One could argue that Australia has always been this way. The full quote is:
"Australia is a lucky country run mainly by second rate people who share its luck."
written by Donald Horne in 1964. These words were true prior to 1964 and are still true in 2021.
What saves Australia is the word "mainly".
There are some first rate people in Australia, mostly not in positions of authority, who stop the ship from sinking. Examples are solar power, quantum information and medical researchers, pockets of the Public Service but less so in 2021, people like Donald Horne, ... Mostly things are second rate, but sometimes something first rate breaks though.
"Just as Samson after being shorn of his hair was left eyeless in Gaza, was this generation, stripped bare of all faith, to be left comfortless on Bondi Beach, citizens of the kingdom of nothingness, who booze and surf while waiting for the barbarians?"
"Australia is a lucky country run mainly by second rate people who share its luck."
written by Donald Horne in 1964. These words were true prior to 1964 and are still true in 2021.
What saves Australia is the word "mainly".
There are some first rate people in Australia, mostly not in positions of authority, who stop the ship from sinking. Examples are solar power, quantum information and medical researchers, pockets of the Public Service but less so in 2021, people like Donald Horne, ... Mostly things are second rate, but sometimes something first rate breaks though.
(I've lived in Australia since birth.)