THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN RIP OFF
If we’re so well off, why do we feel so ripped off?
Every major economic indicator points to Australia being the Lucky Country. The Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report ranks us the wealthiest people in the world.
We should be dancing in the streets.
Yet, from bus stop to boardroom, on talkback and the tele, all the talk from our politicians is negative.
“Households are doing it tough,” says a stony-faced Prime Minister.
“The cost of living keeps going up and up,” drones Dr No.
The federal opposition wants us to blame the government, while Labor wants to appear in touch with ‘working families’.
But a comprehensive analysis by the Bureau of Statistics in September found, in real terms, we’re richer than we were six years ago.
(Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Those on fixed incomes, such as pensions, are doing it tough.)
So why do we feel so poor?
It’s because every time we turn around, someone has their hand in our pockets.
Everyday rip-offs like:
*The $2 fee to use a foreign ATM, which costs the bank 74c. (Actually, pretty much any banking fee from account keeping to overdrafts to finding out your balance. For a comprehensive list, go here.)
*Telstra charging a $30 per month fee for the privilege of having a home phone.
*CBD parking rates of up to $200 a day
*Eye-watering Council fines for overstaying at a parking meter.
*Airport parking almost double the cost of a domestic flight.
*Late fees exceeding the cost of the inconvenience, especially for phone bills, DVDs, and credit cards.
*Replacement fees. Why does it cost $25 for a new driver’s licence?
*Incremental charging. You need a magnifying glass to read telecommunications bills these days.
*Insurance companies charging exorbitant premiums then refusing to pay out. (This will only get worse with a means test on private health insurance rebate.)
*A dress at the shopping mall costing three times as much as the same item in the US.
*Coles and Woolies jacking up the price of petrol to protect their profits from discount vouchers.*
*Hidden costs. I discovered last week that my dentist had been charging $10 each visit for an “oral hygiene talk”. At the age of 44, I have managed to work out how to brush my teeth.
The list goes on.
And when you have a problem? There’s no-one there to listen.
Seniors often say they didn’t have a lot of money, but still felt rich.
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52 Responses to this article
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Lizzie February 13, 2012
Paying for mobile calls within the same network – it costs the provider nothing and only a few cents when its across a different network – many providers have stopped overseas.. And Foxtel! What a rip off!! I am paying more than double what I paid in Europe for the full deal and I only have the basic package and nothing to watch!
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Ruby February 13, 2012
Yes Lizzie – Foxtel and Austar! We are paying a fortune and getting more ads than ever.
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blue February 13, 2012
The first thing that springs to mind is paying for private health insurance and still having to pay out about $8,000 out of pocket when I needed a back operation last year — and that was just for one of the surgeons. There were plenty of other extra costs. The whole thing came as a shock to my husband and I and the cost pretty much meant we are no longer able to give some money to our daughter to pay for part of her wedding. It was going to be our wedding gift to her.
I was completely untouched by the debate in the past few days that there will be means testing for the private health insurance rebate. Not because we earn too much to lose the rebate (we fall well under that annual income in this household) but because should I go private I just can’t afford the out of pocket expenses. Hell, really, we can’t afford the insurance itself. Certainly, when we retire there will be no way we can afford it.
I know the surgeon was ‘the best,’ so I should have been prepared to pay for him — as I did. But what else was I supposed to do? Shop around for ‘the worst?’ Especially when in severe pain. I live in one of the wealthier suburbs of Sydney but I’m not one of those wealthier people and I’d be travelling a long way to find a surgeon who operates under the ‘no gap’ system by arrangements with my health insurer.
So, problem solved. I drop private health insurance saving over 3,000 dollars a year and go medicare all the way. That way I don’t have to find the contributions every month (which is not easy for us) and should I need an operation I don’t have to fund the out of pocket expenses by dipping into our pretty small savings account. I will be paying the extra for medicare out of my wages, I think, but it’s got to be cheaper. And as I said, once we retire we will no longer be able to afford the monthly premiums and I’ll be going public anyway. May as well get used to it now.
Yes, I know public health care has its problems but when you simply can’t afford it you can’t. I have learned that private health insurance is a rip off. And that I can’t afford it. Not just the premiums but also the out of pocket expenses.
