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#61 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Perth, Northern Suburbs
Posts: 4,943
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Quote:
Our governments only think short-term. At best, they are looking only as far as the next election, and when things get tight, they are only looking as far as the next opinion poll. The Chinese government works towards FIFTY year goals. For them, 10 years is considered “short-term” planning. Our governments tend to be ideologically driven. They will follow certain policies, or bend policies to the left or right based on their ideological views. Despite the “communist” trappings, China has only ONE ideology: Do what is BEST for China and the Chinese people. Consider the Abbott government, and the three years they have before facing re-election. Now consider how much time they will waste; undoing what KRudd & Gillard did, fighting/ bickering/ point scoring with the opposition, and fighting with the Greens and random twats to get legislation passed. The Chinese may appear ponderous, but at least they are generally moving in one direction; FORWARD. The art of being a politician is about giving the illusion of doing something about whatever the public thinks it cares about this week. Your average Australian cares more about the Greenhouse Gas mythology and “boat people.” Even when unemployment is once again high enough to be a vote turner, these solutions are too long-term for an Australian government. They would rather hand out welfare, than cause the necessary pain to recreate jobs in Australia. The “Not MY problem” view is endemic in Australia. When another factory closes, everybody just tut-tuts and goes on about their business. Even those who have lost their jobs are naturally more concerned with the immediate effects, than in the economic malaise behind the closures. Let’s not forget, that in Australia’s darkest economic hour, with the most unpopular PM imaginable, Australians rejected Hewson’s plans for tax reform and the Liberals lost the “un-losable” election. No politician is going to propose the radical reform we need. By and large a disproportionate number of wealthy professionals (who drive expensive imports) vote Liberal, and similarly a disproportionate number of blue-collar bogans (who drive Commodes) vote Labour. So there aren’t many votes to be had for the Liberals in saving manufacturing, whilst they also need to give lip service to trendy environmental agendas and daren’t risk increasing the price of imported luxuries for fear of losing the “trendy elite vote.” Interestingly, the swing in the last election (in WA) was not the middle ground moving, but conservatives returning to the Liberal fold having decided that Australia couldn’t afford the Carbon & Mining Tax. Then, whilst the Labor party IS the party that should be protecting workers jobs, they are more concerned with chasing the Green vote, and with their out-dated “Keynesian” economics. Their response to the 2-speed economy was to try to tax the mining industry to bring it down to the same depressed level as manufacturing. |
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#62 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: GEELONG
Posts: 7,946
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the strange thing of all this doom and gloom is the company that I work for exports approx 99% of our product to asia ( the other 1% is an australian company )
we currently produce about 220 tons a yr and is getting boosted up to closer to 320 by the end of next yr and we are about to employ another 30 ish people. Jason
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no longer have a ford but a ford man at heart R.I.P 98 EL MAY YOU HAVE A GOOD LIFE IN FALCON HEAVEN [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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#63 | ||
I totalled my XR6
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,193
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People in other parts of the world are willing to work harder than Australians, for a smaller wage.
That might be the problem.
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#64 | ||
Thailand Specials
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Centrefold Lounge
Posts: 49,116
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With what's going to happen.in 2016 with the loss of the manufacturing industry I reckon the *** will fall out of the housing market with all the job losses going to hit Victoria, this will be Gen Y's chance to get housing.
Its too expensive, I'm considering getting a 5th wheeler caravan and a rural property as a "base" instead of a $350,000 house. I've already got the tow vehicle. Those vans you could easily live in, plus you can move around easily. Maybe its time for a government which isn't liberal or labor, or maybe just time for a civil war. Last edited by Franco Cozzo; 18-11-2013 at 08:23 AM. |
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#65 | |||
I am Groot
![]() Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Burnett Heads, Qld
Posts: 6,840
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Quote:
And how did they get them to site? I'm pretty sure thousands of Chinese workers transiting Perth Airport to point's north would have created a stir...... We have plenty of Pom's, South African's, Kiwi's, Yank's, Canadian's and Filipinos working in my industry, all with the same wages and conditions as Australians, and every one of those positions was filled after both the employers and the unions exhausted all avenues in Australia, we wouldn't have it any other way..... Which project was this and which unions involved? one phone call will easily confirm or deny the claim.....
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.. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() "Those were the days when the cars were cars, they weren't built out of an Ikea pack like they are now and clothed in plastic; they were real cars." John Bowe |
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#66 | ||
Long live the inline 6
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 556
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I personally think a lot of you don't give Mr and Mrs Joe Average enough credit. Properly motivated and correctly informed the Australia public can make significant changes. However being in a relatively free society, when ever a topic is raised, we have 3-5 differing opinions diluting what is actually best for the "greater good". Self interest groups put their 2 cents in, the public lose focus and move on to the next topic.
