@potplants1994 There are some beautiful places in the USA  to visit.   The North Eastern states of New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.  Or further south in Maryland on Chesapeake Bay.  I remember being on a boat and sailing up to the dock at Solomon's Island and ordering freshly caught  soft shell crab,.    The irony is, the cities which are now crime ridden, drug infested hell holes reminiscent of some developing countries, are run by Democrats.   Still, the overturn of Roe v Wade is a terrible blow for women's rights.

@cat judging by what anaesthetist charge with their gaps, $350,000 would be the lower end.   

@cat   Those Medical Specialists who work in the public system are paid the same benefits as public servants (which they technically are), but I doubt those in private practice would agree to government control over their salaries and benefits.    As for appointment lengths, Australia could follow the lead of the NHS (an equity outcome based system).   A patient (once they can navigate their way through the doctor's receptionist) is allocated 10 minutes to see the GP and is allowed to discuss one problem only   At the end of the 10 mins, the appointment is finished,   Be careful what you wish for.   Unfortunately, the system you aspire to would consume every cent of the GDP

@laura__palmer australia didn't need slaves, as we had convicts to do the work.

@cat yes, talking is all they have done.  Incarcerating black men on drug charges (and what you consider minor, might not be shared by the parents of those kids who buy the drugs) is not the reason for gangs and is a simplistic argument.   There probably are solutions to the gang related violence, but I doubt they would be very palatable for those involved.

@cat the thing about television comedies, what one viewer might find offensive, other may not.  As for racist comments, journalists, radio announcers are losing their jobs for even saying 'all lives matter' or questioning  the motives behind many of the non black protestors.   Or, in the case of the New York Times editor who lost his job because he published an article written by a Republican politician which apparently, made some of the employees of the New York Times, 'uneasy', so they complained.    This is how real tyranny starts and it has nothing to do with making society, fairer or more just.

@rjf  unfortunately, revolutions, particularly cultural revolutions turn out replacing one tyranny with another.  Iran, France (French Revolution and the reign of terror), Mao's re-edcstion camps etc.   If you think burning books is acceptable, then perhaps Inwould rather not get onboard.

Censorship of comments, removal of statues, movies and comedies now deemed offensive, losing your job over a comment which doesn't fit the 'correct' narrative, 'educate yourself#' .   What is next, book burning?

@cat who cares if it's more expensive?   Just about everybody.   The police system in Australia is not failing, but more mental health services/drug rehab (and often the two are connected) and psych beds in hospitals are needed.

@cat the ambulance will take the suicidal person to hospital where they can be assessed by the on duty psych registrar and hospitalization if required.   

@redballoon not so much Australia, but in America, the Black Lives Movement appears to be completely ignoring the shocking gang related deaths affecting poorer black communities.   There is one suburb in Chicago where the parents have to walk their children to and from school each day for fear of them being targeted (accidently) by gangs.   Last weekend, over 80black lives were lost in shootouts in Chicago.   Where are the voices for them?

@laura__palmer  I Read the article and good luck with that.   None of those suggestions talk about protection of citizens from criminals.  What would happen would be groups of vigilantes protecting neighbourhoods according to their cultural/religious values.   As for non violent crime, stealing a car, robbing a store (not armed hold-up) would fall under that umbrella, leaving the victim without any rights, giving all the rights to the criminal.    The irony is, according to the Monmouth Poll and other polls conducted by Harvard University, 70% of African Americans and other minorities are happy with the performance of their local police department,   The demand for defunding the police is coming from the left wing activists who have infiltrated the Black Lives Movement and are manipulating it for their own goals.   You watch the Democrat politicians run from this, knowing that the majority of their voters do not support this idea.

@laura__palmer no, it is insane.   The Minneapolis Police Dept needs an overhaul (which might be easy since the Mayor allowed it to burn down) such as sacking  cops who  have  multiple complaints made against them,as was the case both in the murders of Justine Damond and George Floyd.   Soft policing (or no policing) will only hurt those in poorer neighbourhoods where crimes rates are generally higher and small business owners, which have a high rate of ownership by minority groups (including blacks).    The wealthy will simply move to another town or state, leaving everyone else living in a state of anarchy.