Australia's Aged Care Crisis: Billions for Bombs, Zero for Grandparents
The Guardian (and numerous other outlets) dutifully reports the impending aged care catastrophe: expert modeling by Kathy Eagar predicts 300,000 elderly Australians will be on a waitlist by 2030 for in-home care packages. Meanwhile, Australia, a keen participant in the AUKUS security pact, is projected to spend up to AUD$368 billion on nuclear-powered submarines by the 2050s. One might wonder if
providing basic dignity for its aging citizens is less of a national security concern than projecting power in distant waters. This isn't an 'unforeseen' crisis; it's a predictable outcome of chronic underinvestment in social services. When governments prioritize military acquisitions and geopolitical muscle-flexing over the welfare of their own population, the elderly, sick, and vulnerable
consistently pay the price. How many submarines does it take to get a home care package?