this is your typical irrational view,
Paul1405,
if I have an irrational view then you have no view at all. I SEE public servants waste huge dollars on a daily basis yet you try to contradict my experience. Let this sink into you & then try to digest. 85% of the public service IS OF NO USE TO ANYONE except themselves. I do not as you say have a hatred of public servants at all, many are very good people indeed. My problem is that they could be gainfully employed instead of just being employed. The people to blame for this are those who vote ALP.

Dear Philip S., and onthebeach,

Let's forgoe all this personal negativity and try to stick
to the issues. Philip, you seem to be obsessing about my
not answering you questions in the past. I actually did,
several times. I simply did not agree with your take on
things which upsets you. That's your problem, not mine.

I entered this discussion in good faith, however I'm not
interested in pursuing the same negative agenda
that has occurred thus far.

The
PM is going to Jakarta for a meeting with the Indonesians
on Thursday. The Foreign Minister has indicated that
future assessments of refugee applications should become
more "hard-edged." The PM has also offered the Opposition
leader the opportunity to come on board in trying to
solve this issue. These are all positive attempts in trying
to find solutions. I don't believe that all refugees making
applications are economic refugees. Certainly some would be.
But we need to get evidence of this - and not simply make
sweeping statements and accusations.

Lexi, "But we need to get evidence of this - and not simply make
sweeping statements and accusations"

That is your opinion of Kevin Rudd PM, Senator Bob Carr the Foreign Minister and the senior bureaucrats in DFAT and other interested departments.

You haven't presented a case to convince a taxpayer how the hard-earned taxes forcibly taken from him/her by the State will be expended to deliver value for money in assisting refugees.

As a taxpayer I can't see the worth in flogging naval vessels and crews with constant high speed charges across seas. We are constantly propping up the business model of the criminal gangs.

I also can't see the value for money for taxpayers and legitimate refugees in an antiquated assessment and appeal system that is extremely expensive and slow, and does not do what it is supposed to do. I don't care why it doesn't work, but I do care that my taxes are spent for the purposes they are appropriated and that value for money is always obtained.

What do you say to that?

I understand but disagree with, the concerns some have for these refugees/economic migrants.
I understand, and have zero doubt,*Tony Abbott does not want to stop the boats* until he is PM.
Too that our best chance to stop them is visiting that country they leave from on Friday.

Belly,

Just forgetting generation costs and benefits -and I reckon the idea is to get the minimum panels that will generatte the maximum you are using daylight hours (think about why)- there are other issues that could come into play.

While on a roof the other day with an older roofing tradesman, he pointed at a house nearby to show me some corrosion already forming on the roof from solar panels installed about 2 years ago. Then ensued a discussion between us about the different types of metal roofing and the metals used in solar installations. The sort of problem I am talking about is better known from instances of aluminium ballustrades that unexpectedly let go where there has been electrolysis between the aluminium ballustrade and fastenings.Not funny at all.

While on the other side of the roof we were on, the roofer pointed out the house next door with a solar system on a tiled roof. What do you know but the installer had anchored brackets on some of the valleys of tiles and not on the apexes. Easier than relocating the brackets I suppose. When the silastic shrinks (and I bet they uesd cheap stuff) the roof will leak.

I watched a solar installation at another place and they were rough and careless with the sarking where they lifted some tiles for some reason. That sarking was installed for a purpose.

Yes, I know there will be some who say that a 'good' installer will 'make sure' and instal 'quality'. But just how can a lay person make an informed choice in the first place?

When the utes leave it can be a few years before you wake to a problem and then proving it is problematic.

Belly, why not pay a roofer to check the installation? Write a simple agreement to that effect.

The quick witted and well off who got in fast when dumb-ass Labor governments over-paid benefits for generation are "I'm OK, Jack" (except for possible roofing problems), but any who come later need to take extra care I reckon.

Ouch, sorry to all. I just posted the above to the wrong thread. Should have been to, "Solar Power worth it or not?"