Australia Is Such an Overpriced Sh**hole - AAARGH

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

Here in Queensland our Ambulance insurance is grouped in with our power bill so no one pays for evacuation by vehicle, air or sea. Although i heard a whisper they were re-looking at it.
Personally i'm happy with services provided it suits me, us and our families.

From 1 July 2011, Queenslanders are no longer required to pay the Community Ambulance Cover Levy—saving $112.98 from electricity bills.

All Queenslanders will receive free ambulance cover. Your next electricity account should only include a charge for the levy for the number of days up to and including 30 June 2011.

Community Ambulance Cover Levy

John

[Wand]

There's bits of misinformation in various recent posts re the age pension in Aus; the following should clarify.

Eligibility to the age pension is subject to both assests and means tests. A couple can earn up to $2,500 per fortnight, AND have assets excluding the family home worth a bit over $1 million, and still get a part pension. At these figures, the pension would only be a few dollars but ANY part pension brings with it eligibility for a raft of discounts worth big dollars. For this reason, the wealthy usually seek to adjust their affairs to get at least a dollar pension.

The federal age pension was first introduced in 1909 (earlier in some states before federation in 1901) and it has been subject to means testing for a very long time now. And the means and assets tests today apply to everyone - politicians included. (if you want a non-means tested age pension, go to NZ!).

For all the Aus pension details, see: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/interne...ts/age_iat.htm

Further, the pension was only ever designed to provide a basic living for those without other incomes or savings; it is not meant to provide a "comfortable" lifestyle (that was always a matter of individual responsibility).

But Aus also now has (since early 1990s) a national superannuation scheme; all employers and all employees contribute to a fund which is in the name of the employee and can be accessed prior to the official retirement age. A young person entering the workforce on an average wage today can reasonably expect to have several hundred thousand dollars (in today's terms) available to them by the time of their retirement.

This scheme is designed to provide for more comfortable retirement for citizens while at the same time boosting national savings and alleviating the burden on general revenue of the age pension in the years to come. In fact, those particular benefits are aready being reaped.

For more info, see (for example): Superannuation in Australia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia AND Superannuation & retirement | MoneySmart

[Sabbatical II]

Originally Posted by At sea

There's bits of misinformation in various recent posts re the age pension in Aus; the following should clarify.

Eligibility to the age pension is subject to both assests and means tests. A couple can earn up to $2,500 per fortnight, AND have assets excluding the family home worth a bit over $1 million, and still get a part pension. At these figures, the pension would only be a few dollars but ANY part pension brings with it eligibility for a raft of discounts worth big dollars. For this reason, the wealthy usually seek to adjust their affairs to get at least a dollar pension.

The federal age pension was first introduced in 1909 (earlier in some states before federation in 1901) and it has been subject to means testing for a very long time now. And the means and assets tests today apply to everyone - politicians included. (if you want a non-means tested age pension, go to NZ!).

For all the Aus pension details, see: Age Pension - income and assets

Further, the pension was only ever designed to provide a basic living for those without other incomes or savings; it is not meant to provide a "comfortable" lifestyle (that was always a matter of individual responsibility).

But Aus also now has (since early 1990s) a national superannuation scheme; all employers and all employees contribute to a fund which is in the name of the employee and can be accessed prior to the official retirement age. A young person entering the workforce on an average wage today can reasonably expect to have several hundred thousand dollars (in today's terms) available to them by the time of their retirement.

This scheme is designed to provide for more comfortable retirement for citizens while at the same time boosting national savings and alleviating the burden on general revenue of the age pension in the years to come. In fact, those particular benefits are aready being reaped.

For more info, see (for example): Superannuation in Australia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia AND Superannuation & retirement | MoneySmart

Hallelejah !!

Finally, a balanced informative report. All in all I think Australia is a great county to grow old in. The pension is intended to be a safety net for those who have been unlucky or even those who were not good at personal responsibility. Frankly, why would anyone plan to trust their future well being to any government? But if you did, Australia has a great system which, with care (if not extravagance) you will have enough to live on and our social system will see that you get essential medical treatment (yes, there will be a wait for elective surgery) whether you can afford it or not. True, if you don't own your own home, it's going to be tough. Most people with 40 odd years in the workforce have managed to do that in Australia, so maybe to increase the rent allowance for those that haven't could be a fair call. As it stands I think the rent assistance would barely cover a dingy unit in a caravan (trailer) park. As an Australian taxpayer, I am happy to pay for an equitable system so that no one needs to be in poverty. If the pension was $1000 per week there would be some who couldn't make ends meet on that. I don't feel like paying tax to cover that. If you have good health, you should be able to budget and plan for your a comfortable future in Australia. Yes, there are some out there saying it can't be done, while the rest of us are out there doing it.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

Here in Queensland our Ambulance insurance is grouped in with our power bill so no one pays for evacuation by vehicle, air or sea.

And if you lived on a yacht (no powerbill ?)

[perchance]

Originally Posted by SS Little-Devil

This thread makes me feel much better about my plan to buy my boat in Cali, do the milk run and sell the boat in OZ or NZ.

If you are still boat shopping try Yachtfinders/Windseekers in San Diego as they seem to have a good selection of boats depending on your price range and size requirements. I am not affiliated with them but I do like to browse.

