KhunHeineken

It means Australia is heading towards becoming a banana republic.

Good post. I just posted this link in another thread. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-feeble-economy-for-rest-of-decade-imf-downbeat-on-outlook-20230411-p5czgf.html It paints a bleak picture of the Australian economy.

Fair point. So, what odds do you give it? What percentage do you place on it being passed? Have a look at this article, particularly the second half of the article. Talk of the need to raise the GST and so on. Australia is in trouble, big trouble, with debt soon to hit over a trillion dollars. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/a-feeble-economy-for-rest-of-decade-imf-downbeat-on-outlook-20230411-p5czgf.html "But a report by independent think tank the Grattan Institute, released overnight, shows the country remains on track for 25 years of deficits without significant structural change." 25 years of deficits. They have to pull the money in from somewhere. The Liberals commissioned the proposed changes to non resident tax laws. The Labor government are aware of the draft legislation. The current laws are around 90 years old. Just think what overseas travel looked like 90 years ago. Then consider no mobiles phones and no internet back then. Fast forward to 2023 and people can easily live and work in other countries, and easily travel back to their home country to visit friends and family. Why wouldn't they bring the non resident tax laws into the current century? Why are you telling me this? You should be voicing this opinion to your Local Member of Parliament. You have read the proposed changes. There are no exemptions, means or asset tests, or thresholds mentioned in them. They were designed to be a blanket law in order to scoop up everyone outside of Australia for 183 days. How could one appeal this? What legal grounds would they have? in any case, how is this relevant to the Aussie expat living in Thailand, who is clearly a non resident for taxation purposes, and not just on a holiday? How could he get around the "blanket" law? Once again, this is your opinion. I have openly admitted I have been living overseas in the gray area. I live overseas, but don't pay non resident tax rates. I'm sure many others are the same. Some other members have admitted this also. Why wouldn't the government want to eventually catch up with me? There have been all sorts of reasons put forward as to why members believe these laws will not be passed. Some were quite humorous. Paul Hogan, pensioner backlash, losing votes etc etc. All of these reasons were discussed. It will be interesting what's in the May budget, but I can't see the government, current or future, throwing this draft legislation in the bin. In my opinion, it's not if, just when, that it will be passed, and the best we can hope for is a threshold or exemption. Why are you so confident these laws will not be passed?

I agree successive governments, from both parties, have made Australia a more unequal society. This is most evident with housing at this particular point in time. You seem to think because the savings are small, the government will not implement the 183 day law. Why is that? There will be big revenue from wealthy non residents, and the less wealthy and pensioners will simply be collateral damage. Does it really matter if they only save $1 billion for Centrelink? A savings is a savings. We have been through the "pensioner backlash" discussion before. I'll ask the question again. Why would a pensioner in Australia care one bit about pensioners overseas? Serious question? It doesn't effect them at all. Pensioners in Australia will vote for a $250 electricity voucher, and couldn't care less about Aussie pensioners overseas paying non resident tax because it doesn't concern them. There is no comradery amongst pensioners. Pensioners are just another demographic of voter that will vote for which party will put the most money in their pocket each fortnight.

I have posted links for you before. The links, which are credible, one being a government website, clearly state at any given time there are about 1 million Australians living overseas. We discussed what percentage of that 1 million were retired expats. From memory, I suggested around 20%, or 200,000, you suggested only 80,000. A member, possibly yourself, posted that Thailand had 20,000 Aussie expats. I posted a link showing Bali had 10,000 Aussie expats, so I think your figure of 80,000 is a bit skinny. These figures were discussed to show the savings to Centrelink by withholding 32.5% in non resident tax would be in the billions of dollars, which you disagreed with, and I posted math to show the savings would indeed be over a billion dollars. Now, you are asking for the same links again, about the same topic, which as already been discussed. Quite frankly, even if the government was one lousy dollar better off, why wouldn't they do it? I agree with you that bureaucracy expands. What is your point? As for computers taking staff away from the public service, I never suggested that. My point is, and members have given examples to back this up, at the press of a button, Centrelink staff, and no doubt immigration, the ATO etc etc, know that you are outside of Australian, and for how long you have been outside Australia. Surely you agree with this. This data can simply be used to implement / enforce the 183 day law if / when it comes in. If your point is, it will cost the government more money to withhold 32.5% of pensions from pensioners overseas, I disagree. It will simply be a data base doing it, and it's already happening with some pensions when people are overseas. You hope that the costs will exceed the savings, in my opinion, is incorrect.

