I've Had Enough!

[captain58sailin]

I don't think most people have a problem with paying their fair share of taxes. The biggest kick at least for me, how the money is spent. The wastage is unbelievable, and then the faction that believes that the govt. owes them all the services known to mankind. There should be some way to balance out the payments / services so that you only pay for what you use.

[Greenhand]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

I don't think most people have a problem with paying their fair share of taxes. The biggest kick at least for me, how the money is spent. The wastage is unbelievable, and then the faction that believes that the govt. owes them all the services known to mankind. There should be some way to balance out the payments / services so that you only pay for what you use.

I am not using any dead civilians in Afghanistan.

How would you define use?

You may not send your kids to public school, but you probably appreciate having literate people in the work force.

You may not ever need a fireman, but how far would that fire on the next block have spread if we didn't have them?

You may not need Medicaid, but if all those kids don't get their shots, a number of serious diseases become rampant. If they are malnourished, we are wasting our money on having them sit in classrooms. If their parents die from lack of medical treatment, we now have more orphans in our society....

Even as a sailor, you have access to consulates and embassies, should the need arise.

[captain58sailin]

It's like pornagraphy, I know it when I see it. I have worked with people who cannot read and write, right here in the good ole US of A. No one is kicking about the public schools, I do have some big problems with how the schools are operated. If you shouldn't need me to define how money is being wasted by our govt. bureaucracy. The last presidential election is a prime example. The pundits are saying the RNC spent over 1 billion dollars on the last election race. Maybe that money could have been used to build homeless shelters or feeding people who don't get enough to eat, or working on ways to prevent homelessness. I am speaking of the matching funds that our govt. provides the politicians, that are running, not the donations that the public has given, though it would be nice if people thought enough of their neighbors to alocate that money to help those people rather than supporting some fat cat's agenda.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

The bright side is that you only pay CGT on money you have made
The increase in Melb property prices over the last 14 years would have made any property a great investment regardless of CGT, so its not all bad.

A real estate agent friend of mine was telling me how bitterly some clients would complain about the CGT. I said to tell them there's a very simple way to avoid CGT - sell the property for the same price you bought it!

If you're paying tax, you're making money.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Auzzee

It's not that bad unless you have not led a financially productive life and you don't want to work. In that case the government will only give a single person about $250 a week. If you own your boat and live on the hook, that's not bad for doing bugger all.

I've heard this about European countries as well - that there is an apparantly unlimited welfare system where any person in the country (whether legal or not) can get a permanent benefit like this.

Does this exist in the U.S. or Canada?

My information might be outdated, but my understanding of the US is that you can get unemployment insurance for a while if you are laid off (9 months I think) + plus the federal "emergency" extensions that have gone on for the last several years, but are otherwise not "normal", then some kind of welfare benefit from the individual staes that runs out after a period time - after that, you are on the street with no state support whatsoever - and I'm pretty sure that is limited to legal citizens.

Am I wrong about this? Does the US (or Canada) have a permanent money giveaway program like the one Auzzie described?

[Weyalan]

Just a counterpoint to some of the Australia bashing... and this has nothing to do with taxes, politicians, bankers or bludgers...

... last weekend, my wife and I took some potatoes (dutch cream at $4.80 for 10 kg) and onions ($3 for 10kg) and wine ($10 per bottle, but damn decent) and headed off on the boat. We caught half a dozen flathead and 21 Australian salmon and lived like kings and queens... fresh fish and baked spuds, a glass or 3 of wine. The sun shone and the anchorages were uncrowded (empty, apart from us, in fact). The waters were clean and clear. It was a good weekend.

There is still a lot to love about Australia.

[micah719]

Ah, peace and safety, peace and safety. Not many will understand that...

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

It is unfortunately not as simple as moving back in for three months. Check out my link in post #229 on this thread.

Chatting to her about this, She was only gone two years, so the one month applied for them,
I didnt know about the 6 year bit,

But the $50,000 CGT came as a bit of a shock to me, I didnt expect it to be that high, after owning it for 17 years,

Yes I did make a tidy bundle on it, It allowed me to retire instantly and also buy my Cat, and be a self funded retiree,

I worked too hard, gained too many assets, so the pension is not available for me,
Pisses me off that I worked all my life and cant get the pension which I have paid taxes for, all my life,,

3rd generation Dole Bludgers who have never worked in their lives and never paid taxes get it all handed to them on a platter,

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Weyalan

Just a counterpoint to some of the Australia bashing... and this has nothing to do with taxes, politicians, bankers or bludgers...

... last weekend, my wife and I took some potatoes (dutch cream at $4.80 for 10 kg) and onions ($3 for 10kg) and wine ($10 per bottle, but damn decent) and headed off on the boat. We caught half a dozen flathead and 21 Australian salmon and lived like kings and queens... fresh fish and baked spuds, a glass or 3 of wine. The sun shone and the anchorages were uncrowded (empty, apart from us, in fact). The waters were clean and clear. It was a good weekend.