Last month I went to see my private health insurance company. Being post menopausal I had been told that if I got rid of things that no longer apply to me (like obstetrics) that I’d pay less. My private health insurer actually sent me a letter suggesting that very same thing. But I should have been warned by how inspecific their letter was. I took them up on their suggestion and went to one of their branches where I was bemused to find out that if I got rid of obstetrics and changed my plan I’d end up paying more each month. Because that would be a different plan. I was told I was on “such a good plan now.” Make any sense to you? No? It didn’t to me.I think that’s because those health insurance companies want to keep their clients completely confused.
I”m better off rid of the lot and going public. Oh and the after care in the well known private hospital was pretty bad. Not the nurses fault. They were simply run off their feet because they had such a high patient to nurse ratio.
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Jodes February 13, 2012
I don’t have private health insurance for exactly that reason, blue – when all’s said and done, its an absolute rip off. Im saddened that I felt pressured as a young woman in the late 80s (earning $10,000 per annum) to take up top tier health insurance. It meant I couldn’t leave home as early as I wanted to, nor did I have savings, a car, and so on. If I had continued to pay for health insurance between my mid-20s and today, I would have spent around $40,000 – FOR ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
Banks – yes, those fees are way too high, I’d accept them charging $1, but $2-2.50 is greedy.
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Tess February 13, 2012
If the rebate is dropped, so will our health insurance, to the minimum we can get without having to pay more medicare tax (or completely if this makes more tax sense).
At $250/mth already, while we barely claim anything, and having to pay extra for the few services we do claim, it just won’t be feasible to come up with another 30%.
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Rosie February 13, 2012
Private Health Insurance is a choice – not a necessity. For most people it is a rip-off. Most people are encouraged to pay for features they will rarely, if ever, use. Insurance, and particularly Health Insurance, is advertised in such a manner so that we believe we need it – in other words “a fear factor”. Medicare pays the first 75% of your stay as a private patient in a public hospital anyway. Self insurance is, of course, something to consider – puting away a certain amount each month in a separate account will accumulate interest for you and be there if you need treatment with the Doctor of “your choice”. For most people the Doctor of “your choice” is actually the Doctor your GP refers you too. You mostly don’t have a choice because you don’t know which Specialist to choose. A lot to consider – but think how fortunate we are to have Medicare in this country – something we often now take for granted. And Private Health Insurance – if you can well afford it – go for it.
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Mick February 5, 2013
All this talk but when are the people actually going to do anything about it???
There are a lot of companies out there clearly trying to bleed every possible cent out of us as lets face it we all earn pretty good coin in AUS – and they know it.
I agree private health is expensive.. it’s too expensive for me and I cant justify it as I’m (thankfully) pretty healthy.. which is why I rely on Medicare which is one of the best, if not THE best public health schemes in the world.
I agree about the de-facto/marriage situation with government benefits.. I supported my wife who was a student for 5 years and its seriously difficult. I agree with Rosie that students should work as it helps (SLIGHTLY).. however frankly the only way to make it really worth while is to get a cash in hand job and evade tax! Students cannot work more than 10-15 hours a week without is seriously affecting their studies.
Another thing that bugs me are the amount of people who live off housing benefits and have done so for years down generations. It’s not so much that they are offered the housing benefit its more that it seems once your in the system, its so easy to stay in.. Not only do they only pay 25% of their REPORTED income.. But the housing accommodation is incredible.
I lived across the road from a “friend” who was in a luxury 10 year old apartment, tiled, reverse air-conn, 2 bedroom, lift that bloody speaks to you (you get the picture) while I was across the road in a run down 60′s flat that I was paying $320 a week for while she was paying $200 out of her centre-link money – whilst working cash in hand and not reporting income. This is NOT an isolated case either. Why do Housing NSW place people in such luxurious accommodation and why do they not seem to investigate those in the system more thoroughly?
I find in Australia your average earner (people who earn between 50-80k p/year are those who get ripped off the most.
Work hard and have a disposable income of maybe $50-80 a week more than a dole bludger. Once you take out HECS, tax, electricity and gas, ridiculous rent and the list goes on.
Definitely agree with the point about excessive middle men.. 10% card surcharges, relocation fees, ATM transaction fees – every man and his dog wants a piece of the pie.
I think it is time the government steps up and the best way is for the people to actually start doing something about it. Never would I condone the Poll Tax riots of the UK – But you know what? It actually envoked some change! It’s a shame it takes that response to actually have government listen and do something.
