Rip-Off Merchants !

The most vulnerable people in Australia are from both ends of the age spectrum.   Young people today are desperate to get the qualifications they need to secure a good paying job with advancement prospects.  They face a bleak future as the advance of robotics and the application of artificial intelligence erode unskilled work.  They are prepared to accept a heavy debt load that they will struggle to repay to gain that qualification that will lift them above the herd.

Those people who are ending their working lives and looking to retirement face a very different problem.  They need to plan for the time when they need care and for many that means moving into some sort of retirement facility.  That is now a big and growing industry and many are finding a vast difference in the conditions that apply and the highs and lows of the various schemes offering.  Usually the terms and conditions run to a multi-page booklet and are far beyond the comprehension of the average person.   They are usually accepted - with a quick, scan, but unread in depth

We are now seeing failures at both ends of these service industries.  Another training college has closed its doors, moved its operational base to the Philippines and will not deliver the proficiency certificates its students earned.  In the case of some overseas students, they will be denied the right to continue to live in this country.  Their visas were conditional on achieving that qualification and the money their families have scraped together to send them to Australia is now lost.

In some cases these new college ventures were put together with more optimism than wisdom and failed because their structure was faulty, but others were simply rip-off merchants seeking a quick dollar and milking both the students and the education department of funds. Unsuitable students were recruited using commission agents and had they gone full term the certificates they proposed would have been of doubtful value.

There is a vast quality difference in the standards of retirement village living in this country.  One very big group has received an appalling presentation when a joint newspaper and television channel conducted an investigation into their practices.  Residents were charged exorbitant fees for simple tasks like changing a light bulb, repairing leaky taps and " churn " tactics were used to gain profit from the requirement that accommodation would be refitted at the outgoing residents expense when they moved - or died.  Onerous requirements skilfully buried in the contract they signed allowed the owners to deplete their capital and make them virtual prisoners.

Sadly, the government instrumentalities that are supposed to oversee both the education industry and retirement villages lack the authority to prosecute or right wrongs.  Along with the Ombudsman, they have the power to suggest, but the ability to force action does not rest in their hands. There is an urgent needs for oversight with the teeth to insist on change - and the power to implement that authority through the courts.

Road ? Or Rail ?

It seems that the New South Wales government was trying to decide whether to choose road or rail to improve the connection between Sydney and the city of Wollongong and its south coast hinterland. That decision came down in favour of " road " and consequently we are on the cusp of creating the F-6 extension that will provide a multi-lane, divided freeway from Waterfall to the suburb of St Peters in central Sydney.

What was rejected was a proposal for a rail tunnel from Thirroul to Waterfall, which would have reduced the present ninety minute rail travel time from Wollongong to Central to one hour - and vastly improved the reliability of this important rail corridor.   The estimated cost of the rail tunnel was $3.6 billion, a mere fraction of what the F-6 extension will cost.

The government seems reluctant to even admit that it engaged consultants to create a study titled " The Rail Corridor Strategy:  Sydney to Wollongong " and that this was buried in the archives in 2014.  To do so would ignite that old chestnut - the controversy of whether funds should be spent to improve roads or whether public transport should take preference.

Having taken the decision to build the F-6 the government is now talking about " improving " the existing rail line but that is an impossible task.  The rail line was created in the nineteenth century to get coal from the newly discovered Wollongong coal mines to feed Sydney industry and it was built with pick and shovel, horse and cart transport through unyielding terrain. Steam power has been converted to  electric trains but the track twists and turns over chasms and through tunnels and travel reverts to buses because of the danger of land slips after even moderate rain.

To further complicate this issue, it has just been announced that the next major Sydney project to create more living space for our ever growing population will be centred on Picton and Wilton, farm and grazing country inland above the Wollongong escarpment. Their transport needs add a new dimension to that road or rail decision !

There is a danger that the inability to process fast and reliable rail traffic between Thirroul and Waterfall will impede the living potential of the entire south coast.  Sleepy little holiday and fishing villages between Wollongong and Nowra are fast developing into major towns and the attraction of both the sea and the temperature moderation that goes with it is attracting a growing segment of the Australian population.  The population density along this area of the coastline will continue to increase.

