Society/Culture Life after Covid-19

[Kwality]

Why are we meant to respect the education profession? They are lucky they dont have performance related pay.

Australian teachers among highest paid

The OECD says Australian primary and secondary teachers are paid well above the average.

www.afr.com

Australian school teachers are among the highest paid in the OECD, earning 22 to 36 per cent more than the average – a finding that comes just after NAPLAN results showed reading, writing and grammar scores have fallen in the past 10 years, and international PISA results in science, maths and reading have collapsed since 2000.

I share your sentiments as a broad brush overview, & can acknowledge the hard work and dedication of very many fine people in the system delivering a very good education to our kids.

I am for a Royal Commission into the taxpayer dollars spent on education, from pre school to University & performance has to be measured.

For example:
For years, Australian university chancellors and the governing bodies they chair have awarded salaries to our vice-chancellors that are up to twice those earned by comparable university leaders overseas. They are high figures. For example, the University of Sydney’s 2018 annual report states that its vice-chancellor, Michael Spence, was paid between $1.515m and $1.529m that year.

NoCookies | The Australian

www.theaustralian.com.au

Who knows the Royal Commission sector may be a driver as we rebuild

 

[Pessimistic]

Our high cost of housing not a consideration?

 

[Kwality]

There is an internet tax in Australia already- it's called the GST and it's been low-cost online sales from overseas suppliers since 2018. It was supposed to help the retail industry which is why Harvey Norman and other large retailers were lobbying for it, but it (unsurprisingly) hasn't worked as intended, because it's obviously still cheaper and way easier to buy electronic goods from a kid in China via ebay than leave the house.

Rent is as big an issue for retailers as well IMO.

Tax evasion v minimisation? Evaders should face gaol.

 

[Mofra]

Cirque du Soleil may not be around (who cares?) but the bigger question is how does a circus have a billion dollars in debt?

They have something like 11-12 travelling circuses, plus permanent performances in Las Vegas and in Macau (and perhaps more).
It's virtually a large scale franchise.

There's a surprising amount of money being offered to circus performers (at least until your body falls apart in your early 30s). A friend was set to perform with Cirque de Soleil in Macau until a rival performance company from a different casino made him a much bigger offer.

 

[Kwality]

Our high cost of housing not a consideration?

Got a solution?
Reduce the land component, dont seal the roads, no kerbs, septic tanks not sewerage, less or no parks & playgrounds, even luxury such as underground power ......

 

[Pessimistic]

Got a solution?
Reduce the land component, dont seal the roads, no kerbs, septic tanks not sewerage, less or no parks & playgrounds, even luxury such as underground power ......

A different discusssion. but its one reason we have high wages

 

[Kwality]

A different discusssion. but its one reason we have high wages

High wages or the high vacant land cost ?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

There is an internet tax in Australia already- it's called the GST and it's been low-cost online sales from overseas suppliers since 2018. It was supposed to help the retail industry which is why Harvey Norman and other large retailers were lobbying for it, but it (unsurprisingly) hasn't worked as intended, because it's obviously still cheaper and way easier to buy electronic goods from a kid in China via ebay than leave the house.

Rent is as big an issue for retailers as well IMO.

Not many people would buy their new Flatscreen online.

Meanwhile, if i want a HDMI cable, i can get one for 5 bucks. Go to Harvey norman and they will have it for 20, and try to convince you to buy the gold plated one for $60. ( if a hdmi cable is working, its working ).
Why do you think that its a kid selling items on Ebay?
How much do you think Harvey Norman pays for a HDMI cable?
Overseas retailers are realizing that profit margins will never be 1000% again.
K-Mart seem to have figured it oug.
Harvey Norman a little slow.

GST meant that people with Cash businesses, are now paying tax when they buy something.

 

[Kwality]

K-Mart seem to have figured it oug.

K-Mart has been marginal at best for some time:

Kmart owner Wesfarmers to buy Catch Group for $230 million in bid to bolster e-commerce

Wesfarmers has inked a deal to buy fast-growing e-commerce business Catch Group for $230 million, a move slated to improve its department stores.

www.smartcompany.com.au

June 2019
Kmart and Target owner Wesfarmers has struck a deal to acquire fast-growing e-commerce business Catch Group for $230 million.

