Avoid The Media To Ease The Financial Crisis

While the media pump out the doom and gloom stories on the hour, every hour, all day long, ordinary working Australians are going about their daily business trying to earn a living in difficult times.

Many Australians, including us, have done the only sensible thing and have stopped watching these constant negative messages on the news. Don't watch the news, change channels, that's what I say.

As a former journalist I hate the way the media is handling the current financial situation. It seems that only bad news sells newspapers or draws TV viewers. And with the onset of the Internet and 24-hour news channels, this negativity is in our face all the time, but only if we allow it.

Instead of becoming more and more depressed at the constant barrage of bad news, we ignore the prophets of doom (TV newsreaders) and are concentrating on attracting clients to our business.

And guess what? The last 12 months have been great for attracting new paid listings, which includes the best ever day for sales since we launched the service nearly three years ago!

Recently a new website was launched in this country called "Good Onya Australia" meaning "Good on you Australia". It's a welcome breath of fresh air, featuring only 'good news' stories. Good on them, that's what I say!

Another wonderful initiative just launched by a small community of around 7,000 in Queensland, Australia, is an innovative scheme to promote local business.

The Sunshine Coast hinterland township of Maleny has created its own 'stimulus package' by launching its own 'money'. The town has joined the ranks of places such as Massachusetts, USA, and Brighton in the UK by creating its own currency.

The "Baroon dollar" will come in denominations of one, two, five, 10 and 20 and will begin circulating within the Maleny community in late August 2009.

The money will be legal tender at grocery stores, coffee shops and music and video hire shops at Maleny, Mapleton, Kenilworth, Nambour and Beerwah.

The man behind the plan, Darren Mitchell, said the Baroon dollars will have several security features which will restrict the possibility of counterfeits.

Mr Mitchell said packets of the Maleny money will be purchased with Australian dollars, which will be kept in a central reserve.

"The core of the money will be used to underpin the currency in the event that if it has to be stopped, the Australian dollars will be repaid," Mr Mitchell said.

"The interest on the Australian dollars in the central reserve will go towards community grants. Having our own currency is our positive feel-good response, our own stimulus package."

Good on them, that's what I say!

Let's all take heart from the people of Maleny and stay positive, keep working hard and pushing forward. It's local business that will bring us out of this financial crisis, so it's all up to us!

Good on us, that's what I say!