Dear Alan,

I enjoyed your story about your dog.

I wish my husband would agree to us having one.
He wants to downsize into an apartment
eventually, and claims a dog just won't fit into the scheme of
things. (His idea of downsizing is a three bedroom, two
bathroom unit).

Dear ttbn,

Melbourne is full of Chinese-owned high-rises - and the
City Councils are to blame. They let them get away with
shoddy workmanship, lower building standards, et cetera.
As I stated earlier - lack of action and a failure
of leadership is to blame for
the problems.

Good thinking, runner. Now if only those regional centres had jobs, the younger generations would be set!

You're a regular genius, aren't you?

The fact that the younger generations have to move to somewhere with no work to buy a house, while your smug generation could buy their first houses within commuting distance from the major cities, only confirms there is a problem.

http://www.quickmeme.com/Old-Economy-Steven

thanks Mr know it all. That is why some Regional cities need to fly people in and out because their are no jobs. Also their are plenty 457 visas or are aussies to dumb to do these jobs? You also have no idea the sacrifices many made in previous generations to obtain houses. You obviously have no clue. Your ignorance knows no bounds. So great to remain a victim AJ.

Sounds like you’re thinking of mining, runner.

<<That is why some Regional cities need to fly people in and out because [there] are no jobs.>>

I don’t think there’s enough employment in mining for an entire generation, and even if there were, do you realise the problems we’d have with an entire generation skilled in nothing but mining? You think those funny-looking people coming here on 475 visas are a problem now..?!

<<You also have no idea the sacrifices many made in previous generations to obtain houses.>>

Oh, I do. My own parents’ story is a doozie. Still, it was at least possible, and they didn’t have to move to Bumfucksville to do it. Their first house was also only three times the average annual wage, whereas a comparable house now would cost around 12 times the average annual wage.

It could be done, once upon a time.

My father bought a block of land in Regents Park (Sydney) in 1945 for 5 pounds (about 2/3 rds of a weeks wages), half a mile from the Station.
Regents Park was considered to be the back of beyond.

Built the rere half of a house (not finished till we saved enough cash). Finished in 1960,
The frame and interior wall and ceiling lining (tongue and groove California red wood) came from two ex-NSW Govt Railway bogie refrigerator wagons (five quid each) that he dismantled with a bit of help from 12 year old son (me).

My main job was removing wood screws, half a 44 gallon drum full, consequently the house frame was screwed together.

Just remembered, the exterior planking of the wagons was pitch pine and Dad used it for flooring.
The floors of the wagons were covered in galvanized steel but, over the years, water had got to the timber and it was mainly used for fire wood in the kitchen stove, which was outside under a 'lean to' for a couple of months.

Thinking about the wagons they had probably been imported from the USA.