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Cate Bolt February 13, 2012
School uniforms. I have a large family. I never complain about the cost of living because I decided to have nine kids. I won’t complain about the cost of groceries, or anything that I need to buy in bulk because I spend less on food and clothing than most families with two kids.
BUT school uniforms are a complete rip off. I very rarely pay more than $10 for any item of clothing – for me or my kids but when I’m paying $50+ for a pair of shorts with an embroidered logo which at most would cost $25 without the logo, I do get annoyed.
I agree with school uniforms, completely. But I can’t think of many other essential items one has to purchase where there is NO competition to control the prices.
The government goes on and on about monitoring petrol prices and collusion – trying to protect us from price fixing – but who is monitoring school uniforms? I spend more per year on school uniforms than I do on petrol.
Obviously, this all stems from education not being funded well enough by the government or schools wouldn’t need to come up with elaborate plots to raise more money.
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Dorothy Brown February 13, 2012
The ‘Supply charge’ on my AGL power bill, $25 on average. Its just another ‘rip-off’ fee.
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Robbie February 13, 2012
Petrol ,beers in those swanky inner city clubs, Rego, Green slips, trains
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Weeze February 13, 2012
Parking meters! I especially hate paying for parking in my Local Council area as I already pay rates.
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a February 13, 2012
Going to a hairdresser and paying $150 or more for color and haircut is a rip. Why does it have to cost so much?
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Caz June 3, 2012
Your obviously going to the wrong hairdresser.
Paying huge fees doesn’t always give you the best hairdresser.
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secret squirrel February 13, 2012
The biggest rip off ever:
If you earn $28K per year… THAT’s ALL and you live with your boyfriend or girlfriend- NOT married- NOT engaged. Your partner WILL NOT get Austudy if they are a student. You are obliged to pay for them! 2 people renting together who are not betrothed living on $28K PER YEAR? Do the math! The Government has NO IDEA!!! THAT IS THE BIGGEST RIP OFF!-
Rosie February 13, 2012
Secret Squirrel – dear oh dear – don’t you know that most full – time students have to work as well as study?
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Alex February 13, 2012
A $212 connection fee on a $300 water bill and the resulting powerlesness that comes with it no matter how careful I am.
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Alex February 13, 2012
I meant sewerage connection. See, it’s doing my head in!
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Tania McCartney February 13, 2012
Picking up a hire car is always a nice financial surprise. A $162 fine for going 8km over the speed limit on a straight 100km freeway with no other cars on it, when dickheads are going 120km in 60km zones every time I visit the local shops, is a bit hard to swallow. $4 for a coffee the size of a perennially-shrinking dolly tea cup is starting to get my goat. Is it any wonder we don’t tip in this country? But my big gripe right now is the literally incessant request for money for charity. Everywhere I turn, I’m asked to donate to a worthy cause. Don’t get me wrong, we donate heftily to certain causes and have two sponsored children, but there’s only so much to go round and so much room on the chest to pin yet another coloured ribbon.
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Daphne Alaksa February 14, 2012
I’m a pensioner who, instead of donating money to charity takes all decent old clothes, shoes, furniture or whatever it may be to an op shop. I switch between shops I donate to, and am surprised when thinking of the quantity of things that get taken to these shops in the course of a year. They are
always deeply appreciative of whatever is given to them. However I also buy quite a lot of things from the op shops, so whatever goes around comes around. Because I don’t drive I find it impossible to go to the nearest op shop which is a fair distance away. Oh, I also like to buy paintings from op shops. That is mostly for the frames. My husband and I both paint from time to time, and frames are extraordinarily expensive to buy. Haven’t painted for quite a while though. Against the wall of my bedroom is a painting which I started. In fact I should say it is a large series of fascinating blobs which I placed on the board. The colours are quite beautiful, and I know that one day I will think of what to actually do with it. At the moment I see that there could be a couple of colourful dogs there, with a decripit castle far off in the background. Yes, the urge to paint is far greater than the
urge to do the vacuuming, so I must succumb within the next week or so.
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Anne February 13, 2012
If you’d like a giggle about charges on flights check out “Cheap flights” by Fascinating Aida on YouTube – funny but all too accurate!
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blu-k February 19, 2012
Fascinating Aida are still around! I loved them years ago! Will check out the clip – thanks!