The decision to proceed with the F-6 has been taken, but that study on a rail tunnel needs to remain relevant. Funding may be impossible immediately, but the sheer volume of people will make it an absolute necessity in the near future.

An Era Ends !

A dwindling number of Australians remember when television first launched in Australia.  At that time in 1956 the government was worried about the financial impact of this new medium as households rushed to buy television sets on " hire purchase ", the form of finance that was available at that time.  It was thus decreed that television broadcasting would be restricted to just the state capital cities for its first year of operation.

The following year a small number of affiliate stations with connections to one of the main city networks opened in regional cities and thus the nation was assured of being able to view at least one commercial channel - and the ABC.    The viewing hours were atrocious.  Programmes commenced at 10 am and shut down at 10 pm.

Television in Australia soon revolved around the three main networks - Channels 9, 7 and 10.  The service extended when by government fiat all areas received coverage by local affiliate stations mainly repeating the networks offerings, plus local advertising and news segments.  A new service - SBS - was added in addition to the ABC offering multicultural programming.

All this was at a time of a very different Australia.  It was a time when most Australian households read a daily newspaper - and in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, newsboys were on the streets selling two late afternoon newspapers.  It was generally conceded that obtaining a license to operate a television network was simply a way to " make unlimited money " !

Those afternoon newspapers are long gone and the mighty dailies are struggling to remain afloat.  New ways of distributing news - and the almighty advertising dollar that is its companion - have shattered balance sheets.  The advent of the " Smartphone " - together with Facebook and Twitter - see both news and conversation intertwined in the hand of the average user.

Now we are seeing distress in the television world.   The Channel 10 network has sought administration protection and desperate measures are under way for it to be recapitalized.  It has been a long struggle and Ten has always been the weakest member in attracting viewers.   Several billionaires are giving short term support, but there is a possibility that 10 transmitters may wink out into silence if negotiations fail.

Viewer numbers may be falling, but television is still an important news source and entertainment vehicle.  It is important that the three channel system be retained and the government needs to look at the licensing fees it imposed when television was a new and exciting medium.  What was demanded then is not relevant today and the entire industry has reason to renegotiate with overseas sources which produce many of the shows seen in Australia.   Costs can be contained and the troubles at Ten should bring adequate warning that change is necessary if this service is to remain in its present form into the future.

Ducking the Issue !

There is an expectation that the various levels of government - Federal, State and local councils - will scrupulously obey the law.  A glaring example of how and why that is not happening concerns an address in one of Sydney's most fashionable suburbs.  Anyone thinking of buying a home in Hunters Hill would expect to pay a multi-million dollar price tag.

7-9 Nelson Parade, Hunters Hill is a vacant block of land.  Many decades ago this was the site of a small manufacturing business that resulted in the ground becoming contaminated with lead, arsenic, petroleum residue - and low level - but very dangerous - radioactive matter.

This is like a ticking time bomb in the middle of Sydney.  The contamination took place over a hundred  years ago and eight years ago - following an enquiry - parliament ordered that it be cleaned up.   The site owner is the government's own " Property New South Wales " and this clean up order was reinforced in 2014 by a directive from the Environment Protection Authority.  Absolutely nothing has been even started.

As a result, surrounding properties are subjected to contaminated dust blowing about by the wind and because it is steeply sloping land, water run off leaches into the Parramatta river, where people swim and fish.  All levels of government seem to be in breach of their own legislation.

The reason given for this lack of action highlights yet another government failing.   Work has not commenced because there simply is no gazetted reception site to which the contaminated soil can be relocated.   Despite repeated enquiries and many false starts we are no closer now to establishing a national repository for this nations nuclear waste - and we have an entire continent at our disposal.

The ticking of that particular time bomb is getting louder.   Apart from the used fuel rods from our nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights, the amount of isotopes and nuclear contaminated material used in hospitals becomes greater each year and this is stored away in countless lightly protected sites, awaiting removal when a permanent security dump is established.

