Diary of our stinking Govt.

[boris1gary]

As it's more than 100 days now, it has been suggested that a new thread was needed.  The current govt has been breaking promises and telling lies at a rate so fast it's hard to keep up.

This below is worrying, "independent" pffft, as if your own doctor is somehow what? biased, it's ridiculous. So far there is talk of only including people under a certain age 30-35, for now. Remember that if your injured in a car, injured at work or get ill, you too might need to go on the DSP. They have done a similar think in the UK with devastating consequences.

and this is the 2nd time recently where the Govt has referred to work as welfare???? So when you go to work tomorrow (or tuesday), just remember that's welfare.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-20/disability-pensioners-may-be-reassessed-kevin-andrews/5400598

Independent doctors could be called in to reassess disability pensioners, Federal Government says

The Federal Government is considering using independent doctors to examine disability pensioners and assess whether they should continue to receive payments.

Currently family doctors provide reports supporting claims for the Disability Support Pension (DSP).

But Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews is considering a measure that would see independent doctors reassess eligibility.

"We are concerned that where people can work, the best form of welfare is work," Mr Andrews said at a press conference.

[aps1080]

Water boarding, I know it works

[gleee58]

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@aps1080 wrote:
Gillard changed the criteria so that after 2 years working for the same employer (sponsor) they could apply for a permanent visa.
Surprised at that.

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In November 2012 - with very little fanfare - the Gillard government changed the rules in relation to 457s, tightening the requirement that the jobs be real and real efforts be demonstrated that no qualified Australians are available. The government was apparently prompted to act by some factors within the 457 scheme, and some factors outside it. It was thought that this would reduce the inflow of 457s, but also designed to speed up the pathway to permanent residency.

that's from back in 2012, you missed a bit

http://theconversation.com/how-the-457-scheme-is-changing-australian-immigration-13000

[fourandsixpants]

yep. BUT......just before this present Govt got the reigns I remember a PILE of Bills being 'pushed' through the Senate.....pretty sure some of these bits of legislation rolled through and onwards which opened the door so to speak for Abbott and co to 'up' the 457 entry numbers for their corporate mining maaaaates and such. I may be wrong but believe I am correct.

I also remember researching all the ACCOMODATION SHIPS that were moored off Australia's shorelines, just outside Australian Terrirorial waters........foreign workers were allocated Maritime type visas-they had/have no usual workers' rights, don't have to pay taxes......and no-one gives a fig about their conditions of pay or accomodation.

That awful (gone very quiet lately!!) Senator(?) Michaelia Cash (also was/is Asst to the PM, Minister for Women's Affairs) was the stalWART behind legislation allowing all this caper to go ahead.

nasty goings on by nasty, nasty blue ties.

[fourandsixpants]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterboarding

I just read through this to find out exactly what 'waterboarding' is.

Absolutely hilarious......you are one very sick dude aps. You should make an appt to see a psychiatrist, if you aren't beyond help already

[aps1080]

Paints

Have a sense of humour !

In any case, it's not allowed anymore, even in training.

[fourandsixpants]

I find many things amusing but not a form of torture, no apologies due.

[gleee58]

An interesting look at why we don't want the US style employment policies.  Worth a read  😄

http://thehoopla.com.au/heres-tip-working-poor/

A snippet:

If you calculate it in US dollars, the minimum wage for a 38 hour week in Australia comes to $33,355 per year compared to $15,080 yearly for an American worker, and the prices for goods and services aren’t that different.

The New Year gave US tipped workers something to celebrate – Colorado raised their wages to $5.21. Tired of waiting for Congress to pass a bill to raise the minimum wage, 21 States went ahead and did it anyway, even as many argued it would cripple small business, hurt the economy and lead to higher unemployment.

It’s the same argument that’s being made here in Australia where the Abbott government’s Business Advisory Council chairman, Maurice Newman, has complained that the minimum wage is higher than it is in other countries, particularly in the US. In May last year before Joe Hockey’s infamous budget, the business lobby recommended that wages be cut every year for the next ten years – bringing wages to one of the lowest rates in the OECD.

“This radical move represents the biggest attack on Australian wages since the Great Depression and would entrench a ‘US style’ working poor in Australia, “ said ACTU president Ged Kearney at the time.

While the Abbott Government backed away from that plan, just before this Christmas, Employment Minister Eric Abetz announced an inquiry into the five-year-old Fair Work Act to ensure it was still meeting its objectives and “contributing to productive, rewarding, competitive and harmonious workplaces”.

That’s code for abolishing penalty rates and lowering wages says the ACTU.

For its part, the IPA wants to abolish the minimum wage entirely, even though 1. 5 million Australians (some 16% of the workforce) rely on it.

[aps1080]

"and the prices for goods and services aren’t that different."

That's BS for a start.

Cost of goods and services are far cheaper in the US.

$5.21 Sounds about right, Nevada is slightly higher.

[aps1080]

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@paintsew007 wrote:

I find many things amusing but not a form of torture, no apologies due.

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Depends on what the objective is.

[cherry*135]

If you calculate it in US dollars, the minimum wage for a 38 hour week in Australia comes to $33,355 per year compared to $15,080 yearly for an American worker, and the prices for goods and services aren’t that different.

I wouldn't agree with that. How much is the avg weekly rent or mortgage payment in the US? The average weekly rent around Sydney and 2hr radius of there, would be around $420 for a 3 brm ordinary house. $21,840 p.a.

Australia has third highest house price-to-income ratio in the world: IMF

abc news

June 2014

I bought some sweets at the LA airport for 38c and I paid by cc.  A fresh bagel costs $1 or less. In 2012, not  20 years ago by the way.

When we were there AUD was a bit higher than the USD, so things seemed cheap to us.

A 3 brm newish house with a swimming pool was around $180 000 in Las Vegas, would have been worth double that before the GFC.