ABSTRACT
Australia is one of the most advanced and prosperous society in the world yet there is a great deal of discontent among its people. Many feel that the quality of life is declining. Australia is no longer the lucky country of the 1960s for older generations while among the younger generations too many feel left out and are pessimistic about the future. The Sydney-based Center for Independent Studies State of the Nation argues that Australia is becoming a violent and fractured country. Dr. Lucy Sullivan accused the government of not publishing statistics on major social problems because it would show the severity of the issues and undermine government political support. Australia is in the throes of a gambling epidemic. Deregulation of the gambling industry has led to a proliferation of gambling activities. Economic costs of maldevelopment should be incorporated in the statistical compilations which make up the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to reflect on the country's changing quality of life.
