Rechtub says govt; is root of all evil. There is still the same amount of money in the community, People have closed down, paying off mortgage and credit card, no luxuries like restaurants, or high priced meat. Get snaggs by the truckload and freeze them. Consumer spending is in recession. No govt; is going to fix that. Not after the last helping hand, that got condemned by the business community.

Small world rehctub, we've probably met on a boat ride.

For those thinking about that 15% return to unit holders as being high, you must remember the interest rates of the time. I think it was those interest rates that were somewhat responsible for the down turn.

I had a couple of interest bearing deposits with Westpac while this was going on. For a 6 month term, I was getting 17%. Good for retirees, but not too good for business.

Hasbeen, its a tricky call to make and the decisions made can well differ in different cases. One thing that stood out to me was the phrase "this was chosen by the staff" - good communication and engagement is the key to keeping any business going during lean times (and growing appropriately during good times as well).

If we want government to give a freer rein to business, we need to accept that there may very well be a higher welfare cost to pay for this. After all, I dont think any of us want to end up like the US, where there is only 2 weeks leave a year, and $5/hr minimum wage. I fully agree that with less regulation businesses can be more proactive and cost-efficient and can react faster to challenges that it meets. But there is a social cost to this too that needs to be weighed up.

579, I was not opposed to the government hand outs that they did, more so, I was appalled a the way they allowed all those dollars, millions upon millions, to be pissed away, much like they still allow welfare dollars to be wasted today.

STOP T HE CASH! Problem solved.

This government has meant well at times, it's just that they are to incompitent to implement anything without stuffing it up.

Now as for people Saving, well, start rewarding them fo saving and they may well do just that.

Take two people on say $100K per year.

One invests and end up with tidy nest egg after 40 years, while the other buys new cars, boats, holidays etc.

The wise one if left to defend for themselves, while the wasteful one gets th pension. Go figure!

Now on the other hand, if you received a percentage of your taxes back as a pension, this would be an incentive to be both honest and save.

The system is totally arse about.

579

You need to understand how torisum works to get the full picture and yes, governments have created this maize of regulation for operators to weave their a through and quite frankly, most just say, it's to hard.

Take one example, a fishing guide.

You need an investment of around $150K for a smaller operation.

You then need permits from up to five different government bodies, some of which ar annual and renewal is not automatic.

So, the choices are, you invest your $100K,, borrow the funds over five years, yet, you face the likelihood of being without one or more of the five permits so your business has to close. Then what!

You see, many businesses, who are also job providers, have to tie up thier family home as security and, the one thing they need more than anything is certainty.

This is what they don't have anymore.

Now while the circumstances change and they can no longer service their debt, the wolves move in and, once the assetts of The business are sold, usually at fire sale, the balance, if large enough can mean you loose your house.

Now these fairies that has been is referring to cost tens of millions and, if there is that uncertainty, through governmen regulation, many today just sit on their hands.

Now if the governments actions result in enough people sitting on thier hands, the jobs are gone.

Up there we have South Mole, Day Dream" Hayman, Hamilton, Hook, Long Island, Linderman , then there is Dunk and Bedara bay a bit further north.

SM, hook, Dunk, Bedara are all shut and may never open again, while DDream is on it's knees, Hayman has just reopened but may fail, Lind foreign owned and Hamilton is ok.

Most closures are from the cyclone, however, most owners have decided to pocket the insurance money, lick their wounds and move on.

That's in the heart of our national treasure, the great barrier reef.

Ask anyone in that industry and they will tell you, government regulation and IR are to hard.

It just to hard now!

Yes....if business was fair.

What an interesting point of view and concept.

Rehctub......You know human nature, it has no standards. (greed, greed, greed) If a human can exploit what ever, they will......that's just the common ground of thought with the ME...MYSELF...& I....that's always in control. ( It comes from way-back....in our past evaluations of what is considered as profit and trade, something must be sacrificed ) but at what cost?

7 billion people now on the earth, I just hope you leaders know what are your doing.

Its the world wide engine that cant survive with out them (people), so many things of nature will pay the price for our growth, as we are starting to see.

If one was to screw around with this planet, well....who do we blame when it all goes horribly wrong?

Again! This century will be the one to watch above all the others:)

As you were.

CACTUS

CACTUS