A case to bring back ration cards

Imagine paying $200 for a steak. Some who have an endless supply of cash already pay this for a meal.

Most of us are happy with cheaper cuts. But...even cheaper cuts of meat are being priced out of the reach of normal families.

Not long ago, ox cheeks were a cut of meat used for cat food. Now that cut is served in trendy eateries at a premium price. Once pig trotters were almost given away at the butchers, now a delicatessen will sell the pigs' hocks at T-bone prices.

People who look into the future are becoming alarmed at the future of meat availability. There is a suggestion that in 50-100 years the cost of raising cattle to sell a normal cut of meat for home meal will be so expensive that only the very rich will be able to afford to add meat to a stew.

That's not fair.

Rationing is an artificial restriction of demand. Although, in reality rationing doesn't stop demand, it equalises supply. It is intended to stop wealthy consumers and black market traders corner the market in essential goods.

In Australian, Europe, the USA and Britain during WWII, most good food was scarce. Meat, sugar, tea eggs and fruit and vegetables were in short supply. Not only food, but petrol and clothes were included in the drought. Choice of brands, products, and choices were cut to the bone.

As a means of promoting "fairness" in the distribution of scarce supplies, a ration card system was imposed.

When few vital goods are available, as during the war, in the future, they should be shared fairly amongst all, regardless of wealth.

The best way to do this is to bring back ration cards.

The local butcher may, in the future, be allocated a half a steer a week. How could the meat be fairly distributed to all in his suburb?

If a family has a set amount of meat coupons, allowing them 1 kilo of meat a week, then now matter how wealthy or poor the family, they have a better chance of getting some protein in their meals for the week.

Although some cheats and barbarians try to grab more than their fair share of scare items, most people soon settle into the system. They can have a little when it is available, or save their coupons for a bigger share.

Just a few years ago, when petrol was scarce, and queues to fill the tank were two or three days long, rationing was imposed. Cars with a numberplate ending in an odd number could buy some petrol on odd numbered days, those with even numbers could buy on alternative days.

Rationing works, and creates a fairer society.

The sooner we start to bring back rationing cards, the sooner the community will accept the process for dwindling supplies of meat and petrol and other things that  disappear from the shelves.

I would like to see rationing introduced into Sydney for home ownership. Why should the wealthy have two or three homes, while there are so many homeless without any accommodation at all?