The Prime Minister and treasurer of Australia seem to be big believers in the ‘free market’. So, why are there no bananas in Australia? A cyclone wiped out all the banana crop in Australia and imports are not allowed.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Well, there’s certainly a degree of straight protectionism involved. Banning the importation of bananas generally and particularly at present rips off consumers (and the non-banana producing sectors of the economy) in order to enrich producers who happen to be concentrated in a few electorates.
But there are real disease concerns. Bananas suffer from a lack of genetic diversity and there are diseases out there that could wipe out particular varieties. There are some who claim that the fruit overall is vulnerable to extinction, but these claims seem overstated.
Prior to the cyclone there was some consideration of relaxing the import ban by allowing imports from certified clean countries - IIRC the Phillipines. I dunno how that story stacks up and to what extent it’s been shelved due to the cyclone. Nor do I know to what extent the fuss today (i, 2) about frozen products from Vietnam being allowed in has any real quarrantine basis. But it sounds more like a straight rip off of the community at large. But in these matters the public seems to like being ripped off - protectionism remains politically popular here, as in most countries.
Forgot this:
The government is not remotely a ‘free market’ government. To an extent they are pro-business, but that’s an entirely different thing.
Far North Queensland is not the only place in Australia that grows Bananas. Besides, the cyclone was months ago, and Bananas still cost AUD$12/kg in Queensland.
Personally, I don’t give a shit because I hate bananas- but lots of people here love them, so I spend most of my day shifts at the supermarket listening to people bitching about the price… At least I’ve gotten a full-time job now, and the supermarket is just a guest appearance thing one or two shifts a week for some extra cash.
They should be bitching. Wholesale Coffs bananas are about $60 a box. That is 13 kilos of bananas, so about $4 or $5 a kilo. There are some fruit shops selling them for $6 or $7 a kilo.
This is why I wrote that they 'seem to be supporters of laissez-faire". Only when it suits them apparently.
It is still ridiculous that here in the 21st century, in a rich country like Australia, one cannot buy bananas.
Well, not a whole lot more ridiculous than overblown rhetoric like: in Australia “one cannot buy bananas”
Even so, bitching to the poor bastard stocking the shelves or working the registers isn’t going to result in us saying “Well, since you asked, we’ll let you have them at the secret price of $6/kg. But don’t tell anyone, OK?” :rolleyes:
You appear to be one of those people who uses a phrase just becuase you have heard it many times. Try to actually understand the words and phrases before trying to use them.
This phrase “overblown rhetoric” appears to mean language that is excessively elaborate, pretentious, insincere, or intellectually vacuous. It is not a phrase I would ever use except as a joke. If you were joking, it was not funny.
I cannot see that saying “one cannot buy bananas” is ‘overblown rhetoric’. It is an exaggeration. I believe there are some places in OZ where some people can buy some terrible shrivelled-up bananas for $10 per kilogramme. Cannot even do that around where I live.
They have no bananas today?
Yes
But I am given to understand they do have a particularly luvverly bunch of coconuts.
I have a sudden urge to segue into my rendition of Guitarzan.
'Cause he’s, like, all you can stand.
I’ve never heard such a phrase before. It seems impossible. I’m going to assume you were brutally beaten about the head & shoulders with a banana as a child and thus are not responsible for that attitude.
Or had one shoved up…never mind :eek:
Ah, the SDMB. It does not disappoint!
Yes, but you did rather set yourself up for this. Your OP asked “why are there no bananas in Australia?”, which is patently absurd. Bananas are available in Australia. They’re just rather expensive.
I set up myself up for it!!? It is called an exaggeration and I have made them a million times for effect.
Next time, bozo, I will start my thread with the title of ‘Why are there only tiny shrivelled-up expensive bananas in Australia ?’, just for your benefit. Actually it has a ring to it.
The OED gives, as one meaning of rhetoric “artificial or inflated or exaggerated language.”
Another on line dictionary gives one meaning as “loud and confused and empty talk”.
My emphasis.
So my use of the term would seem appropriate, since you accept that your statement was an exaggeration.
It’s *so * embarrassing when one is attempting condescension towards another only to discover that one is not as correct as one thinks, is it not?
Perfectly good bananas are available, at a high price, at my local Coles, and at very reasonable prices though in limited supply at local markets and f & v shops. Somewhat undersized but perfectly tasty and certainly not “shrivelled up” bananas are available in unlimited supply at the latter outlets also.
In other words, you were talking out your ass and you got called on it.
Not only that, but even if you had started your thread with a title like ‘Why are there only tiny shrivelled-up expensive bananas in Australia’ you still would have been been talking out your ass.
Suck it up.
To hell with your coconuts! What I want to know is, how much is that doggy in the window?