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11
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Trumpled (Alternative Leading)
Last post by northernblue -
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on
Quote from: tonyo – on

It's worth reading about (and there's a few good articles) what cutting the fuel excise now would do.  The net effect would be to send inflation northward at an alarming rate, and lead to far greater pain for a much longer time.  Economic times now are very different to those that prevailed when the excise was cut during Covid.

Of course, that doesn't stop opportunistic populist w***ers like Hanson, Joyce et al who claim that it shows the Government doesn't care about struggling Australians.  Cheap punchlines with little or no credibility in terms of actual decision-making. 
  
Medium to Long term maybe but short term which it would be in this case imho I don't agree and it would have a deflationary effect by lowering transport costs which in turn should reduce items like supermarket goods. Treasurer Chalmers is planning on cutting the exemptions for EVs with regards FBT and import tariffs plus introduce a EV road users tax which should send EV sales plummeting and Motorists back to ICE vehicles and continuing demand for petrol which given events in Iran he might want to rethink.


20c a liter cut in excise is laughable mate, if someones sailing that close to the wind they may as well sell up.
Netflix, 3 x bathroom homes, butlers kitchens, Sherman tanks to drop the kids to school and home Aircons and lights running 24/7…
It’s wont be pretty but we need a shake up, people need to learn to prioritise, same as the housing bubble needs to be burst, it’ll hurt those of us that own our homes but our kids and grandkids will thank us.

Seperately, I was asked by a mate if I’m going to introduce a fuel surcharge (I’m a tradie) my answer is no.
At this point in time a fuel surcharge will just drive the CPI (somewhat) needlessly, hurting everyone.
It may need to happen but for now I’m holding my prices.
My daily drive is usually a 100km return unless I’m doing more run around.

I also didn’t take the covid payments because I didn’t need them.

Sometimes we need to think beyond our own hip pocket imho.
12
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Trumpled (Alternative Leading)
Last post by Thryleon -
Its a simple equation. Its cheaper for us to export our own oil, pay others to refine it and import it back.  Otherwise the labor force is too expensive.

Simple market economics because we have proper living standards or hyper inflation has caused this, take your pick.  That bubble weve kept blowing into the economy to avoid a recession will likely burst.  Been well over due.
13
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Trumpled (Alternative Leading)
Last post by LP -
I feel you have to differentiate local versus global effects in relation to balance of trade.

Under global influences if you are largely self-sufficient the outcome of taxation adjustments will be different to when you are globally dependant. Australia's history of kyboshing local manufacturing and processing for cheap imports is now coming home to roost, the true cost is beyond the purchase price.

FWIW, I'm not sure any country on earth is globally independent, and RedTrump has found out that the hard way!

On the flipside, the same nuffies that torched local capability as "too expensive and not competitive" will now be telling you that "rebuilding infrastructure is too expensive and not fast enough solution". If you listen to the noise you'll be travelling on pothole filled dirt roads with farmers hitching the up a draft horse to the plough a field, while wondering where all that billionaire wealth came from. Sound familiar?

A huge problem is that individuals can have very loud voices and a lot of influence, but they rarely look far beyond their own personal agenda. The extroverts are probably the ones who you should listen to the least.

It's interesting to see when the lightbulb flips, for example the flip in perspective of the infamous Tucker Carlson. My only worry is it a genuine change, did he always know the contents of his past messaging were false but he felt safe to the contrary. Safety net removed, things change I suppose, and so he sails with the wind. Maybe I've become too cynical.
14
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by LP -
It's amazing how quickly fans forget.

It was about this time last year when his EH started going through all the turmoil that OH was basically only one of a handful actually having a crack. When he probably had every right to be distracted, I think he comfortably finished in the team's top 10 leaving some others to look more like passengers.

I like Lord as well, I don't get some of the negativity towards him, but in comparison OH is a step up on Lord and comfortably so.

Neither have even reached 3 full seasons yet, which most coaches imply is the true start of a career.
15
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: General Discussions
Last post by dodge -
Drugs, weapons, Human Trafficking (which includes slavery) and cyber crime are the top 4 committed international crimes.  Don't know if someone working in the scam centres is classified as cyber or trafficking.
16
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: General Discussions
Last post by Thryleon -
Quote from: PaulP – on
Quote from: DJC – on
I'm not sure that it's quite so clear cut, and that's why I don't think that a hierarchy is appropriate.

It's estimated that at least 10% and probably as much as 25% of the Scandinavian population were slaves during the Viking age and the vast majority of those captured by the Vikings were sold on to slave traders from the Middle East.  Mitochondrial DNA studies of the Icelandic population indicate that more than 60% of the initial colonising female population were Gaelic and most likely slaves.  Then there's the Arab or Trans-Saharan slave trade that endured from the 7th to the 20th century and involved the enslavement of an estimated 9M Africans in the Middle East.

I don't want to get caught up in this jockeying for pole position in the Suffering F1. I feel quite comfortable with the reading I've done and I'll leave it there. Trying to compete wrt who suffered the most does the cause more harm than good, and ends up a kind of self-cannibalism, that dilutes the message rather than keeping it sharp and focussed.

Whether they named this or something else is of secondary importance. If the final aims of this process are achieved, it creates momentum, precedent and potential for others to follow. Future groups will be able to analyze what worked, what did not etc., and be in a better position as a result. It could also splinter off into related histories, such as our own First Nations peoples, who whilst not enslaved as such, have suffered immensely, certainly deserve a lot more than they have received thus far.

some of our first nations people were slaves.  This country is half built on it.
17
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Last post by Thryleon -
Quote from: Lods – on
Quote from: Thryleon – on
He has a face that you want to punch.

I'm not feeling that :D  :D
reminds me of Toby Greene and jack ginivan Connor macdonald from hawthorn and James Sicily too.  Jamie Elliott.  I dont know how to explain it, they just look like smart asses.

Theres a common theme there. 
19
Blah-Blah Bar / Re: Shawny’s concerns about Victorian and Australian Governments
Last post by ElwoodBlues1 -
Reality is One Nation won't ever have the numbers to form Government in their own right and if you watch Question time in both houses and the Senate in particular the Government now treat the Libs/Nats and One Nation as an alliance.
Not much talent or experience in the One Nation camp either and they tend to struggle when debating.Policy wise much like the Greens the cupboard is bare and like the Greens their role seems to be as agitators only and their new found popularity is more a reflection on how poor Labor and the Libs/Nats are performing.