The Lucky Country

[Ivan]

We are the lucky country, despite successive governments and RBA board members trying to frack it up.

If we allow the public discussion to remain dominated by things of little consequence, whilst allowing the big issues to be decided by the few, eventually there wont be any luck left to dig up or farm.

 

[John U]

We are the lucky country, despite successive governments and RBA board members trying to frack it up.

If we allow the public discussion to remain dominated by things of little consequence, whilst allowing the big issues to be decided by the few, eventually there wont be any luck left to dig up or farm.

Well said. Our politicians and the media waste far too much time arguing about, commenting on, the less important stuff. I think a lot of this is because the politicians don't have the stones to deal with the bigger issues. Another side is politicians trying to score points on issues that shouldn't even be in the political discussion.

 

[Trigger02]

Interesting opinion piece in todays fairfax press. Seems to be a little bit more level-headed than Abbott's gobshite about BHP's project postponements being the fault of the carbon tax.

http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-boom-goes-on--without-the-bubble-20120823-24nl9.html

I particularly like the line at the end : "We're the nation that complains about winning silver medals"

Hahaha Abbot/Rineheart and the Carbon Tax, It is scary that they believe we are all that stupid and easily fooled.

 

[akashra]

...
Unions threatening strikes.
...

You know, it's funny, but the only union strike that I ever really actually recall in history is the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute. And most of that's only because The Living End wrote a song about it. I don't remember anyone ever writing a song because Connex train drivers went on strike, or schoolteachers

iii) No Typhoons

Not to be a buzzkill (okay, I'm going to be a buzzkill), but the term 'Typhoon' is only used in the North-West Pacific Ocean, when a tropical cyclone matures. In the North Atlantic Ocean or the North-East Pacific Ocean the same weather system is called a Hurricane. Essentially it's just a tropical cyclone.
Like this little bugger would be off the coast of Tassie right now if it were a bit stronger. But it's okay - they're used to shit weather in Strahan, where it rains all but five days a year anyway.

But yes - in general, Australia is reasonably safe from Earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanoes, and soccer, with the worst being flood, bushfire and drought and religious zealots posing as politicians.

Oh yes - I went there.

 

[Nerf Herder]

Hey nerf herder,unless your seriously wealthy,NZ aint all that.

was more a reference to riding, but I very much understand your point ...

the term 'Typhoon' is only used in the North-West Pacific Ocean, when a tropical cyclone matures.

the folks are from the Philippines ... but the "No Typhoons" thing was for Sydney ... I remember when Cyclone Tracey hit and the folks where pretty chuffed with their decision making (relatively speaking given they knew the shit that was going down) as Darwin was on the list but removed.

 

[Ridenparadise]

Australia as a nation is still one of the great places and is lucky in many ways. Where things have fallen down is that we are no longer as Australian by behaviour. We are now a generic nation of mixed cultures far too inclined to worry about what's right or wrong in terms relevent to others than to ourselves. Maybe I'm older than some here, but we don't speak Australian as it used to be and while we used to be confident to say I don't give a rat's what anyone else says, this is what I think, now we worry that our individual opinions may be offensive to someone/anyone/minorities etc. At least I can escape all that crap out in the bush where Australian critters still stand up for themselves as though nothing has changed.

 

[jonny the boy]

I guess it still applies. The boaties seem to think so. Despite the fact that our goverment are a bunch of twats, i think our little country is still pretty sweet. Plenty of oppertunity if you keep your chin up. Sweet trails, Awesome skateparks, and its legal to ride bmx's there unlike some places in america, little things like that i guess. And magpies. I love magpies. If your a luck aussie you wont get swooped!!!

 

[NCR600]

Maybe I'm older than some here, but we don't speak Australian as it used to be At least I can escape all that crap out in the bush where Australian critters still stand up for themselves as though nothing has changed.

Agreed. We use far too many Americanisims these days.

Like the word "critters", to pick an example completely at random.

 

[Matty manuva]

Who said it was the lucky country and why?

Major Thomas Mitchell described the south eastern part of Australia as "Felix Australis" - Latin for Lucky South(land). To him the land looked fertile for farming.

I actually think taxes are pretty low now compared to 15 or 20 years ago, although I don't own a huge hole in WA.

 

[riderseventy7]

I actually think taxes are pretty low now compared to 15 or 20 years ago, although I don't own a huge hole in WA.

There's a lot more levys, surcharges and duties though.

 

[jonozrx]

A levy is a subcategory of tax. Can't remember if it's included in tax:GDP ratios, but I'd guess it is.

 

[Hamsta]

We're slowly turning into th whinging country.

Once upon a time we were thankful for what we had, now is all "I'm so poor... cost of living.." get farked!

average Aussie income is close to $70 000 with a disposable income of around $35 000
That puts you in the top 5% in the world. Stop crying poor and get on with it.

No disrespect intended Mr Cat but that is bullshit. Average income $70000..........where did that number come from....the ABS?

 

[Knut]

Where do I get myself a disposable income? I work my arse off for what I get and I can do most things I want. Buy a new Euro car every two years or start a business. I don't think so. Paying off the house and ensuring I am not working at 65 is not that easy.

 

[Adrian]

No disrespect intended Mr Cat but that is bullshit. Average income $70000..........where did that number come from....the ABS?

http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2011/quickstat/0


median 64,168...


http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6302.0/

average 70,340...

 

[thecat]

No disrespect intended Mr Cat but that is bullshit. Average income $70000..........where did that number come from....the ABS?

http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2011/quickstat/0


median 64,168...


http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/6302.0/

average 70,340...

No bullshit. You see, Hamsta, the thing about averages is that roughly half the people will be below that and roughly half above
The simple fact is you have more disposable income now than at any other point in Austalias history, and far more than the vast majority of people in the world. That you spend it on mobile phones, computers, expensive bike bits, gym membership, music festivals... is besides the point.

The fact you have money to spend on those things when most people struggle to find money for proper education, food and clean water makes you pretty damn lucky

 

[Nerf Herder]

Where do I get myself a disposable income? I work my arse off for what I get and I can do most things I want. Buy a new Euro car every two years or start a business. I don't think so. Paying off the house and ensuring I am not working at 65 is not that easy.

your disposable income is sunk into your primary investment (your home) and paying off the bank interest you needed to buy your 'own' home, which will give you a measure of security in your twilight years :high5:

 

[workmx]

No bullshit. You see, Hamsta, the thing about averages is that roughly half the people will be below that and roughly half above...

No. The median is exactly the middle.

The "average" (if by that we mean "arithmetic mean") is always dragged up in data about income by a few very high outliers.

So with income data the median will always be lower than the arithmetic mean.

Mode may be more useful in this type of discussion because it is what the typical person would earn.

 

[ajay]

Buying shit I don't want, with money I don't have, to impress people I don't like.

Pretty lucky country to have that option...:wacko:

 

[brisneyland]

We're going to be out-whinging the Poms soon.

There's been a few articles in the press to the effect that Aussies have come through the global recession better than most first world countries but we're whinging about it 765.2* times more than anyone else.

*real, true and accurate figure

Most people just can't control their finances properly (I was one of them), as witnessed by our spiralling debt figures.

 

[jrewing]

For me it seems, the more I earn the less time I have to spend and-enjoy it!