Discussion Random Discussion

[SaintsSeptember]

Politics can be so divisive. We (humans) seem to hold onto our political leaning as avidly as we support our favourite sporting club.
I have read that there is a tendency for the vast majority of people to fall into one of two general psychological categories (conservative or liberal).

Oddly, here in Australia the conservative party call themselves "Liberal Party of Australia" and the more liberal party is known as "The Australian Labor Party". The Liberal Party have formed a coalition with the Country Party which is now known as the National Party.

Both parties believe in the basic freedoms we take for granted, freedoms of thought, association, speech and religion.

The Liberals believe in minimising government to reduce taxes and prevent "red tape".
They believe that businesses and individuals create wealth and opportunity.
They tend to make ideological decisions not based on evidence.

The Labor Party tries to ensure a fairer distribution of the wealth. It believes in providing strong safety nets for all members of our society in order to reduce poverty and increase opportunity for all. It utilises a large government infrastructure to provide these services. The so-called "red tape" is often to prevent the powerful from exploiting the people or the resources we share.

I believe that we need both parties to hold power in alternation. Labor brings innovation and provides infrastructure that really does good for the people of Australia and even other parts of the world. The Liberals cut government costs by reducing staff and services, forcing government to become more economical.

Imagine a sine graph.

One thing that confuses me is that historically, the National debt (as a percentage of GDP) always increases while under Liberal government and remains quite steady under a Labor government and yet the Liberals try to present themselves as better economic managers.

Imagine ascending stairs

If left unchecked, the Liberal government will create a super rich elite, a smaller middle class, and genuine poverty with little concern for shared natural resources. Privatisation of traditional government services will end up making them cost more so fewer can use them. The poor subsidise the wealthy. The unchecked Labor government will create a much larger middle class, less poverty and less extreme wealth. Spending on government infrastructure and services will require higher taxes. Private innovation is not as high a priority. Restrictions are put in place so that the unscrupulous don't cheat. The wealthy subsidise the poor.

You just need to watch the traditionalist workers/bosses view Kildonian.

a) No-one wants to invest in Australian businesses. Is it a good idea to make it less tempting?
b) There are 27 billionaires in Australia. They can easily join one of 1800 similarly described people outside Australia, and not contribute anything.
c) Most "rich" derive income from their companies. You can make plenty of money if you own a huge business outright, even if its only making 1% return return. But then when we get into public listed companies it gets more competitive. So tax Australian companies to the hilt, we end up with Apple selling truckloads of IPHONES that they bought from ireland for 20 bucks less than retail, even though the phones were never actually in ireland. They won't be paying tax. Are you going to single out the guy who is making 1% return? Australian companies go broke and that's it. Their overseas competitors can file chapter 13 and wipe off their debts.

There are 800 Australians who are "residents" of the Cayman islands.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Desal will be used this year.

I love how Andrews gave gippsland $270m to create jobs for people in gippsland, the company's that won the contracts are melb based and are bringing in workers from melb and WA. Hahah cheers.

The desal was a money tree, i worked there for 6 months and made 3 x the annual avg wage for doing absolutely nothing.

Projects need to be managed better and independently.

I didn't object to the desal plant being built ( though not many people know that one of the contributing factors of the shortage at the time was the flushing of more water down the Thompson river as "environmental flow" than would have occurred naturally during some of the drought years ). Its the money tree thing i don't like.

I'd be a massive fan of a scheme involving massive cuts in company taxes in proportion to facilities operated ( ie not fake companies ) outside designated high population centres.

There is no need for businesses to be clumped around the CBD in this day and age. You don't NEED to walk from your bank to the stock exchange.
Its all the people who need to commute to these business centres that contributes to the high demand on transport infrastructure.
It imposes a high financial burden to those in the lower placed jobs. Yes the head of marketing can walk out of his apartment door , cross the road and go to work. No need for a car and all its costs , transport etc.
The poor janitor lives in Packenham, has to drive to the railway station because a bus adds another half an hour to his already hour and half trip.

Anything that could be put in a Country town like Warragul, or Shepperton should be encouraged to go there.
Start to do that, and you also start to sort out some of the other problems that are going on in those area's.

 

[Joffaboy]

This is a bullshit line of discussion Joffa.

We could talk about crim Labor gov and their desalination plant, built at way more than the normal global cost of such things, and providing buckets of money to organized crime with links to the construction industry. People employed without jobs to do. Strippers performing in the workplace.

