Stop complaining: Cost of living is fine.

Discussion in 'Australia, NZ, Pacific' started by MegadethFan, Feb 15, 2012.

  1. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    Recently, a lot of pollies and other ignorant folk have been whining about the apparent rise in the cost of living to the point "it is now the No.1 issue of concern for almost all Australians."[1] But this is mostly nonsense.
    The most recent data shows the cost of living hasn't risen in any serious way. In fact, reviews of today's conditions clearly indicate what is mostly likely the driving force in developing this false notion of Australia' economic hardship is that some people share an increasing sense of entitlement and greed from the general public who have either found continuing their increasingly exorbitant lifestyles too difficult or are just oversensitive (often because they are on the bottom of the ladder) to the possibility of curbing their consumerist habits with changes in product and utility prices. However, the reality is "75 per cent of Australians said they were satisfied with their life" last year[2], whilst private consumption has continued to increase.[3] Analysts conclude that "a sober assessment, incorporating a broad survey of economic wellbeing, reveals that Australian households have in fact never had it so good."[4]

    So where is this concern that reaches 'hysterical proportions' originating from? Is it just manipulative politicians, a poor media, or just an ignorant populace?




    Basic references to check stats:
    [1] Simon Benson, 'Australians most concerned about cost of living,' Herald Sun, June 20, 2011; http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/au...t-cost-of-living/story-e6frf7jo-1226078120455
    [2] Rupert Denton, 'Cost of living crisis? Life in Australia is better than ever,' The Drum, 27 May 2011, http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2732638.html
    [3] 'Main Economic Indicators', OECD, Vol. 2012, No. 2, 14 Feb. 2012, http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asse...indicators/volume-2012/issue-2_mei-v2012-2-en
    [4] Tim Soutphommasane, 'Just get over it', Per Capita, 2011, http://www.percapita.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=420
     
  2. bugalugs

    bugalugs Banned

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    Yeah right - those lefties would say that.

    I'm only interested in what Jonesy and BoltA tell me.
     
  3. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    LOL but should I be laughing? Some people actually think like that.
     
  4. dumbanddumber

    dumbanddumber New Member

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    That is total rubish!

    There might be more money in ciculation now than in years gone by but that dosen't mean our standard of living has increased, it actually has fallen.

    Just a simple test of how the price of everything has skyrocket disproportionate to the average weekly income.

    What about our kids and grandkids, the way things are going one day they will be reduced to surfs.

    Melbourne's Median House Prices Vs Wages 1965-2010
    [​IMG]

    http://www.simplesustainable.com/topic/2463-melbournes-median-house-prices-vs-wages-1965-2010/

    I dont know how to make the table bigger but the first year and the last year on the table read,

    First year on the table 1965

    Average median house price = $9400

    Average yearly income = $3193

    RATIO 9400 / 3193 = 2.94


    Last year on the table 2010

    Average median house price = $524500

    Average yearly income = $67116

    RATIO 524500/67116 = 7.8


    7.8/2.94 = 2.65

    Houses have increased just over 2.5 times more than the average weekly wage since 1965.

    Are you still so sure we have it so good!
     
  5. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    The study I linked was quite comprehensive.

    Sorry to tell you mate, but house prices to not dictate the cost of living.
     
  6. dumbanddumber

    dumbanddumber New Member

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    Why not its a purchase all Aussies aspire to.

    But hey lets talk about groceries, petrol, meat, fresh fruit, energy etc etc .

    All these things are rising disproportionate to the average weekly income are they not?
     
  7. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    Because Aussies also aspire to eat food, go out on weekends and go on holidays amongst other things they "aspire to".

    They are just as important as housing prices.

    According to the data, no.
     
  8. bugalugs

    bugalugs Banned

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    Your posts are more convincing when you support them with a video from that film-maker you love to refer to:
    http://www.youtube.com/user/GoldenS...21lh4gGt5tK9fYXjbfYNvygnJxg#p/u/2/w4Idrai6a_o
     
  9. dumbanddumber

    dumbanddumber New Member

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    Well then if you want to believe an oligarchy media run by moguels who shackle the truth, what can i say but good luck buster.
     
  10. bugalugs

    bugalugs Banned

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    So...wait...

    You are concerned about your cost of living - but you are happy for your tax money to subsidise private hospitals and facelifts and tummy tucks for the very rich:
    http://www.politicalforum.com/austr...rd-ruins-our-health-system-worst-pm-ever.html

    How does that work?
     
  11. bugalugs

    bugalugs Banned

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    You tell him. If it wasn't for Alan Jones - none of us would know the truth.
     
  12. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    bahahaha that's just so retarded I cannot not laugh at that!
     
