Foxy, "Both by myself and students"

What students in what context?

Superannuation is meant to reduce old age pension demand (and budget) applicable to very many of those silly old codgers who insist on getting even older and retiring to 'the ranch'.
That's why there is compulsory super.
That's also why the taxation arrangements relating to super are so attractive - even inducing 'extra' contributions.
Those self-employed who haven't contributed to their own super have missed a great opportunity, and to some extent have 'let the side down'. But, of course some may not have been in a position to contribute due to business difficulties, and that's a pity.

Super funds have also amassed a great deal of capital, which has been invested in driving industry and development, resulting in jobs, wages and resultant tax paid, and the 15% tax automatically paid on all super-fund profits goes directly to Federal revenue.
The taxes on super and from the industry and jobs created should be pooled into a fund to provide for the health and aged-care needs of those retirees (who have 'made' the super-fund industry) and who have paid their taxes throughout their working lives.
If the government fritters away the returns from super and from the taxes paid by the aging community, then it is the government's fault if the health-care and aged-care budgets run into trouble.

Eventually it will have to be realized that continuous world population growth is a dead-end story.
There was a time when people had to 'do' for themselves. No welfare.
That time may come again, and people will have to learn to do more with less.

There is no world economy 'silver bullet' which would enable current levels of affluence to prevail with a world population of 10 billion or more, and no amount of star gazing can change that reality.

Immigration is not an answer to fire-proofing our economy, or providing for our 'aging' population. Immigration can only be a band-aid, for which future generations will pay.
We (and the world) need to live within current and future 'real' means. (We don't want to join the PIGS 'club'.)

@ Saltpetre, Sunday, 30 March 2014 10:41:12 PM

Good post.

Saltpetre "There is no world economy 'silver bullet' which would enable current levels of affluence to prevail with a world population of 10 billion or more"

The world can't have our level of affluence.
But *we* can (and do).

But if you want to know what our future living standards are, look at the countries most of our immigrants are now coming from. (Surprise, it's not Europe!).

If they can't get their act together in their homelands, how do they magically work wonders as soon as they arrive at Sydney airport?

Shockadelic,

They are doing OK in the "Middle West" of Sydney, buying ordinary cottages, knocking them down and building luxury two storey "houses' to replace them'

I recently Googled a house that my father rented in Auburn when I was 4-5 years old, it and the house next door have gone and a mansion now fills the two blocks.

Is Mise,

And, is not Auburn now an 'ethnic' neighbourhood?
Thus, that former residence is likely to have been 'renovated', and subsequently occupied, by a none-too-well-off immigrant (or two)?
Tends perhaps to put a new light on assimilation 'potentials'?
(Not that I am criticizing, just commenting.)
(I wonder what ethnicity? Just out of interest.)
(Not possibly some out of character development perhaps, per ill-gotten gains from new 'enterprise', like drug dealing or people smuggling, I wonder? Maybe I am of little faith? Or, perhaps inappropriately reluctant to give credit where due?)

Shockadelic,

I was not suggesting any significant increase in immigration. On the contrary, I was posing that substantially increased immigration would at best be a short-term 'band-aid' for our economic woes, with a nasty future 'sting' in the tail for future generations.
I could be very wrong of course, but I have a conviction that any substantial increase in world population can only be retrograde in the longer term, and our taking increasing numbers of immigrants I see as contributing to an ill-advised world population increase.

As for immigrant 'influence' on our national psyche and character, from what I have seen, the 2nd generations of almost every ethnic intake, where they have been able to attend a 'state' public school, often seem even more 'ocker' than I am.
That is only a casual observation of course, and the other side of that general 'coin' is the advent of some seemingly 'ethnic' criminal gangs, and some other problems with the youth who are unable to find 'legitimate' employment.

Hence, unemployment (lack of jobs) is a major problem, which will not easily be solved, and I don't see our government coming up with solutions to this (at least, not as yet).
Some quite extensive new industry is desperately needed, and perhaps some new and innovative immigrants may provide the means?
Have 'we' perhaps become too lackadaisical, too spoiled, or too uncertain or fearful to 'take the plunge' and innovate?
New blood, new capital, new vision - and the guts to have a go?