The Cost-of-Living Crisis

Australia has immense productive capacity — yet millions still struggle to subsist — including through homelessness, other housing stress and hunger.

The possible causes are:

1. Low production potential — however, Australia has enormous productive potential
2. Inequality — perhaps, partly.
3. Inefficiency — yes, this is the core problem.

Australia produces only around 4 times what is required for subsistence.

Only 4×

We have a Cost-of-Living Crisis because The GDP-to-Subsistence Ratio is only 4:

• Australia’s GDP per person: ~ $100,000
• Yearly subsistence requirement: ~ $25,000

Even hunter-gatherer societies operate at ≈ 1.

Yes, our standards are higher — but even so: Only 4×.

Since the Industrial Revolution, humanity has gone from the shovel to skyscrapers, spaceships and AI — yet we still face a subsistence crisis.

Source Error: Regarding subsistence, our system places competition before cooperation.

Nature’s Constitution

In nature, all groups have cooperation first and, within that cooperative framework, competition second.

Cooperation first — because without it there is no group — for Australians, no Australia.

Competition second — within that cooperative framework — it drives innovation, merit and progress.

Like Aussie Rules
— cooperate within the rules, then compete.

Coopetysm is government that places cooperation first & competition second.

The Competition Before Cooperation Error

“Ask not what your country can do for you —
ask what you can do for your country”

— U.S. President Kennedy, 1961

Putting country before self is a healthy ambition — however Australians can’t prioritise Australia if they are stressed over providing subsistence for themselves and their family.

Many are forced into survival before contribution — distorting behaviour across society.

For country before self to be achieved, government must lead by example via completing ‘cooperation first’ social-infrastructure.

We already have 3 such systems:

1. Rule of Law
2. Universal Education
3. Medicare.

All are bipartisan — as appreciated in the bush as in the city.

We need just one more:

The USI
Universal Subsistence Income

In Australia, with our inherited productive potential, subsistence insecurity is systemically uncooperative — hence the absurdly low Ratio.

The USI puts cooperation first by ensuring:

Everyone can meet their subsistence needs — first.

This maximises citizen freedom.

The USI will also be bipartisan — as appreciated in the city as in the bush.

Funding: Raise the Ratio

If The GDP-to-Subsistence Ratio is raised from 4× to 5×, the additional subsistence-equivalent output funds The USI (see: Model).

The Ratio Raiser

The Coopetysm Party’s signature policy is:

The USI Reform

It consists of:

The Universal Subsistence Income (USI)

substituted for the foundational inefficiencies of:

• minimum wages
• the income-welfare system

Overall, this raises The Ratio beyond 5×.

Unlike income-Welfare, The USI Reform is not a cost — it is an investment in systemic efficiency with a positive return — there’s no zero-sum.

If this makes sense:

Support financially

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