2022 Election
There is no need to be scared of debt. Debt is good when used for the right things. Chasing $0 debt at all times is a pointless ideological mantra. Sure, when times allow stop borrowing and let existing bonds reach maturity. But one needs to be flexible with times and when there is a good investment opportunity one should jump on it. I am not obsessed with Labor trying to pay back the debt, I'm more interested in quality programs being rolled out so people feel confident to work, invest, start businesses, etc..
Roadkill wrote:san Guine wrote:'Dead Eyes' the opposition leader?
"I'm sure people will say, 'He's a man who looks like the other bloke, only worse,'" the MP said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-24/peter-dutton-only-candidate-liber...He won't last. Will never be a PM. If they keep him as leader they will forever be in the wilderness.
What’s the chance of the nationals putting up a candidate to be leader of the opposition seeing as they retained more seats than the liberals? Could be a real bun fight in the LNP if nationals aren’t happy with dutton as leader of the liberal party . Yeah I know……,it won’t happen .
flollo wrote:There is no need to be scared of debt. Debt is good when used for the right things. Chasing $0 debt at all times is a pointless ideological mantra. Sure, when times allow stop borrowing and let existing bonds reach maturity. But one needs to be flexible with times and when there is a good investment opportunity one should jump on it. I am not obsessed with Labor trying to pay back the debt, I'm more interested in quality programs being rolled out so people feel confident to work, invest, start businesses, etc..
the problem is, we have very little to show for all that debt, the liberal's little flutter with keynesian economics had very little forsight - if any.... and just handed out cash, in a very unispiring - reckless even - labor manner...
my fear about labor is, following the liberal's uncharacteristic opening of the $ floodgates, that labor will see that as a license to get loose with the cheque book, as they so so love to do...
they'll be racking up debt for all sorts of cockamanie ideas (and some good ones) ...and they'll also be racking up debt to maintain their legacy pet projects as well...
medicare is on life support, literally, you often cannot even get in to see a doctor around my area, and if you can, it's a $70 fee with a $35 dollar rebate
good luck with the hospital elective waiting list, I've waited literally years for some things, and just paid the $1000's and $1000's myself for others, because the waiting lists are so ridiculous
if you're lucky enough to have private cover in our already two tiered 'universal' health care system... you are still hit with hundreds or thousands for the 'gap'
medicare is broken beyond repair
then there's the NDIS, which labor will rack up all sorts of ridiculous numbers to keep going
no one wants to talk about NDIS, because you're come across a miserable bugger if you do... but NDIS has now overtaken medicare in terms of monetary cost to the nation...
think about that for a moment... we invest more money in NDIS than we do in the health of the whole nation...
that seriously needs to be considered, and what 'return' the whole population is getting for this inestment...
all while the general health of the nation is slipping further and further into the gutter
Will Labor address the biggest issue confronting Australia? From the highly regarded Macrobusiness site:
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Brilliant unions push back against skilled visa influx
By Unconventional Economist
ACTU secretary Sally McManus says skills and immigration are among the issues that unions want to discuss at the new federal government’s employment summit.
Michael Wright, the acting national secretary of the Electrical Trades Union, contends that the minimum income for temporary skilled visa holders, which has been frozen for a decade, is set far too low at $53,900. He argues that it needs to be set well above full-time average weekly earnings – i.e. above $90,000 – in order to be credible.
Wright has also called for strong labour market testing to ensure that local workers are given priority to fill vacancies.
From The AFR:
“To be credible the threshold needs to be well above full-time average weekly earnings,” Mr Wright said. “There can’t be a genuine ‘skills shortage’ if the wages are below the median”…
A push to lift the income threshold for temporary skilled migrants would clash with the demands of the hospitality industry or regional employers who find it harder to attract workers.
Full-time average earnings were $1748 a week, according to 2021 data, or about $90,900 a year. They were just $63,336 for hospitality…
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar warned that any “excessive increase” to the income threshold “risks inadvertently excluding occupations that might otherwise be eligible for skilled migration”.
“This could include occupations experiencing widespread staff shortages such as chefs, motor mechanics and hairdressers, while disproportionately affecting businesses in rural and regional areas,” he said…
Grattan economic policy director Brendan Coates said raising the income threshold too far would “practically knock out the entire cohort of the hospitality industry”.
“If the temporary income threshold was raised to $90,000 you would knock out 60 per cent of temporary skilled visa workers today,” he said.
Well done unions.
Regular readers will recognise that the unions’ policy is almost identical to mine, except that I believe that labour market testing is no longer required if the skilled migrant salary floor is raised to a sufficient level – well above the median full-time salary (currently $83,000, according to the Grattan Institute).
The only policy change the federal government needs to make is to set the migrant wage floor at the 75th percentile of median earnings, which was $94,120 as at August 2021 according to the ABS (see table below). Then let businesses have at it.
Australian median income
Setting the migrant salary threshold at this level would ensure that Australian businesses only hire foreign workers to fill highly skilled professions, while also eliminating the need for labour market testing or maintaining bogus skilled occupation lists.
By raising the quality bar, these reforms would reduce immigration flows, which is what Australians want, while maximising benefits to the economy and federal budget.
