U got your $900 from the Govt yet?

[bones]

Just wondering if anyone has got their $900 payment from the Fed. Govt yet for the Stimulus Package #2? Some people I have spoken to have got it others haven't. I haven't got mine yet. Are they that slow in getting sent out?:shrug:

[matt]

I believe mine has gone through:D:thumbsup:

[caleb]

I'm not even getting one. You know what I had lined up?

[Rob_K]

Not yet. Very important to buy Australian - after considerable thought, I've decided to take a drive and buy $900 worth of sheep from the first cocky I come across. Can't get more Australian than that. :thumbsup:

Cheers -

[toryglen-boy]

not yet ...

:(

[starlooker]

I haven't received mine yet, even though I am expecting a direct deposit into my bank account.

I went to the ATO website to read up about it.

The payments will be sent out up to may 16, and the ATO advises people not to contact them about non-payment until at least may 16.

Be patient, it will come.

The question is, what will you spend it on? I'll be spending it on a Skywatcher 70 x 900 EQ1! ;)

[h0ughy]

no nothing yet - i even spent the money lol

[erick]

Nope, but it's not coming. But my wife has hers :thumbsup: She tells me it has to go on a new suit or two for me :shrug: What? A 17m Ethos is selling for only $999 at Bintel!

[toryglen-boy]

tell me about it fella ...

I can see a Baader MPCC in my future, and the rest of it going towards an Argo Navis

:D

[dannat]

Most spent - had already bought the 15x70 ultras couple months ago & now bought astro tent from exfso..with the change bought the wife a bunch of flowers and had them delivered to her work

[Rokketboy]

Nope, nothing yet. Its paying for my new/first scope so I wish it would hurry up.

[Omaroo]

This'll be the second lot I miss out on. :rolleyes: I hear there'll probably now be a third. Keep spendin' Kevin... I'll qualify soon enough! :thumbsup:

Buy AUSTRALIAN people.

[DJDD]

not yet.


so, should we buy Australian or buy something made overseas?

- if we buy Australian we support local stores, transport and manufacturers.

- if we buy something made overseas we support local stores and transportation but not manufacturers.
However, I have also read that "buying Australian" is a form of protectionism and that at times like it is better to get money/goods flowing globally.


I am so confused... :shrug:

what astro gear is made here in Australia, anyway? Just the Argo Navis?

p.s. please don't make this a flame war or political.

[Omaroo]

Good advice - just a little difficult when this payment is the fruit of politics.

[TrevorW]

Not yet but I'm in WA and my surname begins with W so I'll expect mine by about the 16th May

[toryglen-boy]

ooooo !!!

can you buy Australian people? i wouldnt mind buying some hired help

:P

[Rokketboy]

This cheered me up immeasurably:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/21/2548013.htm

And yes that is sarcasm you detect

[TrevorW]

Only two things still made in OZ and ones beer, well you can guess the other

[DJDD]

maybe i will add it to my sig... :)

still, although an economically-driven payment (ok, perhaps with some political influences :P ), we should be able to discuss the payment and, with our years of experience and knowledge about global financial systems, whether it is better to buy australian or not in the current GFC, not whether the government should have paid it or not.

[Robert9]

I've got mine, but wife hasn't yet. They say there is no particular order to the distribution and one should not worry until after 13th May. Names starting with WXYZ should not be at a disadvantage time-wise.

Robert Zywxjz

[Omaroo]

Just make sure that they're good quality ones.

[toryglen-boy]

now THAT was comedy

:P

[cfranks]

'Buy Australian' is a good slogan but, at least in SA, the Govt schools initiative is a bit of a joke. They are giving all this money to schools for computing and telling them to buy Dell! Great.:screwy:

Still waiting for my $900.

[DJDD]

well, when i get mine i think i will either buy the QHY5 or the Starshoort autoguider.

or a motorcycle helmet...
or some new jeans/pants (my wife tells me i need to be funkier...)

or all three...

[pgc hunter]

No I don't get mine because I got all my tax back.

