Town Talk | Work harder, Aussies

We begin with an email from Austin and Sue.

Hello Marnie.

Your article yesterday (last week) on AI was very interesting and thought provoking and, if we think about it, a little bit frightening. We just wonder where we are all heading. We just happened to watch Insight on TV last night and it was a programme highlighting loneliness. One of the participants overcame his loneliness by connecting to an AI contact, Sam, with whom he “chatted” and discussed all sorts of issues and problems. How this all works is a mystery to us but it would seem that this technology is here to stay and is only going to become more predominant in our lives. I am afraid it is all becoming a little bit beyond us mere mortals. A bit of a coincidence that this should happen following your article on the subject. You may have seen it.

Once again, good to read your column.

Best wishes, Austin and Sue.

Thanks guys. Good to hear from you. We are only at the beginning of this and, given that this created intelligence can write, produce artwork and compose music — and much more — I keep wondering how many jobs it will replace.

However, I heard something astonishing the other day — businesses are using AI to select staff. Why would anyone do that? Use an ‘intelligence’ with no human qualities, to assess humans? Of course, it could read and evaluate the resume — but what about the other side of the coin, which is vital: will the applicant work well as part of a team? Will they be prepared to learn? Are they good-natured? Will their presence enhance the workplace? Will others enjoy working with them? Is there any passion for the job?

There was a time in my life when assessing applications was regular night-time reading; trying to read between the lines, attempting to discover why this person really wanted to work for a McPherson newspaper. Were they looking for a ‘nice little job’ — because there are no easy jobs in newspapers. And there were frequently more than 100 applications — once 150.

Yep! AI could do it quicker — and it might ‘luck one in’ from time to time — but, overall, this will prove to be a costly exercise and businesses won’t know what they’ve missed. Surely, only people can understand people!

Mrs Peggy Hill (formerly Sidebottom)

One of our readers left us recently. She was a gentle lady, living a life of kindness and consideration for all. You might remember a wartime story she shared with us. She said she was working in a dress shop when a gentleman came in to buy a gown for his sister, who was home on leave from Darwin. A ball was coming up and his sister didn’t have anything to wear.

In Town Talk, the week before, I had included a 1940s newspaper ad for Rockman’s (because it was a surprisingly good ad, given the vintage). It had reminded Peggy of meeting her first husband, who unfortunately died aged 46 years.

Peggy lived a spiritual life and had promised to let her daughter know when she was ‘through the veil’ and in the other place. True to her word, she informed her daughter that she was met by ‘your Auntie Gwen’, Peggy’s eldest sister. Some of you will remember Gwen Davies, who had a nursery in Shepparton many years ago. Peggy’s daughter, content with this information, said: “Imagine the garden they’ll create together. They both love flowers.”

You know, folks, the longer I live, the more I attempt to contemplate the meaning of it all; the more people I meet, the more convinced I am that death is simply a transition — until we meet again.

Aussies, work harder

Philip Lowe is governor of the Reserve Bank, chair of the board and chair of the Council of Financial Regulators. He recently told Australian mortgage holders to tighten their budgets, work longer hours and have more people living under their roof. In my opinion, people with mortgages began tightening their budgets many months ago; according to news reports, some are already working two jobs — and, if your mother-in-law needs assistance, I suggest Mr Lowe take her under his roof. Perhaps he could take two or three.

Is there a possibility that increased interest rates are becoming a part of the cause, and not the solution, as we are constantly being told? I am hearing of landlords who don’t want to increase their rents but are forced to because of interest rates. And there could well be landlords who would like to build additional units but won’t borrow at the current rates.

As a result, rentals are hard to find and rents are skyrocketing; even Aussies without mortgages are tightening their budgets, working long hours and apartment sharing. Some are now homeless. And inflation, affected by many causes, continues.

Among the Reserve Bank’s tasks is to ensure ‘the economic prosperity and welfare of the people of Australia’.

It is time to remind you!

I have many opinions — some of them half-formed, some of them ill-informed and a few of them based on experience. This is because I am, 78 per cent of the time, using one half of my brain. The right brain contains imagination and emotion and ideas, but it lacks logic. I keep expecting one of you to ‘jump on me’ about my opinions, but it doesn’t happen. Perhaps, when you read Town Talk, you also tap into your right brain, because you are perpetually kind.

I do want to tell you about one small incident that made me laugh then — and makes me laugh now. I was, at the time, helping to launch a new legal firm, in Shepparton. When I walked into a meeting one day, there were two chairs. My client said: “Either one — the other is for your opinions.” Do you remember, Mr Merrylees?

This is all to say — please take my opinions about the Reserve Bank with the grain of salt they deserve. I know nothing about economics.

Why not vote for Murchison?

I frequently find myself thinking about the myriad communities that make up Greater Shepparton — from the Men’s Sheds, mothers’ groups and Community Houses to the sports teams and arts groups. So many working to make our lives just that little bit better, brighter, healthier, to keep our history alive or entertain us.

Then there are the communities of our smaller towns — they constantly do us proud. Dookie (population about 300) with its fantastic fundraising events; Tatura has changed so dramatically from a small, shrinking town to a trendy village with new business helping it grow; Mooroopna is also changing, adapting to the needs of its population; and Murchison (population under 900), among other things, raised funds, hunted grants and built itself a small, absolutely perfect museum.

Murchison is a finalist in the Tiny Town Awards — and so it should be, so very pretty, making the most of its river banks. It looks like a town that is loved and cared for; it looks like a winner and will be, if we all support it. If you have a computer, it is so easy. Please do it now before you forget.

Sunday night

It is now quite late, and 17 family members have departed from a many times postponed birthday celebration. By the time it happened, there were four people to celebrate and, on orders from our musical director, we sang ‘Happy Birthday to everyone’ — because we couldn’t fit all the names and it was very messy. (Harmonies were good though.) Our newest member suggested that, if we have sung to ‘everyone’, we won’t have to sing at all for the rest of the year. Connor is the boyfriend of our elder granddaughter and although they have been together for some time, this was our first opportunity to meet. He is a tall man and found it more comfortable to go down on his knees to hug me. Now that I can take!

Please look after yourselves. I’m aware of five of you with recent COVID-19. Three years after the first lockdowns, we are still being harassed by this blasted virus.

May it be easy, my friends.

Marnie

Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au

Letter: Town Talk. Shepparton News. P.O. Box 204. Shepparton 3631.

Phone: Send a text on 0418 962 507. (Note: text only. I will call you back, if you wish.)