On privilege

Rarely a day goes by that I’m not reminded of how immensely privileged I am to be an Australian. I was born in a country where I have access to clean, drinkable running water, quality public services, world-class education, affordable public health care, and a thriving job market (okay, things got a bit hairy in the early 90s). During my student days, I had access to government financial assistance through a student allowance, and could defer my fees for what were already heavily-subsidised university courses. There are so many excellent career opportunities for those who study hard, work hard and are at the right place at the right time, and we get to do amazing things that continue to build the society that we live in, from quality essential infrastructure to thriving cultural scenes. We have quality food produce and a multicultural community that serves some of the best food in the world. I have a passport that allows visa-free access to more than 100 nations across the world, and the strength of the Australian dollar allows for affordable and comfortable travel in many of those countries. 

Frankly, in the scheme of things, I’ve won the lottery without even asking for it. Are there other “better” countries? Absolutely. But it’s a relatively short list, compared with the rest.

And yet, living in Australia, I do think it’s really easy to not see the forest from the trees. Living overseas changes that.

Living here in Vanuatu, I often meet locals who benefit from participating in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme. For many, it’s an opportunity that they never get here in their own country - the chance to go and work as a labourer in another country and bring back money to support their community. It’s also a scheme that’s widely reported as fraught with many issues, from accusations of “modern slavery” to family breakdowns, reduced community numbers and other unintended consequences. Despite all this, it’s still a scheme that is seen by many as preferable to working a job in Vanuatu - especially where unemployment is particularly high, and the minimum wage amounts to about $2.50 AUD an hour.

It is such a privilege that I can do the opposite - put aside my career and all the opportunities that life in Australia provides and come and experience life here in Vanuatu for a year. And then move back to Australia and continue my life there. An absolute privilege.