Thanks for nothing, Krudd. :mad2:

[leon]

Na not a cent, and I won't be either, they reckon, although i am un-employed i don't need it, because i took care of my finances and saved for the future. ;)

Same old story, if you work hard and save, you are entitled to nothing, but if you live at Centerlink, you can have what you like. :sadeyes:

Leon :thumbsup:

[Omaroo]

Precisely Leon - if you're a self-funded retiree then go suck eggs. Amazing, huh.

[Jen]

Yep got mine :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: woohoo new astro toys for me :D:D:D
My last lot went on bills so this one im spending it on me :D
:cool::cool::cool:

[marki]

Still waiting but I have already spent mine. Lets see an astronomiks 2" Ha and Adobe PS CS4 and The Sky 6 and .............oops!:whistle:



Mark

[space oddity]

I work too hard, make too much(my field has a relatively short working life span) so I get nothing, only the priviledge of paying more taxes in to the future to pay for KRUDD's folly. No new gear for me, might have to sell some to pay the increased tax bills I will incur:mad2:.

[AlexN]

Got mine today... Called my tattoo artist and im booked in for the first 5 hour stint on my sleeve.... Exciting times...

[DJDD]

I am sure that most people that get the money work hard, too. the inference from some comments would be if you are a recipient of (some portion of) the $900 then you either:
- do not work hard; or
- did not think about the future...

both seem a bit "black & white", really.

oh, and to paraphrase: "you cannot please all the people all the time."


p.s. please don't make this a flame war or political.

[bones]

I reckon you're right Chris. The Govt comes up with different payments for different circumstances. I don't mind being eligible for these payments - single income family, wife studying full time, & I pay my taxes. After all missed out on the first homebuyers grant (bought a shack 4 months before it started), missed out on the baby bonus (wife was still at home with the first child when this started so we missed out again). Can't get everything from Centrelink - wife can't get Austudy. If I'm eligible & they pay it I'll take it and use it. To me this one is trying to get people spending to keep things moving. Don't want a constipated economy now do we.

[mark3d]

why not donate your nest egg to charity and join them if it's so appealing...? :)


.

[Kevnool]

Checked it tonight and yep they put 600 in there.
Cheers Kev.

[Rokketboy]

I assumed everyone got $900 , not so? Damn that could screw up my scope plans totally :(

[Craig.a.c]

Still waiting on mine to come through. A few people I work with have already got theirs. Most of mine will go towards work that needs to be done on my car, no toys for me.

[alan meehan]

still haven,t got mine or the misses yet ,ours is going to my misses for a new set of teeth they cost a small fortune and thats buying australian:D

[Omaroo]

No, not so. If you earn more than a hundred k you won't see a red cent.

$900 bonus to taxpayers with taxable income that is up to $80,000.
$600 bonus to taxpayers with taxable income that is between $80,001 and $90,000.
$250 bonus to taxpayers with taxable income that is between $90,001 and $100,000.

[PCH]

:thumbsup: Good on people for buying Aussie made Alan. But the thing that puts many off buying home grown is the cost, - and boy what a rip off a set of false teeth can be these days hey. Not sure how those prices are justified. They can run to thousands :eyepop:

I'm reminded of a news item about 40 years ago back in the old country where an elderly yorkshire farmer had made himself a set of false teeth out of dead sheeps' teeth that he'd found on the moors. I think he cleaned them first :P, and had been using them successfully for years. If you pop out into the country a few k's Alan, you're bound to see a few dead sheep or kangas - is it worth running this idea past the missus in order to get those funds back into your 'toys' account :D Tip, try to pick animals that aren't crawling with maggots as they can be a bit off-putting :lol:

Cheers

[DJDD]

maybe I am too much of a socialist (read "yoghurt throwing commy") but this does not seem too unreasonable...

(regardless of whether I think the bonus is a good idea or not... <-- trying to keep this apolitical)

[Barrykgerdes]

I got mine today. Everyone said I would not get it because I already got all my tax back. I will "laugh all the way to the bank"

Barry

[Omaroo]

What actually makes you think that $100k is a lot of money in this day and age?

