As I watch business owners reaching the age where they need to retire from active work, I see a shortfall in people to take over the reins.
It concerns me that we are not rearing our children to see a bigger picture than themselves.
There are some, but not enough. Who will bake the bread and cut up the beef in the future?
Who will drive the trucks and own them, not just be a driver for a large corporation that sends profits out of the country.
What’s happening to the Australian dream? The government funds anyone who wants to sit on their bottom and do nothing, but makes it hard as it can for the person wanting to have a go.
I feel this shortfall of people to run family businesses is going to bite us all. We see by reports on the news that the banks have not been 100 per cent reliable, and are reluctant to give young people a go.
A country that doesn’t plan for the future, for both its resources and people is a country in trouble. We have educated people running around creating and doing irrelevant jobs.
We have made industries out of things that were once covered by commonsense. These business people play vital roles in communities, financially through jobs and sponsoring activities, and in leadership.
Local government once had a good sprinkling of business people, whereas now we see more career politicians creeping in.
A few years back we realised that we had a shortage of tradespeople. Now we have businesses ready to be taken over by the next generation and it’s not happening.
Of course, it’s not for everybody. It takes effort and you can’t always knock off when the clock hits 5 o’clock.
The education system in Australia needs an entrepreneur course taught by someone who understands business. This is important for the future of our country.
– Keith Douglas, Cloncurry auctioneer and real estate agent