At the same time they built a useless pipeline to channel water from a place where there is a shortage of water to another place where there is a shortage of water, and likely never will be used.

Should the libs have spent money undoing it? Self defeating.

Did they deliberately sign contracts two weeks before an election where the opposition platform was to scrap the project costing 700 mill for nothing?

The only bullshit is that the Liberals who did arent in jail.

As for the desal plant. Thank god there is never going to be another draught in Victoria. I am sure you wont use the water from it as a protest when that happens.

 

[crasha301]

I didn't object to the desal plant being built ( though not many people know that one of the contributing factors of the shortage at the time was the flushing of more water down the Thompson river as "environmental flow" than would have occurred naturally during some of the drought years ). Its the money tree thing i don't like.

I'd be a massive fan of a scheme involving massive cuts in company taxes in proportion to facilities operated ( ie not fake companies ) outside designated high population centres.

There is no need for businesses to be clumped around the CBD in this day and age. You don't NEED to walk from your bank to the stock exchange.
Its all the people who need to commute to these business centres that contributes to the high demand on transport infrastructure.
It imposes a high financial burden to those in the lower placed jobs. Yes the head of marketing can walk out of his apartment door , cross the road and go to work. No need for a car and all its costs , transport etc.
The poor janitor lives in Packenham, has to drive to the railway station because a bus adds another half an hour to his already hour and half trip.

Anything that could be put in a Country town like Warragul, or Shepperton should be encouraged to go there.
Start to do that, and you also start to sort out some of the other problems that are going on in those area's.

I agree, so much money is wasted on big projects its not funny. Tax payers shouldn't pay 100k a year for "business lunches" or 35k a year on milk sugar and coffee.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Did they deliberately sign contracts two weeks before an election where the opposition platform was to scrap the project costing 700 mill for nothing?

The only bullshit is that the Liberals who did arent in jail.

As for the desal plant. Thank god there is never going to be another draught in Victoria. I am sure you wont use the water from it as a protest when that happens.

Sure thing Joff , put the liberals in jail and let the guys who run over people in the cbd , and the apex gang roam free.

Nice talking to you mate.

 

[Joffaboy]

Sure thing Joff , put the liberals in jail and let the guys who run over people in the cbd , and the apex gang roam free.

Nice talking to you mate.

Yes correct. I stated exactly that. Fair dinkum.

Please don't tell lies when the facts get in the way of your narrative please.

Makes you sound very dumb which you are quite evidently not.

 

[Plumber66]

I didn't object to the desal plant being built ( though not many people know that one of the contributing factors of the shortage at the time was the flushing of more water down the Thompson river as "environmental flow" than would have occurred naturally during some of the drought years ). Its the money tree thing i don't like.

I'd be a massive fan of a scheme involving massive cuts in company taxes in proportion to facilities operated ( ie not fake companies ) outside designated high population centres.

There is no need for businesses to be clumped around the CBD in this day and age. You don't NEED to walk from your bank to the stock exchange.
Its all the people who need to commute to these business centres that contributes to the high demand on transport infrastructure.
It imposes a high financial burden to those in the lower placed jobs. Yes the head of marketing can walk out of his apartment door , cross the road and go to work. No need for a car and all its costs , transport etc.
The poor janitor lives in Packenham, has to drive to the railway station because a bus adds another half an hour to his already hour and half trip.

Anything that could be put in a Country town like Warragul, or Shepperton should be encouraged to go there.
Start to do that, and you also start to sort out some of the other problems that are going on in those area's.

They totally ****ed up the NBN.

Fibre broadband would allow more people to work from home, and allow business to set up satellite offices in rural areas.

My dad now runs his business / office from his laptop and saves thousands in rent, staff and other overheads. The cost savings are passed on to the consumer.

Imagine less commuting, traffic congestion, and demand on public infrastructure. Less exhaust gas in the atmosphere.

Imagine saving yourself an hour or two per day by not having to drive to work.

How much would business save in rent insurance etc?

The same people complaining about the tunnel are likely the same ones who voted for fraud band.

Tax payers money blah blah blah. But when it comes to real infrastructure in the digital age, you all vote for the status quo. Despite cost blowouts and an obsolete technology.

Just another example of a party that's happy to privatise the profits and burden the tax payer with the costs.

You reap what you sow. Sick it up and stop complaining. You had your chance a few months back but chose ignorance.