  13. dumbanddumber

    dumbanddumber New Member

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    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Bugs you've missed the point again dude, let me remind you why,

     
  14. aussiefree2ride

    aussiefree2ride New Member

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    If you want to live in a house, it has a dominant effect on the cost of living. Dream & spin, spin & dream.
     
  15. Adultmale

    Adultmale Active Member Past Donor

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    Quite right, but house prices do have a big impact on disposable income which in turn has an impact on the affordability of the cost of living. What we are seeing is the cost of living going up while peoples ability to cover the cost of living is going down.
    I predict the price of real estate will eventually cause an economic crisis here in Australia in the not too distant future. We will see people with mortgages living like poorpers in the urban mansions they can no longer afford. We will see thousands defaulting and declaring bankruptcy.
     
  16. Oxyboy

    Oxyboy New Member

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    The cost of living is to high.

    But you need to compare it to something real, like manufaturing. If we can not get cost of living and wages down, we will not manufacture a thing in OZ soon.

    The jobs will stat flying off sure faster than they already are.

    Bosch - 380 jobs
    ANZ - 300
    Westpac - 150
    Suncorp - 203
    Heinz - 146
    Telstra - 251
    Qantas - who knows? 1000's?

    Add in real estate, rent, the soon to be inflicted carbon tax etc.

    Welcome to Australia's "the cost of living is just fine" future. Bubble soon to burst on morons with statistics.



    :|
     
  17. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    So you think cost of living should only be measured based on house prices? Can you explain why NO ANALYST IN THE WORLD AGREES WITH YOU?
     
  18. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    No, it isnt.

    What's bad about no manufacturing?

    Exporting jobs that are not efficient poses no problem to me. Take the recent Alcoa problem - no has mentioned that the factory has been received ample assistance from the government for years. I recall one analyst from the Grattan Institute who made it quite clear that, if you want to keep these jobs, even though they are inefficient and not cost effective, then society at large ends up paying exorbitantly for those jobs and such a system creates serious market vulnerability.
     
  19. bugalugs

    bugalugs Banned

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    Nice blinker work

    Over the year, Australia has created more than an additional 330,000 jobs, almost 264,000 of which were full-time position with the remainder part time. Employment participation across the country is also now at an historic high, recorded at 69.5%

    Over the past five years, Australia has created an average of 271,209 jobs annually and on average almost 159,000 of these jobs that have been created are full-time jobs. Important to remember is that the last five years includes the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), a time in which many jobs were shed in Australia and the global economy stalled.

    http://blog.rpdata.com/2011/02/australia-continues-to-create-more-jobs/
     
  20. Oxyboy

    Oxyboy New Member

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    Why? Because you saw some statistics?

    You have got no idea about the real world still i see. Ignorance is bliss. Do you even have a clue of the ranges of processes/industries that may fall under the banner of manufacturing? Or do you have a "definition" you use?

    Do you think exporting these jobs might have posed a problem to the people that lost their fn jobs and their families? What a thoughtless comment to make.
     
  21. Oxyboy

    Oxyboy New Member

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    A blog crying about immigration.

    Thanks for that.
     
  22. Makedde

    Makedde New Member Past Donor

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    The cost of living hasn't risen, but power bills sure have.
     
  23. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for that. I'm still trying to find that Grattan Institute article that shows in Victoria alone, the jobs lost at Alcoa will be replaced more than ten fold by the end of the year. The solution to dying industries is not prop them up so they can tear down the economy generally and place a huge burden on everybody else, but rather to provide institution, for training and education, that allow for a flexible environment that allows people to find new avenues of work effectively.
     
  24. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    Well yes, basically.

    Again, why should I care if Australia loses ALL of its manufacturing?

    Sure. Your point?

    How so? You think all jobs should be permanent? That I should have to pay so that people can keep the same job for ever even when its a burden to society at large?
     
  25. MegadethFan

    MegadethFan Well-Known Member

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    Here's one of the articles I was referring to. In this article, the principle of dealing with infringements from carbon tax policy can be applied in the same way as dealing with the free market:

    "In any country, job losses cause pain. Governments are inevitably under political pressure to protect existing jobs. But attempts to shield existing jobs from carbon pricing [or, as I say, the free market] – like most government assistance to protect existing jobs – will come at the price of less visible jobs and living standards elsewhere.
    To take one of the most politically charged examples, preserving the 5000 jobs in Australia’s aluminium smelting industry will in effect cost about $160,000 per job per year. The “free” permits proposed for the industry will ultimately raise the costs that others have to pay to reduce emissions."
    http://www.grattan.edu.au/publications/076_daley_oped_afr_carbon.pdf
     

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