It is the usual NIMBY problems.  Whatever site is proposed inevitably draws a screaming crowd of nay sayers who vigorously and vocally protest.  Both sides of politics have had their time in office and both have failed to be decisive with this issue.  It has become the proverbial " hot potato "  threatening to burn the fingers of all who address the problem.

It is not possible to keep ducking this issue indefinitely.  When a site is finally chosen it will generate flak from those living nearby - and relief from those who might otherwise have had to contend with in in their area.   That is something governments have to accept - and in this instance it is a decision that is long overdue !

Return of the " Death Pool " !

A lot of people have a new worry !  Suppose they live longer than expected and exhaust the income that their superannuation provides  ?   That is a frightening scenario and advances in medical science are constantly pushing life expectancy to new limits.   We humans have now breached the " eighty " barrier and people reaching ninety are not unusual.

Murder mystery officiados and followers of Agatha Christie will be familiar with what was once called a " Tontine " and is also known as a " Death Pool ".   It was once a perfectly legal financial instrument in which a number of men contributed an even amount of money each and this was deposited with a secure company and invested to draw interest and increase in volume.

Usually, the starting point was a common age of the contributors of age fifty and the terms of the Tontine called for it to start distribution at an agreed age.   Suppose the pool of contributors was a hundred men.   By the time their common age reached seventy there would already have been some casualties - death from illness, accidents and perhaps the odd suicide.

This " Death Pool " would now contain a handsome profit on the original contribution but distribution would depend on what terms had been written in at setup and these differed wildly.  It usually depended on what constituted life expectancy then and what they guessed it might be nearing their life's end.  It usually nominated an age at which distribution of a nominated percentage would commence and edge upwards each year.  The last surviving pool member scooped what remained in the pool and usually died a very rich man.

The objective was to ensure that should a member have the good luck to live much longer than the average their needs would be taken care of by a financial dividend from the pool.   In fact, it was often a constituent written into insurance cover at that time, but it was just too tempting to writers of novels and featured in many murder mysteries.   Mysterious deaths amongst pool members reaching distribution age became a common theme and for some reason the Tontine was legally banned.

It is a perfectly logical way of ensuring that the " great unknown " - the length of time we each may live - is covered by living expenses and that is exactly how the life assurance industry actuaries calculate their policies.    The only difference is that instead of a nominated reward set at the outset, the distribution of the money is reliant on sheer luck deciding those who outlive the group.

Reactivated and legalised it could be a valuable instrument of estate planning.   Perhaps with appeal to the sporting instincts of many contributors !

Asbestos - Removal costs !

The courts are starting to hand down draconian penalties on the trucking contractors caught dumping loads of deadly asbestos in city streets.  That is what they deserve, but perhaps we also need to have a look at the laws that were put in place and the fees that apply to the legal disposal of this dangerous product.

Asbestos was a legal and commonly used building material until it was banned in the 1980's.  New disposal laws caused it to be refused at local landfills and it became necessary to take it to a special tip where it was immediately buried in a deep pit and covered to prevent fibres polluting the air. Both the Federal government and the local councils imposed what they considered appropriate fees well above the usual landfill charges.

The demolition of a pre-1980's house would require the services of a thirty tonne truck to remove the asbestos contaminated building material - and that would incur a $ 13500 tipping fee for the legal disposal of that load - and that includes a $ 4000 government levy payment.   There is a huge incentive for a contractor to dispose of it illegally  and pocket that money.

Australia is simply awash with asbestos.  Entire older suburbs are lined with asbestos houses and they will be with us long after this century ends.   Is it realistic to gouge what both government and councils seem to regard as " cash cow " draconian fees to provide what is really a public service ?

It raises another interesting question.   How much asbestos is smuggled illegally into council tips ?  The average suburban householder doing a small renovation job finds he has removed a couple of sheets of asbestos.   Legally, he is supposed to call in an asbestos certified contractor who will wet it, bag it and remove it safely - for a fee.    The more likely outcome is to break it up and hide it in his trailer with other rubbish - and dump it at the local landfill.

Was the refusal of asbestos at local tips an unnecessary knee jerk reaction ?  A well run tip has the daily input covered each day and when tips become full they are usually covered with clay and become parks or golf courses.  In most cases, they remain undisturbed - forever !

