2 minutes ago, ParadiseLost said:

Last time I was in WA, I accompanied my daughter to a skin clinic to check moles for cancer; I was almost hospitalised for shock when informed it was $100 for the check and $250 to have them treated.

 

Now, if you have an image in mind of a Thai clinic, forget it - this place was in a swank new building, cctv everywhere, a few nice BMWs and Mercs parked in the doctors only parking. Inside was like an art gallery and I don't mean paintings of warts...

 

For a country with such harsh summers, it should be free to check - I am almost certain it was in the mid 90's...

Unfortunately the government Medicare rebate has not kept pace with the rapaciousness of the doctors' trade union

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

Woolworths and Coles do have discounts but rarely on meat and it's only ever on a few items that they want to get rid of before it goes off.  Try buying 4 x lamb chops and see how much they are. Beer is very expensive ... if you buy a pot glass QLD or a Middy glass NSW you are looking at $5-7 depending if outside happy hour or the pub location.

As for living by the sea ... any town or location from Caloundra to Mackay is tourist area's and therefore everything is increased in price. As for the fishing,  don't you need a fishing license in Australia to go fishing  ??

When fishing in NSW waters, both freshwater and saltwater, you must carry your recreational fishing licence or a receipt showing your payment of the recreational fishing fee, at all times. This includes when spear fishing, hand lining, hand gathering, trapping, bait collecting and prawn netting, or when in possession of fishing gear in, on or near these waters

8 minutes ago, kevvy said:

When fishing in NSW waters, both freshwater and saltwater, you must carry your recreational fishing licence or a receipt showing your payment of the recreational fishing fee, at all times. This includes when spear fishing, hand lining, hand gathering, trapping, bait collecting and prawn netting, or when in possession of fishing gear in, on or near these waters

yes ... I thought so ... I didn't realize it was salt water fishing also. Qld not required. Just another authority wanting a piece of the pie.

39 minutes ago, ParadiseLost said:

Last time I was in WA, I accompanied my daughter to a skin clinic to check moles for cancer; I was almost hospitalised for shock when informed it was $100 for the check and $250 to have them treated.

It is free if you look. I just come last week from my local doctor and they had a bulk billed skin specialist and I had a free skin test. My father goes every six months and gets stuff burnt or cut off him for free.

The most secretive democracy in the world ! A rich mans country ! https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/05/world/australia/journalist-raids.html

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

4 hours ago, wreckingcountry said:

The most secretive democracy in the world ! A rich mans country ! https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/05/world/australia/journalist-raids.html

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

I think they are just catching up with the rest of the world .I remember when they tried to get everyone a National ID card.

 

 

Our pensioners are going hungry as the cost of food is expensive , hospitals have a huge waiting list, waiting for a train to go to Melbourne airport for 25 years etc etc, and yet the Prime Minister Morrison announced after meeting his Solomons counterpart Manasseh Sogavare in the capital, Honiara, that Australia would provide 250 million Australian dollars ($174 million) in aid over the next decade for infrastructure spending. I thought you look after your own first

6 hours ago, kevvy said:

My wife and I do not eat out , I cook from home , we tried eating out and the food was crap. The food at some restaurants are just frozen crap and a sauce put on .My dinner last night was homed cooked and very nice . And cheaper than going to a restaurant .

Pick me!! ????

18 hours ago, mfd101 said:

Yes, and Oz incomes are roughly 50% higher (greater still in the case of the Kiwis).

lol

11 hours ago, kevvy said:

Our pensioners are going hungry as the cost of food is expensive , hospitals have a huge waiting list, waiting for a train to go to Melbourne airport for 25 years etc etc, and yet the Prime Minister Morrison announced after meeting his Solomons counterpart Manasseh Sogavare in the capital, Honiara, that Australia would provide 250 million Australian dollars ($174 million) in aid over the next decade for infrastructure spending. I thought you look after your own first

They have their priorities, in Sydney anyway...

