*A classic example of abuse of power, denial of responsibility and lack of supervision/regulation by Govt of an important and dangerous private installation.*

Err Thinker 2, if you do your homework, I think you will find that
the Govt actually owns the Sydney nuclear power plant.

*When you look at these numbers, these businesses are making too much money*

3c in the $ is too much money?. Compared to what? I remind you
that Coles was nearly taken over by the Americans. Luckily
Australian mums and dads backed Wesfarmers in keeping it Australian,
with millions of Australians benefitting from the profits. Including
you, Thinker 2. Corporations pay alot of tax and many do a great job
at delivering great value to customers and employing millions.
Customers clearly vote with their wallets and go there, every single
day. So most Australians would disagree with you.

*Pricing good quality food out of the reach of the less fortunate for example, causes the less fortunate and their family's to eat the less than good food, with lifelong consequences.*

Hang on there. Don't shoot the messenger. Supermarkets price food
depending on what it costs them to buy, plus expenses. You will find
that many junk foods, are in fact some of the most expensive per kg.

Don't blame supermarkets if some people insist on buying junk foods
and ignore cheap and healthy foods.

Given that the poor shove billions of $ down the pokies, don't blame
supermarkets, if people make poor decisions.

*Eliminating the local butcher with predatory pricing is not romantic Yabby*

You make my point for me, Thinker 2. If supermarkets charge too much
you complain, if they don't charge enough, you complain. Peter
Hume has a point. Sounds to me like you are on an emotive rant,
wishing to complain!

Hardly rational but go ahead, get it off your chest and feel better.
A cup of tea and a good lie down helps too. Failing that, try a glass
of good Aussie wine :)

Hi Peter.

Sorry for not replying earlier .

Firstly the question I am posing, specifically in economic terms is,
" that if we consider our current level of profits acceptable as a measure to conduct and maintain a successful business, should we not then consider that increasing costs, should be the only determinate factor, that can or should be passed on to the consumer wherever possible, as a base acceptable notion ?."

I guess Peter, my motivation is a simple wish for a more social economy.
One where the living standards of the masses (if you will) is not in decline.

Secondly, I am saying," that the regulatory and workplace environments created by changes in law during the Howard years,
have not necessarily taken Australia forward in this area." And that since then, a more socially un-healthly relationship environment
exists particularly between employees and their employers .

Employees here today, are focussed upon their individual goals in the absence of a collective identity.
Employers in turn complain of skills draining from their grasp to their opposition after training such people.

Loyalty requires leadership. Leadership survives on loyalty. Catch 22.

I think we can still prevent this decline in opportunity, liberty and social equality.

I think RE-Regulating for it, (the fair go I mean) would be a good start,

Is that a rant ?.

Hey Rehctub, I must tell you I was an entertainer for 30 odd years and I held a restaurant residency for 10 years during that time.
The restaurant tripled in size in that 10 years.

Ahh the good old days, when businesses had useful tax benefits for long lunches. (haha)

I stand corrected there Yabby.

I definitely used the wrong example, but could even this be, a case of Gov't mimic-ing business, in a poorly regulated environment.

T2>>As an employee I would think my life was fuller and my time utilised more purposefully if I could feel loyalty, even affection towards my employers rather than the mistrusting, even confrontational atmosphere we now have in our working lives.

Well you can blame unfair dismissal for that one. Nothing will ever be the same again.

I have staff without a licence, then my business gained an order which required delivery. I can't change this employee with one who has a licence. Why? My business needs have changed.

Now as for excessive profits, many people make the mistake of reading the profit and not what it took to make that profit.

The worker makes the best profit, always has. It costs about $100 per week to go to work and they get paid $1000. There are few buisinesses that make these (x10) returns on investment, if any.

Hasbeen, Since the 60's we have, single mother payment, family assistance, baby bonus, paid super, parental leave and a dwindling PAYG tax income, to name just a few. Who do you think pays for these!

Yabby, don't tell me you fell for that 3% crap. Most of their prices are down by 10 to 20%, yet, they don't run at a loss. That's a myth!

So, if they do still make 3%, then their suppliers have worn the brunt of their discounting. Don't you think!

BTW, if you discount by just 10%, you have to sell 1.5 times the amount just to make the same profit. That's assumming you have no increased expenses.

Have their sales increased by 50 to 70%?

Have their costs remained unchanged?

I doubt it. That 3% is a joke!