Pennies from heaven.
If you were to venture a guess as to what Dirk Ziff saw when he bought surfing for free that handful of years ago, would it be the deep pleasure owning beautiful boys and and girls performing the watery dance at the very top level? A chance to be a philanthropist on par with Andrew Carnegie? Or maybe billions upon billions of dollars hidden in them thar hills?
Well, four Australian economists have also seen those billions upon billions, a staggering $91b (Australian dollars) but rue the fact that the market is woefully misunderstood.
According to Drs. Manero, Spencer-Cotton, Leon and research consultant Lazarow, “There are many studies on the economic value of Australian beach pastimes such as fishing, swimming and diving. But not for surfing,” citing that “surfing’s benefits to human well-being aren’t often studied in economics terms. This is a major knowledge gap we are now trying to fill.”
What can be done to increase the bottom line? Not build things like sea walls and groyns that wreck waves, for one. Not dredge without serious environmental analysis on how it will alter the surf (see: Mundaka), for two. Partake in “planned coastal management” like the prescient geniuses on Australia’s Gold Coast, for three, who decided to pump sediment out to sea just beyond those Snapper Rocks et. voila.
Superbank.
“The project is costly to operate and has impacted nearby beaches. But its expenses are outweighed by improvements to surf quality and beach amenity, which underpin the local economy and the nature-based, active lifestyle the Gold Coast is famous for.”
The authors also call for good waves to be given legal protection by making them corporations.
They actually did not suggest making them corporations but I think that is a very good idea.
Lowers Inc.
There was no word on how organized professional surfing should suck off the $91b (A) teet but I have to think Ziff and co. are on it.
It’s a gold rush.
I can see all the negative comments and thoughts and get it.
Think of this from a different angle my surfing bros.
Firstly, I sight one of my best loved favourite breaks, when it’s on, it’s on, Narrabeen. I really really, wanna swear on this next bit, so here goes….
The dumb pricks at the council/govt level, wouldn’t fork out any money to save the beach, so the locals who own houses atop the dunes, put their own money into the cheapest alternative, a sea wall parallel to the shore. Again, I shout again, dumbest pricks, as already, it’s further eroded the beach away. This over time, is going to be a disaster for the beach, the surf and mine and many of my mates brains. I’m already scratching my head at the absurdity and wondering why an environmental study was not done or did not show the lpoming/impending disaster that’s currently unfolding. Bare with me people….
However, had the council, govt etc, had a proper study of the economic value of good quality waves, this most likely would not have happened. Council/govt would have put their hands in their pockets and funded a serious solution, not one focused on saving houses, not beach. The outcome most likely would have been a more stable beach, with better, more triangular sand banks and barrels like the ones I remember the place throwing up as a kid.
FFS PEOPLE we need this type of focus so that those who don’t surf and don’t understand the difference between a close out and a peeling, barrelling left, can start to get it and act appropriately!
Bring it on I say.
I love the story behind the Superbank … all the retirees who lived in Greenmount and surrounds were continually bitching about how there wasn’t any sand at Rainbow Bay. So the council get on the job, and start pumping biblical amounts of sand from near Dbah and voila, then it was taking the retirees a minute to walk from carpark to get to the ocean. Is that enough sand for ya?
How much of that 91 billion is Derek & Chas going to get for beach grit, I’m feeling a high end buy out by a benevolent overlord
just knowing that the BG/Whoop imprint on this $91 billion figure is minimal at best brings me joy
if anyone is looking for a BG commenter handle, those were all very solid choices; “research consultant Lazarow” is quite a gem
Leo looks a little Dr. Strangelove in that photo.
I live on the Gold Coast and I don’t have a ‘nature-based, active lifestyle’. Then again, I do get naked and run around the house a lot
Sound legit
Feels like they are grasping for a way to get some tax revenue
“surfing’s benefits to human well-being aren’t often studied in economics terms. This is a major knowledge gap we are now trying to fill.”
In other words, they think they’ve got a new angle on how to make money by selling surfing to the masses.
Fuck right off!
Leonardo is the Kanoa Igarashi of Europe. Except the always injured version. I am not sure which one I prefer listening to less. The one with marbles in his mouth or the one that sounds like somebody who was out all night drinking red wine and smoking cigs.
Jebus, save us from all money-grubbing hucksters and cuntards.
Did your place just go up 25% in a year?
And loving it!!!
Mate, way more than that.
It’s fucken ridiculous, in all honesty.
Crazy that people want to take on levels of debt like these but they’ve got no choice….. sad.
Not sad.
Choice.
Yeah but it’s all relative. So did everywhere else.
Is it?
It’s all $$ in fact.
The fact that retirees get the pension while their net worth went up a mill in a year in 4 mill$, houses is cuntish
It’s their bloody home! They can’t fucken eat the bricks . What do you want them to do? sell ? Then where do you want them to live? Treating pensioners like they owe you somethinig , is cuntish
Buy smthn smaller and live off the 2 mill.
Fuks sake, poor little possums.
Then you’ll complain about all the oldies buying up the only affordable property, you poor little possum.As you so sympathetically said below, choice
Welfare millionaires it is then.
Bravo.