[Rokketboy]

It's alot if you only earn $40K lol. like me :(

[starlooker]

"the average wage now $57,324"

"The average pay packet might be $57,000, but very few people are actually earning that. it is skewed because of the massive pay packets of the upper end of the scale which hide the fact that most people are earning between $35,000 to $40,000."

http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,22763090-462,00.html

[pgc hunter]

more than what the vast majority of people earn :rolleyes:

[Omaroo]

So everyone should earn the same money? Should they also pay the same tax? I guess it depends on what industry you've chosen to be in. I have kids straight out of arts college asking me for $80-90k when I interview them for work, and some even get it in the larger firms. They're 20-25. A few of them even have talent. In my sector, pay isn't determined on what level you've reached, whether you're worth 10 bucks an hour more than the next guy or how long you've worked for the company - it's paid for skill and your ability to earn the company revenue. Simple. As far as the big cats go, i.e. those on multi-million dollar payouts - I think it's frankly insane, and the Pacific Brands incident of late showcases this abuse. $100K? It's not a ridiculous sum - when you work 18 hour days and are on 24-hour call it's just average money. People've worked damn hard, damn long and very smartly to earn that pay - and I'm not sure that anyone can rightfully begrudge them - or even think that it's all a bit unfair...

[AlexN]

My sister is earning around 85k a year doing accounting... im on roughly the same money as an industrial metal worker who is not afraid of long shifts or overtime.. Its as simple as that... you want to earn more money, you need to do one of the following.

- Work Smarter
- Work Harder
- Work Longer
- All of the Above.

If you want to have a cry that someone earns more money than you, rather than thinking its not fair etc, perhaps, try "what can I do to earn money like that?"

The world owes nobody anything. You want something? Go Get It!

[Rokketboy]

I don't think anyone was saying everyone should earn the same money. You asked a question and a few of us answered :)

I knew the industry I was getting into (horticulture) was rubbish as far as wages went. Among my close group of friends (4-5 guys), I am the only non-I.T guy, and the only one earning less than $80K.
I am also the only one that works 35 hour weeks and who is not contactable outside of work hours. My mates all work a ridiculous number of hours (100 hour weeks not uncommon) and seem to sometimes be permanently attached to their mobile at all hours.
I made the choice to not get into that sort of thing. I have no problem with people earning more than me. Good for them.
I do believe that the difference in wages between industries is over-the-top in alot of cases. In my case, I went straight from my HSC, did a 3 year Horticulture Associate Diploma or Cert 4 (not sure what it would be classed as now) and now have 15 years experience in a few different areas within the industry , plus several qualifications (chemcert, LL licence etc) and at best I could earn maybe $45-50K.
I have 2 mates who had no formal training in I.T, got a start in a local company and started at $45K. That's were I find the inequality a bit disheartening and unfair, but hey, thats not their problem. I knew what the industry was like when I got into it.

"The world owes nobody anything. You want something? Go Get It! "
Very, very true.

[GeoffW1]

Everyone should be able to have teeth. You can tell her this...

"Your teeth are like the stars," he said
As he pressed her hand, so white
He spoke the truth, for, like the stars
Her teeth came out at night

I spent $3500 on my front teeth, and gave the dentist heaps about the cost of it each visit. It got so she groaned every time she saw me, and was offering discounts unasked. However I know that is cheap!!

Cheers :D:D:D:D

[spacezebra]

The $900 arrived today:D.

Cheers Petra d.

[GrahamL]

Don't sweat it to much Jared.. hearses don't seem to have luggage racks from what I've seen .. and If your wondering what your worth will be after 25 years playing in the dirt .. from my experiance exactly the same as now .. though you will still sleep well at nights.. not work long hours
be able to switch your mobile off when you go home ..
( I still don't have one )...Despite no money deep down theres something likeable about getting your hands dirty through a working day :thumbsup:

No Ruddy money here yet :mad2:.. what a hoot though.. govt is going to give you some loot rather than take it .

[Starkler]

I don't begrudge anyone their pay. I do however roll my eyes and groan when the highly paid have a whinge about paying their proscribed taxes and missing out on middle-class welfare.

