ALTRAV,

I'll make it simple.

In 1950 a loaf of bread cost 8d and the minimum wage was L8/2/-, therefore a person on that wage could buy 243 loaves of bread.
Today the minimum wage is $740.80 and a person can buy 296 loaves at $2.50 each.

What's more, the bread is sliced and hygienically wrapped and we've already seen, in earlier posts that a Holden car is vastly cheaper and almost unimaginably better than the death trap model of 1950

In 1951 a TV set cost L170/-/- or 19 weeks wages, today for a weeks minimum wage one can buy 5 much better sets, or to put it another way a weeks wage in 1951 would buy 1/19th of a set compared to 5 sets today and today's TVs come in colour and with remote controls.

Issy, ha, ha, you've cherry picked, c'mon, I disagree on the bread comparison.
As for the TV, as I said, apples for apples.
Australia doesn't make TV's so doesn't count.
But I am trying to find things that are cheaper today than before, I know they exist, but if they are Aussie made, they are few and far between.
Do you have figures on the price of petrol, in 1950?
Or the hourly rate.
Maybe the price of a packet of cigarettes, (pack of twenty).
It's just not possible for too many things to be cheaper today, unless they are "made in China".
But I'm willing to learn of such if or what they might be.

Altrav,

"Cement bags suddenly halved in weight, from 20kg to 10kg,"

They didn't, standard weight is 20kg.

I doesn't matter where things are made, like for like is comparing clothing with clothing, food with food, cars with cars.

The proportion of the minimum wage that it takes to buy something is the true criterion of its cost and almost everything is cheaper today.

Bread is a perfect example and its cost is used worldwide for calculating relative costs of living.

Cigarettes were certainly cheaper in the past because the main component of their cost today is the unjust tax to curb their consumption.

You may have written the book but its in the remainder bin and not selling.

Issy, now, now, play nice.
I am speaking from experience and record.
I have been critical, all my adult life about the cost of living in this country, and what has caused the rises.
I do not accept any explanation or attempts at justifying the cost of living over the years.
You see, when most people go shopping, they look at the prices.
If they are from the upper class or better off than most they might look at the origins of the product and not the price.
You cannot/must not compare cheap Asian imports with Aussie made, it's just not the same and that is why we have cheaper imports.
So I reject any comparisons that involve imports.
You say the cost of cigarettes are higher today, because of taxes.
A smoker couldn't give a stuff about trying to justify the price, we all know the real reason for these price hikes.
The thing we should be considering is the fact that the same fags today are dearer, and that's all.
And what about liquor prices?
So in conclusion, any Aussie goods or services ARE definitely MORE EXPENSIVE today.
Don't take my word for it, just look back at all the media reports and stories of people suffering because of the cost of living today.

ALTRAV,

Let's take an iconic Australian brand, R.M.Williams.

Tartan work shirt 1950, three for a weeks minimum wage,
ditto 2020, twelve tartan work shirts for the minimum wage.

Now that's expensive!!

RM's top of the line shirts, $219 each, three for a weeks min. wage
similar were not available in 1950.

issy, you do know that RM Williams has offshore interests, don't you?
In 1950, they were made in Aust.
In 2020, they are not.
And this is how it is with most industries.
If the product can be outsourced, it will be, that's just the way it is and has been for years.
It's the only way retailers have been able to stay in business, and still they are closing down all over the place.
Here in Perth I, and others were completely shocked at the number of, not shops, but streets of shops, all for lease or sale, and all empty/closed.
So these are the kinds of indicators that I use to make an assessment or judgement, not cherry picking to make a point.
My weight on the cement bags may have been out, because I haven't handled any for a while, and even if I did I would not have taken notice of the weight.
They weigh whatever they weigh, if you can't lift it, get help or get lost would be my instruction to someone who hesitated, and not expect a whole industry or country to change things just because of a few pathetic limp wristed pansy's.