It may have been a throw away line, but... ...depends whether...

It may have been a throw away line, but...
...depends whether you consider educating us, or keeping us healthy as investments lost forever. Not that they can't improve the way they spend their money, but I wouldn't have thought it's all lost.
And I'm glad I don't live in a society that $1 in must provide an immediate financial return either.
I'm thankful that I have found a good investment, but am reminded that our culture and society helped provide the environment where this sort of enterprise has been able to flourish using a lot of healthy, well educated Australian folk who have been willing to take a risk because they generally feel pretty safe.