Sadly, we all know the business lobby would never support such a wage floor as it would undermine its goal of suppressing wages to maximise profits.
The business lobby instead wants an expansion of the pre-COVID mass immigration model, which Alan Kohler explained was “largely an industrial strategy designed to suppress wages and to protect the project they had to crush unions”.
Basically, the business lobby wants the immigration equivalent of WorkChoices 2.0.
The bigger question is why the Grattan Institute also supports unfettered low wage ‘skilled’ migration?
Maybe it is because Grattan is a stealth ‘Big Australia” lobbyist for the business sector. Always follow the money.
Hopefully, the Albanese Labor Government backs the unions, not the business lobby or Grattan Institute.
sypkan wrote:flollo wrote:There is no need to be scared of debt. Debt is good when used for the right things. Chasing $0 debt at all times is a pointless ideological mantra. Sure, when times allow stop borrowing and let existing bonds reach maturity. But one needs to be flexible with times and when there is a good investment opportunity one should jump on it. I am not obsessed with Labor trying to pay back the debt, I'm more interested in quality programs being rolled out so people feel confident to work, invest, start businesses, etc..
the problem is, we have very little to show for all that debt, the liberal's little flutter with keynesian economics had very little forsight - if any.... and just handed out cash, in a very unispiring - reckless even - labor manner...
my fear about labor is, following the liberal's uncharacteristic opening of the $ floodgates, that labor will see that as a license to get loose with the cheque book, as they so so love to do...
they'll be racking up debt for all sorts of cockamanie ideas (and some good ones) ...and they'll also be racking up debt to maintain their legacy pet projects as well...
medicare is on life support, literally, you often cannot even get in to see a doctor around my area, and if you can, it's a $70 fee with a $35 dollar rebate
good luck with the hospital elective waiting list, I've waited literally years for some things, and just paid the $1000's and $1000's myself for others, because the waiting lists are so ridiculous
if you're lucky enough to have private cover in our already two tiered 'universal' health care system... you are still hit with hundreds or thousands for the 'gap'
medicare is broken beyond repair
then there's the NDIS, which labor will rack up all sorts of ridiculous numbers to keep going
no one wants to talk about NDIS, because you're come across a miserable bugger if you do... but NDIS has now overtaken medicare in terms of monetary cost to the nation...
think about that for a moment... we invest more money in NDIS than we do in the health of the whole nation...
that seriously needs to be considered, and what 'return' the whole population is getting for this inestment...
all while the general health of the nation is slipping further and further into the gutter
It's amazing how personal experiences can be so different.
All our doctors and health clinics around here are bulk billed, i could go see a doctor this afternoon if needed at an emergency type clinic or easily get an appointment elsewhere for tomorrow or the next day, but it never use to be like this, not even close.
Only thing ive paid for in years was a flue Jab, $18 and i had some scans up Berwick way i think i paid once for one of those.
Twice this year my wife has to take our 1.5 year old to an emergency clinic, once for a broken leg and once for a viral infection that caused him to have trouble breathing, that time he even had to go by Ambulance to Frankston the other time we ended up at Warragul as no Children doctor at Wonthaggi our nearest hospital
Every single time for everything, x rays, staying overnight we have paid nothing at all, ive also had medical issues, years ago broke ribs and punctured lung was in hospital a week, paid nothing, last year i had to get test and scans and see many doctors again all free except he scan i mentioned above.
IMHO the system is much better than its ever been, in the 90s even on the dole with a health care card there was times i couldn't get a bulk billed doctor and had to pay both in Vic and QLD.
Although the best place i did go to was an Aboriginal Health clinic that was at the end of my street on the Goldie, they could take a certain number of non indigenous people,, never anyone in there and the Doctor surfed and all he would want to talk about is surfing and give me all his free stuff to take to Indo
I even remember the docs name Dr Jeremy Inglis
Whilst I had the head doctor at accident and emergency come out and remonstrate about the shitful state of the health system after I couldn’t find a GP appointment within two weeks or 100kms of my house when I needed a simple referral . Instead the doctors are busy giving flu jabs to healthy people…..who get the flu regardless.
BTW Indo…that link to Angus Taylor claiming Australian Eastcoast has was 70% cheaper than overseas was absolute horseshit and lies. Here’s the truth. Believe it or not just spare me the attempts to piss on me and tell me it’s raining. It’s pretty obvious you don’t know anything about the situation which is fine.
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EMERGENCY! Trigger the ADGSM now
By Houses and Holes in Australian interest rates, Australian LNG, Australian Propertyat 9:30 am on May 25, 2022 | 23 comments
Here’s what the Australian Industry Group said yesterday:
“The cessation of gas trading by Weston Energy plunges hundreds of businesses across Eastern Australia into uncertainty around their energy bills and is a warning of more pressures to come on business and households from high energy prices,” Innes Willox, Chief Executive of national employer association Ai Group, said today.
“Eastern Australian gas prices have surged in the last month, following global gas markets to unprecedented highs of $30-40 per gigajoule. Two years ago industry considered $10 per gigajoule to be worryingly expensive. Electricity prices have likewise exploded as the global coal price inflates generators’ fuel costs in New South Wales and Queensland. Power futures have doubled over the past year and for NSW and Queensland are well above the highs of 2017-19. The war in Ukraine is the biggest factor at play.