Neo Liberalism is a fraud and yet all those complaining about life still don't get it, carry on the same way and then wonder why things don't change.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

They totally stuffed up the NBN.

Fibre broadband would allow more people to work from home, and allow business to set up satellite offices in rural areas.

My dad now runs his business / office from his laptop and saves thousands in rent, staff and other overheads. The cost savings are passed on to the consumer.

Imagine less commuting, traffic congestion, and demand on public infrastructure. Less exhaust gas in the atmosphere.

Imagine saving yourself an hour or two per day by not having to drive to work.

How much would business save in rent insurance etc?

The same people complaining about the tunnel are likely the same ones who voted for fraud band.

Tax payers money blah blah blah. But when it comes to real infrastructure in the digital age, you all vote for the status quo. Despite cost blowouts and an obsolete technology.

Just another example of a party that's happy to privatise the profits and burden the tax payer with the costs.

You reap what you sow. Sick it up and stop complaining. You had your chance a few months back but chose ignorance.

Neo Liberalism is a fraud and yet all those complaining about life still don't get it, carry on the same way and then wonder why things don't change.

I have absolute crap internet at home.
Its ADSL and it buggers up every time it rains.
The business i work for tries to communicate constantly with Europe, they have decent adsl not NBN.


Because i have some semblance of broadband its ten millionth on the list of area's to get NBN.

I would think that if the cost was that much higher , then i would be waiting longer or forever to get it.

Most people can't and won't be able to work from home.

Because your dad does his business on his laptop he doesn't have to pay staff? Seriously?
What was he paying them for previously? to park his car?

The whole NBN concept was misguided. ( by both parties i think ).
Surely a targeted approach to what services are available in what area's is needed?

 

[StCicatriz]

I agree, so much money is wasted on big projects its not funny. Tax payers shouldn't pay 100k a year for "business lunches" or 35k a year on milk sugar and coffee.

you think thats bad. the lib gov over here were spending like half a million on office chair for an office

then there was like a 60k desk

 

[Periphery]

The whole NBN concept was misguided. ( by both parties i think ).
Surely a targeted approach to what services are available in what area's is needed?

Nope. The original NBN plan was ideal and the only misguided thing about it was that they wanted to privatise it after a while.

Also would have ended up being cheaper to construct than the shitshow the LNP are giving us now.

 

[StCicatriz]

They totally stuffed up the NBN.

Fibre broadband would allow more people to work from home, and allow business to set up satellite offices in rural areas.

My dad now runs his business / office from his laptop and saves thousands in rent, staff and other overheads. The cost savings are passed on to the consumer.

Imagine less commuting, traffic congestion, and demand on public infrastructure. Less exhaust gas in the atmosphere.

Imagine saving yourself an hour or two per day by not having to drive to work.

How much would business save in rent insurance etc?

The same people complaining about the tunnel are likely the same ones who voted for fraud band.

Tax payers money blah blah blah. But when it comes to real infrastructure in the digital age, you all vote for the status quo. Despite cost blowouts and an obsolete technology.

Just another example of a party that's happy to privatise the profits and burden the tax payer with the costs.

You reap what you sow. Sick it up and stop complaining. You had your chance a few months back but chose ignorance.

Neo Liberalism is a fraud and yet all those complaining about life still don't get it, carry on the same way and then wonder why things don't change.

i work in IT, the problem with that is it opens the door for outsourcing in a big way. which btw i'm yet to see a good out sourced developer. they're horrid, but companies dont look at the quality or the long term damage. its all short term thinking

 

[crasha301]

you think thats bad. the lib gov over here were spending like half a million on office chair for an office

then there was like a 60k desk

This makes me sad.. it's so wrong on so many levels.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

i work in IT, the problem with that is it opens the door for outsourcing in a big way. which btw i'm yet to see a good out sourced developer. they're horrid, but companies dont look at the quality or the long term damage. its all short term thinking

If someone is working from home, it makes little difference whether they are home on the Sunshine coast or home in Downtown Delhi.

What we may see is people who work from home "sometimes".
Working from home has plenty of issues as well ( maybe not insurmountable ). Punching the clock doesn't work to keep track of hours.
I know if i'm working at home, no matter how much i try to isolate myself, i have to end up yelling at someone to *&%$ off.

Communication is something that is drummed into people doing business courses. Politicians and Businessmen fly round the world to "talk" to their international peers. It seems a stretch to consider that "work from home" will help with communication issues.

