WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | Contact
An economist from South Betoota Polytechnic University’s Business Faculty has today put forward a groundbreaking proposal to help ease the financial pressures of the nation.
With the more and more people sliding underneath the poverty line every day, Hayek Milton has suggested that the nation sell one of its public assets.
“Here in Australia we love selling off public assets for a pittance and then letting the companies we’ve sold them to price gouge the shit out of Australians for eyewatering annual profits.”
“So why don’t we actually sell off a valuable asset that can’t be used to rip off trapped customers in a monopolistic economy in the future?” said Milton.
“Which is were that kid’s painting comes in,” he laughed.
The painting in question is the work of Jackson Pollock, called Blue Poles or Number 11 as it’s also known.
The ‘abstract’ smattering of paint was controversially purchased by the National Gallery of Australia in 1973 for a sum of 1.3 million dollars.
Requiring government sign off, the tick of approval from Prime Minister Gough Whitlam caused outrage around the country – with many using it as an example of why the Labor party are not very good with money.
However, current valuations now place the painting at up to 500 million bucks, in one of the only examples of the government actually getting return on investment.
“So, given we could get half a billy for a painting that just sits in the NGA and gets sent around the world every few months for art curators to share a glass of champagne,” continued Milton.
“It’s time to cash in that cheque.”
“I’m sure a few arty types won’t like the sound of it, but given we’ve pretty much sold everything else, this one feels like a proper no brainer.”
More to come.