“These dramatic market movements create the risk that more energy retailers are caught out in the months ahead. Energy users face risks in turn.
“In the short term it is critical that the Retailer of Last Resort arrangements operate smoothly and swiftly. Businesses contracted with Weston Energy need to know what is happening and they need to be protected from acute shocks.
“The wider issue is that the underlying energy price rises will have a huge impact on businesses and households. The Federal Government needs to respond.
“A convincing strategy will strengthen and future-proof both energy supply and energy demand. The energy status quo has become unsustainably expensive, quite apart from the climate imperative. But while the transition to new and renewable energy will help over time, it could easily run aground amid snarled global supply chains and disquiet in the communities around new energy megaprojects.
“The next few years look very difficult for energy users. It is urgent that the new Government bring together energy users, the States, energy regulators, energy suppliers, and other stakeholders to find a way through,” Mr Willox said.
“The war in Ukraine is the biggest factor at play.” Is it?
Or, is catastrophic malpolicy resulting from extreme Dutch Disease the main factor.
The rise in coal and gas costs is not really a surprise. This kind of stuff happens all the time in markets. I didn’t expect a Ukraine war but so what? If you make yourself fragile you get punched in the face.
The malpolicy in question is the suicidal east coast gas regulatory structure which is allowing a gas export cartel to manipulate domestic volumes to set the price at anything it wants. This very minute it is shipping three-quarters of eastern gas volumes to China for $31Gj while charging our industry $35Gj:
Malcolm Turnbull tried to fix it with the Australian Domestic Gas Reservation Policy (ADGSM). It was designed for exactly the outcome we have today in which the cartel pegs gas at ruinous prices: ruinous for utility bills, inflation, consumption and industrial capacity. The ADGSM compels the cartel to leave more gas here and crashes the gas price instead of everything else.
There is heaps of $1 gas. We are just letting a giant, anti-market cartel ship it out and pay no tax on the profits.
The ADGSM must be triggered immediately and remain active until the local gas price is forced back into to $7Gj.
Frankly, just leave it triggered permanently.
P.S. Well done for trying, Senator Patrick, you’ve done a marvelous job and the Greens have big shoes to fill.
sypkan wrote:flollo wrote:There is no need to be scared of debt. Debt is good when used for the right things. Chasing $0 debt at all times is a pointless ideological mantra. Sure, when times allow stop borrowing and let existing bonds reach maturity. But one needs to be flexible with times and when there is a good investment opportunity one should jump on it. I am not obsessed with Labor trying to pay back the debt, I'm more interested in quality programs being rolled out so people feel confident to work, invest, start businesses, etc..
the problem is, we have very little to show for all that debt, the liberal's little flutter with keynesian economics had very little forsight - if any.... and just handed out cash, in a very unispiring - reckless even - labor manner...
my fear about labor is, following the liberal's uncharacteristic opening of the $ floodgates, that labor will see that as a license to get loose with the cheque book, as they so so love to do...
they'll be racking up debt for all sorts of cockamanie ideas (and some good ones) ...and they'll also be racking up debt to maintain their legacy pet projects as well...
medicare is on life support, literally, you often cannot even get in to see a doctor around my area, and if you can, it's a $70 fee with a $35 dollar rebate
good luck with the hospital elective waiting list, I've waited literally years for some things, and just paid the $1000's and $1000's myself for others, because the waiting lists are so ridiculous
if you're lucky enough to have private cover in our already two tiered 'universal' health care system... you are still hit with hundreds or thousands for the 'gap'
medicare is broken beyond repair
then there's the NDIS, which labor will rack up all sorts of ridiculous numbers to keep going
no one wants to talk about NDIS, because you're come across a miserable bugger if you do... but NDIS has now overtaken medicare in terms of monetary cost to the nation...
think about that for a moment... we invest more money in NDIS than we do in the health of the whole nation...
that seriously needs to be considered, and what 'return' the whole population is getting for this inestment...
all while the general health of the nation is slipping further and further into the gutter
100%. I personally experienced the disarray of the public health system. It's so bad. Personally, I can afford private health cover but refuse to get it. 'Products' are terrible with such prohibitive caps on most things. Mind as well park surplus cash into ASX and pay with cash if you need the service.
I want Labor to go back to basics and put all their energy into making a strong universal health system, universal childcare, and a stronger public school system. These are the fundamentals for a strong, prosperous society.
I fear they will go all over the place trying to please different interests. I hope I am proven wrong.
@indo maybe it's a lot better than it was in the past. I wouldn't know, I was born in 1985 + I grew up in Europe as a kid so my direct experience with different governments started in these last 15 years or so. Good if there is noticeable progress but more is definitely needed.
These are not some radical left ideas as certain circles will call them. It's got nothing to do with that. If that was true then European Union with its 450m residents would be a communist enclave at the bottom of the planet. Quite contrary to that, the EU is one of the most exciting markets in the world to work and invest in.
indo-dreaming wrote:I focus wrote:Roadkill wrote:Supafreak wrote:https://twitter.com/shiannonc/status/1529037592955875329?s=21&t=Rl7vkYwt...
it's as if people think the ALP will just start to repay debt. Watch them fund various things with debt. And the ALP is part of the rorts and the waste.
