louie

If no-one chooses to get jabbed, the borders will never open. Please, please do your bit to remove the excuses they have to keep us imprisoned.

I had mine the day I could when I discovered that due to old health issues I was in 1b. Hubby (over 50) gets his tomorrow. If we can get an exemption, we'll be home in October.

Oh, and I'm another one who fully intends to grow old here, regardless of where I might live until then.

Beoz

He is just playing politics to keep the rednecks happy. Needs those votes in Qld and WA. Once the numbers are there they can take another look.

The challenge will be the rest of the world. While you could probably set up a bubble between UK and Australia should all go to plan, how can you ensure someone from a struggling country doesn't go to Australia via UK.

Pollyana

You're not wrong about the rednecks in Qld. I am stunned by comments made by colleagues lately, racist opinions are coming to the fore on a daily basis. I was told the other day that if it wasn't for us "filthy immigrants" Australia would never have had COVID at all. I've heard discussions where the Qlders would like to see anyone with dual nationality stripped of their Aus citizenship and then deported. And don't get me started on the people campaigning to keep the borders shut permanently (forget indefinitely,that doesn't go far enough for this lot).
Being emergency service workers we are all eligible for the vaccine, but hardly anyone is taking it up, and those of us who have had a dose of it are those desperate to be able to travel again, either international or domestic. Thats generally those of us from abroad (UK and S Africa) or from other states. The Qlders who just want to holiday in the Whitsundays just aren't bothered and refuse to consider vaccination at all. And don't get me started on the views round here about whether people should be allowed back in from India........
This is an increasingly uncomfortable place to live.

paulry

It sounds like a different world to the one we have in the South.

paulry

What did you make of the politics playing of last night's budget? There are some funny cartoons in the news this morning

the troubadour

Probably not too much different to WA. Insularity rules here . Although I suspect the loss of the Bali (for many) fix possibly makes it a little less so than QLD. But the comments on India are echoed here . It is not hard to get the feeling that a wall would be welcome to sever easy access to The West. Although not uncomfortable yet for reasons you give entirely, most are very grateful for the strong policy taken by Premier.

Amazulu

Fiscal conservatism in the west is now over. Parties that call themselves conservative are so in name only - Republicans in the US (especially under Donald Trump), Conservative Party in the UK, Liberal Party here. All are spending like drunken sailors but it's our children, and their children, who will have to pay it back. Off the back of all of this spending, there will have to be tax increases in the future because governments are loathe to cut their size. We all suffer in the end. If a conservative is not fiscally conservative, they are essentially socialist

On a personal level, my wife gets a tax cut and I'm happy about 10% super. The downsizing into super option is something I'm interested in but we have to be careful in that we don't put more into super than we're allowed, especially as we're going to be self-funded retirees. The continuing business write offs are also a good thing for me

the troubadour

If you only look at English speaking countries, by that I expect you mean Anglo countries, then options will be limited.

the troubadour

There is little wrong on borrowing in times of low interest. It is where the money goes is the problem. This is the perfect time to invest on infrastructure and/or things that will add value in the future. But to use it to buy votes, or short term thinking, something too often the case in Australia , will in longer term prove worthless but will do nothing to address the real issues requiring attention.

Amazulu

The current kung flu overreaction will end soon enough and we'll all be travelling again - and it will be like the roaring '20s all over (after Spanish flu) - it's going to be great

Agree about Australia - there's nowhere else on the planet where I can earn what I do (my industry pays some of the highest salaries in the Western World), have the lifestyle that I have and enjoy the benefits of a 1st world, advanced economy that provides the benefits of such - World-class, publicly-funded healthcare, a robust and funded retirement system, security, safety, great infrastructure, rule of law etc - and speak English at the same time. Life's f**king great

Amazulu

All political parties, forever, everywhere, use taxpayers money to buy votes. Shouldn't happen but it does

Plenty of money in the budget going on infrastructure and everywhere I go I see infrastructure being built - the Roe highway, corner of Kalamunda road is an, annoying, building site and 10 minutes drive from here, a huge new train station and rail tunnel to the city is being built. etc

paulry

That's what I'm seeing too. It's awesome to live in a country that just keeps getting better and better

paulry

I'm looking at English speaking countries.

Beoz

Wowsers. Come south. We won't give you a 3 day lockdown if one Covid escapes from quarrentine.

Beoz

It's a bit dull, its a bit not wanting to appear "tone deaf".

Good to see the money and job generating infrastructure spend. God knows where they are going to find all the engineers, trades and everyone else needed to design and build this stuff with immigration nil.