Whenever I read something that has a statement that sets up an argument for new and more regulation, my toes curl. And so it was this morning when I open the pages of the Sydney Morning Herald to read this:
As sector of the Australian economy that is largely unregulated. OMG. How could it be that the fats head of a distant bureaucracy, who pay no price for the messes that they make, have not regulated a sector of the Australia economy? How long before eating and breathing requires a licence?
But anyway … the problem it seems is that Australian universities hire agents/brokers to sell university services, and for this, they get a commission. And apparently, anyone who makes a living from an activity not overseen by the big state is a problem:
‘Sold to the university’: Agents paid millions to recruit international students
Good lord!
You see, according to the “journalist” Daniella White:
Education agents are pocketing record commission fees from some top NSW universities which have become increasingly reliant on the brokers in a highly competitive international student market.
Oh and:
NSW public universities spent at least $147 million on the commissions last year, but students are largely in the dark on the portion of their tuition fees that go to the agents, prompting calls for regulation and transparency in the growing sector.
So Daniella. Do you work for free to produce content from which Nine media makes money? Are your services regulated?
Daniella … why don’t you disclose to us readers how much you get paid by Nine media and your sources. After all … “transparency in the growing sector” and all that.
Regulation is not free. There is a cost. The price is a slowing economy and inflation. But what is the net benefit of regulation? Ahh. Such questions require a spot of reflection rather than epistemic idiocy.
According to Daniella:
Some students have reported being misled by unscrupulous agents who don’t disclose their high commissions and push students into courses they may not be suited to, or provide deceptive migration advice.
Really. What makes agent unscrupulous? Did these students ask these agents who much were their commissions? Who knows better the courses the students are best suited for - the agents or the students? Any accountability for ones on decisions? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
This rubbish that passes as journalism is not the disease but a symptom of a greater social disease. People don’t want to take responsibility for their actions and decisions. They don’t make mistakes, but rather someone must have taken advantage of them. Perpetual children - mummy and daddy from government will come and fix all.
This is the infantilization of our society and a necessary precondition on the road to serfdom. Because it creates the conditions and requirements of a large and interventionist state. Even larger and more interventionist state than we have currently.
I despair for the future of this nation.
People love it though. Majority of population was happy to be locked down. Majority of Vics voted in corrupt incompetent government AND honestly believe they are doing good job. Not a whisper about new digital identity. There are enough of us who oppose this crap though. If Dutton wants to win he doesn't need any policies at all. All he has to do is make a loooong list of laws he will repeal.
Why stick your neck out and accept the good with the bad? Better to be cocooned from reality by your parents until you finish Uni, then get a public service / large corporation job where you are largely immune to the vagaries of the economy.
So why not rail against anyone who dares work for a commission, i.e. gets paid nothing until they produce a result? Its a completely foreign concept to today's young people.