No matter how much tax you pay, you're still better off than those who are paid less than you.

As for me, as a single without dependants earning around average income, this is the first time in my 20 odd years working that I ever got ANYTHING from the government! Sandwich and milkshake sized tax cuts dont count.

[Omaroo]

Right with you there Geoff - even more so for those that earn monies WELL above the highest tax bracket cutoff, rather than those just over it.

[DJDD]

back on topic:
I keep checking the mail for the cheque but no luck so far... :(
Cannot wait, though. hopefully it comes before this weekend.
I think i have decided on a new pair of jeans and the QHY5/starshoot autoguider. :thumbsup:
My wife is not keen on my getting a motorbike helmet.:(


Still, would like to know if buying Australian is better or worse whilst in the current financial crisis.



Off-topic bits below, read if you want.

Trying to keep it apolitical...

My point was never that 100k was a lot of money (or not) or that everyone should earn the same amount of money or pay the same amount of taxes (I am a supporter of proportional taxes), OR that i begrudge anyone earning more money than the next person.

My understanding of the bonus is that it is designed to get/keep people spending money and:
- the likelihood of someone on 100k having discretionary funds is higher than for someone on, say 60k
- there is a fair chance that someone on 100k will probably spend their "own" money whereas people on lower incomes may hold onto their money, hence the need for a bonus
- they are thresholds and so someone is always going to be unhappy. I am sorry that it hits anyone in the Astro community; we need to help keep the astro stores in business.

of course:
- this is not suggesting the bonus is a good idea (or not)
- i am from a DINK household, in IT with a scientist for a wife, and I broadly support the thresholds (that's the yoghurt throwing commy bit). BUT would welcome the cheque. :D

[goober]

Got mine a week ago. Buy Australian huh... maybe a long billed Corella, or a red tailed black cockatoo... squawk!

[TrevorW]

Actually if you want to earn more money become a State Sector public servant

- Suck up to the boss work dumber be promoted
- Work shorter hours
- Have Longer holidays, stress leave, flexi time (earned by coming in early or going hone later not actually working)
- All of the Above.

I recently joined the state public service after 30 odd years in private enterprise and I thought why did'nt I think to do this sooner. If you can play the game and tolerate the BS and politics I'd be on over $100k a year by now and into my second holiday home, third long service and thinking about retirement. Long service after 7 years. Gold Super Fund floating over $500000 by now.

As it is I'm down the levels, less stress, less BS, less politics but still near $60k a year.

[Rokketboy]

I got some interesting info today regarding how the payments are being distributed. Apparently its being rolled out via the postcodes of the recipients. From what I heard they are up to 2280 here in NSW. Im 2289 so I should be getting mine in the next week or so. WOOT!
We shall see if my informant was correct. If she lied , she will be punished :mad2:

[Jen]

:lol::lol: there goes that theory i got mine two weeks ago and my post code is 3585 :lol:

[Rokketboy]

Yeah but you are in VIC, Jen. Its by state apparently

[Jen]

Yep im just on the border :thumbsup: oh well i hope you get it soon :P

[mrsnipey]

I wouldn't have qualified for the bonus 10 years ago. I guess that means I have to increase my hourly rate so I get the equivalent of the stimulus bonus plus the baby bonus (which I miss as well with a baby due in 3 weeks).

AlexN has the right idea, work hard and earn lots of money => Lots of toys, but no hand outs.

Sorry, rant over.
I can't believe I voted for Rudd. If only there'd been anyone better to vote for.

[pgc hunter]

Unfortunately we'll always only have a choice between a giant douche and a turd sandwich.

Smartest thing ever to come out of South Park.

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

Not sure, I'm in NSW 2223, eligible according to the ATO calculator, and have not seen it as yet.