Just such an old tip in Sydney's St Peters will soon be a traffic interchange and because of its age it will be rife with asbestos.  The contractors tasked with working the required changes know they will encounter asbestos and will need to use the necessary caution.   Nearby residents are advised to remain indoors and keep their windows shut - not because of the asbestos but because of the noxious gases still generated by household waste dumped generations earlier.

What is clearly needed is a re-think on how we deal with our asbestos problem.  People are apt to obey laws when both rules and cost are considered reasonable !

The " Education " Quandary !

Pauline Hanson and her " One Nation " political party are dismissed by many people as " fringe politics " so far outside the mainstream that their ideas are worthless, but it must be remembered that sufficient numbers agree with her to win valuable seats in parliament.

Her latest observation - that children with disabilities such as autism should be segregated from mainstream classrooms - has provoked a storm of protest across the nation.  The parents of children with autism are outraged but many with disquiet about how out education system compares with that of our trading partners are keeping an uneasy silence.

We are about to spend a lot more money on the school system and it is important that we get value for those dollars.  Comparisons show that our children are not meeting the same educational standards in the same year groups as comparable children in some other countries.  Pauline Hanson is suggesting that mixing children with disabilities in mainstream  classrooms is disruptive and lowers the group learning ability.

The suggestion is that these children should either be in special classes where they can learn according to their intellectual ability, or even in special schools.  Unfortunately, removing them would definitely brand them with a " taint " that is not there when they are educated in a mixed classroom and autism usually reduces with age.

This opens the door to another criticism that worries most parents.  Australian law requires all children to attend school and courts often impose sanctions on the parents of truant children.  As a result, public schools are forced to accept pupils who often have absolutely no concept of discipline and no interest in any form of learning.   They take a delight in disrupting class activity and often bring the learning process to a standstill.   Such schools are often the demarcation line between " good " suburbs - and ones homer buyers avoid !

These are subjects where consensus is unlikely.  The parents of children with autism will fight tooth and nail to keep their kids in mainstream classes and schools " on the wrong side of the tracks " will always battle to attain standards for kids from under privileged families.   There will be kids who go to school hungry, and some who miss excursions and basic amenities simply because they lack money.

This is clearly a matter of balance.  In any classroom there is always a few kids who are " not the brightest globe in the chandelier " but who often outshine their classmates when it comes to business acumen later in life.  Those with mild intellectual abilities can cope, but it is unfair to slow the natural progress of a class to the  speed of a seriously disadvantaged student.    Those with a discipline problem that have no interest in learning have a need for removal that probably needs a law change to accomplish.

Its about time we removed " politics " from education and made the decisions that bring results.  Unfortunately, everyone across the entire educational spectrum - from parents to teachers and the captains of industry - all claim to be " experts " !   It leads to acrimony when a " maverick  " politician throws a suggestion into the melting pot !

Union " Stormtroopers " !

The world watched - and did nothing - when Adolph Hitler's followers practised thuggery on those following the Jewish religion in German cities before the start of the second world war.   It was a form of harassment that incited the public to avoid buying from Jewish owned businesses and individuals thought to be Jews were accosted and roughed up in the streets.

A lot of people were seriously concerned at the rhetoric used by a Victorian Union leader addressing a crowd attending a CFMEU protest meeting in Melbourne this week.   His union is bitterly opposed to the reformation of inspectors from the  Australian Building and Construction Commission to enter building sites and supervise the bans and stoppages enacted by the unions.

This CFMEU secretary was addressing a roaring and supportive crowd twenty-thousand strong when he told them that the union would expose and publicly shame these individuals and that this would take the form of protest meetings in front of their homes and appeals made for support from their neighbours.  He suggested their children would be ashamed of them and they would feel unwelcome in shopping centres and football clubs.

The CFMEU - along with other hard line unions - is well known for breaking Australia's industrial relation laws.  Stoppages are a potent tool in enforcing demands that fall outside the law because they can quickly throw a job behind schedule and impose a financial loss on the building company involved.  On most big construction jobs, industrial peace is achieved only when the company and the unions negotiate a " deal " that is mutually acceptable.  This is usually outside the legal framework and the unions are known to make fresh demands at a critical time during the construction.

