An expensive place to live

I moved to Australia more than a decade ago and what shocked me was this country is quickly becoming expensive to live.

My business is mostly overseas and there is not a single chance I could run my business in Australia with the cost of local shipping rates. It still wouldnt sell even for free. There would need to be a radical change from the government for any of the buying from internet business to compete with international businesses. The only way you would sell is that you have completely different product protected from various patent in countries this still will not stop clones showing up on Ali lol.

The buying from internet are mostly drop shipped. These items are not coming from the sellers, they come from warehouses located closely to the shipping channel. The orders are packed and shipped in hundreds every minute. They are packed with your address and scan with a local post authority working on site. Its as efficient as it gets unfortunately it also chokes the postal channel. But its OK, there will not be any protest for overtime and underpaid because its a communist country and people prefer to work hard rather than complain. They cherish their job rather than toiling around. BTW there's no centerlink there :). Government poke.

So it chokes the local shipping channel what now? They offload their goods to Singapore post. How does a small country offer such help to a massive operation. I am taking about hundreds of items posted per second. So much it would bring Amazon to a halt in minutes. Its amazing how efficient when there is less of the red tapes can make. Its also how volume can quickly turn a miniscule amount into pretty profit. You guys have to see it for yourself to understand the scale of operation these shipping companies operate.

BTW FYI Ali just increase their stakes on Singapore Post 3 days ago. Google the news of you like.

As for free postal, blame it on the union post agreement. If we post less items overseas it will be harder and harder for local seller and buyer because oversea post prices will always be cheaper.

If there's any indication of Aussie manufacturing, look at the the current automotive industry, unfortunately looking bleak. This is really sad. Countries like UK moved on to high tech manufacturing making communication satellites and such why Aussie is lagging behind. It saddens me to see manufacturing go. Means my metal tools and supplies will be more expensive and impossible locally.

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Originally Posted by forp

I moved to Australia more than a decade ago and what shocked me was this country is quickly becoming expensive to live.

My business is mostly overseas and there is not a single chance I could run my business in Australia with the cost of local shipping rates. It still wouldnt sell even for free. There would need to be a radical change from the government for any of the buying from internet business to compete with international businesses. The only way you would sell is that you have completely different product protected from various patent in countries this still will not stop clones showing up on Ali lol.

The buying from internet are mostly drop shipped. These items are not coming from the sellers, they come from warehouses located closely to the shipping channel. The orders are packed and shipped in hundreds every minute. They are packed with your address and scan with a local post authority working on site. Its as efficient as it gets unfortunately it also chokes the postal channel. But its OK, there will not be any protest for overtime and underpaid because its a communist country and people prefer to work hard rather than complain. They cherish their job rather than toiling around. BTW there's no centerlink there :). Government poke.

So it chokes the local shipping channel what now? They offload their goods to Singapore post. How does a small country offer such help to a massive operation. I am taking about hundreds of items posted per second. So much it would bring Amazon to a halt in minutes. Its amazing how efficient when there is less of the red tapes can make. Its also how volume can quickly turn a miniscule amount into pretty profit. You guys have to see it for yourself to understand the scale of operation these shipping companies operate.

BTW FYI Ali just increase their stakes on Singapore Post 3 days ago. Google the news of you like.

As for free postal, blame it on the union post agreement. If we post less items overseas it will be harder and harder for local seller and buyer because oversea post prices will always be cheaper.

If there's any indication of Aussie manufacturing, look at the the current automotive industry, unfortunately looking bleak. This is really sad. Countries like UK moved on to high tech manufacturing making satellites and such why Aussie is lagging behind. It saddens me to see manufacturing go. Means my metal tools and supplies will be more expensive and impossible locally.