Good luck tho

(Edit) Went back to check again and it has just now landed in my account! Now to the Bintel website ;-]]

[Rokketboy]

Still nothing!!!! ARGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Stupid $#$#^%$ DAMN &%^%&%..... err ok Im alright now:ashamed:

I learnt some more today. Not only does it go by postcode it is also done in stages to each postcode so as not to overload the mail system and banking system. Sounds like too much common sense to me.:)

[bones]

Originally Posted by Rokketboy
I got some interesting info today regarding how the payments are being distributed. Apparently its being rolled out via the postcodes of the recipients. From what I heard they are up to 2280 here in NSW. Im 2289 so I should be getting mine in the next week or so. WOOT!




I ain't seen nothing yet. And my postcode is 2261 !!!!:shrug:

[Shaun]

Nothing here yet postcode 6410, as far as wages go yes big money would be nice but i have always had different wages from $20k to 60k i never stay in the same job, get bored to quick.

The thing is to me it is not what you earn but the way you spend, i know people on less than 30k that have more free money than people on 50k+ because they spand what they have not what they don't have, i have seen people that earn heaps and are in debit up to there eyeballs.

[Rokketboy]

Yes, just because you earn alot doesn't mean you have plenty of money to throw around. My brother-in-law earns $110K and wouldn't have a deposit for a house if he decided he wanted to buy a house tomorrow. I cant figure that one out.

[toryglen-boy]

i find myself in a bit of a quandry ..

i want to spend the money with an Australian retailer, but i find it hard when to be frank, with the current exachange rate, i can order something from Optcorp, have it in a couple of days, and even with shipping from the US still safe a sizeable chunk of money.

Retailers here are kinda giving me the pip, i am going home in May for 2 weeks, and i have a list of stuff i wanna buy in the UK, and why, because i cant buy it here? not at all, but because i am fast starting to realise that because Oz is so remote retailers here put thier prices up. And as such, i can buy the parts i want in Europe, ship them here, and again save more money, than if i drove up the road to get something.

We hear all this about "buy Australian" and "support local businesses" and believe me, i am ALL for that, but maybe Australian retailers should respect that not all of thier customers are n00bs, and respect regarding pricing, and value, is a two way street. If national retailers want me to support them through the hard times then fine, dont extract the urine during the good times

rant over

:P

[TrevorW]

Duncan I can agree partially on you here but not all retailers are the same and some don't make big mark ups whereas others do.

However if I'm investing $2500 on a scope and something goes wrong with it, mirror cracks in shipping, carbon fiber delaminate's etc then it's a one overseas.

If it costs a few hundred more then it's worth it for peace of mind IMO

Cheers

[toryglen-boy]

and again Trev your right, with a big purchase i would always make that locally, for customer servicing etc. and anyone would be foolish not to do so, but i wouldnt have any hesitation of not doing so with something smaller. And your right about certain retailers, but that raises another point. I was looking at getting a Skywatcher ST80, as i recently bought from a sale on here, and its a very versatile little thing. One retailer had them at $350 with an AZ3 mount, another retailer had the exact same thing at $650 when i asked the price difference i was told "He doesnt have any in stock, i do, so if you want one, this is the price", then on the other hand its "support your local retailer?"

hmmm....

but i will spend the money here, i will make sure i do. as it affects lives and businesses here, so thats all i need to know.

;)

[marki]

Duncan, if you spend your money at OPT you will stimulate the US economy which in turn will stimulate the Chinese economy which will in turn stimulate the Oz economy. Spending the money at home would have little impact IMO. We are at their mercy so to speak. Whats more you will save dollars for other goodies and get your gear quicker then you would from an Oz supplier:screwy:. Trev I do agree with buying the big things locally as tarrifs paid on items above 1K would negate much of the savings let alone dealing with warranty issues, but for the small things buying OS is hard to beat.

Mark

[OneOfOne]

Still haven't got it yet, but we have already spent a large part of it.

For me, I got the dishwasher fixed :(
My wife? She got the oven fixed :(

Damn Murphy, you wouldn't believe that both of these packed it in within a few days of each other :mad2:

[pgc hunter]

For some reason, everything always seems to stuff up at the same time :mad2::doh:

[AlexN]

mmm My drivers power window in my car broke three days ago, and my licence renewal came up just at the right time to eat into my K.Rudd Dollars...