 

[StCicatriz]

If someone is working from home, it makes little difference whether they are home on the Sunshine coast or home in Downtown Delhi.

What we may see is people who work from home "sometimes".
Working from home has plenty of issues as well ( maybe not insurmountable ). Punching the clock doesn't work to keep track of hours.
I know if i'm working at home, no matter how much i try to isolate myself, i have to end up yelling at someone to *&%$ off.

Communication is something that is drummed into people doing business courses. Politicians and Businessmen fly round the world to "talk" to their international peers. It seems a stretch to consider that "work from home" will help with communication issues.

i agree with the sometimes part, here we have a number of hot desks for those who work out on site most of the time

however, as a software dev, the problem we have noticed is that working from home is not as efficient as working from the office. the main inefficiency is during the daily scrums, which is basically a meeting you have at the start of each day where everyone updates everyone else with their progress. its a good forum to discuss any issues etc. doing it over the phone is horrible, same with video links etc. nothing beats having everyone in the same room to do it

its just so easy for the high level managers to look at the numbers and go "well if they're all working remotely now, how's that any different to using an offshore code shop". they're not across the detail and havent worked in the role, so they dont get the issues or complexity. its just a numbers decision for them based on short to medium term forecasts. they dont have to pay redundancy/entitlements etc.

 

[StCicatriz]

This makes me sad.. it's so wrong on so many levels.

i just goggled it to refresh my memory. holy shit it was worse than i remembered.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wes...s/news-story/1a3b556eb4155cfbc1d2df09d4480fe9

THE WA Government has been accused of wasting money on relocating the Mental Health Commission’s offices while failing to open additional beds for youth mental health patients.

The Government said it cost almost $7 million relocating and refitting the new premises including $130,000 for 300 chairs which cost $450 each and needed training on how to use them. 41 staff completed the training.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wes...e/news-story/752777c7570de00a28e99714b62a4988

THE State Government's $56 million refurbishment of Dumas House could cost even more than expected, Finance Minister Simon O'Brien admits.

 

[sonnywalters]

Good to be rid of Bruce McAvaney wanking on during the tennis coverage.
Every time a player picked their nose he would claim it was a 'special moment' or 'history in the making'.

 

[Plumber66]

New

I have absolute crap internet at home.
Its ADSL and it buggers up every time it rains.
The business i work for tries to communicate constantly with Europe, they have decent adsl not NBN.


Because i have some semblance of broadband its ten millionth on the list of area's to get NBN.

I would think that if the cost was that much higher , then i would be waiting longer or forever to get it.

Most people can't and won't be able to work from home.

Because your dad does his business on his laptop he doesn't have to pay staff? Seriously?
What was he paying them for previously? to park his car?

The whole NBN concept was misguided. ( by both parties i think ).
Surely a targeted approach to what services are available in what area's is needed?

New Business model champ. Doesn't need office space and everything associated with it due to technology.

Quite simple really.

No not everyone can work from home, but tale whatever % you think can off the roads and do the math.

Jobs going overseas, why?

If people could work from home , businesses would be more competitive and their productivity would improve. Wouldn't have to send those jobs overseas.

Productivity gains drive economic gains. Not Bullshit wage or corporate tax cuts.

Put more disposable $$$ in the hands of consumers.

But I digress.

When you have morons like Joyce bragging that 3 Netflix streams is sufficient for household internet speeds then you know we're screwed.

Fibre is a system that you can grow into for the next century.

Like roads, we have a shit system where they have to keep adding lanes to cope as an afterthought.

We would have been better off with original NBN even if it took longer.

But as Abbott clearly stated: Trunbull was appointed to destroy it. They painted themselves into a corner and Australians fell for it hook line and sinker.

 

[Smoke_Me_AKipper]

15 minutes to people's journey? From where to where?
What a shocking world we live in, I mean if we have to sit in our heated or air conditioned car for an extra few minutes how will we survive? When will the madness end?!?!??

I also find it funny that you're having a crack at the 'lack of infrastructure', yet 2 pages back you were having a whinge at the Andrews government about the level crossings, you know, the infrastructure being built to help with traffic? So which one is it mate?