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The problem here in Australia is that we employ 4 people to do the work of 2 that only actually do the work of 1, then you have OH&S to contend with. We are over Governed and over protected from ourselves and then you have the union element that get involved. Not to mention the employee's that need an operation to remove their Mobile Phone from their hand.:B

Just my 2 cents worth after owning and running 2 small businesses.:no:

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Originally Posted by Auskart

The problem here in Australia is that we employ 4 people to do the work of 2 that only actually do the work of 1, then you have OH&S to contend with. We are over Governed and over protected from ourselves and then you have the union element that get involved. Not to mention the employee's that need an operation to remove their Mobile Phone from their hand.:B

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I agree Auskart

OH&S is keeping someone rich...and it aint me
Under OH&S we are treated as though we are ALL idiots...ie at one work site I go to those kitchen steps that you kick around and it lowers to the ground when you step on it are okay to use....but stand on the first rung yes the FIRST (not to be confused with the top) of a three foot set of steps I need a working at height permit...thats 12 inches or so from the floor...but wait theres more.............................I have to also wear a hard hat.!!!!!!

OH&S here is an example of having too much of a good thing. A workmate of mine is getting paid in full for sitting at home because he sprain his back from lifting two slabs of drinks in the office kitchen. For 6 months! The people from OHS visited the office to inspect, his DESK and CHAIR. This is office environment, with over 200 employees in an office building in the middle of Melbourne CBD.
Yes it's a good place to live at the moment, land not as rich as those with oil but we have our mines. When the coal run out like gold mines, we have other stuff to dig. Keep digging guys! :U

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Originally Posted by eskimo

I agree Auskart

OH&S is keeping someone rich...and it aint me
Under OH&S we are treated as though we are ALL idiots...ie at one work site I go to those kitchen steps that you kick around and it lowers to the ground when you step on it are okay to use....but stand on the first rung yes the FIRST (not to be confused with the top) of a three foot set of steps I need a working at height permit...thats 12 inches or so from the floor...but wait theres more.............................I have to also wear a hard hat.!!!!!!

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Yes the Lunaticks are definitely running the asylum as far as OH&S goes.:no:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by eskimo

Under OH&S we are treated as though we are ALL idiots...ie at one work site I go to those kitchen steps that you kick around and it lowers to the ground when you step on it are okay to use....but stand on the first rung yes the FIRST (not to be confused with the top) of a three foot set of steps I need a working at height permit...thats 12 inches or so from the floor...but wait theres more.............................I have to also wear a hard hat.!!!!!!

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Once I was asked to help out a friend with a job he won a contract to do and he needed my expertise to help out, for a small financial consideration of course. The worksite was in the Darwin Convention Centre. My friend was working on the ground but one of the members of his "Workgroup" was working on a scissor lift. This meant everyone in the "workgroup" including me, had to wear hardhats and high-visibility vests. My friend and I were never closer than 30 metres to the scissor lift, but we still needed the extra safety gear.

But wait, theres more - there was another workgroup working in the same area. Hospitality people setting up for a function. They were walking within a metre of the scissor lift. but they were part of a different workgroup so they didn't need the helmets and high-visibility vests, even though they were going into the danger area of walking below someone working on the scissor lift.

The whole system seemed to lack any sort of common sense approach. The safety gear you were required to wear depended on what other people in your workgroup were doing and had nothing to do with the conditions that an individual worker was working and the potential danger they were exposed to. Thats our tax dollars at work.

CHeers

Doug

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Originally Posted by forp

I moved to Australia more than a decade ago and what shocked me was this country is quickly becoming expensive to live.


Be thankful you are not a pensioner on a fixed income then.

My business is mostly overseas and there is not a single chance I could run my business in Australia with the cost of local shipping rates. It still wouldnt sell even for free. There would need to be a radical change from the government for any of the buying from internet business to compete with international businesses. The only way you would sell is that you have completely different product protected from various patent in countries this still will not stop clones showing up on Ali lol.

The buying from internet are mostly drop shipped. These items are not coming from the sellers, they come from warehouses located closely to the shipping channel. The orders are packed and shipped in hundreds every minute. They are packed with your address and scan with a local post authority working on site. Its as efficient as it gets unfortunately it also chokes the postal channel. But its OK, there will not be any protest for overtime and underpaid because its a communist country and people prefer to work hard rather than complain. They cherish their job rather than toiling around. BTW there's no centerlink there :). Government poke.