The purpose of these inspectors is to ensure that the law is being upheld.  That is anathema to the unions.  Now we have a key union leader openly proposing that his members identify and publicly harass the individuals holding those jobs - to the point of threatening their public safety.  They wish to turn their members into a private army to go after those tasked with bringing law and order to building sites.

The government has flagged that it will refer this threat to the police and the leader of the opposition has " repudiated " it in the strongest possible terms.  Unfortunately, it seems indicative of a new form of violence that is growing in Australian society.   The people who keep us safe - no longer enjoy a feeling of personal safety.

Many have noticed that the police who raid the homes of terror suspects looking for bombs and firearms have their identity covered by face masks.    The faces are not shown, nor the identity revealed of members of Australia's " special forces " when they appear on television.  In fact, the police are advised not to travel to work in uniform.  It is safer to change when they arrive at their duty station than to stand out in a crowd.

Even the people tasked with booking cars for parking offences now do their job with trepidation.  They expect daily abuse, and occasionally that turns to actual violence.  All of this is leading to a " them and us "  mentality and our police are about to be issued with military grade assault rifles to increase their firepower.

Increasingly, the police carry out their duties in groups for safety reasons.   It seems that lone building inspectors on work sites may soon also be a thing of the past.  All this is evidence that we are becoming a more violent society !

This Changing World !

It seems that the ever evolving world in which we live is making it clear that not everyone will find a well paying job and become a home owner living a comfortable life.  Jobs for the unskilled are fast disappearing and with that long periods of unemployment beckon.  Home ownership is out of the question, and even finding reliable rental accommodation is often unaffordable.

When we look to the past we remember how ingenuity accompanied change.  When the price of a car came within reach of the average person the country pub morphed into the new creation of Motel chains.   We wanted accommodation where we could park the car at the door and a complete new industry emerged to meet that need.

It is surprising how many homeless people are reduced to living in their cars.   Often that is the start of a downward spiral.  Perhaps a relationship breaks down or a job is lost and lack of money leads to rental arrears.  Perhaps a short period enjoying the hospitality of friends but it often ends with that person sleeping rough on the streets and battling to survive.

We actually have a serious worker shortage in this country - and surprisingly - the only skill required is common sense.   Our agricultural industry relies on foreign backpackers to get the crop in and we are held hostage to the vagaries of the visa system.    If visas become hard to obtain or the tax system becomes hostile to guest workers and they choose other destinations, our valuable fruit and vegetable industries rot in the fields - unpicked !

It is a sad fact of life that every year a portion of each Australian crop never makes it off the trees or is ploughed into the ground because of insufficient workers - and very often there is a pool of people drawing unemployment benefits in that very crop area.  It is a type of work some people refuse.

This is an industry that offers a wonderful opportunity for the low skilled to earn an above average income and at the same time enjoy a fulfilling lifestyle.   The fruit and vegetable industry is prolific in every Australian state and it follows the climate rotation.  As one crops picking season ends another is just beginning and the work requires the workers to be constantly viewing new vistas.

It is a lifestyle that foreign backpackers accept as a way of seeing this country and at the same time financing their visit by the taking up of well paid work.   Properly promoted and supported, it could be the lifeline our low skilled need.  In particular, it offers an opportunity for those down on their luck and living in their cars to start a new life - and gradually upgrade to a van or more suitable mobile living arrangements.

Centuries ago, in the days of ancient Rome it was the custom to have public bath houses.   It is usual for fruit and vegetable areas to lack much in the way of worker accommodation and this could be enhanced by the public provision of shower and toilet facilities for those following crop rotation.  A small facility - manned when seasonal work is under way - would go a long way to bringing this industry into a recognised work opportunity.

Such a central bathhouse would tend to create a " hub " in each rural picking area with enhanced safety.  Nothing is like clean toilets and the opportunity for a hot shower to promote a desirable work site.

A " Religious " War !

The aim of Islamic State was the same as its forerunner - al Qaeda - to unite the Islamic people of the world in a war against what they termed " the Infidels " and impose their extreme version of that religion  on the people of all nations by force.   The tactics they chose to achieve that end was the use of terror.