I'm whinging at the Andrews Govt for spending all that money on level crossings to save 139 lives in 10 years? (source The Age June 2014). Yeah that's a good use of public money isn't it mate!!! How about infrastructure spend on something that will benefit more of the 5.5m people that live in this city, (not 139), such as major roads that will ease congestion in Melbourne? It was suggested by those in the know that the best way to do that was some kind of east west link rather than the level crossing idea which is what Labour was pushing for. There has essentially been little or no infrastructure spend by either Govt in the last 15 years or so. The traffic has got worse and worse due to a lack of......wait for it.....infrastructure to ease congestion around Melbourne. How about using the money for more mental health services and hospitals and schools - especially in some of the new growth corridors in outer Melbourne?

"In fifteen years, Melbourne’s population has grown by a third, adding more than a million people and congesting roads and public transport alike. Yet the Bureau’s figures show that over the same period, under Liberal and Labor governments, Victoria has invested less in building new infrastructure than any other state, as a share of national expenditure. Even Tasmania, with far smaller needs, invests far more of its resources in building new transport infrastructure." Inside Story October 2015

"The state’s leaders love to declare Melbourne the world’s most liveable city. They seem not to realise that Melbourne works because of the investments made by nineteenth-century governments, the Hamer government’s determination to build the underground rail loop, and governments of both sides investing to create a road network that worked until recently. Each side always has big plans, but the bottom line is what they are actually investing – and that it far too little to keep Melbourne liveable." Inside Story October 2015

"the list includes the now shelved Melbourne East West Link. This project, which was halted by the election of the Andrews Labor government in Victoria, is rated by IA (Infrastructure Australia) as one of the “high priority initiatives”. The Guardian Feb 2016

So yeah all that money to save 139 lives in 10 years - really 14 lives per year? We have an obsession in this country to try to save people from themselves. You cant save everyone and you certainly cant fix stupid. It's like the inane idea that we can get the road death tally to zero. NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN unless we reduce speed limits to 10km per hour which also isnt going to happen. It's called taking personal responsibility.

Funny that the Govt is finally going to review the bail/parole laws which is exactly what I and others were calling for. Apparently the police asked 2 or 3 times permission to ram the c*nt before all the carnage happened but were denied by someone higher up. Again what I said earlier - the police are trying to do a good job but are hamstrung by incompetent higher-ups and Govt regulation and the fact that they could be sued at a drop of a hat by a deranged criminal becuase the police are only trying to do their job.

Our population is expected to double from the expected 6m this year to 9.5m in 2046. Infrastrusture Victoria 30 year Draft

Things have to change Joop.

Look you have your ideas - this everything is awesome attitude which I strongly disagree with - it is as simple as that. You go your way and I will go mine....

 

[Periphery]

I'm whinging at the Andrews Govt for spending all that money on level crossings to save 139 lives in 10 years? (source The Age June 2014). Yeah that's a good use of public money isn't it mate!!! How about infrastructure spend on something that will benefit more of the 5.5m people that live in this city, (not 139), such as major roads that will ease congestion in Melbourne? It was suggested by those in the know that the best way to do that was some kind of east west link rather than the level crossing idea which is what Labour was pushing for. There has essentially been little or no infrastructure spend by either Govt in the last 15 years or so. The traffic has got worse and worse due to a lack of......wait for it.....infrastructure to ease congestion around Melbourne. How about using the money for more mental health services and hospitals and schools - especially in some of the new growth corridors in outer Melbourne?

"In fifteen years, Melbourne’s population has grown by a third, adding more than a million people and congesting roads and public transport alike. Yet the Bureau’s figures show that over the same period, under Liberal and Labor governments, Victoria has invested less in building new infrastructure than any other state, as a share of national expenditure. Even Tasmania, with far smaller needs, invests far more of its resources in building new transport infrastructure." Inside Story October 2015

"The state’s leaders love to declare Melbourne the world’s most liveable city. They seem not to realise that Melbourne works because of the investments made by nineteenth-century governments, the Hamer government’s determination to build the underground rail loop, and governments of both sides investing to create a road network that worked until recently. Each side always has big plans, but the bottom line is what they are actually investing – and that it far too little to keep Melbourne liveable." Inside Story October 2015

"the list includes the now shelved Melbourne East West Link. This project, which was halted by the election of the Andrews Labor government in Victoria, is rated by IA (Infrastructure Australia) as one of the “high priority initiatives”. The Guardian Feb 2016

So yeah all that money to save 139 lives in 10 years - really 14 lives per year? We have an obsession in this country to try to save people from themselves. You cant save everyone and you certainly cant fix stupid. It's like the inane idea that we can get the road death tally to zero. NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN unless we reduce speed limits to 10km per hour which also isnt going to happen. It's called taking personal responsibility.