The human weakness called "greed" means people can never have enough assets in their lifetime.

YOU posted the link. It contradicts the point YOU made, and it's YOUR own link. The example in YOUR link, Derek, relates to a high percentage of expats. I call you out on YOUR error, and YOU resort back to YOUR usual deflection and personal attack on me. Not to mention, your post is off topic.

"Wealthy" is a broad term. As a reference point, Australia's median personal income was $52,338 in 2019 - 20. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/personal-income-australia/2015-16-2019-20 At what dollar value would you say someone is wealthy?

With over 1 million Australians living overseas, and a large percentage of them retirees, one member claiming Thailand having 20,000 Australians alone, I would say it's financially beneficial to have all that welfare money remaining in the Australian economy for 2 years. With computers doing most of the work, I don't think wages of staff to implement the policy is an issue.

Which is my point. This is exactly why the 183 day law will eventually be passed. How so? I am in Thailand for prolonged periods of time, only returning for major family events. I have admitted I have been living in Thailand "in the gray area." Others have admitted the same. It's not illegal, it's just pushing the boundaries of the tax laws. How can one seriously claim to be a resident of Australia for tax purposes just because they have kept a house, car, utility account, bank account etc, when they haven't been back to Australia in over a year or more? In the past, it could have been argued that one was just on a long overseas holiday, with every intention of returning to Australia, hence maintaining ownership of a house, car etc, but the 183 day law will end that gray area and every Australian outside of Australia for 183 day will automatically be deemed a non resident for taxation purposes. Where's the schadenfreude? We will all be impacted by the change in the non resident for taxation law, just some more than others, and I expect it will have a greater impact on myself than pensioners.

Have you never come across a geo blocked website?

OP, is your Hotmail account out of storage space. 15GB for email and 5GB for One Drive. The GB's include attachments as well.

Over a year ago I had a look for some work arounds and found the below clip that explains a lot about the TPM. This guy has a good channel with over 15m subs. I have watched some of his other clips over the years. After watching this clip, I formed my opinion and haven't really looked into Windows 11 since. Watching this clip is why I said the work around may not be able to be done by many users. It appears things were not going so well with the Windows 11 uptake, some may even say its introduction "flopped." Fast forward a little and Microsoft have realized they made an error and it's now as easy as what's in the clip below. Maybe the whole TPM thing in Windows 11 was just a publicity stunt.

I disagree it's a fallacy. People in poor countries are, well, poor. They can't afford to just go and buy a new computer for the latest operating system. Even many in western countries are now feeling the their finances squeezed with interest rate rises, higher taxes, inflation, and the higher cost of living. If they have a computer that's working, upgrading may be a luxury the can't afford. I'm not bickering, and I haven't moved the goal posts. I am simply disagreeing with you, and told you why. I find it funny that you said you will be staying with Windows 11, yet it will not "flop." Well, it's "flopped" with you, and "flopped" with me, and how many others? If we had access to Microsoft's data, I would not be surprised if 11 had the slowest uptake of all of Microsoft's operating systems. Your argument is it will not flop because eventually all machines fail, and new machines must be purchased. I agreed with this, it's the obvious, but unless they address the TPM issue (they now have, which I will address in another post) I couldn't see it being widely adopted by the Windows 10 end of life date.

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/international-social-security-agreements/overview-international-social-security-agreements#:~:text=Australia's agreements with Austria%2C Belgium,also include provisions which regulate "Australia's agreements with Austria, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Latvia, the Republic of North Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Switzerland and the USA also include provisions which regulate the Superannuation Guarantee contributions and contributions to partners' countries social security systems for non-resident workers to avoid double-coverage. More information on the Superannuation Guarantee is available on the Australian Taxation Office(link is external) website. Generally, Agreements allow Australian residents to maximise their income by helping them to claim payments from other countries where they have spent part of their working life."