Given WA's state Labor Government is the only one racking up surplus's ATM (yep that's a Labor Government ) then there is the small detail that Federal Labor racked up $187 bil of debt verses Coalition the rest of $ one trillion ( a lazy $813 bil).
Labor will certainly have their work cut out matching that ...eh.
Doesn't Labor's government in Victoria amount to more than all the other states debt combined???
Honestly don't know Indo could well do as Follo alludes to if the debt is spent on infrastructure or investing in an area of the economy that shows a return as well as jobs no problem (such is the case with WA debt racked up by Liberals).
The $813 bill spent by the Coalition will largely show absolutely no return to the future economy or coming budgets then there is the $40 bill given to profitable company's which I keep harping on about beyond stupid.
It’s only stupid if you think it was unintentional. If you view it from the perspective that Scomo’s job was to siphon public money into corporate pockets without accountability or recompense then it was very successful and well designed.
The 70% cheaper gas over seas is likely right as most countries are required to import gas as LNG.
But the East Coast gas pricing is more than double WA's and rising its a total cluster.
So much so wasn't Vic building a LNG import terminal?
WA has a requirement that 15% is held for domestic use east coast believe the market is best to determine price except it wont.
Indo - “ The economy is booming. It’s a golden age of prosperity!”
Lololol
“Recently we have seen multiple major residential construction companies go into liquidation, including Probuild, Condev, ABG Group, and Privium, alongside several smaller players like Hotondo Homes Hobart, Home Innovation Builders and Next.
Construction giant Metricon is also reportedly on the verge of collapse following last week’s sudden death of founder and CEO Mario Biasin.
Russ Stephens, co-founder of the Association of Professional Builders, believes the recent collapses are merely the “tip of the iceberg” and estimates that half of Australian building companies are currently trading insolvent, meaning they cannot pay their bills. And their ultimate demise could end up harming thousands of customers:
“It’s easy for a large company to delay a decision to go into liquidation by six months or even a year … However, as we get towards the end of the year it’s probably safer to predict it could be thousands of consumers affected by collapsing building companies.”
Stephens says lots of builders have lost “a lot of money” over the past year on the back of an “exponential rise” in costs. This view is backed by the Master Builders Association, which claims 98% of its members are seeing their profits squeezed or are losing money.”
I've said it before flollo
government - whoever it is - needs to triage the most basic of services and throw the rest of their bullshit programs and ideas out
if a large part of our population is struggling to source the absolute basics, then government, and 'egalitarian' australia, is failing miserably...
indo, with respect, your shitty little island, has become rather high end, as the wealthy folk have move in...
and with that, comes all sorts of benefits...
I've lived in various places all over oz, and had little trouble sourcing basic medical services - elective is always a problem...
however, every time I return to my shitty little ghetto (that has seen relatively incredible growth of population and some impressive improving infrastructure) the doctors just get more and nore expensive and harder and harder to source
there's some that bulk bill, but they have almost all gone the way of the dodo, and good luck getting an appointment
the emergency system is still excellent (relatively) ...but unfortunately, it is needing to be sourced more and more for things that just are not really emergencies, purely due to lack of basic services
I focus wrote:The 70% cheaper gas over seas is likely right as most countries are required to import gas as LNG.
But the East Coast gas pricing is more than double WA's and rising its a total cluster.
So much so wasn't Vic building a LNG import terminal?
WA has a requirement that 15% is held for domestic use east coast believe the market is best to determine price except it wont.
I’ve been through this too many times to repeat it, save to say that East coast domestic gas could and should be amongst the cheapest in the world but due to LNP corruption, it is amongst the most expensive whilst simultaneously delivering zero tax returns to the Australian people who actually own the gas in the first place. This expense is literally driving manufacturing businesses broke. Concern for manufacturing businesses going broke is allegedly the reason Indo gives a fuck about a $1 minimum wage increase for a tiny percentage of the population. When I point out that the cost of energy is a more impactful, unfair and avoidable expense due directly to LNP corruption he denies and posts LNP lies.
It’s this ideological defence of the indefensible which I’m really at a loss to understand. Indo - why don’t you look into it for yourself and realise the error of your understanding, then review your stance. Your current belief is irrational and undermines your claim to impartiality.
If you want to be a one eyed LNP muppet just say so and I wont bother trying to enlighten you. Just say you dont give a fuck about truth or reality and that you e picked your team and that’s the end of the matter. The only reason I persist is because you’ve given previously the impression that you are objective.
DudeSweetDudeSweet wrote:I focus wrote:The 70% cheaper gas over seas is likely right as most countries are required to import gas as LNG.
But the East Coast gas pricing is more than double WA's and rising its a total cluster.
So much so wasn't Vic building a LNG import terminal?
WA has a requirement that 15% is held for domestic use east coast believe the market is best to determine price except it wont.
I’ve been through this too many times to repeat it, save to say that East coast domestic gas could and should be amongst the cheapest in the world but due to LNP corruption, it is amongst the most expensive whilst simultaneously delivering zero tax returns to the Australian people who actually own the gas in the first place. This expense is literally driving manufacturing businesses broke. Concern for manufacturing businesses going broke is allegedly the reason Indo gives a fuck about a $1 minimum wage increase for a tiny percentage of the population. When I point out that the cost of energy is a more impactful, unfair and avoidable expense due directly to LNP corruption he denies and posts LNP lies.