So it chokes the local shipping channel what now? They offload their goods to Singapore post. How does a small country offer such help to a massive operation. I am taking about hundreds of items posted per second. So much it would bring Amazon to a halt in minutes. Its amazing how efficient when there is less of the red tapes can make. Its also how volume can quickly turn a miniscule amount into pretty profit. You guys have to see it for yourself to understand the scale of operation these shipping companies operate.

BTW FYI Ali just increase their stakes on Singapore Post 3 days ago. Google the news of you like.

As for free postal, blame it on the union post agreement. If we post less items overseas it will be harder and harder for local seller and buyer because oversea post prices will always be cheaper.

If there's any indication of Aussie manufacturing, look at the the current automotive industry, unfortunately looking bleak. This is really sad. Countries like UK moved on to high tech manufacturing making communication satellites and such why Aussie is lagging behind. It saddens me to see manufacturing go. Means my metal tools and supplies will be more expensive and impossible locally.

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If you want to improve the situation -join a political party - or start one.
Meanwhile! Have you come here looking for some metal working help? Perhaps you can you assist someone with their metalworking problem!

Posts like this could have a potential to get out of hand
Have you read the forum posting rules, I suppose not. I believe this post is starting to move outside those rules. It has been a pretty good forum here for many years.Lets keep it that way.

Have a lovely day

Grahame

Hi Grahame
I posted this as a reply to the ' favourite tooling supplier' thread after reading how LPR toolmaker tried to justify their product price compared to similar products available overseas. I felt sorry for LPR because I was in the same boat for a long time. I guess some people don't understand living in Australia and running a business here cost a lot more than many other places. So therefore my post but it is certainly out of topic so the mods decided to start my new topic here. It wasn't my idea to start a new topic here.

I am no arsonist and have no intention to start anything because a small discussion here will not make any difference. I'm sorry if I was rude or offended anyone but everyone has his own opinion. Trust me, the rate of inflation we have here is very steep and not level with the rest of the world. I have the opportunity to travel constantly and work in a few countries hence my opinion.

I do have my pension well planned ahead so it isn't so much of a problem. Its how hard to have metalworking as a hobby that worries me. This is a foundation to many other innovation just like hobby electronics. If its hard for a person working fulltime its probably hard for a teen ( they prefer to stick to their iPads I guess). Leaving TAFE and metalshops for those who are keen is not very easy.

Perhaps I am wrong the new generation might be heading towards office work and more white collar. Perhaps metalworking and the likes are not what Australia needs since manufacturing is not favorable so it will be a rare skill in the end of day.

On the other side of the world, metalwork and CNC is flourishing. You can walk into a shopping complex, floors after floors of never ending supplies, these are not just domestic product, big brands like ISCAR, Mitsubishi, Sandvik, Seco, Kennametal and etc dominates the scene. From watch making lathe to CNC size of a small shed. Its mind blowing what manufacturing can do to availability of metalwork tools.

My hope is that we as a highly developed country follow suit others start manufacturing hightech stuff where the less able countries may not.

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Originally Posted by forp

My hope is that we as a highly developed country follow suit others start manufacturing hightech stuff where the less able countries may not.

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Australia is NOT a high tech country.

I've worked in silicon valley, California and England. This included many interactions with German suppliers.

Our manufacturing industry is almost zero and as far as "high tech" it's 100% imported. Very very very little actual real tech is made here.

What little there is, is leaving fast.

Many of my Chinese friends have gone back home. A few which were born here, have gone back too. I have two Japanese friends who have left. EVERY SINGLE yank I know has left. The only survivor is one English dude and only because he's in sales for a Japanese tech company.

If you are keen to read a fairly intense truth, read The Daily Reconning and if you want to see the inevitable collapse, read The Big Flip by the same publishers.

Your best option is to get ready to leave.

You reckon you've got problems.

Try being a farmer.

Watched a show on fires last night, with everyone agreeing that hazard reduction burns are the way to go, they allow weed control and also allow trees and animals to remain alive and preserve the environment. The CSIRO says we should burn 15% of the state each year...

We always used to light up at the end of winter, it removed ticks and undergrowth and was a regular occurrence. No paperwork, the north coast of NSW was covered with smoke at the beginning of spring and the land was managed well.

