It’s becoming increasing obvious that the national psyche — or that of our policy makers — is completely detached from reality. How did it become like this? Australia is a great country with excellent growth prospects. Yet it is a nation that is increasingly giving into despair. There is no sense that a better future awaits us now that the mining boom is gone. Most policy makers now openly question the ability of the nation to maintain its living standards. Australia is like a ship without a mast.