worldwatcher, I suggest you lead by example, show us the way, so to speak. While the rest of us take this gigantic cut in living standards to level of the average Indian, you personally could be a real hero and drop your own income level to that of the average Ethiopian, about $10 a week. In that way you'll make the rest of us look positively well off on our $30 a week.

Mikk

Sorry, you guessed wrong. We live 35-40 minutes from our major city here with good rail service, and have the 2nd highest rate of unemployment, a high crime rate necessitating an increased police presence around our shopping centres, and nurses at our local hospital see so many drug fuelled patients in emergency that they need to have a security guard at the bedside. So no, this is far from a prosperous area, and has a high proportion of government subsidised housing. Median house prices for this area of mainly older homes are around $280,000 for a 3x1 to $340,000 for a 4x2.

We have quite a large industrial area, and the firms there put notices outside their businesses when they have jobs available. I don't know their success rate, but often the notices are left out for a week or two, so suspect they don't have many takers.

I finally had a reply for the $20.00 per hour for unskilled labour which I'd offered. It was from a 66 year old man, and he starts tomorrow. Initially I'd approached young guys on the dole thinking it would be easy to get someone who would like to earn a little extra for a while, so it's left me pretty disillusioned that none of them was interested in manual labour, although they weren't qualified for anything other than that anyway.
Regarding the R G R debacle's comments, my strongest thoughts were how ridiculous our country looked in the eyes of the rest of the world, and the loss of face it incurred. That was one forum fire which didn't need any more fuel. However, it is also pointless to demonize either side of politics when we ourselves are guilty of self interest. After all that's what drives us to work - to achieve our own ambitions, albeit most of us set our sights considerably lower than politicians. They are a necessary evil who should [sometimes do, and sometimes don't] implement the will of the majority, and should also spend OUR money wisely and within our budget.

Paul 1405

Don't be so quick to take offence man. If you took the time to read what I wrote, and digest it thoroughly, you would realise I wasn't proposing we take a 60% cut. Just pointing out why we can't compete on a level playing field. I don't know how much an Ethiopian earns a week, but in any country an increase in wages automatically produces a rise in the cost of our commodities, including food. It would be the same wherever you go in the world including Ethiopia.
Our wage structure is high, and you can't argue against that, but our overall cost of living has naturally risen too. Higher wages, higher prices is a simple equation.
As I said previously, this affects our competitiveness with other countries, which in NO way implied that we should take a 60% cut in income.
When the demand goes out for wage increases, we all end up footing the bill, so we are partly responsible for the increase in prices, along with overly generous governments who spend our money so irresponsibly.
No sane person can expect employers to pay our high wages when they can get the same product produced much cheaper elsewhere. If they can't make profits, they can't pay staff = increased unemployment for us. So what would be your solution?

rehctub,

You paint a gloomy future, but I fear you could be right. Maybe it's because we now have instant access to all the world news, unlike pre internet days, but it would seem that we aren't the only ones heading for trouble. The whole world appears to be in a state of flux, unlike any recorded in our recent history.

I still think we are one of the luckier countries though - for the time being, thanks mainly to the mining sector.

All the mining sector done was shut down manufacturing, through their hiring of skills workers. Since the downturn in the mining sector manufacturing has come back in a big way.
Now our economy is running at capacity with 3.2 % growth.

States that rely on mining there is an underlying factor of collapse.
Coal is bringing in 14$/ton. may as well be left in the ground.

Butch is relying on CSG to pull QLD out of the 100 billion state debt.
Not all states are equal. With vic car industry set for man made collapse vic will not be moved, we have a far greater population / square klm than any of the others.
There lies the difference with the states.
QLD and WA could easily be divided into 4 states.

....Now our economy is running at capacity with 3.2 % growth.

You have proved my point 579, when you said the word 'is', because what is happening now is not the issue, it's what's going to happen in the next three to five years that should be the focus of our planners.

If we don't remove all hurdles that hinder employment for our own people,457's and skilled immigration to name some, there will be serious consequences.

The first step is to get unemployed into training, by force if required, the next step is to get our employers to offer training for locals. You can do that by making the importation of labor non viable, or, by limiting Liceses to the likes of the mining sector if they refuse to train locals.

Now if the unemployed refuse to be trained, then cut them off, as even people with certain disabilities can perform duties, of cause, on a subsidized basis to the employer.

Either way, we must act, and act fast to prevent a downturn few here have witnessed.

Now just on your comment earlier.....To put it bluntly, they want to work. But the bosses don’t want them.

I watched a program recently on youth unemployment in either Mel or Sydney. All these supposed job seekers had either Tattoos everywhere, crap hanging from their faces, ridiculous hair doe's or a combination of the above.

Wanting to work also means being well presented for work.

Unfortunately our society of do-gooders have allowed political correctness to go too far.

If you can't get a job the way you are, then you must look for reasons why.