This is australia for you ....

Scott Morrison is in line for a $10,000-a-year payrise after a decision made by an independent tribunal.

The Remuneration Tribunal announced that every public office in its jurisdiction would get a two per cent payrise from the start of next month.

That includes all federal politicians.

Mr Morrison's pay will go up to $550,000-a-year.

Australia pays its prime minister more than any country in the world except for Singapore.

Mr Morrison will earn more than ten times the salaries of the prime ministers of Poland, Thailand and Malaysia.

17 hours ago, kevvy said:

My wife and I do not eat out , I cook from home , we tried eating out and the food was crap. The food at some restaurants are just frozen crap and a sauce put on .My dinner last night was homed cooked and very nice . And cheaper than going to a restaurant .

Too much Wasabi for my liking... ????

5 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Australia pays its prime minister more than any country in the world except for Singapore.

Mr Morrison will earn more than ten times the salaries of the prime ministers of Poland, Thailand and Malaysia.

It is the land of white privilege, for example note the (lack of) diversity in the sports teams:

 

Even Aboriginal MPs are white!:

18 minutes ago, ParadiseLost said:

It is the land of white privilege, for example note the (lack of) diversity in the sports teams:

 

Even Aboriginal MPs are white!:

Yes, and of course the politicians, judges and senior bureaucrats should all be paid a MINUS figure. That would encourage them to work better. Along with regular public whippings.

35 minutes ago, ParadiseLost said:

Too much Wasabi for my liking... ????

Wasabi??? Where!!!! OH , the green peas... :0

 

26 minutes ago, ParadiseLost said:

It is the land of white privilege, for example note the (lack of) diversity in the sports teams:

 

Even Aboriginal MPs are white!:

and some have blue eyes

 

Just heard that the Aus Prime Minister is the second highest paid Prime Minister in the world

 

37 minutes ago, kevvy said:

Just heard that the Aus Prime Minister is the second highest paid Prime Minister in the world

 

Is that at current exchange rates or PPP?

2 hours ago, kevvy said:

Just heard that the Aus Prime Minister is the second highest paid Prime Minister in the world

 

Most democracies publicly state their head of state, Prime Minister's salary. AUD 550k is a pretty good wicket to be earning, but who knows what Prayut or Hun Sen in Cambodia are earning? Nothing made public and even on Google a blank. I would bet that they are earning a higher salary again.. But who really knows how much? 

I left australia for good 10 years ago. As a single man it was just impossible to find affordable place to live. I used to work in the city but live in suburbs in a unit.

 

getting $800 a week. $120 for train to work per week. $300 for unit I was lucky to get as I knew the owner otherwise no chance being a single person. Car expenses getting to the train. Food. Utilities. Phone and internet. 

 

going out was a very rare thing. If having a beer you need to get ripped off in a taxi fare. Stupid laws where leaving your car unlocked gets you a fine of half your wages. They really do find ways to screw you.

 

i really pity those on a pension. Very sad what the country has become.

 

 So glad I packed up and got out of there. Best move i ever made. 

Its not just a issue of food and power.

 

Whats worse is Australia again take part in the international income shift swindle by lowering interest rates again.

 

-Aus banks dont loose, just adjust margins to get the same profit.

At the sane time allows the stealing of more money from investors, self funded retirees etc. 

 

- 80% of People in debt, so "lets lower rates again, encourage more lending and get the new generation addicted to cheap credit also"

yeah thats gotta work!

 

-tax the hell out of property owners especially the non resident.

unfair capital gains, land tax changes and complicated rules for non resident owners.

they are doing their best to force ALL non residents into selling up their real estate. 

It helps their failing property market, earn them easy CGT from a group that mostly dont vote. 

all win win

horrible place

 

 

 

 

On 6/6/2019 at 7:53 AM, steven100 said:

Australia has become one of the most expensive countries in the world and consumers largely have the Government to thank, new research suggests.