The deal, still subject to competition regulator approval, will thrust the retail conglomerate into the competitive but lucrative marketplace scene, where competitors such as Kogan, Amazon and eBay are fighting for consumer dollars.

 

[yebiga]

Debt jubilee: will our debts be written off?

The idea of a "debt jubilee" – general society-wide cancellation of debt – goes back to Biblical times. Could it happen again? And would it really do any good?

moneyweek.com

Drastic times drastic measures - one solution to kick start the global economy.New the end the article reference it was the Jubilee that got the Germany economy going after WW2

 

[Kwality]

Debt jubilee: will our debts be written off?

The idea of a "debt jubilee" – general society-wide cancellation of debt – goes back to Biblical times. Could it happen again? And would it really do any good?

moneyweek.com

Drastic times drastic measures - one solution to kick start the global economy.New the end the article reference it was the Jubilee that got the Germany economy going after WW2

Who is the lucky country, is there only one winner or is lots of losers?

 

[yebiga]

Who is the lucky country, is there only one winner or is lots of losers?

I don't know, but given how interconnected the world now is - compared the 1940's - I think it could only work if it was universal - all countries.
It's a radical idea, but we are likely facing 30% unemployment, mass bankruptcies, the associated civil unrest and who knows what else.

Of all the ideas floated, whilst there are so many hurdles and issues to consider, the one strength a global debt jubilee has is that it would be certain to create a massive economic surge across the globe. I think, what you are essentially doing is punishing passive rich investors and destroying the existing banks whilst distributing that wealth.

The banks would have to be reformed anew. It is the Retiree who is living off investments, bonds, and other financial instruments who would be most hurt.
So there would need to be numerous mitigations.

The interesting thing is that the very rich are not all going to be looking at this the same way. Many in the most effected sectors: Hotels, Tourism, Airlines, Car hire, Service Sectors, Retail and many others will not survive without something radical.

 

[Carringbush2010]

Some interesting points in here, I'm in ShanDog 's corner on this one, eventually there'll be a return to normal and here in Australia we'll largely return to a liberal democratic western free enterprise society.

In saying that I think it'll be more regulated i:e for the purposes of more equity or if you will more accessible for all to 'free enterprise'. So a little bit of socialism (societal regulation) in certain sectors to ensure it or in other words make 'free enterprise' more accessible through more efficient regulations.

With what we have now, nearing police state I seriously doubt even the most ardent socialist fan would be happy continuing with these freedom restrictions.

I see the government of the day when we are able to return without virus reprisal to 'normal', whenever that is, will sell to the public more a more regulated structure in the name of efficiency to allow 'freedom of enterprise' an easier path to it for those who find it near impossible now. More of the population that is able to access it and excel equals growing the economy.

Local manufacturing is going to skyrocket, that's already beginning. Globalism will slow dramatically further driving local manufacturing - particularly a nation as isolated as ours. Relaxing 'free enterprise' hurdles with further drive this as a result.

Innovation will be the new black, all sorts of wonderful ideas and inventions will be borne of this. This may relax such thing like patentry hurdles i:e more accessible free enterprise.

Perspective will have more relevance, things like frivolous arguments from defence lawyers for obviously guilty clients and getting them off on 'technicalities' that hamstring magistrates to overrule on absurd trivial bull s**t for example. Not overly confident in this though.

By extension, the more valued in society will hopefully and rightly be more valued in pay instead ridiculously low wages like nurses compared to those lawyers for example. A welcomed societal shift if you will.

Societies like China are going to further regulate their populations to ensure they get the lions share as a result of less foreign trading as a result of this pandemic. Many many businesses and states large and small will cease or lessen trading with China for more than just economic reasons. They'll probably be hit hardest of all from this.

 

[ShanDog]

None of the top performing kids at my school had ambitions or went on to be teachers. Needs a change up.