You were overseas "in the gray area" still appearing like you were an Australian resident for taxation purposes? Many have not maintained a "gray area" in Australia and are non residents which ever way you look at them. They will have to do their 2 years.

Are you 125 years old?

It keeps the welfare money circulating in the Australian economy, which also creates employment, and employed people pay income tax. They want to get as much of that welfare money back in GST, excises, rates, fees, levies, tolls, licenses etc. They do not want it going into another country's economy.

Did you read the information in your own link? You have to qualify for the OAP first, before you can look at portability. If you read the residency criteria in your link for determining one's residency status, you will see it's similar to residency for taxation purposes. Here's an example from your link. "Example 1: Derek is single, aged 56, and has spent the last 2 years in Thailand as he prefers the climate and cost of living. He initially went for a short holiday and when he came back he rented out his furnished property in Australia on an indefinite basis and took on a long term lease of an apartment in Thailand. He is not employed. He keeps in contact with extended family by phone and has a return trip booked to Australia for medical treatment. He has to renew his Thai visa every year and does not consider himself to be a resident of Thailand because he is not eligible for a permanent visa there. He plans to return to Australia one day and for this reason has not sold his house. Derek's argument that he does not have a permanent visa to stay in Thailand does not override the fact that he spends the majority of his time living in Thailand. Based on the duration of his absence and the fact that his plans to return to live in Australia are vague, at this point in time he is considered to be residing in Thailand." Does the above sound familiar? "at this point in time he is considered to be residing in Thailand." This means non resident for OAP, and therefore non resident for taxation purposes as well.

Did you buy new hardware with 11 pre installed, or did you manually upgrade? If you upgraded, do your machines have TPM? If not, how did you go with the workaround?

I have mentioned there is a workaround. As October 2025 nears, I'll give the workaround a try, but how many people out there would not be confident of having a go at it, particularly the elderly?

It's you who needs to do more research into how a battery is connected to solar panels and inverter. I'd like to suggest a short course in writing skills, as well. You struggle to convey your thoughts to the reader.

14h October 2025 for most. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-10-home-and-pro

So, if people stay on 10 until the end of support, and they can't afford a new machine, they just stay on 10, right? Look at all the poorer countries with big populations around the world. Affordability is an issue, even more so in the current economic climate. You said it yourself, 10 does everything you want it to do, as it would for most people, and if they can't afford a new machine, they won't be migrating to 11. That means 11 will not be widely adopted until years and years later, as hardware slowly fails. Of course, the workaround for the TPM issue may be made simple by the guys at Github and maybe a download will do all the heavy work to get around the TPM issue. If so, 11 will be adopted by the masses. Sure, but this will take years and years, particularly in poorer countries. MS can "motivate" all they like, but that doesn't put money in people's pocket to be able to afford a new machine. Can you give a couple of examples of desirable features of 11? Funny you mention 12. I would not be surprised if the whole TPM thing sees a big percentage of users simply stay with 10, so they bring out 12 which doesn't need a TPM, and boom, most people migrate over, because they can. You are clinging to one word, "flop." If I changed that word and said, "many people will not buy a new machine in 2025 because they can't afford one" would that make you happy? Imagine a company that bought out an app that only runs on Android 13. How many people do you think would be using the app? Sure, eventually most, but not after years and years until their current phone dies. MS have done the same with 11.

I Googled "c20 battery" and only a small battery comes up. See from an article on the first page of Google. https://naturalenergyhub.com/solar-energy/differences-c10-c20-rated-solar-batteries/ The battery looks small, and not something like one of these. See the next link. https://www.tesla.com/powerwall/design I was just wondering, during a daytime power outage, if the solar panels were charging the c20 battery while you were using your electronics and discharging the battery at the same time, hence, the 8 hour run time. You never mentioned anything about about "night" use.