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]

I know the exchange rate makes a difference but in the last say, 8 years,
on trips to the US, 0.6 to 1.05 and everything was still cheaper.

[cherry*135]

Yes, Australians get charged extra for some products imported for overseas compared to what people  pay for them in US and other countries.

Cosmetics, mobile phones etc.

A bottle of moisturiser (Made in US) was $25AU.. here it is $60AU. Online US sellers aren't allowed to sell it online to Australians.

[aps1080]

Cars are the biggest thing I noticed but everything here is more expensive.

[gleee58]

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@am*3 wrote:

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.

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They were visiting Colorado. You have to read the story for the context.  She did mention the food was cheaper. The price doesn't include the tips though which needs to be added as well.  

[cherry*135]

A service worker in England only earns around £6 p.h. ($11.34AU) Here it would be $21+.

We thought airfares to Europe were reasonable from UK, but if you earn $11 an hour you may not be able to afford them.

It's the price to income ratio that matters.

[cherry*135]

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

Agree with that.

I think I posted in the last week here, about 'zero hour labour contracts' we don't want those either. Although it is sort of how some casual jobs work.. employer expects casual employee be available 7 days a week but doesn't give them a minimum number of hours per week.

If the Govt lowered the wage rates and food but rent/mortgages (house prices) stayed the same, people wouldnt be able to earn enough to feed or house themselves.... bad enough for some now.

[gleee58]

More snippets

However, as a tourist you only have to ask a few questions to find that the people who are serving you are working two and three jobs to make ends meet and have no health insurance, job security and rely on public assistance plans (like food stamps) or charity to get by. McDonald’s workers alone receive $1.2 billion in public aid. 

On the way to the ski fields in the Rockies we missed our bus to Snowmass where we were staying for a dream holiday. It was Boxing Day and because it fell on a Friday and there were no penalty rates, most of the baggage handlers at Denver Airport just didn’t bother to show for work. We could hardly blame them.

Meanwhile the richest were flying directly into Aspen on their private jets, oblivious to the chaos in the swamp below.

Maybe cooling your heels at a Denny’s diner and choosing between the “value menu” Biscuit and Gravy Breakfast or the Grand Slam Slugger burger and striking up a conversation with a waitress who’s a single mom with four kids working two jobs and living in a trailer park might offer some perspective. But then again, I won’t hold my breath.

[aps1080]

glee

I understand the discussion we are having but I really can't see the relevance of this.

"Meanwhile the richest were flying directly into Aspen on their private jets, oblivious to the chaos in the swamp below."

So what if the rich fly direct ?

If they earn't it, why not ?

[cherry*135]

 POOR FORM

Endeavour Energy is a statutory State owned corporation, established under the Energy Services Corporations Act 1995 (NSW) and the State Owned Corporations Act 1989 (NSW).   It is governed, principally, by the two statutes mentioned and its Constitution.  

Endeavour Energy apprentices to lose jobs

6 Jan

NSW

A quarter of a graduating class of electrical apprentices employed with Endeavour Energy will lose their jobs early this month and those remaining will be put on "unprecedented" six-month contracts.

Electrical Trades Union NSW secretary Steve Butler said 15 apprentices were told their employment would be terminated early in the New Year.

"These workers are rightly devastated, with years of training terminated," Mr Butler said.

"While some of these apprentices are young workers, just starting out in their careers, others are adult apprentices who had given up secure, full-time employment to undertake this specialist training.

"Among those who have lost their jobs are former Endeavour Energy staff who were encouraged by management to take up an apprenticeship as the company sought to meet targets of peak resources."

Mr Butler said another 41 apprentices who recently completed their fourth year of training were offered jobs on six-month contracts, with no guarantee of future employment and no entitlements to redundancy pay.

The union has lodged a formal dispute with the state-government owned electricity company, alleging it has breached its enterprise agreement.

Mr Butler said another electricity company, Ausgrid, has also told 130 apprentices they will be placed on six month contracts instead of being given full-time jobs as expected.

The union said electricity network companies have traditionally trained workers with specialist skills to maintain and upgrade the electricity network "poles and wires".

It said this was the first time in memory that graduating apprentices had not been given permanent jobs.

"This use of six-month contracts is unprecedented, and leads many workers to fear that the Liberal National government simply wants to get past the election in March before terminating more staff," Mr Butler said.

"Not only will these workers also miss out on a redundancy, their short-term contracts would exclude them from the employment protections.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/2801606/endeavour-energy-apprentices-to-lose-jobs/?cs=12

[cherry*135]

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@aps1080 wrote:

glee

I understand the discussion we are having but I really can't see the relevance of this.

"Meanwhile the richest were flying directly into Aspen on their private jets, oblivious to the chaos in the swamp below."

So what if the rich fly direct ?

If they earn't it, why not ?

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Why is the gap so big between service workers and wealthy people. Did those people get wealthy because they own businesses that pay staff $5 p.h.?