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MrsP2011 February 13, 2012
I hear you – all of you. I can relate to most of it. It is no good keeping this amongst ourselves. I’m not sure the PM is hearing each and every one of us, nor am I sure that she gets feedback via Facebook ie when The Hoopla posts on FB. With everyone’s permission, I am sending an email to the PM and will include this link. It’s 10.26 here in Qld. I will wait until 11am (Qld time – that’s a half hour), if I don’t receive any objections by then, the email will be sent. Any objections?
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royce February 13, 2012
Ha ha…. what a can of worms!
We are still in a nice place in this world aren’t we?
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Lady Jewels Diva February 13, 2012
I’m so sick to death of being told we’re the lucky country when Julia just gave foreign aid an extra whack of our tax dollars. If she cut back on immigration, kept our money at home and actually bothered to fix all the issues in this country so that we ARE better off, maybe THEN we will feel like the lucky country.
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blu-k February 19, 2012
Yes, we are so unlucky when compared with poorer countries – we definitely shouldn’t give them any extra aid money or help them improve their lot so people are less likely to flee …
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Julie-Anne Rogers February 13, 2012
I still think we are the lucky country – I have lived in several countries oversees and Canada was the only one that came even close. Trying to balance the budget now is almost impossible, though. SO much harder than 5yrs ago. I did the bank switch, I watch my money, I shop for cheaper goods and brands, and I switch everything off but it still is so hard to live within my means.
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MrsP2011 February 13, 2012
Done! Here is the text of the message, let’s see what happens next.
“Dear Prime Minister
This is not about your latest hairdo this time. This is a seriously important issue that is not going to go away – for you, or for us, the majority of Australians who feel they are now part of “The Great Australian Rip Off”. I have included a link below to a popular, in fact extremely popular, social networking website, The Hoopla. One of the major stories on the site today is THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN RIP OFF written by well known presenter and journalist, Tracey Spicer. I am drawing your attention to this story, and just as importantly, the feedback provided by comments from ordinary Australians who are seriously hurting, because it is in your best interests to read, absorb, take note and listen up. We are talking to you.
Personally, I believe you have a tough job and that you are putting your heart and soul into it. Many people would disagree with their first response being “politicians have no heart and no soul”.
You can read all the things that are giving people cause for discontent in Tracey’s story. I will give you an example of what I hear is happening in my own local community. I live in a major tourist area – and I mean MAJOR. Many of the retail outlets are closing here because of 2 things – the rental cost on a normal size shop is too high due to the over-inflation and greed in the property market, and now further closures because insurance companies have put their rates through the roof. Not because of cyclones either, insurance rates have gone up across the board. Greed again. Once a week we get a cruise ship anchored off Airlie Beach so that the passengers can spend a day wandering around the town – and shopping! How do you think it looks to those passengers, as tourists, when half the town centre is closed.
All the issues raised in the story, and the comments, are relevant and deserve your attention. I do not know what the answer is to even going part way to address, and fix, some of what we see as issues that are impacting on our daily life. Are we really The Lucky Country Prime Minister? You tell us.
I will be calling your office by the close of business Friday, 17th. I hope someone will confirm to me that you have taken this on board as a serious issue which is vexing the Australian community.
I look forward to hearing from you.
http://thehoopla.com.au/great-australian-rip/#comments“ -
Sarah February 13, 2012
While all these things are a bloody rip off, they aren’t exclusive to Australia. The fees when booking a flight online? Well that model was created by Ryanair and EasyJet is Europe. So while they are BS, people in many other countries get stung like this too. That’s why this seems like whingeing to me, as if we are the only ones getting ripped off. In the UK they have a common saying ‘Ripoff Britain’. Now I think we have issues to address because we are a smaller market, there is less competition, we don’t get the bargains that ‘consumers’ do in the US or Europe. But in some cases people are their own worst enemy. Why do they go to the hairdresser that charges circa $200 for a cut and blow dry. I’d want a full body massage too for that price.
So I digress….it’s worth realising that even though the rip offs exist we come from a better starting point ie higher incomes (on average and not including pensioners as Tracy points out) so we are still ahead of other nations who start with a lower income and a lower standard of living generally. Hello smaller houses and millions of people cramped into busy cities.Keep up the good work Wendy and team. Love the articles on here.x
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Anne February 13, 2012
Ever-increasing and uncontrolled rents in Sydney and complete lack of availability of affordable housing….. I am now paying almost half my salary on a modest, older style slightly run-down home which really could do with a complete renovation… the rent just keeps going up although no improvements are made. I supposedly earn a ‘good’ salary, but with the cost of everything these days I can barely make ends meet. I rarely buy new clothes, I have an inexpensive trim at the hairdresser when I can’t put it off any longer, colour my own hair – and forget things like pedicures, manicures, new household items. Lucky country? I don’t think so…. not any more. it is spiralling out of control and will only get worse unless the government puts the brakes on it.