[spikeface]

lucky spikeface is a uni student on youth allowance (at 25!??!) AND a poor person... so i get TWO payments, which have both arrived. if only i wasn't in thousands of $ debt, i would spend it on things...

[cookie8]

I am now officially stimulated!!!:D Got it interbank transferred on friday.

[pgc hunter]

No Krudd government money for me......could've really used it to pay for an upcoming holiday and to purchase an EQ mount for my russian Mak.

:( :mad2: :(

[starlooker]

Still waiting. :D

[Shaun]

My wife wanted to get the dishwasher fixed and they told her it would cost to much to fix and just to take it easy on the dishwasher and don't load it up to much with things to do.

Needless to say my workload has become it bit easier now:D

[Starkler]

Got mine today.
I'm feeling quite stimulated:lol:

[bones]

.........................:whistle:. ................................... ..........................:shrug:.. ................................... ....:(............................. ............
................................... ....:rolleyes:..................... .:whistle:......................
........still waiting.

Just contacted my accountant. They said that it would be getting sent to them, and then they's forward it on. They haven't seen it yet. so in the mean time ................................... ....:whistle:...................... ....etc,.

[stephenb]

Stimulation complete!:)

[DJDD]

not yet.

but i did notice that the Starshoort autoguider I was going to buy has increased in price by 8.5% at my LAS (Local Astronomy Store). Has the dollar fluctuated by that amount in the last month?

Looks like it is no longer in my budget... :(

[toetoe]

My son who still lives with us got his money at the start of this month, my wife and i are still waiting to this day, postcode here is 2640 so who knows how they are doing it, just seems to be all random to me.:rolleyes:

[starlooker]

I am now stimulated. :D

edit: postcode 6000, Perth

[Rokketboy]

Well, my wife got hers today. Im still waiting:(

[bones]

:cool::cool::cool:
:party::party::party:

Arrived today.

[snowyskiesau]

What about those who have only just put in their tax return for 2008?
I guess we go to the bottom of the list ...

[GrahamL]

2479 arrived today .. gave it to the wife to put in the bank:sadeyes:

the cynic within notes a budget is in the wind .. do you think they will want it back ?;):lol:

[bones]

What I couldn't understand is why when I went to deposit the cheque in the bank I was told it would take 3 days to clear. ??? It's from the Reserve Bank of Australia - why does this take 3 days to clear? To me it sounds more like a way for the banks to make 3 days free interest on everyone's money until they formally put in in our accounts.

[TrevorW]

I'm now stimulated !!!!

Bones you've got it right cheque's are cleared within 24hrs another bank ripoff

[multiweb]

Looks like the stimulus given in one hand is going to go back times over in the other hand. They're scrapping the medicare rebate now so the people who did the right thing by going to private health years ago and give the health system a breather are going to pay twice. Nice ... :nerd:

[Shaun]

Got mine yesterday, postcode 6410, did any of you get stung by the rippoff tax agents chargeing $45 to send you your cheque?

[AussieAaron]

Shaun, I had recieved my money, Though i actually got $1850, $950 for studying and the other $900 for earning under $100,000 though i do my tax every year online through www.etax.com.au (http://www.etax.com.au) and find it much better and much easier, They charged me $13.95 and they deposited it straight into my bank account, So i guess i got a good deal

[Ric]

My cheque arrived today but I cant bank it until Monday.

I can now order that new structural fire fighting helmet I've been eyeing off and it's all Australian made so I'm doing the right thing and helping local businesses.

Cheers

[Darth Wader]

The wife and I got ours a fortnight ago and only just finished spending it on wardrobe for impending baby, cot for impending baby, change table for impending baby, paint for said baby's room, some new clothes for the wife and I finally got a decent EP, 6mm Long Perng. I think we did quite well! We were going to pay off a little credit card debt, that is until we found out about astro apprentice #2!

[stephenb]

My accountant didn't but this is his version, I have no reason to doubt him.

Shortly after the Stimulus package was announced, the ATO informed every accountant by letter that unless they informed the ATO otherwise, every cheque for their clients, would be sent to the accountant to distribute.