The quality of teachers I have seen in my very short career so far has been very high, and that's even in some very low socio-economic areas. The problem of low scores is complex, and only has a small amount to do with the quality of the teachers. The entire curriculum framework is one key factor, as is the family and social lives of the students. Of course there are the tests themselves which are quite controversial to some.

 

[hamohawk1]

Would i become a teacher? No, not because of the stress, workload, it just doesn't interest me enough to a point where i feel i could give 100%. While teachers do work on their holidays, i've also had mates who describe the 2 week periods as a time to 'refine their golf game'

 

[Evolved1]

Debt jubilee: will our debts be written off?

The idea of a "debt jubilee" – general society-wide cancellation of debt – goes back to Biblical times. Could it happen again? And would it really do any good?

moneyweek.com

Drastic times drastic measures - one solution to kick start the global economy.New the end the article reference it was the Jubilee that got the Germany economy going after WW2

That option would benefit overleveraged businesses and individuals at the expense of those who've been financially responsible. I'm not a fan for that reason.

 

[Evolved1]

Why are teachers getting shat on here?

It's one of the most underpaid careers I can think of. They're charged with managing a bunch of kids, paid peanuts (for a management position), and are accountable to the parents of those special little princes and princesses.

They put in plenty of time outside normal working hours attending meetings, correcting work, preparing for classes, and communicating with parents.

Thanks but no thanks. Those two weeks of refining putting are well earned afaic.

 

[its free real estate]

Underrated post.

Leasing costs are what are killing businesses here.

Maybe the tables will turn in this recession. I have a mate who is turning the screws on his landlord, said he will happily end the lease and either run the business from home or go on Jobseeker for a bit if that flops unless the rent is cut drastically.

 

[Deliverance]

None of the top performing kids at my school had ambitions or went on to be teachers. Needs a change up.

Most if the top performing kids in schools would be awful teachers.

 

[Seeds]

If Trump somehow remains in power he will be looking at China for a scapegoat for the virus mess, so yes a cold war between them a possibility.

I think a democrat president will more likely have a war with china As their ideologies are fundamentally different to chinas. Trump likes Xi. He is easily persuaded by him and doesnt stick to his ideology.

 

[Seeds]

Nothing will change on this. Our lifestyles are so far away from our biology. The healthy person is almost an outlier.

thats kind of inconsistent with the record high life expectancy.

do people really not know how bad human life, diets and health was in the past?

 

[Seeds]

I can't see Scomo reintroducing a carbon tax. That would be political suicide for a LNP leader, wouldn't it?

A GST increase has a high probability though.

How about a higher gst on energy purchases? Would that work.

 

[Bollox]

Take advantage of the virus distraction to ban all cats from the country. Would mark the greatest single environmental triumph in Aust history.
Dig up and flog as much s**t as we can.
Shear more Sheep.
Annex New Zealand before someone else gets in first.

 

[Seeds]

I don't know, but given how interconnected the world now is - compared the 1940's - I think it could only work if it was universal - all countries.
It's a radical idea, but we are likely facing 30% unemployment, mass bankruptcies, the associated civil unrest and who knows what else.

Of all the ideas floated, whilst there are so many hurdles and issues to consider, the one strength a global debt jubilee has is that it would be certain to create a massive economic surge across the globe. I think, what you are essentially doing is punishing passive rich investors and destroying the existing banks whilst distributing that wealth.

The banks would have to be reformed anew. It is the Retiree who is living off investments, bonds, and other financial instruments who would be most hurt.
So there would need to be numerous mitigations.

The interesting thing is that the very rich are not all going to be looking at this the same way. Many in the most effected sectors: Hotels, Tourism, Airlines, Car hire, Service Sectors, Retail and many others will not survive without something radical.

It would create a great depression and send interest rates going higher than bitcoin 2 years ago. no one would ever lend money again.

 

[yebiga]

It would create a great depression and send interest rates going higher than bitcoin 2 years ago. no one would ever lend money again.

Not necessarily, If you nationalise banks and legislate the lending criteria.