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farmerhasawife February 13, 2012
A very timely article. I have just opened my water bills to discover my water use at some properties is $25 and the ‘access’ charges are $200. WTF? Water, it falls from the sky. Sure someone has to catch it, treat it and pipe it to you but that system has been in place for many many years. Here in Queensland some bureacrats decided we should re-buy our delivery infrastructre and that’s why we’re all paying a small fortune for water. Forget CPI increases, we’re looking at increases of 200 per cent++
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dramaqueen75 February 13, 2012
My latest experience of a rip off has been whilst applying for a passport.
I have been married for almost 20 years, my marriage certificate was good enough to change my name, have a mortgage, a working with children check and to verify all of my documents for accreditation as a teacher.
Now I discover it is not an “official” document and I need to pay $65 to have one supplied by Births, Deaths and Marriages before I can submit my paper work (and another hefty application fee) for my passport.
Grrrrrr! -
Flip February 13, 2012
Books.
Option a) Go to a bookstore. Pay $30.
Option b) Go to Amazon. Pay $10 if in America, pay $35 because you’re in Australia and either you’ve been secretly redirected to a different price page or there’s a disproportionate shipping fee.
Option c) Go to thebookdepository.co.uk and pay $12AUD for a book including postage.
Option d) Go to Amazon or Sony and pay $14 for an eReader edition.Too much. If a book costs $30-35 in New Zealand, come to that, it should not therefore cost $30 in Australia, when the AUD is approaching double the NZD.
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MrsP2011 February 13, 2012
Oh dear! I don’t swear – at least not online but – FFsS! (Anyone need an interpretation, I’ll reply privately). I’m reading more comments and this just gets worse and worse. FarmerHasAWife: There is no reason that the water in this country can’t be shared equally – with a little ingenuity. Ingenuity? Yeah, I know. That’s a bit like expecting governments to have a vision for infrastructure etc when they are considering bumping up our immigration intake. But they haven’t been in the past, and they still aren’t now – visionaries when it matters most. If gas can be piped all around the country via underground pipes, if oil can be siphoned from the sea via underground pipes, if mining magnates can have railroads constructed from their mines to ports so their end product can be shipped overseas – bloody water can be piped from places that get an abundance of rain to places that don’t get enough and then the cost of water could be apportioned fairly. Furthermore, and now I’m getting mad, it would be a good idea if the government put a rain water tank in everyone’s back yard – free of charge. Of course they would have to ensure that it didn’t have holes in it like the debacle that came from the insulation scheme. And talking of Queensland – dare I say it – the Wivenhoe Dam catastrophe comes to mind (how could it not, every day here in Queensland, we are faced with the ongoing saga of he said/she said). All that hogging of water when it should have been released intermittently in the months leading up to the wet season, and the resultant waste and tragedy that it caused still rankles me. Believe everything you see and half of what you hear people because believe me, that was the biggest f–k up of all time.
