Re: Why Is Australia So Expensive?

2106greencat · ‎06-11-2014

Sorry, just had another thought (2 thoughts in under half an hour, a record for me!)

I think on the whole (please don't all jump on me, not saying everyone, but....) a hell of a lot of us have created a nation of 'wants'.

Years ago, before the computer, the games, the fancy cars, the huge houses, the OS holidays, the ..........we were a nation of 'needs'.

Being succesful and happy meant you provided your family with what they needed, now it seems unless you can provide your family with the latest of the best, you are not succesful or happy.

JMO and badly phrased, but you get my drift.

Life is after all what we make it

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You can't please all the people all the time, so now I just please myself

the_great_she_elephant · ‎06-11-2014

@jimmy*part3 wrote:
That new oil reserve should help keep you from going Bloke.

I do hope so - I'm a bit old for a sex change..

(sorry Jimmy - I can resist everything except temptation.)

Seriously though, yes the new oil reserve will certainly help - and must be a godsend to Tony Abbott after he's just raised the exise; but I'm not sure that a cutthoat price war between the US and Saudi Arabia is ultimately going to be good for the global economy.

jimmy*part4 · ‎06-11-2014

@the_great_she_elephant wrote:
@jimmy*part3 wrote:
That new oil reserve should help keep you from going Bloke.
I do hope so - I'm a bit old for a sex change..

(sorry Jimmy - I can resist everything except temptation.)

Seriously though, yes the new oil reserve will certainly help - and must be a godsend to Tony Abbott after he's just raised the exise; but I'm not sure that a cutthoat price war between the US and Saudi Arabia is ultimately going to be good for the global economy.

I don't think it has anything to do with the US...it's Saudi Arabia fiddling with the prices. We buy oil from a few other countries and their economies may feel the pinch. They're under cutting them, not us. Although yes, we will buy it. And who wouldn't pay a cheaper price? It's much cheaper for them to just drill down into the sand, than most...of shore drilling, deep well drilling, etc. They can afford to cut their prices.

But then again...maybe I'm wrong. I don't follow much politics...it aggravates me!

Politics is like Brussel sprouts...it's good for you (to know), but tough to swallow.

BS stands for Brussel Sprouts!

fourandsixpants · ‎06-11-2014

to she-el who said:

@jimmy*part3 wrote:
That new oil reserve should help keep you from going Bloke.

I do hope so - I'm a bit old for a sex change..

(sorry Jimmy - I can resist everything except temptation.)

Seriously though, yes the new oil reserve will certainly help - and must be a godsend to Tony Abbott after he's just raised the exise; but I'm not sure that a cutthoat price war between the US and Saudi Arabia is ultimately going to be good for the global economy.

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................

It's a mite bit more complicated than just the US and Saudi Arabia....the Chinese are doing a 'big' deal with Qatar.....taking loads of Yuan in there for lots of oil......the price that the Chinese will get this oil for will have a major impact and repercussions on a few people.

China hopes to build a long-term, comprehensive and strategic relationship of energy cooperation with Qatar and strengthen bilateral cooperation in oil and gas exploration and development, liquefied national gas production and integrated cooperation in the petrochemical industry, Li (Chinese Premier ) said.

Tamim (Emir of Qatar) hailed the development of Qatar-China relations and pledged that Qatar will deepen bilateral ties and strengthen reciprocal cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

He said Qatar will prioritize long-term energy cooperation with China.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-11/05/content_18869482.htm

....then there's the Russian interests..................

Capitalism and competition serves the rich very nicely

tcmsecretuseid · ‎06-11-2014

Greencat, I agree with you. I told a friend(who was massively in debt years ago) that she needed to learn the difference between want and need. She didn't need to spend $200 getting her hair done. She didn't need to put a pool in her backyard. She didn't need to buy a new car every two years. She was constantly complaining about not having any money, yet she continued to buy herself jewelry, and other frivolous items. She lost everything. Her house, her car, her jewelry, etc.

We all do need to eat, and live somewhere though. Those costs have gone through the roof.

LOL, Jimmy. Brussel sprouts indeed.

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cherry*135 · ‎06-11-2014

Tcm: " I do think your food prices are really expensive, as compared to many other places in the world."

Wage rates are high here. Plus 9.5% employer superannuation contributions,

$21p.h. For casual worker in a supermarket (retail, cafes..all hospitality job) that is the Mon -Fri rate, higher on weekend, $46.p.h. approx on a Public Holiday.

Food is very cheap (in AUD) in places like Slovenia, Malaysia......

happyroo_bunji · ‎06-11-2014

To buy an automatic CPAP machine here in Aust would set me back $2300. To buy the exact same model from the US would cost $700AUD (including postage) all I need to make it work here is one of those adapter plugs which are approx $7.

The price difference of certain things is stupid, I can understand some difference but $1600? that is just nuts, and yet they wonder why people buy overseas

cherry*135 · ‎06-11-2014

There are certainly high mark ups on good quality imported products in Australia.

That is changing slowly though for a lot of items, as consumers become aware of the price difference between Au prices and overseas prices.

Even the argument about about cost of shipping doesn't wash now, because a lot of the products are made in Indonesia or Asia which is fairly close to Aust.

Family member bought a pair of shoes from the US online. Made in Vietnam, sold in the US by brand name store, sent to customer in Australia. Online cost from US a lot lower than from store in Aust.