Funny that the Govt is finally going to review the bail/parole laws which is exactly what I and others were calling for. Apparently the police asked 2 or 3 times permission to ram the c*nt before all the carnage happened but were denied by someone higher up. Again what I said earlier - the police are trying to do a good job but are hamstrung by incompetent higher-ups and Govt regulation and the fact that they could be sued at a drop of a hat by a deranged criminal becuase the police are only trying to do their job.

Our population is expected to double from the expected 6m this year to 9.5m in 2046. Infrastrusture Victoria 30 year Draft

Things have to change Joop.

Look you have your ideas - this everything is awesome attitude which I strongly disagree with - it is as simple as that. You go your way and I will go mine....

You have no idea what you are talking about in regards to the level crossing removals if you think the main benefit is saving lives or that it wont reduce congestion.

Building more roads will not solve congestion problems.

As I posted earlier in this thread: The East West link would have ended up costing the Vic Government more money than it would have taken to just outright fully funded the project. The estimated benefits were also remarkably low for the scale of the project. It probably does need to be built at some stage, but there are better things to spend money on first and if it goes ahead it shouldn't be a public private partnership (no infrastructure should be).

The reason the police pursuit laws were changed in the first place is because they kill people. In the 5 years prior to the changes 13 people dies and 28 were injured as a direct result of police pursuits. Previously, most pursuits were resulting from relatively minor infractions. The changes don't stop the police chasing people if the crime they have committed is of a certain seriousness or the threat to the public is imminent and severe.

 

[joop]

I'm whinging at the Andrews Govt for spending all that money on level crossings to save 139 lives in 10 years? (source The Age June 2014). Yeah that's a good use of public money isn't it mate!!! How about infrastructure spend on something that will benefit more of the 5.5m people that live in this city, (not 139), such as major roads that will ease congestion in Melbourne? It was suggested by those in the know that the best way to do that was some kind of east west link rather than the level crossing idea which is what Labour was pushing for. There has essentially been little or no infrastructure spend by either Govt in the last 15 years or so. The traffic has got worse and worse due to a lack of......wait for it.....infrastructure to ease congestion around Melbourne. How about using the money for more mental health services and hospitals and schools - especially in some of the new growth corridors in outer Melbourne?

"In fifteen years, Melbourne’s population has grown by a third, adding more than a million people and congesting roads and public transport alike. Yet the Bureau’s figures show that over the same period, under Liberal and Labor governments, Victoria has invested less in building new infrastructure than any other state, as a share of national expenditure. Even Tasmania, with far smaller needs, invests far more of its resources in building new transport infrastructure." Inside Story October 2015

"The state’s leaders love to declare Melbourne the world’s most liveable city. They seem not to realise that Melbourne works because of the investments made by nineteenth-century governments, the Hamer government’s determination to build the underground rail loop, and governments of both sides investing to create a road network that worked until recently. Each side always has big plans, but the bottom line is what they are actually investing – and that it far too little to keep Melbourne liveable." Inside Story October 2015

"the list includes the now shelved Melbourne East West Link. This project, which was halted by the election of the Andrews Labor government in Victoria, is rated by IA (Infrastructure Australia) as one of the “high priority initiatives”. The Guardian Feb 2016

So yeah all that money to save 139 lives in 10 years - really 14 lives per year? We have an obsession in this country to try to save people from themselves. You cant save everyone and you certainly cant fix stupid. It's like the inane idea that we can get the road death tally to zero. NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN unless we reduce speed limits to 10km per hour which also isnt going to happen. It's called taking personal responsibility.

Funny that the Govt is finally going to review the bail/parole laws which is exactly what I and others were calling for. Apparently the police asked 2 or 3 times permission to ram the c*nt before all the carnage happened but were denied by someone higher up. Again what I said earlier - the police are trying to do a good job but are hamstrung by incompetent higher-ups and Govt regulation and the fact that they could be sued at a drop of a hat by a deranged criminal becuase the police are only trying to do their job.

Our population is expected to double from the expected 6m this year to 9.5m in 2046. Infrastrusture Victoria 30 year Draft

Things have to change Joop.

Look you have your ideas - this everything is awesome attitude which I strongly disagree with - it is as simple as that. You go your way and I will go mine....