It’s this ideological defence of the indefensible which I’m really at a loss to understand. Indo - why don’t you look into it for yourself and realise the error of your understanding, then review your stance. Your current belief is irrational and undermines your claim to impartiality.
If you want to be a one eyed LNP muppet just say so and I wont bother trying to enlighten you. Just say you dont give a fuck about truth or reality and that you e picked your team and that’s the end of the matter. The only reason I persist is because you’ve given previously the impression that you are objective.
Yep agree Blowin 100%
"Indo - “ The economy is booming. It’s a golden age of prosperity!”
Lololol"
indo confuses his own life cycle...
(where most people get their shit together by a certain age and are kind of gifted various opportunities)
...with a perception of a 'tidak apa apa' booming economy...
if he didn't buy a house at the right time is this contemporary game of life... I dare say his perspective would be very very different...
(even with the 'gifted' opportunities opportuned with the dawn of middle agedness)
DudeSweetDudeSweet wrote:I focus wrote:The 70% cheaper gas over seas is likely right as most countries are required to import gas as LNG.
But the East Coast gas pricing is more than double WA's and rising its a total cluster.
So much so wasn't Vic building a LNG import terminal?
WA has a requirement that 15% is held for domestic use east coast believe the market is best to determine price except it wont.
I’ve been through this too many times to repeat it, save to say that East coast domestic gas could and should be amongst the cheapest in the world but due to LNP corruption, it is amongst the most expensive whilst simultaneously delivering zero tax returns to the Australian people who actually own the gas in the first place. This expense is literally driving manufacturing businesses broke. Concern for manufacturing businesses going broke is allegedly the reason Indo gives a fuck about a $1 minimum wage increase for a tiny percentage of the population. When I point out that the cost of energy is a more impactful, unfair and avoidable expense due directly to LNP corruption he denies and posts LNP lies.
It’s this ideological defence of the indefensible which I’m really at a loss to understand. Indo - why don’t you look into it for yourself and realise the error of your understanding, then review your stance. Your current belief is irrational and undermines your claim to impartiality.
If you want to be a one eyed LNP muppet just say so and I wont bother trying to enlighten you. Just say you dont give a fuck about truth or reality and that you e picked your team and that’s the end of the matter. The only reason I persist is because you’ve given previously the impression that you are objective.
I did more research on prices, we pay about the same as most of Asia (where we supply), less than all of Europe, but pay more than USA, Canada, Mexico and Middle east
You seem to have a mind set that because they can produce it cheap you deserve to get it cheap
But thats not how life works or how prices are set.
This is more how prices of gas would be set.
1. Production cost: obviously the minimum price has to be production cost plus a profit percentage, but thats only the min price, there is no set max profit that they have to stick to, the max price they can charge is dictated by 2 & 3
It goes for anything, how much do you think that $150 set of fins cost to make? probably less than $10 or stickers they sell for a few dollars are said to only cost a few cents to make, it's no different prices are set by 2 & 3
2. What price it can be sold for elsewhere: In this case the export price they can charge, if they can sell gas for one price overseas then they obviously want to get a similar price in Australia. (This is just common sense)
3. What the customer is able to afford, if we can afford to pay it they will charge it, im actually surprised we aren't charged more, i would have thought the price we pay would be much higher than Asian gas prices.
We dont have piped gas here just have bottled gas for our on demand hot water system, we use about four bottles a year so maybe $170 a quarter on gas, which is really not that bad considering we are getting the gas, the cost to bring and swap, plus the cost to use the gas bottle. (it has gone up on average less than $7 a year over the last ten years)
If we were on mains gas it would be much cheaper, but still that price is fair when you compare it to other things, go take the family out for a counter meal at the pub with a few drinks and you will blow that or these days go see a band at the pub and get on the piss and you will blow that.
BTW. The whole zero tax for Australians is not exactly true, but it does seem to be an issue and it's not one LNP have ignored.
"So worried is the government about the meagre income it is getting from gas during the middle of Australia’s biggest gas export boom that it asked an independent advisor to chair a review and is getting the treasury to run the ruler over his recommendations."
https://theconversation.com/in-the-midst-of-an-lng-export-boom-why-are-w...
sypkan wrote:indo, with respect, your shitty little island, has become rather high end, as the wealthy folk have move in...
and with that, comes all sorts of benefits...
I've lived in various places all over oz, and had little trouble sourcing basic medical services - elective is always a problem...
however, every time I return to my shitty little ghetto (that has seen relatively incredible growth of population and some impressive improving infrastructure) the doctors just get more and nore expensive and harder and harder to source
there's some that bulk bill, but they have almost all gone the way of the dodo, and good luck getting an appointment
the emergency system is still excellent (relatively) ...but unfortunately, it is needing to be sourced more and more for things that just are not really emergencies, purely due to lack of basic services
Ive also lived all over Aust so I'm comparing to not just how things were before here but elsewhere too.