They have been very successful in using the western world's social media to recruit and radicalize young people with pliable minds to their cause. In some cases they succeed in having westerners convert to Islam while they inflame their own people with the need to engage in jihad as a religious necessity.   They detest Muslims who practice Islam in a secular manner.

This is a declared war and its leaders take cover within the insurrection taking place within the borders of Syria and Iraq. Their operations have devolved into urging followers in western countries to launch " lone wolf " attacks using whatever weapons they can gather.   This seems to have mainly taken the form of motor vehicles - and knives.   This has resulted in atrocities in France and Germany, and now in England.

Unfortunately, it seems that someone has taken " the bait " and a white non-Muslim deliberately drove a van into a crowd of Muslim worshippers leaving a Mosque in London.  Ten people were injured, some very badly and one person died at the scene.  The forty-eight year old white man driving the van was heard shouting " I want to kill all Muslims ".   He was held by the crowd until police arrived and arrested him.

It is very important that this man receive exactly the same treatment and punishment as Muslims caught during terror events.  It would not serve our interests well if whining civil rights lawyers managed to use " mental illness "  excuses to justify a light sentence.  If anything, the sheer stupidity of replying to terror - with terror - should justify an additional ten percent added to whatever sentence is imposed.

Of all countries, England has good reason to remember the barbarity that is possible when religions collide.   There were decades when " the Troubles " in  Ireland saw sane and deeply religious people on both sides of the sectarian divide resort to a level of savagery last seen in the dark ages.  Bombs in shopping queues maimed innocent women and children and innuendo was sufficient for people to " disappear " without trace.   It is only in very recent times that they have learned to live together again - in relative peace.

It is hoped that the British government has the good sense to implement measures that are " seen to be an adequate response ".   Bollards to protect crowds on streets near Mosques would be reassuring and all eyes will be on the court system.   A little common sense will go a long way to maintaining trust between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Nearing Tipping Point !

The news that the price of electricity is about to hike twenty percent delivers a danger that we may see a market change that makes the future of this commodity unworkable.  The price of solar is so low that going " off grid " is now a realistic solution for many.

The household that relies on gas for cooking and hot water is fast reaching the point where battery storage can safely handle the electrical needs during the hours of darkness.  Many who are thinking of investing in a battery pack have qualms about severing that connection to the grid.   They fear a volcanic eruption somewhere in the world may block the degree of sunlight or a succession of bleak days may reduce the input from solar.  Connection to the grid ensures they will not be left in the dark.

Like everything else that is mass produced, the price of portable electric generators has also tumbled in recent years.  It is now possible to ad such a backup unit to solar and a battery pack for as little as a thousand dollars.  It is inevitable that the solar industry will eventually make that connection and offers a combination deal that allows householders to go grid free with safety.   The cost of fuel would be negligible for the rare times they may be needed to plug an emergency.

The danger is that the economics of the electrical power industry relies heavily on its use uniformity.   The fact that every home is hooked up to the grid shares the enormous cost of the poles and wires to deliver electricity and once that is broken the cost to individual homes escalates.  If going grid free becomes a fashionable trend it will be unstoppable.

In fact, it is the power of public opinion that is the cause of this surge in electricity pricing.  The need to halt global warming has turned attention to the old and inefficient coal burning power stations and many have been closed before reasonable alternative sources have been approved and built.  It is now almost impossible to get public approval to create new era power stations that efficiently burn coal to deliver the cheaper electricity we need to retain the electricity price structure.

We are in that dangerous situation of fearing blackouts next summer because our power needs exceed our ability to supply and obviously this will hasten the decision of many people to give serious thought to adopting an off grid living style - and once that takes hold it can become a trend that runs completely out  of control.

This coming price rise brings us to tipping point.   Low income families lack the finance to move off grid but once a proportion of higher income homes make the move the grid price is forced even higher because the costs are shared by a smaller pool.  The price structure now in place then becomes unworkable.

We need some practical and hard headed decisions on how we generate electricity before the arrival of next summer's heat !

Exploiting a Loophole !

