Dear Brothers and Sisters, we are gathered at this blog to examine some more extraordinary bullshit, concocted by Business SA and accountancy firm Willian Buck, and published in The Agoniser and the ABC (Adelaide) this morning.

An extraordinarily shonky survey shows business confidence in South Australia has “skyrocketed”.

The dodgy survey of what’s left of Business SA members, showed business confidence jumped by 28.3 points to 95.3 points, the biggest leap in ‘porkies’ in two decades.

I’ll admit that it’s been a few years since I worked in Labour Market Strategy for the APS in Canberra but with hand on heart, I can tell you that there is (a), no such index as business confidence and (b), we are in the first few minutes of the first quarter of a labour market depression in South Australia, with about 100,000 people unemployed and another 120,000 under employed.

Once upon a time, the media would question a survey or media release such as this. Now they unquestioningly publish it. A case of bullshit meeting declining standards.

“This is a stunning turnaround in confidence,” Business SA chief executive Martin Haese said. “It’s great news for the business community in South Australia.”

“Strong consumer demand, a focus on buying local and our state’s open borders have had the cash registers running hot for the majority of businesses,” Mr Haese said.

Alas no. Retail is in a deflationary spiral. That’s where retailers discount their stock so low to survive.

Ask yourself why these surveys, which are patently false, get published?

Because the state government, councils and business leaders are scared of Adelaide ending up a poor man’s Detroit.

A more in-touch examination and one which pertains directly to SA’s future is the real fear China may curb on shipments of Australian wine, lobster, sugar, coal, timber, wool, barley and copper.

Note, that’s wine, wool, barley and copper – all key SA exports.

Business confidence eh? Pull those belts in tight.