Smart State Update

Recently it happened that a wait was required in the foyer of a Queensland government building. In reception was the standard brochures letting us all know how appropriately our taxes are being spend, but in addition was the Smart State Progress Report 2006/07.

Main features include development, education, innovation and the future. The report covers from the inception of the Smart State strategy and includes some surprisingly positive statistics regarding Queensland.

One such example noted on page 23 is related to rising skill levels of Queenslanders. Its noted in 2005, 65 per cent of young Queenslanders had post-school qualifications, up from 52 per cent in 2002.

Fittingly the back cover of the report has the following quotation from Professor Allan Luke, Queensland University of Technology:

“The vision of the Smart State has been talked and thought into existence: Queensland has been changed before our eyes - both subtly and dramatically - into a place where thinking and creativity count, where ideas can and do make a difference, where its diverse communities are actively debating and inventing a shared future.”

I used to go to UQ and Prof Luke is a great guy but I love how he makes flowery statements without actually saying anything of real substance.

Qualifications may be on the rise but only because you need multiple degrees to get even an entry-level job in much of the white collar workforce and only making a pittance. My time again and I’d be a brickie!