My landlord is rorting the system - how well are govt depts linked?

I must say i'm quite opinionated when people sit on their behinds and do nothing and expect the government to pay their way, oh and for the record it's not the government, it's the people WORKING that help pay YOUR way, now that's not fair, and you're complaining about this situation.
In fairness, Lil Skater, Lou may be short-term unemployed between jobs, and that can happen to anybody. She says that being unemployed is stressful, so I don't believe this is her long-term chosen lifestyle. I totally disagree with just about everything that she's said, but I don't think that her current employment status is relevant.

I probably would have written the above post 20 years ago, too, so I'm not criticising. :) It's just that as you go through life, you'll meet more and more people who don't conform with stereotypes, and you tend to get less and less sure about people fitting into categories, in my experience.
 
Let's start now... I'd like to propose an arrangement where individuals in Australia can go to their Workplace and make a mutual Agreement with their employer about working conditions ;)

Its seems that you believe very much in capitalism and an individuals rights to do whatever they like so long as they don't actually physically restrain/harm another person.

I however am happy to live in a country that has minimum social standards and looks out for those that can't/won't look out for themselves (though I believe we are also too kind to families/unemployed with all the benefits they get from the gov).

The world I want to live in may end up costing those that work a bit more than it should, the world you want to live in concentrates the wealth into a very very small percentage of the population, then people riot and kill all those rich people who abuse their workers....I choose my world, but I guess in the end it doesn't matter anyway, the world is overpopulated after all, so perhaps your way is better ; p
 
The world I want to live in may end up costing those that work a bit more than it should, the world you want to live in concentrates the wealth into a very very small percentage of the population, then people riot and kill all those rich people who abuse their workers....I choose my world, but I guess in the end it doesn't matter anyway, the world is overpopulated after all, so perhaps your way is better ; p

Ah, but the people only riot if they have nothing to lose. Dangle the possibility that they too can get rich, and they don't overthrow the rich, since they aspire to it one day.

And I genuinely believe that in Australia, at least, ordinary people can get rich. Probably won't get there solely through hard work: you have to work smart. Of course, the masses think hard work is enough to get rich, and so the rich maintain their position without rioting masses AND without too much competition. Genius.
 
And I genuinely believe that in Australia, at least, ordinary people can get rich. Probably won't get there solely through hard work: you have to work smart. Of course, the masses think hard work is enough to get rich, and so the rich maintain their position without rioting masses AND without too much competition. Genius.

I think probably around 80% of Australians are "rich" we can all pretty much afford to travel internationally once every year or so, we can afford a decent car, house, nice food.

And of the remaining 20% most of them would still be well off, those on the dole I would consider well off, they can still afford entertainment, have a car, roof over their heads and don't go hungry.

I would say this is the reason there isn't rioting in this country...everyone has a lot to lose...in a capitalist world without checks/government intervention the extremely good standards of living we all have would quickly vanish.

What is even more ironic is that the rich will seek to further increase their wealth by paying the workers less, and they will have short term gains, but in the long term, the rich get richer by having the people below them paid good wages.

A stable society with a high minimum standard of living will have those at the top much better off than a society without those things, and being rich doesn't mean you are smart, so the devolution of society would surely occur if things like minimum wage standards were taken away.
 
In fairness, Lil Skater, Lou may be short-term unemployed between jobs, and that can happen to anybody. She says that being unemployed is stressful, so I don't believe this is her long-term chosen lifestyle. I totally disagree with just about everything that she's said, but I don't think that her current employment status is relevant.

I probably would have written the above post 20 years ago, too, so I'm not criticising. :) It's just that as you go through life, you'll meet more and more people who don't conform with stereotypes, and you tend to get less and less sure about people fitting into categories, in my experience.

Understandable yes, but for some reason i just can't help it.

You can easily find a job, may not be full time or what not, but it's a job, that's my problem.

I'm working my butt off at maccas, have been for well over 4 years now, i'm 18 and move out of home in a few weeks and have travelled to another state to look for jobs and have had a few offers, now that wasn't that hard and i payed for my own flights and travel, off a Maccas wage, and i'm going to be moving out with nothing, so to me i don't believe there should be any reason (unless they have a disability or legit injury etc) for someone to be out of a job long enough to fully rely on centrelink.

Maybe it's my naive view on the world, just maybe, personally i don't see myself as naive, but some may. Fine by me. But i don't see why anyone who is healthy enough to work can't rock up to any fast food joint and get a job, debilitating as it may be, it's money in your pocket.

PS. Ozperp, i quite like you, please don't take this the wrong way! It's not you i understand what your saying, it just really gets to me!
 
But i don't see why anyone who is healthy enough to work can't rock up to any fast food joint and get a job, debilitating as it may be, it's money in your pocket.
No offence taken, y'know we're all good. ;)

I used to feel the same way, Lil Skater, but then I discovered that it's not quite so simple. Even Maccas invest some time and energy in training up staff. If somebody is clearly over-qualified and not intending to stay long-term, Maccas would usually be hesitant in taking them on. People with higher qualifications, who've earned a lot more and/or have families to support, are going to move on as soon as something better comes along, which could be next week.