Elective surgery yeah okay maybe different, i have never had to need it, but would always expect to be on a long waiting list in the public system, the wife had surgery years ago though and i was surprised on how fast she got in and again all free.
I can only speak for my own experience but i just think the system is really really good and has got better and better over time.
BTW. It's true we have more doctors clinics on the island due to pop increase, but we actually use to have our own hospital up until about twenty years ago.
sypkan wrote:"Indo - “ The economy is booming. It’s a golden age of prosperity!”
Lololol"
indo confuses his own life cycle...
(where most people get their shit together by a certain age and are kind of gifted various opportunities)
...with a perception of a 'tidak apa apa' booming economy...
if he didn't buy a house at the right time is this contemporary game of life... I dare say his perspective would be very very different...
(even with the 'gifted' opportunities opportuned with the dawn of middle agedness)
I get the life cycle thing, but I'm not talking about now, im not sure where Blowin quoted that from but it's misleading ive been talking about the last 30 years as the time of prosperity, not now.
Personally i think we are right on the tail end of it, not just because Labor are in but things can only be so good for so long, and lots of signs are that the era is coming to an end.
Regarding housing affordability yes i feel lucky, but if i didn't own a house, i wouldn't be living here id be going where i could afford to buy which there still is areas even near good waves.
The housing affordability issue though is ironically a result of 30 years of prosperity, many people have killed it and are killing it hence can pay those prices, i feel for my kids future on this, but i dont see any answers.
Could you do us a favour Indo and name a few of these places near good waves where houses are still affordable? Places that have jobs, social services and future opportunities?
I know a few people who might be interested.
Edit: Including me. I still kinda have dreams of retiring back home but it seems like I won't be able to afford to.
flollo wrote:On debt - government was critised for not borrowing more and stimulating growth during the pre pandemic era. I remember listening to Alan Kohler’s podcast in 2019 saying that he doesn’t understand why the government doesn’t borrow more considering favourable lending conditions. Our debt is not big, better inflation pay it than us. But what we got for the debt and how to get more value in the future is debatable.
Got me stuffed why people bang on about how much debt we have. Sure some of that debt probably shouldn't be there but we had to go into large debt like every other country in the world due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. Flogging a dead horse going on about it.
sypkan wrote:flollo wrote:There is no need to be scared of debt. Debt is good when used for the right things. Chasing $0 debt at all times is a pointless ideological mantra. Sure, when times allow stop borrowing and let existing bonds reach maturity. But one needs to be flexible with times and when there is a good investment opportunity one should jump on it. I am not obsessed with Labor trying to pay back the debt, I'm more interested in quality programs being rolled out so people feel confident to work, invest, start businesses, etc..
the problem is, we have very little to show for all that debt, the liberal's little flutter with keynesian economics had very little forsight - if any.... and just handed out cash, in a very unispiring - reckless even - labor manner...
my fear about labor is, following the liberal's uncharacteristic opening of the $ floodgates, that labor will see that as a license to get loose with the cheque book, as they so so love to do...
they'll be racking up debt for all sorts of cockamanie ideas (and some good ones) ...and they'll also be racking up debt to maintain their legacy pet projects as well...
medicare is on life support, literally, you often cannot even get in to see a doctor around my area, and if you can, it's a $70 fee with a $35 dollar rebate
good luck with the hospital elective waiting list, I've waited literally years for some things, and just paid the $1000's and $1000's myself for others, because the waiting lists are so ridiculous
if you're lucky enough to have private cover in our already two tiered 'universal' health care system... you are still hit with hundreds or thousands for the 'gap'
medicare is broken beyond repair
then there's the NDIS, which labor will rack up all sorts of ridiculous numbers to keep going
no one wants to talk about NDIS, because you're come across a miserable bugger if you do... but NDIS has now overtaken medicare in terms of monetary cost to the nation...
think about that for a moment... we invest more money in NDIS than we do in the health of the whole nation...
that seriously needs to be considered, and what 'return' the whole population is getting for this inestment...
all while the general health of the nation is slipping further and further into the gutter
I just had $50000.00 surgery. I have private health and paid $750.00 which was my excess. No gap, all covered by HBF. Hospital was incredible. Staff unbelievable. I am far from rich. I understand some cant afford private health. For me, I look around and feel incredibly lucky to live in this country. Easily pleased I guess.
Didn't realize the NDIS is gobbling up that much money, sypkan. If so, that doesn't sound right. The disabled no doubt must be looked after but if what you're saying is correct, yes, that's astounding.
If I go to my doctor who is very capable with an issue ie a new blood pressure script and say by the way I have a sun spot on my leg he says make an appointment and come see me about it. As suggested by other posters I pay 75 dollars get thirty five back ( health insurance) and get to come back another day! It feels like if it happens on the same day they are under scrutiny and won’t do it.It all adds to the bottom line which is always passed on to the end user whether it by health insurance companies or the taxpayer.It’s the middle class who pay in my view…
oxrox wrote:Didn't realize the NDIS is gobbling up that much money, sypkan. If so, that doesn't sound right. The disabled no doubt must be looked after but if what you're saying is correct, yes, that's astounding.
I think most of it goes to to dodgy privatised contractors of various persuasion. I don’t think the actual intended recipients are receiving the lions share.
