OT: Current Affairs and Politics

[Gronk]

All the lockdowns slowed everything up. And gave shipping companies a good chance to exploit desperation for goods.
Shipping basically trippled. Minimum I have found have doubled. Materials went up 20-50% in a short time. I know cable prices went up about 75%. Almost double.
Lockdown also meant no people coming in. Wages went up as people who had work become desperate to complete jobs.

It is now at a stage where renovations and cost to build a house is 40% more in the space of 12mths. I reckon a lot ofmpeople buying old run down places have little idea what the costs are involved to repair.

Substitute the word “lockdowns” for the word “pandemic” and you’ve nailed it. It’s too simplistic to attribute lockdowns as the reason why we are not getting cable from China at the same price as we used to.

Wages went up because supply v demand. You can blame demand, but who sets the price for trades supply ? Your brethren. Who sets the price of cable at the AU warehouse when demand outstrips supply ? In an inflationary market there are always winners and losers. It’s just that the losers outnumber the winners, until the market shinks to the point where demand outstrips supply.

 

[Gronk]

If that happens I predict ALP will win the next election as well. LNP need a sensible moderate to take over as opposition leader. Do they have one of those?

Josh F was that guy. Moderates are thin on the ground and they just suggested Susan Ley on the Insiders.



If they are smart, they fast track NSW guy Andrew Constance, but I think he has work to do to win his seat.



An alternative to Dutton being mentioned is Andrew Hastie, but IMHO he’s a staunch conservative aka Tony Abbott lite.

 

[Twizzle]

Ping @Suitman builders are stretched because they can’t honour contracts because their profits are being eroded by the inflationary cost of materials.

Many mums and dads are being forced to renegotiate contracts on their new builds because they are being told they can’t do it for that price anymore.

The W hotel (IMAX) is on hold because the builder can complete the job.

Construction halted at W Sydney and Ritz-Carlton Melbourne following Probuild collapse - Travel Weekly

The future of two major hotels set to open in Australia this year has been thrown into question after Probuild entered into administration.

www.travelweekly.com.au

https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/probuild-collapse-the-projects-left-behind

Probuild collapse: administrators investigate $50m transferred to civil construction division

Documents show Probuild’s WBHO Infrastructure borrowed $48.7m from other parts of the group last year as it struggled to survive

www.theguardian.com

I suspect there will be quiet a lot of this

 

[Twizzle]

I just watched about 10 mins of Sky, just for the hell of it and the Outsiders was on.

f**k me dead, you would not know there was anyone else in the election other than ScoMo, apparently Albo didn't win the election, ScoMo lost it by agreeing to net Zero by 2050.

There was no mention of Albo at all, not that I expected any different, talk about bedwetters

 

[strider]

If that happens I predict ALP will win the next election as well. LNP need a sensible moderate to take over as opposition leader. Do they have one of those?

he is the short term baddie before you fly in a saviour that people think is better so has a better chance .... hit em with the bad cop first

 

[Gronk]

he is the short term baddie before you fly in a saviour that people think is better so has a better chance .... hit em with the bad cop first

They do so at their own peril, because he will drive the LNP further to the right.

This election shows that both the Libs and Labor primary vote is down with women and greens gaining. If that’s not a message that the punters want sensible governance with a realistic social conscious, I don’t know what is. They are sick of the wallpaper policy where the leader says he is doing something but actions suggest otherwise.

Even in his concession speach last night Frydenberg waxed lyrical about our 4% unemployment but omitted the fact that those numbers are based on one hours work now = employed plus “we are great economic managers” whereas he has tripled debt under his and the former treasurer’s watch. So even as Jack sunk into the depths below the titanic, he was still spinning shit and avoiding reality.

 

[Gary Gutful]

I know cable prices went up about 75%. Almost double.

 

[Twizzle]

@Bandwagon do you reckon ScoMo and his cronies will be in the shit if Labour brings in a federal ICAC, assuming it has some teeth ?

 

[the phantom menace]

Scott Morrison — liar, lightweight, loser. But did he secure one final victory?

The country’s worst PM leaves his party in ruins as nation turns to independents and Greens — and elects Labor.

www.crikey.com.au

 

[hindy111]

Doesn't bother me. I put a mark up on it all and pass the cost on

 

[Twizzle]

 

[Twizzle]

 

[Twizzle]

 

[Twizzle]

interesting, if true

 

[TheParraboy]

I just watched about 10 mins of Sky, just for the hell of it and the Outsiders was on.

f**k me dead, you would not know there was anyone else in the election other than ScoMo, apparently Albo didn't win the election, ScoMo lost it by agreeing to net Zero by 2050.

There was no mention of Albo at all, not that I expected any different, talk about bedwetters

Nothing new for yonks, most big end media are pro-libs

 

[strider]

Either that or they just wanna smoke pot

But seriously, there have been huge advances in medicinal cannibus which i think alot of people are becoming aware of ... I chucked em a number in the senate

 

[strider]

interesting, if true

I think this is a bit of a fib.

They voted independent cos they thought that was the best option.

If they thought Labor was still cool, they would have given them a 1 and preferenced the independent... In a preference based system, as we have, you can give your 1 to who you actually want and then have a fallback.

These are still people who lost faith in labor ... Labor are just sugar coating it .... And its the same with Libs who lost faith in Libs.

 

[Twizzle]

and the feel good story of the day

 

[Twizzle]

Either that or they just wanna smoke pot

I think that's the point, as medical cannabis is not illegal afaik

 

[Gronk]

interesting, if true

<waves with a cheeky grin>