In the late 1980s things looked grim in SA and we made plans to work overseas. We submitted our applications for residency in Australia. It took a couple of years to come through, so we ended up voting in the first democratic election and flying out a few months later. Our son completed his Australian higher school certificate (matric) this year, and to celebrate, we’re now having a wonderful holiday in the place where I was born, bred and educated. To judge how SA has performed while we have set up happy and fulfilling lives in Australia, I decided to compare the performance of the two countries. In 1960, the population of Australia was just over half that of SA, and its GDP was 2.5 times higher. Now Australia’s GDP is over four times SA’s, although the population proportion remains similar. Australia is much more productive (with the shift to a knowledge-and services-based economy) and has managed to keep its population under control. Per capita GDP difference is stark. Property p...
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