Today we heard on the Radio that Australia is suffering "Gloom and Despondency" especially in NSW as the State Government prepares to sell off and privatize everything that is not moving fast!

Is it any wonder there is an air of despondeceny pervading the whole country, as we see our dollar losing value rapidly against the questionable "Yankee Buck", the world price of oil down to $59 yet still selling for around $1.34 a litre at outlets, our Federal Government throwing money at every whining company that is reaping the rewards of its very poor managerial performance!

There appears to be no limit as to how much of the taxpayers money this Government is prepared to throw at these businesses, who in most cases have at best a questionable future. The excercise is similar to a little man booking up his groceries at the local store, because he cannot afford to pay for then this week, and nothing is surer than the fact that he simply will not be able to afford to pay for two lots next week!

We need the politicians to get real and pass some sort of legislation to change the business laws, whereby if a company goes into Voluntary Liquidation, the principle is held accountable for his indebtedness and his assets and "accumulations" should be stripped accordingly, in a genuine effort to fulfil the obligations to his creditors!

At the present time a person can set up a business and partake of various "lines of credit", at the same time availing himself of the taxation lurks and perks ( which are not available to the ordinary wage earner) The monetary value of these Taxation "advantages" is not to be sneezed at, and acccordingly he should NOT be allowed to squirrel away ( usually in offshore bank accounts, or in his wife or families name) large amounts of monies that should be rightfully returned to the Creditors, whilst at the same time he and his family or business partners are living like kings at the expense of these same Creditors!

"Advance Australia Fair(ly)"

It's the old story of asset stripping.Many use consultantcies set up by themselves to milk their own companies which is legal theft.Our laws need to be tightened in this area and the anti-competitive preditory pricing practises of our large corporates.

Both the Howard and now the Rudd Govts refuse to give the ACCC any real power.We have the highest food inflation in the Western World and the likes of Coles and Woollies continue to screw their suppliers and jack their prices.Preditory pricing is illegal in Canada,but our Govts are in the palm of the Corporates who donate to them.Basically it is our fault for not being pro-active.

What Protection? (continued):

Approximately half an hour later another female rang and said that the company was aware of the "problem" and unfortunately there was NOT MUCH that they could do about it as the cans were manufactured in New Zealnd, however they would be sending us a couple of grocery vouchers in place of the six cans!

I then replied that I was going to pursue the issue further and hung up!

I am of the opinion that these companies are so arrogant and bombastic that they think that they can simply buy your silence by sending you a couple of vouchers, or simply fobbing you off with a pathetic excuse, instead of being honest and up-front when faced with a genuine problem!

I would take this opportunity to warn everyone to check carefully the inside of every tinned product regardless of brand name, to ensure the integrity and safety of the contained product before consumption to avoid the ingestion of heavy metals etc resulting from a poor quality and defective product!

Why are these food containers not lined with a safety lining for protection, and why are they manufactured overseas?

When are we the consumers ever going to get some sort of real protection from these obviously arrogant foreign-owned companies who are ripping us off and putting our health at risk whilst at the same time treating us like morons?

Cuphandle, What taxation lurks and perks do business have that wage earners dont? Their profits are still taxed, individual business owners still pay the same rate of tax as everyone else. Not sure what you think is going on??

Must apologize for the above "continuation" ....it belonged to another Thread of mine, entitled "What Protection" with today`s date, which I was halfway through creating when I was cut off the Internet (commonplace when one lives in the country on a Dial-up connection!)

Sorry again!

Country Gal:

You obviously do NOT consider that the opportunity to set up a registered business, with the accompanying ABN, allowing the benefit of GST "Offsets" and other goodies, such as the ability to purchase a "busines" vehicle at "Fleet" price, whilst availing yourself of the opportunity to operate "at a loss" for 5 years or more, before ceasing trading under one particular name and then starting afresh under a new business name, again operating "at a loss" for a further period of time,....availing yourself of various lines of credit and when running into financial hardship ( not paying your Creditors and living the good life ), excercising the right to enter into a state of Voluntary Liquidation!

If you consider that these are lurks and perks that are available to the average wage earner, then you must be operating in a much different corporate world than many others living and working in this country today!