There is still a lot to love about Australia.

Exactly. A couple of days ago we were anchored in Platypus bay, Fraser island. About 50 miles of beach, water like glass, and not another soul in sight.

It might be cheaper to live in some crowded, filthy marina in SE Asia, but who cares?

[Capn Morgan]

Malaysia, Philippines, even Indonesia. Did I mention Malaysia?

[Mr B]

The Kimberlys sounds even better, 2000 coastal miles of no one,

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Exactly. A couple of days ago we were anchored in Platypus bay, Fraser island. About 50 miles of beach, water like glass, and not another soul in sight.

It might be cheaper to live in some crowded, filthy marina in SE Asia, but who cares?

I agree with Weyland… we should count our blessings wherever we are.
And yes these SE Asia anchorages should be avoided by all those who compare their country to others…. Stay far far away… you will never be happy in the Philippines! ….

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by ArtM

I've heard this about European countries as well - that there is an apparantly unlimited welfare system where any person in the country (whether legal or not) can get a permanent benefit like this.

In the UK it doesn't work quite like that (despite what some of the newspapers say )........but nonetheless the Govt does not cut folks off from benefits (including healthcare) for simple political reasons and leave them to starve.

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

I don't think most people have a problem with paying their fair share of taxes. The biggest kick at least for me, how the money is spent. The wastage is unbelievable, and then the faction that believes that the govt. owes them all the services known to mankind. There should be some way to balance out the payments / services so that you only pay for what you use.

Another on the same page as I I do love my country, Australia but our pollies, federal and State do have a lot to answer for on squandered money.

Quote:
Originally Posted by cat man do View Post
PUBLIC aged care closing
PRIVATE aged care opening

You need to be wealthy to use the latter.

So a strawman.

And Yes there is, at a cost.
A cost that is considerably less than that of private aged care here.

Perhaps you should take your own advice

Originally Posted by ozskipper

you keep making stuff up. Seriously. Use google.

Bugger Google! I KNOW from personal experience, CMD “IS speaking the truth! My dear wife will be entering into aged care either today or tomorrow and it IS NOT free! We have to pay for that, but thank God, I'm informed it is negotiable, you see we still have our home to maintain, rates, water rates, power, gas, and all the other bills home owners have, plus, thank God, a small mortgage. If I had a large mortgage, we'd be completely stuffed.

Originally Posted by Weyalan

I find it rather ironic that the original poster was, effectively, complaining about taxes being too high in the same breath as complaining about pensions being too low.

Your reading my winging post dead wrong mate, I am complaining (winging) about the BILLIONS of dollars wasted by our clever pollies, who, on leaving politics, sometimes after only a few years in the job and squandering billions of OUR dollars without a care in the world, walk away with a beaut index linked pensions of many thousands per year! Why can't hard working Aussies, who spent their life, 14 to 65 in my time of working, doing a good job, receive a similar pension? I would be much more than happy with half of a what a politician gets as a pension...Perhaps I'm just jealous

Originally Posted by Doodles

Why can't they just move to the Outback? Live of the land and all that stuff.

You obviously don't know our outback mate, you won't find much game to eat, and you'll have a problem growing veggies, or anything else to eat in the outback, and you won't find any fish or yabbies to eat and...Where the hell do we sail/cruse our boat...Perhaps a live aboard SAND yacht would be the answer but then...What do we eat

[dirkdig]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Chatting to her about this, She was only gone two years, so the one month applied for them,
I didnt know about the 6 year bit,

But the $50,000 CGT came as a bit of a shock to me, I didnt expect it to be that high, after owning it for 17 years,

Yes I did make a tidy bundle on it, It allowed me to retire instantly and also buy my Cat, and be a self funded retiree,

I worked too hard, gained too many assets, so the pension is not available for me,
Pisses me off that I worked all my life and cant get the pension which I have paid taxes for, all my life,,

3rd generation Dole Bludgers who have never worked in their lives and never paid taxes get it all handed to them on a platter,

Sometimes i think the smart ones in Australia are the ones on benifits.

You can get

A million dollar apartment with water and city views on a restaurant strip for about $60 a week in rent ( Nelson place Williamstown before i am asked to prove it)
Full medical benifits.
Cheap public transport
If i have a car discounted registration.
Income up to $500 per week depends if i claim to be single and how many kids i claim live with me
Rent subsidised if i choose to live in a private rental
Free legal aid when i get in trouble because i have nothing to do.
Food vouchers and free food when i spend my free money on beer,smokes and the pokies
Free schooling for my children
Free immunisation and dental for me and the kids too.
Actually i think i am an idiot for working!