Where's Zulu?
 

I'm a nosy old thing so I notice when regulars drop off the radar. Hope he's ok.

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

Hopefully just on a nice long Christmas holiday.

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

So you missed me! BE is obviously shite when I'm not posting and now that I'm back, things will be on the up again

My life is normally pretty humdrum and boring - hence the amount of time on BE - but the last few months have been pretty hectic and interesting. I've also started a new contract and unlike many previous roles, I actually have to do some work with this one - and as I'm generally a lazy f**ker, it hurts I can tell.

Anyway, just has Milo Y has been doing in Australia during the past week, I'm back to spice things up a bit

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

WA went quiet for a few years. Its getting back in the swing of things now. Just when I thought I could focus on East Coast infrastructure projects, the phone has started ringing from Perth.

I hear that everyone is snapping up all the good staff before they miss out.

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

I noticed you were missing, not quite the same as missing you :sneaky:

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

But you did though :thumbsup:

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

It's going gangbusters in the engineering project and design areas. It's gone from zero to nuclear in the space of a few months. I was getting calls from agents this week - which is normally unheard of in December. I've certainly never experienced it before

Went quiet? It all basically fell off a cliff in 2013. Although I've basically managed to stay working, my income last year was 40% of what it was in 2013 and this year I'm earning 70% more than I did last year

Next year is going to be good. There are 4 new iron ore mines in play, plus lots of brownfield, and lithium is starting to get really big. What's great about lithium is that the mining of it is exploding but there is a value add in that it will be processed further at new plants at Kwinana and Bunbury. SW WA is on track to be the main lithium battery source for the rest of the world. Uranium is going to come on stream big time soon and lots of gold expansion

WA is the fundamental powerhouse of the Australian economy and if it gets sick, the rest of the country catches a cold - which we have seen in recent years. Now that WA is on the mend, the rest of the country will benefit. The only way is up - it's about time

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

Good to hear. I am certainly seeing the same, but hate to break it to you, the rest of the country didn't catch the cold.

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

It most certainly did - and it still has it. Since the slowdown in the last resources construction phase (there is no such thing as a mining boom) and the fall in commodity prices, Australia has experienced anemic national growth and government revenues have been hit meaning a higher budget deficit. This is playing out today as average wage rises are staying stubbornly low (which is just basically the supply demand equation for labour in play)

All this goes to show how much the nation depends on the resource states of WA and Qld (but mainly WA) for economic growth and stability. Without the commodity exports out of these 2 states (and from NSW and the NT to a lesser extent), the country would be f**ked

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

From where I stand things are going great guns. Wage rises are low but so is inflation which means a big "who cares". Lots of jobs, lots of spending, lots of taxation. Maybe its what you see in the west. All good over here in the east.

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

Macro v micro

Either is relevant or irrelevant depending on circumstances

"From where I stand" says it all. It's definitely not all good in the east

Parts of the economy are doing well (which is always the case whatever the overall outlook) but generally is struggling. This is not my opinion - have a look at the GDP growth figures for the last few years. National wage growth is muted because of this (supply/demand equation). This will change going forward - super cycle is still in play and Australia will benefit from this

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

My ex is on his way back too. Starts a new job early January.

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

Cool

Lot's of O&G work on the go. A few of the guys I worked with on my last project are working for an O&G outfit that has a lot of work on the Gorgon project. They are looking to increase their workforce by 30-40% in the new year

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

Word on the street has it that he has returned to sit his Diploma in Clowning at the local TAFE.


I'm sure he's fine. Soon back with a new set of ideological side splitting jokes, to be fair the old ones were becoming a 'little routine and predictable',
I await with baited breath the results or will it be the next level up, before results become apparent?

Re: Where's Zulu?
 

Hardly lots of taxation if the workers are left to pay impost, while foreign based companies, for the most part , pay next to nothing or indeed nothing.


So glad it is going 'great guns', in your little corner of the world. It is not going 'great guns' in mine by a long chalk. I'm afraid talking up the economy doesn't make it happen. There are certainly not lots of jobs, small business continues to struggle, with specials every where, house price inflation continues to blight the main east coast cities, with Melbourne getting out of hand,(thanks to the population Ponzi) A lot are caring very much the direction Australia is taking......