So whilst in principle I agree with you, I've found that you can't necessarily take a step back and go into a substantially more humble job when you've been a high income earner. Maccas don't salivate when a highly qualified person comes through the door and think "Awesome, we're getting a top notch executive to work for a pittance"; they think "Well, he's going to be out of here the moment something better comes along; I'd rather take on a uni student who I know I'll probably get 3 years out of".
 
So whilst in principle I agree with you, I've found that you can't necessarily take a step back and go into a substantially more humble job when you've been a high income earner. Maccas don't salivate when a highly qualified person comes through the door and think "Awesome, we're getting a top notch executive to work for a pittance"; they think "Well, he's going to be out of here the moment something better comes along; I'd rather take on a uni student who I know I'll probably get 3 years out of".

Ah, very true. Well maybe not exactly maccas, but where there's a will there's a way. Plenty of jobs that you don't need qulifications for, where they're not too bad, and you can always lie in an interview and say you're looking for a change, or it's a second job..?

Unfortunately for me, it's back to two jobs very soon *sigh*, bye bye social life.

How does centrelink bludgers now involve past governments..?

If you're talking about the creation of jobs and policies introduced, just because i was 5 don't mean i don't know..
 
If you're talking about the creation of jobs and policies introduced, just because i was 5 don't mean i don't know..

I think what Ianvestor was trying to say is you were lucky to be born in a time where Australia foolishly booted out one of our best and brightest Prime Ministers for someone who was populist/decietful and economically incompetent, but the changes the former Labor PM made in conjunction with the massive resources boom he was lucky enough to inherit meant that Australia has gone through perhaps its best period of economic growth with the highest living standards and extremely low unemployment rates.

That's right isn't it Ianvestor? ; D
 
I think what Ianvestor was trying to say is you were lucky to be born in a time where Australia foolishly booted out one of our best and brightest Prime Ministers for someone who was populist/decietful and economically incompetent, but the changes the former Labor PM made in conjunction with the massive resources boom he was lucky enough to inherit meant that Australia has gone through perhaps its best period of economic growth with the highest living standards and extremely low unemployment rates.

That's because people are silly, it's fact versus fiction, fictional is always much more fun, let's people get dragged in, no one wants to hear the facts. Caesar, Obama both populists, both powerful, although hopefully if Obama gets the boot it will be much less dramatic. If you have personality, the public generally speaking want you, not many actually look at the policies or the ways these policies will affect them.

Even though i have been extrememly lucky throughout my life, i do remember a stage where we were more or less living off 2 minute noodles and baked beans.
 
fully rely on centrelink.
I met someone many years ago, a middle-aged bloke camping on Dunk Island, who made a career out of living off Centrelink (although they weren't called that then).

He had a teenage daughter, which entitled him to some parent benefit, and then just travelled around to places and in a manner that allowed him to survive off that money - particularly India, but also, as when I met him, canoeing around the islands and camping (his daughter wasn't with him, and I don't remember where she supposedly was at the time). He was having a great time, looking for all the world like Robinson Crusoe.

GP
 
From the other posts/threads I have read, that would be a decent amount to live on, especially if you are camping and not paying for housing
 
It is a decent amount to live on yes.

Leave home soon and i'll still be earning less, living by myself, no support but myself..

GreatPig, that's what i have a problem with, it's a helping hand when you cannot find work etc..not to live on.
 
Skater,
You seem to have raised a child who is very aware :)
Too bad more kids didn't have her attitude

And perhaps too opinionated for my own good :p

But yes, she raised me to be very aware of my surrounds and what's right and wrong, and this is one thing that i have grown up with my whole life.

Never lived in a real great area but when i was younger had a friend that was 100% on benefits and would constantly complain, but of course had the best things, viewed my parents as rich because we had two cars and owned our house, when in reality we were better off on centrelink, we just didn't go buy the latest gadgets.

Funny how things work, but then again many that are on centrelink end up in a continuous cycle and never break free of it, whereas people that struggle without relying 100% on others tend to be better off in the long run :)

Something i will definately pass on to my kids.
 
Skater,
You seem to have raised a child who is very aware :)
Too bad more kids didn't have her attitude

Thankyou! Yes, she is very aware and quite fed up that many of the kids around here get Youth Allowance for doing nothing, yet she has worked part-time for years and gets much less money than them.

She's a good kid, but damn cheeky at times.:p
 
people that struggle without relying 100% on others tend to be better off in the long run
I guess it depends on your idea of "better off". From a wealth point of view, there's nothing like motivation, determination, and having goals to get you to this better-off place. Dependency, lack of focus, and indecision are the killers.

However, for some, presumably like that bloke, better off means being out of the rat race, enjoying life, and not having to worry about the pressures of modern society. As long as there's enough to survive off, and let them follow their dreams, they're happy. Not sure how that guy would have fared once the benefit stopped though.

Personally I can understand that side of things. The struggle for wealth can be very stressful at times, as some of the messages on this forum attest to, and even when you have it, will you sit back and enjoy it or just keep pressing on for more? Some of the happiest and most cheerful people I've ever met have been constantly broke but living their passions (climbing mountains, travelling the world, or whatever). Their life experiences would leave the average rich person's for dead.

GP
 
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