Luddites organized a nude demonstration. Someone has been leaking times and dates….

An initiative looked at was the automating of some medical positions in Medicare. The Automated General Practitioners could be used by any Medicare card holder by using a computer or the latest phone. The patient would describe to the doctor what the symptoms were and answer questions that the doctor posed. A spotty child could be held up in front of a web cam in the early hours of the morning, and the doctor could say if it needed hospital or bedrest. A variety of doctors were available.

Taxation has always been a tricky subject to discuss before an election. It is complicated and there always seems to be someone who misses out. However, a bright spark in the Government came up with the idea that for every $100 you pay in taxation the subscriber would earn a Tax Lotto ticket. Each week the Tax Office would draw one ticket and the winner would receive a million dollars. Hopefully this would discourage people from claiming all their tax concessions…….

Political reform to eradicate cronyism, and the power held by the managerial class, mining magnates, casino owners and bureaucrats, had been addressed by a young Russian woman. She had outsmarted all the top political minds, and cleverly endeared herself to the public. Her party are tipped to win the election campaign and a new beginning for Australian Politics will begin!

This is clever and an amusing look at the thoughts and progression of directions that is taken by politicians and their staff.

Fiction, Humour