Clean your room, Blumpkin.
Same Same but different ? https://www.themonthly.com.au/the-politics/rachel-withers/2022/05/25/sam.... 
zenagain wrote:Could you do us a favour Indo and name a few of these places near good waves where houses are still affordable? Places that have jobs, social services and future opportunities?
I know a few people who might be interested.
Edit: Including me. I still kinda have dreams of retiring back home but it seems like I won't be able to afford to.
Heaps of good areas to retire, obviously you aren't going to get services of cities or major regional areas or jobs etc otherwise they would be expensive, but with the internet and solar etc it's more realistic than ever to live in these areas and even have an income generated online and not be totally disconnected from the world like you would have been even 20 years ago, personally im craving to move to one of these areas as miss what my hometown use to be, i want to go somewhere again with a true sense of community were the roads are dirt and where you can leave your car unlocked with the keys in the ignition.
If i was young and couldn't afford elsewhere id buy in just to ensure one day I have something or use it as a stepping stone to getting something else where id really prefer to live.
Few examples
Tas- West coast but any areas a little bit away from coast are dirt cheap i posted a block for 40K the other day 1hr drive from city, waves etc, people drive 1hr to work all around Australia these days, many coastal areas up north are still affordable too, can get good waves, but also just good location to head east or west on weekends.
Vic- 90 mile beach area (not great waves though) Portland area, even Malacota isn't too bad last time i looked.
SA- Pretty much anywhere a few hours drive from the City
WA- North areas (others have posted examples)
QLD- Not much options, Islands in Morton bay are dirt cheap though spend some money on a good boat and options start opening up
NSW- The worst of all states, best bet is out Kempsey way, Eden is not cheap but not crazy priced, a small unit in somewhere like Merimbula is very affordable to retire.
NSW- The worst of all states, best bet is out Kempsey way
One real estate agent was advertising a cheap house for sale in South Kempsey and he called the area West Crescent Head.
https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/in-south+kempsey,+nsw+2440/list-1
4 years ago you could buy a house for $50,000
imagine the outcry from the ALP, Greens and Grace Tame if a male LNP poly had called a female politician something derogatory along the lines of Voldamort. You would never hear the end of it.
Just another mean girl ALP politician...the silence fom many is golden.
Thanks for your reply Indo but you're not exactly selling me.
Westcoast Tassie sounds alright though.
zenagain wrote:Thanks for your reply Indo but you're not exactly selling me.
Westcoast Tassie sounds alright though.
Any place west of Stanley or north of Strahan is serious hillbilly country
Roadkill wrote:imagine the outcry from the ALP, Greens and Grace Tame if a male LNP poly had called a female politician something derogatory along the lines of Voldamort. You would never hear the end of it.
Just another mean girl ALP politician...the silence fom many is golden.
Unfortunately, this is probably true. I didn’t think of it much but then I actually read what was said and it was pretty awful.
zenagain wrote:Thanks for your reply Indo but you're not exactly selling me.
Westcoast Tassie sounds alright though.
Really there is some amazing options there, personally im leaning to getting something in remotish SA in the future, just build a little retirement shack then rent out my current house then spend late May to early Sep in Indo
West Coast Tassie is probably one of the most hardcore out of that list, winters are crazy cold very wet and wind like you have never seen, but Dec to April is perfect mild to warm decent amount of offshores (often strong though), never goes flat and if you have a good 4WD heaps of coast to surf, yeah its hill billy but in a good way people are down to earth friendly and will do anything for you kinda like going back in time 30+ years.
flollo wrote:Roadkill wrote:imagine the outcry from the ALP, Greens and Grace Tame if a male LNP poly had called a female politician something derogatory along the lines of Voldamort. You would never hear the end of it.
Just another mean girl ALP politician...the silence fom many is golden.
Unfortunately, this is probably true. I didn’t think of it much but then I actually read what was said and it was pretty awful.
Yeah I thought Plibs was better than that.
On another note, I have a confession.
A deep dark confession.
I stumbled upon this the other day, and I just had to keep it.
It's coarse, vulgar and inappropriate in the modern age.
And that face is an object of scorn, loathing and occasional pity.
Yet here we are.
Reckon it'd be a good addition to a buried time capsule, something we could pass around the table at a dinner party in 100 years' time.
So surprise, surprise, Labor are already back pedaling on some election promises. Now saying it's up to the fair work commission to lift wages, electricity prices are going up but were supposed to be going down, interest rates, fuel,etc etc all going up. They ran a big campaign on cost of living and knew all along that they couldn't control a lot of these things. Just said what people wanted to hear with no hope of actually making a difference. Could see right through them. It's only taken a couple of days and already they are blaming everyone and everything on why they wont be able to uphold their promises. Every party does it but I think this was the most transparent lot of unattainable promises I have heard.
Also, watching the abc news last night (which is generally the only news I watch) an abc reporter commented on the increased amount of rainfall predicted to fall on the East Coast with the possibility of flooding. Blamed it on La Nina. No mention of climate change. First time in years I have heard any reporting of weather on the abc which may be unusual or extreme with no mention of climate change. I was waiting for it but crickets. Coincidence?