Now, all has changed and we are managed, to make sure we don't do anything illegal or without approval (which means no-one does do ANYTHING anymore, too scared to light fires, too scared of the law, what if the fire escaped next door? What if.... what if?? And city tree -hangers fear fires and won't even make any effort to burn off).

Two years ago, I was lighting a good 'cold' slow moving fire on the 1st of September when 6 fire brigades turned up.

'Why'? I asked, 'my understanding is that burning off is allowed until beginning of October?'
'We've changed it this year to beginning of September........'
They then proceeded to run around putting out a very good hazard reduction fire, though I do have to admit, some of the old timers looked a little sheepish, but not as much as me who was made to feel a fool.

This year, I hear we will not be allowed to light after 31 July..........
Yes I know I can apply for a permit.... Every seen the paperwork?????

End July is too early as cattle may wish to pick on grasses trough winter.

No problem, in a year or five, we'll have one of those devastating fires we all watch in horror on TV and there will be much wringing of hands. That will solve the problem! It will remove the undergrowth (and native animals and trees and fences and homes and infrastructure as well....)

Then there's the price of cattle and need for weed control and fencing and rates and.... with nil profits, can't afford to hire anyone at even the minimum wage, with worker's comp, super etc. to do any maintenance

No wonder all the young kids want to live in the cities and work as lawyers and bankers.

Good whinge. I feel better now

Greg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by forp

I moved to Australia more than a decade ago and what shocked me was this country is quickly becoming expensive to live.

My business is mostly overseas and there is not a single chance I could run my business in Australia with the cost of local shipping rates. It still wouldnt sell even for free. There would need to be a radical change from the government for any of the buying from internet business to compete with international businesses. The only way you would sell is that you have completely different product protected from various patent in countries this still will not stop clones showing up on Ali lol.

The buying from internet are mostly drop shipped. These items are not coming from the sellers, they come from warehouses located closely to the shipping channel. The orders are packed and shipped in hundreds every minute. They are packed with your address and scan with a local post authority working on site. Its as efficient as it gets unfortunately it also chokes the postal channel. But its OK, there will not be any protest for overtime and underpaid because its a communist country and people prefer to work hard rather than complain. They cherish their job rather than toiling around. BTW there's no centerlink there :). Government poke.

So it chokes the local shipping channel what now? They offload their goods to Singapore post. How does a small country offer such help to a massive operation. I am taking about hundreds of items posted per second. So much it would bring Amazon to a halt in minutes. Its amazing how efficient when there is less of the red tapes can make. Its also how volume can quickly turn a miniscule amount into pretty profit. You guys have to see it for yourself to understand the scale of operation these shipping companies operate.

BTW FYI Ali just increase their stakes on Singapore Post 3 days ago. Google the news of you like.

As for free postal, blame it on the union post agreement. If we post less items overseas it will be harder and harder for local seller and buyer because oversea post prices will always be cheaper.

If there's any indication of Aussie manufacturing, look at the the current automotive industry, unfortunately looking bleak. This is really sad. Countries like UK moved on to high tech manufacturing making communication satellites and such why Aussie is lagging behind. It saddens me to see manufacturing go. Means my metal tools and supplies will be more expensive and impossible locally.

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Yebbutt I wouldn't live anywhere else. I got an atlas out with a mate a couple of years back and for the hell of it we considered all the alternatives, and narrowed it down to about 7-8 choices of country. They were ruled out due to either political instability, national stupidity, economic woes, cultural difficulies et al.

I hope we have come to the end of this dreadful thread.
Yes, our country and people are not perfect. What and who are?
Australia and its people are amongst the leading group in so many surveys.

Throw all the rocks you like. There's no fault in no place.
I live in a little (550) village in the mountains, the COL can't be much
more than Melbourne in the late 60's (was there for 4 years).

You need to optimize your circumstances. Global mobility seems a
necessary evil these days. When I retired (Bio Prof), everybody else split
out for parts unknown. No real reason to stay in the city so I went over the wall.
My move to this village has been one of the very few really smart things that I have done.

What the Hello reasons do you have to stay where you are? Make a list.