579, you can continuento hide behind the stats as long as you like, the fact is, we are a down hill spiral and who knows where we will Finnish up.

And never have I mentioned living under a bridge, or surviving on scrap, as that is what welfare is about.

Trouble is, that to has to many claiming assistance, something you seem to think is their given right.

One has to question whether or not this to can be better allocated, perhaps into job creation as I have said before.

And I would suggest the reason for the 1800 unfilled jobs, is because they choose not to take those jobs and, with a welfare system like we have, they don't really have to do they.

rehctub,this can be all solved by having a proper constitution which says,only our Govt has the right to create the new money from nothing to equal our increases in productivity + inflation.Problem solved.But none have the guts to stand up to the counterfeiters.

oui mon amie, Poirot.

Saw rehctub's comments and saw red, butchers engender that visual.

Skipped to the end, still great minds think alike : )

away awhile

Here is an example of how grim the situation is becoming.
A few months back we took a curtain to be modified to a curtain place
in Hornsby. When we went in there was a woman there who turned out to
be the owner. There were six sewing machine places and a couple of
cutting tables. Only the owner was there.
I asked have things been quiet lately.

"Oh yes she said. We used to have 10 employees"
They were all local ladies most who came after they dropped the kids at
school and knocked off in time to pick them up.

It worked out well for them and for us. My husband now has another job
and it is just me. We will probably close because the rent is too much
for just the work I do.
She was obviously unhappy at what she was telling me.

Just recently I rang about another curtain but the phone rang out.

That was a business that had been there at least twenty years, maybe more.

Bass, this is a common problem.

You see there are people everywhere who are happy to work hours that suit them best, just for a few extra bucks to help make ends meet.

Some of these types of workers would be sitting at home, then, the phone rings, and it's a job that just came in, will only take about two hours, so WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO IT, and the workers says yes, that's fine, the extra $35 will be handy right now.

Ok, says the curtain shop lady, BUT WAIT, I can't take that job on now because I have to pay you a minimum of four hours, but the job only takes two.

So the curtain shop owner looses, the WILLING WORKER looses, and of cause, the customer looses.

But, no worker will be worse off!

Another example is the after school kids, many who have lost their jobs now.

This case is about a donut shop, actual case.

They arrive for work at 3.15, the shop closes at 5, so by the time they cllean up and close, that's their two hour shift.

Again, ever ones happy.

But wait, the Minimum shift is now three hours, so guess what, no more job.

So there goes their pocket money, much to the anguish of mum and dad.

Make no mistake, IR laws have caused a lot of irreparable damage to industries, small business owners, kids and workers alike.

But as usual, they don't listen to the people who know, they being they bosses and the workers, as they (labor and the unions) know best.

The looming problem we face, is a decline in risk takers, something that is already well and truly gaining momentum.

Watch this space if you don't believe me.

*The looming problem we face, is a decline in risk takers,*

You are actually correct on that one, Rehctub. Last Wednesday's
AFR carried a story entitled "Pool of new entrepreneurs shrinks"
with data to back it up. In 2010-2011, very low numbers of
new businesses were created, but 286'000 shut their doors,
according to the article.