The plight of first home buyers locked out of the Sydney house market by ever increasing prices is matched by the shortage of rental accommodation - at prices people can afford.  For many, the only remaining option is to rent a bed in a " boarding house "  !

Usually, boarding houses are former big old homes that have been converted to that purpose.   The quality ranges widely and tenants may be offered a bed in a shared room, or have the privilege of their own room, but usually all the guests share shower and toilet facilities.   The provision of meals varies.   Some establishments cater for both breakfast and the evening meal, while others leave residents to make their own arrangements at nearby fast food restaurants.   The rental charge for such facilities is usually between $200 and $ 250 per week.

The government became aware of unlicensed boarding houses dividing rooms with illegal screens to rent tiny living spaces at exorbitant prices.  Often fire exits were blocked and in some cases accommodation was offered to shift workers on a " hot bed " basis, shared by several people. Local councils found it difficult to launch prosecutions.

As a result, the government passed a new State Environment Planning policy in 2009 and since then there has been a rash of new building applications for what are termed " boarding houses " across the city.  No form of price control exists and prices charged for these new facilities are in the range $390 to $500 per week, double that of the charge in older buildings.

Investors were quick to exploit an anomaly in the distinction between the minimum room size permitted in an apartment building as to that of a boarding house.   Individual boarding house units of twelve square meters are three times smaller than the minimum allowed in what are termed " studio apartments " built for resale.

Suddenly, the terminology changes.   These new facilities in a spanking new building with each room providing its own bathroom facility is now described as  " furnished designer studio " and the term " boarding house " has been discarded.  More than five hundred individual rooms have been constructed since that legislative change - and demand is not slackening.

All this is reminiscent of a trend that developed in Japan.   There it is possible to nightly rent a sleeping space which is a cavity in a wall containing a bed, quite similar to the luggage deposit facilities at most railway stations.  It is intended for office workers who live far from the city centre and who avoid a long commute by using this cheap option, combined with the fare of fast food outlets - to maintain a salaried city job.

Unfortunately, it seems that this loophole is mainly benefitting the new breed of boarding house proprietors who are benefitting at the expense of desperate people !

The " Aftermath " !

There have been few more horrifying pictures than that fire in Grenfell Towers in West London.  It certainly destroyed the myth that modern highrise was absolutely fireproof because " concrete structures don't burn " !  The cause of this fire is going to make interesting reading once the coroner's report wends its way through the courts.

What was exceptional was that a fairly simple fire in a lower level apartment managed to spread to the exterior of the building - and progress from there ever upward.  That wall of fire invaded floor after floor, burning inwards until the entire building was alight.  The smoke generated quickly made the fire stairs impassable.

Initial reports seem to indicate that a building " renovation " turned a previously fairly fire safe building into a fire trap.  To " modernise " the look of this building which was built in the 1970's the outer surfaces were treated with a fixon cladding.   This took the form of some type of styrene foam sandwiched between an inner and an outer skin of thin aluminium.

The appearance changed from smog darkened concrete to a nice, shiny aluminium  " look "  with the promise that the insulated core would delver the benefit of both heat and sound insulation.  For many years, similar cladding has been a popular method of renovating suburban homes and it is a common sight in Australia.

The cladding used on multi storey buildings is approved, subject to important quality specifications and one of these is that the core infill must not be flammable.  That restricts this core fill to a number of products which are much more expensive to produce than similar looking base polystyrene.

Once again that demon " price " enters the equation.   Manufacturers in world countries seek a market share of expanding markets and offering a cheaper product ensures entry.  Usually, this means quality is reduced and in the production of this cladding it seems that the infill does not meet the required standard - and it passes through Australian customs undetected.    We recently had another shortfall when miles of electrical cable was found to be prone to deterioration which could cause house fires.

That London fire served as a warning.  We have similar renovations here in Australia.   People living in these buildings have a right to know that they will be fixed - and that raises the question of who will pay the cost ?  More importantly, they can not remain unsafe while this cost issue is argued in the courts.

It would be almost impossible to get a good nights sleep in a building knowing it has the same fire potential as Grenfell Tower.

A " Mug's Game " !