[Factor]

Re cat man do's post on living on a yacht:

Yeah - the whole ambulance in the power bill was a stupid idea, what if you had a couple of power meters, i.e. home and a work shed. But its scrapped now, and it is as it should be, the same as policing services, fire services, just a part of the cost of government.

[IslandHopper]

Just to set the cat among the pigeons, and to offer a little balance to the "Australia is the best country in the world discussion"....

Cookies must be enabled | The Australian

Disabled life quality 'worst in developed world'

I love my country but i will be the first to admit we are far from perfect.
I have a family member and a close friend that are both disabled, if it was not for the support of other family members and myself, their quality of life would be miserable a best....

And as far as Superannuation goes, why are many Australians having to delay retirement ??? also why are many Australians retirees re-entering the workforce ??? why is Govco pushing for an increase in the retirement age ???

Again, i love my country, but i am not blinded by nationalism to its failings....

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by cat man do

And if you lived on a yacht (no powerbill ?)

You were still covered for ambulance regardless..

[Lagoon4us]

OK where on earth is Valhalla where everthing is wonderful in every little way???

Delete any Third world country where our dollar takes advantage, answer on the basis of equality??

Can't think of one myself.....

Any thoughts?

Australia suits me and it pains me that less fortunate are treated how they are but im sure that giving up isn't an option and i hope things have got better, somehow i think entrenched public servants are more to blame than voted in figure heads....

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

OK where on earth is Valhalla where everthing is wonderful in every little way???

Delete any Third world country where our dollar takes advantage, answer on the basis of equality??

Can't think of one myself.....

Any thoughts?

Australia suits me and it pains me that less fortunate are treated how they are but im sure that giving up isn't an option and i hope things have got better, somehow i think entrenched public servants are more to blame than voted in figure heads....

Getting paid in exploitive US Dollars and living in exploited South East Asia has worked for me for a while...

This thread has been all over the place but here is a thought.

Avail yourself of "free" education, health care and other social services - work hard to get the best free education you can. Get one of those $100k a year jobs, work really hard and live like you make a pension. By the time you are 40 you should have around a million bucks.

Unplug and go cruising for $500 a month.

These are then"unwritten" rules of western society. You can bitch that you shouldn't have to fit a "mold" and God bless you dont. But if the path less trodden doesn't work out don't bitch but thank your stars you live in a place with plenty of social safety nets.

For those that think being poor in Asia is nirvana compared to the "west", well you just don't know Asia.

I have also attached some statistics I collected to prove all my points. Please take the time to study them thoroughly ;-)

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

OK where on earth is Valhalla where everthing is wonderful in every little way???

I was on Valhalla about a year ago, I found it comfortable but underpowered, not that wonderful....

Swire Group

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

For those that think being poor in Asia is nirvana compared to the "west", well you just don't know Asia.

Ah, but having an average western income and then spending it in Asia is about as close to Nirvana as one can get.

I have also attached some statistics I collected to prove all my points. Please take the time to study them thoroughly ;-)

Unfortunately a bit blurred and unreadable.
Any chance of a sharper image please?

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

I was on Valhalla about a year ago, I found it comfortable but underpowered, not that wonderful....

Swire Group

ROFLMAO....

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Getting paid in exploitive US Dollars and living in exploited South East Asia has worked for me for a while...

This thread has been all over the place but here is a thought.

Avail yourself of "free" education, health care and other social services - work hard to get the best free education you can. Get one of those $100k a year jobs, work really hard and live like you make a pension. By the time you are 40 you should have around a million bucks.

Unplug and go cruising for $500 a month.

These are then"unwritten" rules of western society. You can bitch that you shouldn't have to fit a "mold" and God bless you dont. But if the path less trodden doesn't work out don't bitch but thank your stars you live in a place with plenty of social safety nets.

For those that think being poor in Asia is nirvana compared to the "west", well you just don't know Asia.

I have also attached some statistics I collected to prove all my points. Please take the time to study them thoroughly ;-)

This thread could sew a 300 sq ft mainsail!!!!!.
I agree totally with what you say, and i'm sure you understand my point, no country is perfect BUT Australia comes very close, yes things are dear that's why we use the internet to bypass the Gougers, for heavens sake it ain't that hard.
Surely the thread is in bed soon?

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by cat man do

Ah, but having an average western income and then spending it in Asia is about as close to Nirvana as one can get.

Unfortunately a bit blurred and unreadable.
Any chance of a sharper image please?

To make it easier on everyone I converted the data to charts cuz we all know if it is a chart it must be true and if in a chart in color! Who boy! We're talking fundamental truth of the universe!

In chart one you can clearly see the data is organized by country. Australia is "way down there." and as suspected those damn commie Chinese are "way up there." Lets blame it all on them.

And for those who want to play along at home and are excel chalenged I am providing a bar chart for you. All ya gotta do is say something like, "as you can see from the blue bar, the cost of building a boat in Australia is way highest." or "as you can see from the blue bar more retirees eat cat food in Australia in any other country."

Chart three is a personal chart. I have been tracking my own postings on internet forums since 1992. The numbers are impressive!