The vast majority of people want their children to have a life as goods as if not better than them, and will not actively destroy their future to save 10-20% here and there. It is not as easy as you may think to make the right decision when almost every argument has merit. Remember we are still "mostly" a free society people have the right to chose (on most things), and the majority of people (as much as a lot of you will disagree) aren't stupid.
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His 2007 Mazda 6 MPS Leather Pack Hers BFII Ghia |
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#67 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Melb north
Posts: 12,025
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The country is stuffed, have a look around your house and ask yourself what in my house do we now still make here in australia , I'll sit here waitng for a reply while eating the only grapes I could get from the supermarket which came from america.
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#68 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Sydney
Posts: 234
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As someone who came to Aus 6 years ago to escape the GFC in europe. I find that Aussies can be lazy whingers, and choose price over quality 4 out of 5 times. The customer service indrusty here is appaling, I cannot count the amount of times I have been ignored in a shop when I have intended on purchasing something, so have walked out due to crap service. Also the housing market is a joke, if you borrow $500K over 30 years to buy a house ( property value $150K location surcharge $350K ) you end up paying well over a million for your house.
Don't even get me started on the money racket that these 457 visas are all about, I am a a permanent resident of this fine land now and it has cost me somewhere in the region of $10-$15K between government fees, immigration fees, agent fees and other fees relating to the required documentation, asylum seekers come and the govt gives them money, where's the equality? |
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#69 | |||
Big Member
![]() Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SE Qld
Posts: 5,873
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In the end we are all to blame, be it an individual, a company or country (and not just our own) it has become a race to the lowest $ both producing & buying. We have become a disposable society With a simple "replace rather than fix" strategy employed by companies to get you to buy new by making the replacement item less than what the parts are to fix, (if they are not obsolete which most of the time they are) this then gets the consumer into the frame of mind of "oh its newer, flashier & cheaper" and it simply carries on in the rinse & repeat cycle.
We are grossly overcharged here in Australia. Mostly by 150-200% or more for the same product that can be bought in an overseas country (hell even if its made here & shipped overseas). Same product, same manufacturer. And we being the untime-managed, too busy to worry about it lambs pay that price. Problem is people are so busy trying to fit so much in their day that they dont bother to research this problem and its not until we (every one of us) stop buying these products at this price. But we cant live without them, so we buy it. Rinse & repeat. As said before, there is no silver bullet (well there is) but it all comes down to the almighty $. Employees want more, companies want more (hence why employees want more), and the government wants their slice as well (3 ways, not just one). And that silver bullet? Everyone needs to stop. Quite literally. Stop look at how your life is, think about how your living it, too fast, too expensive, take on the "work to it" attitude instead of paying through the nose for the "I want it now" attitude (AKA instant gratification) and think how you are going to do your part of helping everyone and yourself from the rinse & repeat cycle. The government (all levels) needs to do the same. There should only be an income tax (more than what it is now) and thats it. You should not be taxed on what you earn, taxed on what you buy, & taxed on what you spend (a triple dip) then you have state & local government charges & taxes as well. Federal & state could also help by lowering their own salaries. Why? Not because they are "paid" too much, but because serving in politics should be a public service, not a paid career. Sure you need to live, so average wage/salary plus 10% for your service. NO golden handshakes. NO bonuses especially for poor performance. And the latter can also be applied for company execs & CEO's. No one needs 10M a year paid from helping the company. Its your job. If you MAKE 10m a year from your own work entrepreneurially fair enough. You MADE it from thin air. And good luck to you. The big problem is everyone needs to think this. And all at the same time. But it wont happen..... Quote:
The Ford Fairlane parked in my driveway.
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The Scarlet Fairlane: 94 5.Slow Litre NC II Fairlane 488800kms & Climbing Rollin' on genuine ELGT wheels. K&N Filter /////Alpine Sound. EBGT Momo Woodgrain Steering Wheel The Scarlet Fairlane Build Thread Project "White Knight" 93 ED XR6 ROH Alloys Momo wheel Cruise Sunroof Premo Sound Manual HO Goodies PWK Build Thread 1990 Yamaha FZR 250: 59000ks & climbing. New fairing, old tank, my angry mosquito in a coffee tin! 14.977 1/4mile. ![]() |
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#70 | ||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,557
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the sad fact is, quite often imported goods are not only cheaper, but higher quality as well. local manufacturing has had to really sharpen the pencil to try to compete, and it has come at a cost.
people are so willing to automatically discount any product from asia, but all too often, it is often a better product these days, made in much higher technology facilities at a fraction of the cost. its easy to say, 'support australian' but as mentioned a couple of times, the consumer no longer has the luxury of spending a bit extra. its too late for that. the solution needs govt policy change. you can't blame ave joe for buying what he can afford, even if that means imported products. |
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#71 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 22,909
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I was out at a farm on Saturday where onions were getting picked. There were around 50 people on the ground picking, 4 forklifts moving around plus us in 3 trucks. How many Australian's do you think were there? 3 Truck drivers and 4 Forklift drivers plus the property owner.