MoniqueN & Wendy Harmer: Sounds like those Smart meters are related to those out of control, revenue raising, Smart Cameras installed on every highway and byway across “This Lucky Country of Ours”, which have been proven to be wrongly targeting and fining people in massive numbers. And just while we are on the subject of electricity supply. I never have, I don’t now and I never will, believe that what we are now being charged for our electricity use is ‘fair and reasonable’. Here is an example of how competent our energy providers are: In 2010 a new multi-million dollar electricity substation was opened smack in the middle of the area which surrounds Airlie Beach so that the community would no longer endure constant ‘outages’. Guess what? It hasn’t improved. Don’t you worry, I’m keeping tally. Every time the power goes off now, I note the date, the time and for how long. Anne: I really feel for you and understand what you are saying about the rental situation in Sydney and the fact that a little luxury is getting further and further out of reach. Up to the late 1980s and early 1990s, I wasn’t earning a great salary, not by any stretch, but I could still afford a few things that made me a happy girl – Vogue Australia, Vogue Italia, Christian Dior skin care and “Diorissimo” perfume and a bunch of flowers every week for the house. I can’t afford them now because I am retired but even in 2009 prior to retirement – those luxuries were long gone. And it isn’t fair. When we work hard, get a fair salary for a fair day’s work, the very least we should be able to expect is to be able to indulge ourselves without having to put half our salary towards renting dodgy accommodation. Rents should be controlled and tenants should not have to pay the price for dodgy landlords – of which there are far too many these days helped along on their dodgy way by even dodgier real estate agents. Anne, I hear you loud and clear. I’ve been there. It sucks! Coles and Woolworths: Here’s something for everyone to ponder. I don’t drive and I can’t just pop up the road for the groceries – the supermarkets are miles away. I used to get a taxi into town and back to do the grocery shopping. That was a taxi fare of between $40 to $50 so I decided to try online grocery shopping that way I wouldn’t have those taxi fares. It was great, until I discovered quite recently (thanks to my son), that I was paying through the nose for most items on my list. I’ll give you an example. Harris Ground Coffee – $19 on the shelf – $25 online. Coles cat litter – $7.97 on the shelf – $9.19 online. The list goes on. I emailed both Coles and Woollies for confirmation that by shopping online I wasn’t getting shelf prices and they both confirmed that yes, that was their policy. When I asked why, it was because I was getting a “premium delivery service”. On top of that, I pay a delivery fee also. When you compare the premium charge to the shelf charge on just about every item, it’s another case of supermarket rip off. I’d much rather pay the $40 – $50 to my local cabbie. So in this case, stuck between a rock and a hard place really. DramaQueen75: I’d be more than Grrrrrr! if I was told my marriage certificate was not an “official” document. That is pretty disgusting and bloody insulting. I think I should stop here and try to end on a high note shall I? Anyone been watching the lead up to the US elections lately? Whoa baby! If Obama doesn’t win, those people are going to have to deal with Romney, Santorum or Gingrich. Personally, I’d rather put my money on Kermit the Frog. -
Jason Chatfield February 13, 2012
How about when you pay Vodafone for a mobile phone service and every single* call drops out while you try to run a business.
Then when you try to ask them for help, they offer inane solutions you’ve already tried, because you have a primary school education and basic common sense.
*literally. Every call.
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deborah February 17, 2012
Signed up to IINET and have had nothing but grief. Our phone works on odd days and cuts out often. Unfortunatley IINET don’t have representatives to come out. I paid $99 for one of the “Bobsquad” to set up our internet and phones. So far I have spent around 4-6 hours on the phone trying to get the phone to work properly. The wireless internet works now but the phone set that I paid $90 for and have already had replaced once refuses to play nice. Truth is I’m so over it I’m going to let them get away with it until I don’t need them anymore and change providers -
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merran February 13, 2012
I’m not sure that this equals rip-off, but the thing that has got up my nose is that, as people living in regional NSW with a daughter about to go off to uni, we are unable to access a single solitary cent to assist. I accept without question that, if we are over a certain income, we pay for our daughter. Don’t have a problem with that. However, if we had been eligible for a benefit, we would also have got whatever the allowance was plus ‘rent assistance”. So, why can’t we just get ‘rent assistance’. Why isn’t it a stand along payment. It would be nice to think that after 30 years of work by both hubby and I, we could claim something, when we have multiple children, all wanting higher education. Whilst our income is over the threshold, it is still a struggle, regardless of what the powers that be at Centrelink may think!!
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Meredith February 13, 2012
What about the price of petrol? I’m all for ensuring finite resources are managed appropriately but the government is reaping in the taxes on this one. Its my problem since all I do is play mum’s taxi but some people live in rural communities and commute ling distances, some businesses actually need fuel and who pays for that cost in the long run? Doh! The consumer…
Totally agree with the private health care conversation and while we’re on health, why isn’t an essential service like dental care on medicare and….
I took my kids to see Happy Feet 2 and it was $45 for two under sixes and one adult. Hello, haven’t they already made the movie? My American friends tell me all tickets are $8 not $18.50 in the States and I’m not even mentioning the cost of popcorn and a choc top- RIP OFF!
Last but not least, how come you can’t get child care rebate if you send your kid to pre-school? If your 4 yo goes to long day care or a community centre with longer hours you can get rebate but not for 9am to 3pm pre school. The same pre school education this government says all 4 year olds are supposed to have. All pre school, from 0 to the day they start school should be treated the same for tax/ family benefits. Not all parents want, need or have access to long day care- why should they be discriminated against ?