Bananas, books, cars, housing and retail are all areas where Australians are paying too much, according to Dr Hartwich.

"We are always told we are living in this miracle economy, the envy of the world, the one economy that survived the GFC, and it's all true, but ordinary consumers do not feel they are living in this blessed economy - they actually feel ripped off and overcharged," Dr Hartwich said.

Australia is more expensive than in New Zealand, the UK, France and the US.

I regularly talk to friends who live in Sydney and when I tell them what we pay here they cannot believe the difference.

A poster on this site recently stated that he was returning to live in Australia “ where a dollar is still worth a dollar “ or words to that effect, what he failed to mention was that the dollar doesn’t buy much.

The drop in the exchange rate particularly if you are receiving funds from Australia has made costs higher but for me the only disadvantage is the cost of wine.

Actually it comes back to the average Australian, who only vote for what they believe will affect their  own back pocket. Unable to analyse the political policies, and have had it too good for too long, allowing the economists to rule, without looking at longer term outcomes.

 

Forgetting we should be living in a community not just an economy  

On 6/6/2019 at 10:10 AM, madmen said:

Move to North qld.  Not to far up cause you will need AC. I found The sunshine coast to be perfect weather, no ac or heat required. I disagree that OZ is expensive assuming your not living in the major cities. Rent assistance helps a great deal

You also get an extra $36 pension supplements if living in OZ . All states have a remote living allowance of an extra $20 but you need to check the postcodes. The pension card helps a great deal for travel and near free meds, Im paying 56000 baht a year for one imported med here that costs $60 a year in OZ

 

The big supermarkets ALWAYS have specials especially the mark down on meat so a freezer would be a good investment. Beer is expensive but home brew is not illegal like here and its fun to make and cheap! Being a fishing fanatic I always lived by the sea and would usually bag a catch of Tailor and salmon off the beaches so always had fish fillets in the freezer

 

With the OZ dollar bleeding out slowly There must a point where living OZ where a dollar is actually worth a dollar is going to be a good option for some and when you factor in free medicare (not many do because they have no insurance here) then it becomes even more attractive.

 

I agree I live on the pension myself have no other income no super I get rent assistant cheap electricity free medicare I don't have any heating end of the month I still have some money left

On 6/6/2019 at 3:36 PM, ThaiBunny said:

Unfortunately the government Medicare rebate has not kept pace with the rapaciousness of the doctors' trade union

I never paid a cent for medicare don't have any private insurance had my heart reset

last year in a top class hospital(public) and never paid anything 

2 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

I never paid a cent for medicare don't have any private insurance had my heart reset

last year in a top class hospital(public) and never paid anything 

I hope your batteries keep going and the pump works ok. good luck.

14 hours ago, daveAustin said:

lol

minimum wage is 19.64 per hour

4 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I hope your batteries keep going and the pump works ok. good luck.

heart reset (cardio version) no batteries need it educate your self before commenting

1 minute ago, White Christmas13 said:

minimum wage is 19.64 per hour

but I'm not sure that equates to a 17 yr old working at Mcdonalds and the in the afternoon go to a cleaning job ...... then tomorrow he empties trash for a couple of hours.

He's going to take home $400-500 bucks ...... so he's not getting $20 per hour ...  your talking rubbish.

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

I left australia for good 10 years ago. As a single man it was just impossible to find affordable place to live. I used to work in the city but live in suburbs in a unit.

 

getting $800 a week. $120 for train to work per week. $300 for unit I was lucky to get as I knew the owner otherwise no chance being a single person. Car expenses getting to the train. Food. Utilities. Phone and internet. 

 

going out was a very rare thing. If having a beer you need to get ripped off in a taxi fare. Stupid laws where leaving your car unlocked gets you a fine of half your wages. They really do find ways to screw you.

 

i really pity those on a pension. Very sad what the country has become.

 

 So glad I packed up and got out of there. Best move i ever made. 

I live in Perth near the city and pay for a 3 bedroom unit $240