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Ashley Robinson: a lost soul living in a fish bowl, year after year

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I am very easily confused, which has been a lifelong trait.

I have the concentration span of a five-year-old and a memory like a goldfish.

There are a few things currently that continue to baffle me.

Just last week, I read where a major car company was saying that Australia, because of its size, should have a mix of hybrid and all electric – not like some other nations that are going full-on electric.

In the same publication, I read where our state government has a plan to spend $42 million on charging stations throughout the state, quoted as “one every 150km throughout the state”.

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Now, this has been a constant source of worry for me.

It has given me a lingering headache.

It seems our state doesn’t agree with the world-leading car company – that’s baffling.

Then, my head really hurt when I started thinking about the $42 million and a charger every 150km in this vast state.

Recharging in the outback. Picture: Shutterstock

I could just imagine the trip between Longreach and Winton.

About 30km short of Winton, Old Mate must pull up and charge his electric 4×4 while his pig dogs sit there staring at him.

I think they will need a way bigger budget and longer than the three years they promised it in.

Is that ever going to happen?

To add to my confusion is that I continue to read that batteries – the making of them and the disposing of them – are worse for the environment than combustion engines, depending on who is telling the story.

So, I go around and around in my own little fish bowl.

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The good thing after a while is that my headache disappears as I forget what was worrying me (which is slightly worrying).

It’s a bit like in the morning when I must smell under my armpits to figure out whether I put deodorant on.

The next thing that confuses me is the passion we seem to have for everyone to operate in a cashless economy which, to my tiny brain, means banks get richer with their fees, but small businesses’ bottom line gets smaller.

Small businesses could suffer with fees. Picture: Shutterstock

How does that make any sense?

I am just really lucky that there are plenty of shiny things to look at in my little fish bowl world.

It takes my attention away from worrying about stuff, which is probably A-OK with the politicians.

Ashley Robinson is the manager of Alex Surf Club and the chairman of the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

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