Let the debate rage! Mx -
RolyS February 14, 2012
I’m as mad as hell & I’m not going to take it any more! My girlfriend & I just came back from Hawaii & BOY do we aussies get ripped OORFF! E.g. Moet Chandon U$48; A$6X; Gordons gin U$10, A$34. Swatch watch U$50, A$82… and on it goes. It’s time to write to our Federal government and put them on the spot. Join the protest; write your local member and seek an explanation. P.S. Happy Valentines
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blue February 14, 2012
Mrs,P. I loved your letter to the PM. It would be great if she read this.
Lady Jewels Diva, I do disagree with your take on foreign aid. I”ve only just got to think about those starving kids living without fresh water and very little food and often penniless and I can’t help but think that Australia does need to be generous to other countries that are in such dire straits. I just think how lucky I was to be born here. I won that lottery! However, I’m very aware of the problems faced by many people in Australia (especially the elderly and the lower income families with children) — I can see that some would be angry about our foreign aid. When they aren’t eating properly themselves, can’t afford access to much needed medicines and nutritious food. But a lot of Australians aren’t in that situation and they certainly can afford to send a bit of foreign aid to needy overseas countries. When worked out per capita, our foreign aid is very little.
Cate Bolt: I totally agree with you on the school uniform issue. When my kids were young I used to be incensed about having to pay for school uniforms when the kids already needes otther clothes for weekends and holidays. They often grew out of their clothes before they wore them out because they needed both school uniforms and ‘civilian clothes.’ As my kids got older they elected not to wear uniforms, or only bits and pieces of the uniform. They rarely went off to school dressed in full uniform then, and I was happy about that. The pressure came off me to buy the uniforms and they showed that they didn’t have to dress like everyone else to belong. The schools all jacked up –letters were sent home — but it was well known then that no child in NSW could be compelled to wear a school uniform to a public school. I’m not sure if this has changed. You should look into it because if your kids don’t mind being a little different by not wearing a uniform it might just be that they don’t HAVE to.
The other night on tv I heard some social commentator talking about the ‘scare campaign’ to get people into private health insurance that happened about a decade or so ago (a bit hazy on how many years ago it was). I thought how interesting that someone should refer to it as a scare campaign. This happened under a Howard govt. I well remember the introduction of the rebate. Just as I remember, how, at the same time, all the big private health insurers put up their prices at once — to the value of the rebates.
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Jackie M October 9, 2012
My parents just applied for new passports – NOW, they are considered ‘Seniors’ by the Australian Government and given a “Seniors” card because they are over the age of 65…however, the Australian Passport Office will NOT give a seniors discount on passport applications unless you are over the age of 75???? WTF – Are they seniors or not??
It’s pretty damn obvious that this is a blatant money grab – A lot of people who have worked their buts off their whole lives, paid their taxes, reach 65, retire and treat themselves to an overseas holiday – SO, if the passport office were to give them a seniors discount at the age of 65 – they’d lose millions.
If I was a lawyer I wouldn’t make a cent because I’d spend my entire life in court trying to fight this type of injustice!
Just because we can vote, doesn’t make this country democratic – it’s a dictatorship – plain and simple! If it wasn’t so damn beautiful I’d bugger off!
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AliB January 3, 2013
Rosie – dear oh dear – how out of touch are you. What sort of degree did you do where you could work so much!? None by the sounds of it! Or your one of the baby bombers that were lucky enough to have FREE higher education. If a student is undertaking a science degree they will have approx. 25 hours of on-campus contact time (lectures, tutorials), plus a student (to get good marks) must spend approx. 8 hours per week on each subject (4 subjects as a full time student). From my experience employers are rarely willing to employ you for only 5-10 hours per week and often you must miss lectures to work. Seeing as I paid $31,000 to obtain my degree, was it fair that I had to put myself at a disadvantage and pay for classes I was unable to attend and rush assessments? I was given Austudy as a single person and worked 10 – 15 hours a week and still struggled. Imagine what 28k between two people is like especially when one has massive materials costs (majority of text books cost $150 upwards and then you take into account printing for assessments and lectures, binding, stationary, student fees, food, clothing, computer software of hardware, lab coats, lab glasses, the list goes on). University isn’t cheap and it’s not the “holiday” uninformed people like yourself make it out to be. Austudy is there for a hand up – not a hand down.