Fair work commission are the only ones that decide minimum wage. Not politicians. Albo said he would support a raise not that he could implement it
Roadkill wrote:imagine the outcry from the ALP, Greens and Grace Tame if a male LNP poly had called a female politician something derogatory along the lines of Voldamort. You would never hear the end of it.
Just another mean girl ALP politician...the silence fom many is golden.
this post hasn't aged well
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/shouldn-t-have-said-it-anthon...
oxrox wrote:So surprise, surprise, Labor are already back pedaling on some election promises. Now saying it's up to the fair work commission to lift wages, electricity prices are going up but were supposed to be going down, interest rates, fuel,etc etc all going up. They ran a big campaign on cost of living and knew all along that they couldn't control a lot of these things. Just said what people wanted to hear with no hope of actually making a difference. Could see right through them. It's only taken a couple of days and already they are blaming everyone and everything on why they wont be able to uphold their promises. Every party does it but I think this was the most transparent lot of unattainable promises I have heard.
Also, watching the abc news last night (which is generally the only news I watch) an abc reporter commented on the increased amount of rainfall predicted to fall on the East Coast with the possibility of flooding. Blamed it on La Nina. No mention of climate change. First time in years I have heard any reporting of weather on the abc which may be unusual or extreme with no mention of climate change. I was waiting for it but crickets. Coincidence?
Or maybe….it’s just weather.
OMG!
seeds wrote:Fair work commission are the only ones that decide minimum wage. Not politicians. Albo said he would support a raise not that he could implement it
Correct but he was messing with words and making it sound like he had a bigger influence on this than he actually did. He can't guarantee wages will go up but made it sound like Labor were the only party that would be able to. Governments submit data etc to the commission for them to decide. Which is exactly what they are emphatically stating now.
synchrodogcal wrote:Roadkill wrote:imagine the outcry from the ALP, Greens and Grace Tame if a male LNP poly had called a female politician something derogatory along the lines of Voldamort. You would never hear the end of it.
Just another mean girl ALP politician...the silence fom many is golden.
this post hasn't aged well
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/shouldn-t-have-said-it-anthon...
Not really. They know what they’ve done, it was cunning but smart, in a Machiavellian way. Now we will have 5 years of Voldemort memes. Throw the bone to the dogs strategy.
so cynical, flollo
i don't think they're that smart
but on a serious note, let's hope albanese is genuine in his desire to raise the level of political discourse in this country, would be a bloody breath of fresh air
synchrodogcal wrote:Roadkill wrote:imagine the outcry from the ALP, Greens and Grace Tame if a male LNP poly had called a female politician something derogatory along the lines of Voldamort. You would never hear the end of it.
Just another mean girl ALP politician...the silence fom many is golden.
this post hasn't aged well
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/shouldn-t-have-said-it-anthon...
ALBO trying to play victim with Scomo and his election makeover comments.....no comparison.
Plibersek is a nasty piece of work.
synchrodogcal wrote:so cynical, flollo
i don't think they're that smart
but on a serious note, let's hope albanese is genuine in his desire to raise the level of political discourse in this country, would be a bloody breath of fresh air
Haha, fair enough. It does appear that Albo told her off so let's give him some credit. He will need to learn to restrain himself as well as those around him. It's fascinating how some (Mcgowan as well) jumped on Dutton so viciously before this one even became an official leader of the opposition. Do they need a reminder - the campaign is over, you won the election. Get to work.
oxrox wrote:So surprise, surprise, Labor are already back pedaling on some election promises. Now saying it's up to the fair work commission to lift wages, electricity prices are going up but were supposed to be going down, interest rates, fuel,etc etc all going up. They ran a big campaign on cost of living and knew all along that they couldn't control a lot of these things. Just said what people wanted to hear with no hope of actually making a difference. Could see right through them. It's only taken a couple of days and already they are blaming everyone and everything on why they wont be able to uphold their promises. Every party does it but I think this was the most transparent lot of unattainable promises I have heard.
Also, watching the abc news last night (which is generally the only news I watch) an abc reporter commented on the increased amount of rainfall predicted to fall on the East Coast with the possibility of flooding. Blamed it on La Nina. No mention of climate change. First time in years I have heard any reporting of weather on the abc which may be unusual or extreme with no mention of climate change. I was waiting for it but crickets. Coincidence?
Ha ha i noticed the exact same thing listening to ABC radio yesterday the tune and vibe had completely changed especially from Jim, i guess that's politics though.
Interesting to hear the fuel excess tax will still go back on in September that's going to push prices up further again.
I actually heard the news on ABC news yesterday of scientist/climatologist saying the floods not being caused by Climate change, but that said yes it's all linked really...but it was still a surprise to hear it reported that way and not followed up by an explanation id expect of it still being linked to climate change.
Here is the actual Special Climate Statement itself from the BOM, if anyone wants to read the primary document they are referring to re: the Floods in Feb/March.
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/statements/scs76.pdf?20220525
Hey Freeride. The news last night was referring to coming weather events not historical.
Copy that Oxrox.
Thats mostly referring to the slowly weakening La Niña and neg IOD, also referenced in the latest BOM climate update.
https://media.bom.gov.au/releases/1015/la-nina-slowly-weakening-into-win...
.