My accountant, along with others in the town, informed the ATO to send the cheques directly to their clients, and leave the accountant out of the loop, thus eliminating a lot of paperwork for them. Sounds like common sense.

My accountant did receive many cheques despite this and has forwarded them on to his clients without charge. The word around the arrountant water cooler is that some are blatently charging fees to pass on the cheque , some as high as $60-70 - what a rip off. Mine said is was morally wrong and would never charge his clients this, and sees it as a service to his clients, but there is no law stopping some accountants doing this.

And yes - ALL cheques - including Reserve Bank qheques are subject to clearance of 3 days. They have been for years. Only some banks used to offer immediate clearance as a 'favour' or 'customer service' to known or local customers, but this was stamped out by most financial institutions.

Oh, remember that from banks, hang on, I'll remind those who remember the good ol' day. We used to get Customer Service from a bank!


oh and we are now both stimulated!

[AussieAaron]

Guys i recently heard that soon enough we will be recieving more money, apparently alot more money, Because the way this stimulus works is that we get money so we spend on local businesses, therefore keeping them going and making new jobs for people, So the best way the government says to stop the recession and so on is to hand out money and tell people to spend it everywhere, This old Kevo Ruddy is a good man and he knows what his doing

[multiweb]

:lol: Are you serious? Tax cuts for large and small businesses giving them incentive to produce more and employ people is the way to turn the ship around. Splashing money you don't have all over the place is plain stupid. It just builds up your debt. :screwy:

[dpastern]

Marc - I disagree. Small businesses are the ones most likely to be:

1) badly run

2) selling goods that are not in high demand

3) have owners with poor sales skills, poor organisational and structuring skills

4) abuse employees the most (they can get away with it because of the stupid discriminatory laws that Howard introduced that stop you from filing for unfair dismissal in companies with < 10 employees)

5) usually do not plan to have sufficient back up funds when they start the business up in case things go bad or get rough

6) have the highest percentage of bankruptcy on any people set in Australia

Big business isn't better, let's look at Bonds. They sack staff and move employment off shore where they can purchase slave labour. I thought slavery was illegal, looks like no one told China and various other 3rd world countries. I know how I'd deal with companies like Bonds - penalty business tax rates at 300% normal - that'll encourage them to keep employing Australians.

The whole world economic problem is based on several things:

1) we rely far too much on the US, and the US dollar

2) far too few have far too much of the world wealth

3) greed

4) greed

5) greed

6) bad decisions

7) governments that bail out these mongrels at tax payers expense. Tell me, if I had a mortgage and starting drinking, gambling and visiting brothels and spent all my money and lost the house, would any government bail me out? No. They'd tell me I was an idiot and didn't manage my money well and brought it all on myself, and weren't going to get bailed out.

FACT: Australia is one of the highest taxed nations in the world.

FACT: Australians are becoming increasingly the nation that works the longest hours (as an average)

thankfully our standard of living is still relatively good, despite goods going up far more than wages in the past 10 years. So much for inflation ;-)

I took my $900 and put it on paying off my scope. I've been "stimulating" the economy a fair bit anyways, since I'm single, living @ home and have a disposable income. Probably a lot more than the average person too. The past X amount of governments owe me as far as I'm concerned, due to the increase in the cost of goods, restrictions on wage increases, and little change to the taxation system. The only changes done there are for business tax, and they benefit the wealthy few percent of the country, not the majority of hard working workers who could *really* do with it.

I always find it amusing - ONLY individuals can vote, yet governments world wide seem to only pander to business' needs when they get into power. Doesn't that make you wonder? It makes me wonder.

I have not been impressed with krudd one iota - poor leader, poor strategies, rude & arrogant. Won't be getting my vote again - that'll go to Don Key.

