The PR Blog

As Australia faces economic collapse, and leaders like Donald Trump and Javier Milei take bold steps to revive growth and self-reliance, it’s worth asking: what actually lifts a nation out of poverty?

Vietnam might seem like an unlikely teacher -  a war-torn, socialist country that once held the dubious title of “poorest in the world.” But its story is one of the most extraordinary economic turnarounds in modern history.

And it confirms something a Scottish philosopher wrote almost 250 years ago.

In 1776, the same year the United States declared independence, Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations. He argued that prosperity doesn't come from kings, bureaucracies, or foreign aid. It comes from free people engaging in voluntary exchange, supported by basic justice and low taxes. He called this the work of the “invisible hand” -  the idea that markets, left mostly to themselves, would generate wealth far more efficiently than governments ever could.

His formula was simple and timeless:

“Little else is required to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable administration of justice.”

It sounds almost too simple. But Vietnam, of all places, proved him right.

In an age of civil unrest, burning cities, and bitter political division, the words “Give me liberty or give me death” may sound like a relic,  until you realise how urgently they still apply.

As Americans mark 250 years since the birth of the U.S. Army, we’re reminded that the republic was not forged by standing armies alone, but by citizens who stood up when the moment demanded it. The militia -  ordinary men with muskets, not uniforms -  were the backbone of early American resistance. And today, as debates rage over gun rights, government power, and the meaning of freedom, the Second Amendment is not just about hunting rifles.

It’s a living reminder that liberty has always depended on the courage and readiness of the people. This is the story of Cowpens, of cunning and courage, and of how a ragtag militia helped birth a nation -  and why their legacy still matters.

June 14, 1775, marks the official birth of the United States Army  -  the day the Continental Congress, facing the outbreak of revolution, resolved to unify the scattered colonial militias under one command. What began as a desperate act of survival -  organising farmers, blacksmiths, and shopkeepers into soldiers -  became the cornerstone of the longest-standing military force in American history.

Today, I am featuring an article written by our dear blogger Malcolm back in 2021. He would have been coming up 90 then.... It seems very relevant for some reason.  I hope you enjoy. 

It is interesting to think about the various factors which influenced us as children … our first days at school, our early reading matter,  so many new experiences which shaped our development.  Depending on our present age, the answers to these questions will vary greatly.

From Cane Fields to Comic books and beyond, I am proud to have lived my life surrounded by heroes.

No matter where we come from, we have wonder in our eyes and joy in our hearts and that wonder and joy must be cherished and protected. Even if it means learning by rote and worshipping comic book heroes. 

June is Gay Pride Month. Flags fly, parades roll out, corporations update their logos, and the media hums with celebration. 

But here’s a question no one seems brave enough to ask: Where’s Bloke Month?

Where’s the month for the men who get up every day, go to work, fix what’s broken, say little, and keep the world turning? The men who aren’t glamorous or loud or “reinventing masculinity” -  but who hold families together, protect what matters, and do it all without demanding applause?

While the noise grows louder for some, a quiet silence has fallen over others.... the kind of men who don’t march, don’t shout, and don’t beg for recognition. They just show up. They build, they protect, they endure.

No one’s throwing them a parade.

And maybe, just maybe, it’s time to ask: What happens to a society that forgets the value of its men?

They’re invisible. Uncelebrated. Sometimes even vilified. Maybe we need to think about this..... 

When I was sixteen, I sneaked ( or is it snuck?)  into a theatre to watch a film that would stay with me for life. I was only 16 but I pretended to be 18.  My older brother took me. He was good like that. He knew I would see it and felt it was better to do so under his watchful eye. 

Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange wasn’t just a film - it was a visceral, unforgettable encounter. What struck me wasn’t just the graphic violence. It was the contrast: the lilting beauty of Beethoven soaring over acts of sheer horror. The delight of Alex and his gang in depravity, paired with the elegance of music, made it more disturbing, not less. It showed me something then that I would come to understand only more fully with age: evil often wears the mask of culture, refinement, even charm. I was quite upset when we left the theatre. My brother said: " Don't watch things because they sound exciting unless you are ready. "  And he was right. I was too young, But in many ways, I am glad I went to see that film when I did. It opened my eyes. 

That thought returned to me recently, talking with Redhead, who turned 93 yesterday. Our conversation turned to today’s moral blindness, especially around the events of October 7 and the current violence in cities like Paris, Los Angeles, Melbourne, the list goes on. So many now shout "Free Palestine" with passion, but refuse to watch, even acknowledge, the brutality Hamas unleashed that day. Murder, rape, beheadings, the deliberate targeting of civilians. It was not resistance - it was terror. And yet, some people actively look away.

Like young Greta Thunberg.who refused to look. To watch. Thank goodness I opened my eyes when I did......