Its a good indication of why this country is in the position it is in. Australian people want everything for nothing and don't want to work to get it. In the old days if you wanted to own a home you had to work 7 days a week and bust your **** to get it. Today's generation think you can do the same by working 5 days a week and that it should be your right to do so. Same goes for many small business owners who want to drive a new luxury car and live in a million dollar home. Its all good if you can afford it but many of them don't allow for the spirals and surges. They live beyond their means and it eventually catches up with them. For every small business that closes there are plenty starting up or growing in size. Its the smart ones who are careful with their dollars and live in modest houses and drive modest cars are the ones who survive and actually build themselves a decent retirement.
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2022 RAM Laramie 5.7 2023.50 Ranger Wildtrak 3.0 V6 Premium Pack 2024 Everest Sport 3.0 V6 Touring Pack 2024.50 Mustang Darkhorse 6M Blue Ember + Appearance pack ETA Jan 25. |
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#72 | ||
Adapt or perish...
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dip!@#$
Posts: 7,954
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I agree with those who mention real estate. Especially residential.
I laugh at those analysts who say we've reached the bottom and the only way is up. We are NOWHERE near the bottom of the cycle. I look at some of the prices of 3 bedroom shacks in the inner suburbs of Brisbane and I think the asking price on some of these places is laughable, and its due to the high mortgages some fools apply for to even get in there. Re: the Asian effect, I wholeheartedly agree on that point too however will keep my opinion to myself cause I feel really strongly about that too. (And will get banned)
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Carless
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#73 | |||
FPV BFII GT Cobra No.249
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Lake Macquarie & Sydney
Posts: 581
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Quote:
Going back to my OP & mates circumstances, he lives in a small house, in a small rural community about 1 hours country drive out of town & away from his (former) workshop. The car he drives is a EB XR6 falcon he rebuilt about 6 years ago, the project cars I mentioned are mostly old Fords (he's a huge Ford fanatic), & were only ever worked on when time permitted, many parts for restoration came from wrecks he purchased for use as spares, he didn't ever spend big bucks on his project cars. He's never lived beyond his means, & the smash repair industry is pretty stable, people drive cars & crash whether times are boom or bust. His problem (& many other peoples), started when he got divorced & his wife took him to the cleaners. The trouble is, costs are continuing to rise & insurance companies have screwed prices down so much, that there's little or no profit at all, (as some have mentioned, most jobs are effectively love jobs or to fill your day after the bills have been payed). When you're starting from scratch & not making any money/profit, one small increase in costs can be the death nell, nail in the coffin. The service industry (most trades), can't increase their fees to the customer, because they won't pay, & will get the job done then refuse to pay full price, or at all, or they'll go to someone else who'll do it for less (even if it means they are doing the job below cost). When I was working in my families electrical contracting business, the last 3-4 years before we gave it up, most time was spent chasing up payments for jobs done & we didn't/couldn't increase our fees, we absorbed all wholesale costs, & all wage increases for probably the last 6-7 years. It got tot the point we were just breaking even on most jobs & losing money on some, dad decided to retire & neither my brother or me wanted to continue with theses issues. I can also tell you in my current job/industry (Air Conditioning), that generally installation fees haven't increased in about 15 - 20 years, my boss still charges customers the same price for an Air Conditioning install that he did 15 - 20 years ago, people just won't pay any more, but yet materials & wage costs have increased. My boss charges the industry standard for installs, some may charge $50 more or less, but generally no matter who does the install will charge the same price. One what may seem like a very minor hiccup, cash flows gone, you don't have savings to back up & aren't making any profits & it's all over, the business is gone. 10 years ago, my boss worked 12 hour days, 7 days a week for 6 months & that'd get him through the winter off season period, the last few years we've been working 7-8 hour days, 5 days a week over summer & 1 day per week (if you're lucky) through winter. The money from the business doesn't pay for much more than his costs. His savings grace comes from the rent payments on his 6 or so investment houses he bought about 10 years ago, that's what pays his mortgages & what he lives off. He doesn't live in a big fancy house or drive new fancy cars either. If interest rates go up, he can/will sell 1 or 2 houses, if the **** falls out of the housing market too, he's gone, the business can't/won't support him. |
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#74 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 691
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#75 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 691
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#76 | ||
BLUE OVAL INC.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,645
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Judging by the comments in this thread it would appear that reality is beginning to dawn on people.
