Originally Posted by
43Inches
Australia is far away from ever not being able to afford that, they could cancel the submarine program overnight and double the aged care pension and still have change.
I think you're somewhat missing my point. Whether the nation's wealth is spent on submarines or aged care, it is only created by a sufficient element of the population being out and about labouring, paying taxes and buying goods & services.
Remove the current Chinese willingness to pay record prices for our fortunately socially-distanced mineral production (which happy circumstance owes nothing to our political decision makers) and the country would be (will be?) in deep trouble. Hiding in caves may be a short term expedient while awaiting a solution but it isn't the way out. Science is.