You can't be serious if you think the crossings are built purely to save lives?

I've actually never said everything is awesome so I'd appreciate you not putting words in my mouth. I definitely don't think it's as bad as you. I mean from the government all the way down to traffic it's just shit for you. We must live in different cities.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

New

New Business model champ. Doesn't need office space and everything associated with it due to technology.

Quite simple really.

No not everyone can work from home, but tale whatever % you think can off the roads and do the math.

Jobs going overseas, why?

If people could work from home , businesses would be more competitive and their productivity would improve. Wouldn't have to send those jobs overseas.

Productivity gains drive economic gains. Not Bullshit wage or corporate tax cuts.

Put more disposable $$$ in the hands of consumers.

But I digress.

When you have morons like Joyce bragging that 3 Netflix streams is sufficient for household internet speeds then you know we're screwed.

Fibre is a system that you can grow into for the next century.

Like roads, we have a shit system where they have to keep adding lanes to cope as an afterthought.

We would have been better off with original NBN even if it took longer.

But as Abbott clearly stated: Trunbull was appointed to destroy it. They painted themselves into a corner and Australians fell for it hook line and sinker.

If you could do your whole job from home, why would jobs not go overseas.
For example if you wanted someone to code software for you and you chose to outsource it. Why would you NOT choose someone in India.?

Productivity = $ per output. Not hours per output.

If you really want to make less people drive on the road. Make buses compulsory for schoolkids where provided.
Every year, this time of year the same pattern.
Bugger all traffic after christmas.
A bit more now, but still flowing nicely, some drivers seem a bit sleepy.

Monday week will be gridlock.
Then it backs off a bit when some people realize public transport ( for them ) is the better of two evils.

1 child per car for pickup and drop off is bad for traffic bad for the environment.

 

[Highlander35]

Having "spoken" to some of the Transport engineers that were involved in the East-West Link, the suggestion seemed to be that the increased access to the inner suburbs provided by the Western was a viable project in and of itself, but as a whole, it was a political project built in the mindset of "will this specific project reduce congestion" rather than, "what feasible project will reduce congestion the most".

Either way, level crossings have always felt backwards as ****. Glad they're going, even if it's not the "best" use of funding.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Having "spoken" to some of the Transport engineers that were involved in the East-West Link, the suggestion seemed to be that the increased access to the inner suburbs provided by the Western was a viable project in and of itself, but as a whole, it was a political project built in the mindset of "will this specific project reduce congestion" rather than, "what feasible project will reduce congestion the most".

Either way, level crossings have always felt backwards as ****. Glad they're going, even if it's not the "best" use of funding.

I think Sydney has had 2 or so level crossings for more than a decade now ( maybe none ).
God they are archaic.

 

[StCicatriz]

New

New Business model champ. Doesn't need office space and everything associated with it due to technology.

Quite simple really.

No not everyone can work from home, but tale whatever % you think can off the roads and do the math.

Jobs going overseas, why?

If people could work from home , businesses would be more competitive and their productivity would improve. Wouldn't have to send those jobs overseas.

Productivity gains drive economic gains. Not Bullshit wage or corporate tax cuts.

Put more disposable $$$ in the hands of consumers.

But I digress.

When you have morons like Joyce bragging that 3 Netflix streams is sufficient for household internet speeds then you know we're screwed.

Fibre is a system that you can grow into for the next century.

Like roads, we have a shit system where they have to keep adding lanes to cope as an afterthought.

We would have been better off with original NBN even if it took longer.

But as Abbott clearly stated: Trunbull was appointed to destroy it. They painted themselves into a corner and Australians fell for it hook line and sinker.

Because the next logical conclusion would be if people are working remote why not use resources that are far far far cheaper without the protections and rights employees get here

In other words $$$

 

[Kildonan]

15 minutes to people's journey? From where to where?
What a shocking world we live in, I mean if we have to sit in our heated or air conditioned car for an extra few minutes how will we survive? When will the madness end?!?!??

I also find it funny that you're having a crack at the 'lack of infrastructure', yet 2 pages back you were having a whinge at the Andrews government about the level crossings, you know, the infrastructure being built to help with traffic? So which one is it mate?

Actually when you consider the sheer numbers of people all being held up by 15 minutes each way every day for week say 48 weeks a year over a number of years - you are looking at serious carbon release and serious extra fuel costs and raised stress levels