Australia is screwed, but don't just blame government policy or unions. Weve had a fair crack at stuffing it up ourselves. Australians are the most ignorant of self righteous people on the planet who unfortunately believe their own bull *****. Most wont even acknowledge that they are contributing to the problems we face. Take the bloke I was driving for. He has a house with heated pool 10 minutes from the CBD, a shack at the beach, a speed boat, a 18ft cruiser, a bmw, a bravo ute, a land cruiser, a caravan, a camper trailer, the list goes on. This guy is a single bloke, never been married, no kids. He runs a transport company which survives off the contracts given to him by another company. His trucks are death traps, so old that they require constant repairs. He bought a new truck whilst I was with him, $47k for an old UD with no guts and a container strapped to the back, cut up as a tautliner. When I was with him he employed 6 people as drivers. 3 were absolute bludgers who stole product, spent half the day in the deli buying pies and did half the work of the rest of us. They were getting paid full time award wages and would only work 6 hrs a day. I was casual, getting paid $3 an hour below the award and moving more freight in a fortnight than the other 3 would in a month. One day I was in the bosses office and noticed a pie chart on his laptop of how each truck was earning him money. The full timers made up a 1/3 of the chart, the other 2/3 was from the 3 casuals. Anyway, I decided to put my case forward and ask for the award wage. I was laid off within a month, so too were the other 2 casuals. So there you have it, a brainless business owner, who doesn't go out of his way to seek his own contracts, who values lazy arsed employees who will accept peanuts as long as they don't have to work for it and who refuses to acknowledge a hard worker if it means paying them what they are worth, all the while refusing to offload any of his toys to invest in his business. He is now on the verge of selling up as the party is over. Greed and stupidity is killing this country!!! |
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#77 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,276
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That scenario is so common. Our new owner did the same thing. Buys good business on the up, then puts no effort in and wonders what happened.
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FG XR6 Turbo (Manual) - 301rwkws @ 15psi ---------- Rapid Systems Intercooler & Battery Relocation - ID 1000 Injectors - Process West Surge Tank - Venom 100 Cell Bolt On Cat - XForce 3.5 inch Catback - Plazmaman 4 inch Turboside Intake - Crow HD Valve Springs - Glowshift Gauges (Oil temp, Oil Pressure, Boost, Volt) - Malwood Opt 5 - XR50 Interior - FG2 Limited Ed 19's - Nitto Invo's |
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#78 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 691
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#79 | |||
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,223
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The Australian housing market would have to be the biggest ponzi scheme ever known to man and is constantly being inflated by banks, real estate agents, developers and anyone else with a vested interest. . The fact that we have the highest wage to price ratio in the world and essentially the most overpriced property in the world should be ringing alarm bells, yet amazingly people remain oblivious to it. When it all eventually comes crashing down, I will be there with my bucket of popcorn watching the fireworks. |
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#80 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 545
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I was saying the same thing ten years ago.......and nothing has happened yet. Last edited by ute83; 18-11-2013 at 05:54 PM. |
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#82 | ||
the average bloke
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: sydney
Posts: 115
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Nah!!!! tents are over priced and ready for a collapse....get yourself back into a cave. People have been predicting the end of the world for since the beginning. Yes there will be a slow down, just like there will be an upturn. I've not seen a depression but the 1989 recession we had to have felt it lasted for ever.... then it didn't. We're not stuffed, when you wonder where your next meal comes from or if you'll live to see tomorrow that's what stuffed really is. Not the B.S. we complain about here.
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#84 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 691
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#85 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: NSW
Posts: 1,026
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The price of land is the killer. How a country the size of Australia has land prices like we do Ill never understand. We have so much available space. Land should be cheap as, in fact every Australian with over 100 years of family history contributing to this countries growth should be gifted a free block of Aussie soil. That will get the place going forward.
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#86 | |||
3..2..1..
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Bellbird park
Posts: 7,218
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Simple, because the media reports what it's told to report.... |
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#87 | |||
Regular Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 292
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"We pretend to work. And you pretend to pay us." |
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#88 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,457
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Quote:
Seriously if everyone took a short time to find what products are Australian then we would be losing less jobs overseas. I have made the effort to support Aussie products in everything from Laundry detergent to toilet paper. It is not hard and can make a big difference to the economy. Surprisingly the cheapest item on the shelf is often the Aussie made one. Americans have a buy American mentality. Why can't we here. |
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#89 | ||
the average bloke
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: sydney
Posts: 115
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and I would add that in many cases the Aussie stuff is superior to the overseas stuff.
when I was doing the baskin and robins installs in sydney I couldn't get over the poor quality of the U.S stainless items the franchisees were required to install. The welds a disgrace and the "stainless" just enough. That's from a shopfitter that only worked in timber and ali and only welded mild steal once in my life |
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#90 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,052
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And why is that? For many years, panel beaters used insurance jobs for easy profit. Remember the days of one quote for private jobs and another, heavily inflated one for insurance?
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