Dave

[multiweb]

:confuse3: Let me see... live at home, no dependent. Try move out, get a mortgage or rent, start a business or self-employed, self funded retirement, family + private health and see how it balances and how that adds up for you (gross turnover vs. taxes) . Then we'll have this conversation again :thumbsup:

[dpastern]

Yes Marc, and that proves my point - that the costs of living have outstripped wages. Business is so greedy it wants to make a profit, and that is at the expense of decent wages for their staff. They typically, from my experience, make staff work twice as hard for less money. When they burn the staff out, they get rid of them and replace. Rinse and repeat as needed.

I've been working over 20 years now and that's what I see has happened. Many that I talk to agree. The modern workplace is not a good place.

I've lived out of home for a good number of years, been there, done that. I moved back home for a variety of personal, theological and financial reasons. I'm glad I came back home, I'm getting to spend time with my dad who doesn't have that long to live (stomach cancer). I got to see him for the last good 18 months of his health, before it turned bad.

Marriage? Kids? No thanks. I like my freedom. I'm not the marrying kind. I have no intentions of having kids, due to again, personal, theological, religious and financial considerations. Plus I'm too ugly to find a partner it seems - the modern woman is only interested in looks, money and the size of your private member. If you don't have A, B & C, forget the dating scene. I can quite happily do without the BS ;-)

As Shrek would say:

"I like my privacy".

I'm also an onion :P

Dave

[multiweb]

Sorry to hear about your dad. I understand your reasons to stay at home. No doubt there are a lot of greedy businesses out there. That's what business is about. Making money. It is not a pretty place. That's how the world works and that's not going to change, like it or hate it.

My point is to stimulate the economy you need to "fuel the engines" which is giving incentive to businesses bad or good that's another debate. In form of tax cuts or other financial help to employ people. If you splash money away, you have to pay it back. Plain and simple. Who's going to go to work if they can stay home and get paid for it? Nobody.

I have lived and worked in many different countries. England, Germany, Italy, France and I have now been running my business for the last 10 years in Australia. This place is Unreal :eyepop:. It's club med 24/7 for me.
You guys have no idea how lucky we are here. But the bottom line is to make a buck you need to work for a buck. Kev's money is YOUR money. You'll have to pay it back with interests. The honeymoon period will be over soon when reality hits and the sad thing is that our kids will still be paying for it. Bad start in life ...

[dpastern]

Oh, I realise that we'll be paying for this stimilus package for a long while. I'm rather clued, more so than the average person I suspect. I think that economy wise, we're just hitting the tip of the iceberg, things are *going* to get a lot worse before they get better.

Dave

[multiweb]

Good analogy. I'd say we're on the titanic headed for it :lol:

[dpastern]

Prolly. I hope not, because it's the innocent, average, hard working Aussie worker that's going to get hurt the most. Wages will be surpressed, the costs of goods will go up, inflation and interest will rise, more defaults on mortgages, rents will increase, petrol will increase, many will become disadvantaged, unemployed and homeless.

And I'm not even taking into account mental illness, which has already been on the rise in the past 20 years - it's the fastest rising disease world wide. Governments are not acknowledging it, and certainly aren't devoting funds to help people sufffering from it. As a result more people will despair, lose their way, do alcohol, drugs and commit crime.

I'm really a chaos anarchist - modern society is simply not capable of supporting itself for a long period of time in the current format imho. People won't believe me, they think I'm a crack pot, but I'm very confident that history will prove me right in the long term. We're seeing the start of the seeds of discord, and governments are tightening up on our freedoms as a result of that. Just remember, Hitler went for the unions and gays before he went for the Jewish people, loss and abuse of freedoms always starts small, with minorities before it spreads to the masses. History does repeat itself, and it doesn't lie. We'd do well to consider our past history I suspect, and more importantly, learn from it.

Dave

[Davekyn]

NO...apparently I got too much tax back. :sadeyes:

[Rokketboy]

I am finally stimulated! Huzzah!

Now to go shopping for a scope. Woot!:cool:

[OneOfOne]

I just got my cheque last night...in the same mail was the next installment notice for the rates and the credit card bill....there goes my 900 :sadeyes:....now if they just make a mistake and give me a second one....

[Jen]

Awww dont you just hate that :doh:dam bills grrrr :shrug: