Heaps good is part of the South Australian idiom that simply means excellent or cool, but laced with an innocent, awkward naïvety.
In many ways, the current Malinauskas government is tapping into the feel good party vibe to distract us from analysing its performance on the real, down-to-earth fundamentals of governing.
We have major projects blowing out, ambulance ramping is off the charts, and instead of working within the rules and norms of society, this government uses drastic powers to override conventions to gets its way.
The MotoGP project is a great example. We are about to have our civic inheritance of the world famous Adelaide Park Lands, savaged at the cost of 400+ trees (bringing this year’s total of theft and destruction to about a thousand), to be replaced by major swathes of tarmac. Yes, a permanent scar of black, twisted track and all the exorbitant run-off areas, which will become a hot, sweltering mess, disfiguring our city for a three-day event.
But in keeping with the “heaps good” playing card, the premier rattles the cage of some motorsport lovers to ferment division. Don’t let the elites overrule your right to watch racing, he calls out. And such is his slick use of tribalism that these people are frothing at the mouth to support his right to spend their money, even though they would be up in arms if he was spending the same amount on a similarly sized and placed indigenous experience zone or multicultural festival structure.
South Australia does have a “brilliant blend” of slick politicians and backroom men, it seems. And the heaps good flavour means nobody from the various glitzy feel-good channels or industry bodies dare speak up when they are rubbing shoulders with Labor ministers or members for fear of losing their place at the teat; either risking real funding or the elusive, one-day hope they might benefit from some largesse.
Meanwhile, during a hideous cost of living crisis, our chino-sporting Premier is doing the rounds, uttering sanitised messages from his hermitically sealed chamber and no doubt counting the sleeps until he gets to pop some champagne corks with Greg Norman on the expanded golf course or slink around the straights amid the buzzing of bikes.
Sadly, the rest of us must then count the 10s or 100s of thousands of sleeps until he and his silver-tongued, vacuous bunch of party pollies has disappeared and our children can start the long process of repairing the scars.
Heaps Good Time Lyrics
[Verse 1]
There’s a new seven-star resort
And a Michelin Guide pink vanilla tort
This is South Australia now
Sacrifice our landscape for a new cash cow
[Chorus]
We can’t afford new homes
Or the service on our phones.
But we have to stay online
So we can watch the pretty ones
Have an awesome
Heaps good time!
[Verse 2]
There’s a new MotoGP track
Swallowing our park lands in a sea of black
Don’t complain about the price
And don’t say a word about the temperature rise
[Chorus]
We can’t afford new homes
Or the service on our phones.
But we have to stay online
So we can watch the pretty ones
Have an awesome
Heaps good time!
[Bridge]
If you watch our smiling pollies
Everything ‘round here is sweet
And they keep handing out the lollies
To silence the loudest voices in the street
[Verse 3]
Once again it is us and them
It’s a nightmare to realise we’re here again
They’re all smiles in their black ties
Coz they’ve bought off the press to ignore their lies
[Chorus]
We can’t afford new homes
Or the service on our phones.
But we have to stay online
So we can watch the pretty ones
Have an awesome
Heaps good time!
[Bridge 2]
We have a brilliant blend
Of slick politicians and backroom men
So if you wanna choose SA
Commit to standing up and going all the way
[Final Chorus]
We might not own our homes
But at least we still can vote
Make the most of your gravy line
Coz we’re gonna kick you out
then we’ll have a
Heaps good time
We might not own our homes
But at least we still can vote
Make the most of your gravy line
Coz we’re gonna kick you out
then we’ll have a
Heaps good time
Make the most of your gravy line
Coz we’re gonna kick you out
then we’ll have a
Heaps good time
Listen to Heaps Good Time
Heaps Good Time Scratchings
Here are the original, scribbled notes, put down as this song came into existence.