The majority of people who gamble regularly make a loss - because the odds always favour the offering syndicate.  It doesn't matter if it is horse racing or casinos - or poker machines, and yet an enormous number of people bet regularly in the hope of a lucky break making them rich

The state is the arbiter which sets the rules that apply and dictates who, when and where gambling is permitted.   In Australia those short of their eighteenth birthday are not permitted to buy or drink alcohol or to place a bet.  A degree of advertising is permitted but advertising must remain within certain rules and one of these demands that such advertisements urge people to " gamble responsibly ".

For many years, New South Wales only permitted people to place a bet with a bookmaker if they attended a horse race in person. This led to the emergence of illegal SP bookmakers offering their services in suburban pubs.  The state was missing out on betting taxes and eventually caved in and permitted a legal TAB.

The scope of betting permitted has widened.  We now have international bookmakers touting for business and competing with the TAB outlets to be found in most pubs and clubs. A more recent innovation has been phone betting.   The advent of the Smartphone allows those who have established a betting account to place bets on the result of football or games of cricket as well as horse and dog racing and this has removed the safeguard of those under eighteen being challenged when they try to place a bet in a gambling facility.

Some politicians have tried to impose limitations on this gambling epidemic but the industry has deep pockets and maintains a powerful public relations lobby. Betting advertisements on television are restricted during hours deemed " children's viewing times " and the TAB has recently been hauled into court and fined for an indiscretion that many find laughable.

The promotion of a premier event on the racing calendar was launched with the giveaway of free packets of jelly beans and mints at Town Hall and Martin Place railway stations in the CBD.   Each of these tiny packets was inscribed with the slogan " Nothing's as sweet as a win ".

The problem was that they lacked the printed message urging people to " gamble responsibly " and thus broke the gambling advertising law.   The TAB has pleaded guilty to this oversight and agreed to pay Liquor and Gaming's court costs  $ 10,000.    The court has yet to decide what fine will apply to this rules breach but it may run to five thousand dollars for each packet of sweets given away - and that number has not been determined.   It was also noted that the inducement was given to the broad sweep of people passing through those stations and no attempt was made to restrict them from those under eighteen.

Many thinking people will wonder what effect they believe seeing that slogan of " gamble responsibly " will have on those that indulge in that " mug's game " !

Towering Inferno !

Those television news pictures of a west London tower block of units enveloped in fire will strike a chill in the hearts of all people forced to replace their dream of a nice suburban home on its own block of land - with an apartment high in the sky.   The ever increasing cost of land has made the " vertical village " an inevitability.

Some years ago we sat in our movie seats and watched a Hollywood movie of just such a scenario. It was all " special effects " of course and we were assured that modern building design made such a fire an impossibility.  Multi floor buildings are made of concrete - and concrete does not burn.

No doubt the coroners inquest on that London fire will be revealing.   It seems that the fire started in a lower floor unit and quickly progressed from floor to floor, leaping up the outside of the tower block and trapping the residents of the one hundred and twenty apartments when dense smoke made the fire stairs impassable.

This was not a part of London built in the time of Charles Dickens.  This was a modern, 1970's era building which was supposed to contain fire suppressing features to stop such a conflagration.  Rescue attempts by the authorities are restricted to ladder limitations carried by fire trucks and there is a distinct limit on the reach of fire hoses.   In this London fire, flame and smoke made it impossible for helicopters to land and rescue people from the roof of the building.

Sadly, neighbours could only stand in the street and watch as this twenty-four story building burned. They could see residents at their windows, screaming for help -  and one woman dropped her baby many stories for a bystander to catch - and save.  One by one, those cries for help became mute as the fire progressed, and images at windows disappeared.

Once again the universal instruction to " wait for rescue " in a fire situation is challenged.   When the towers of the World Trade centre burned in the 9/11 attack the fire instructions had many office workers remain in their offices when escape stairs were operable.  Many people lived simply because they ignored that instruction and filed out of the building before the collapse.

If nothing else, this tragedy should be the wakeup call for every high rise to get a thorough safety check to see if whatever allowed that fire to move from floor to floor - and specially why it was enabled to progress up the outside of the building facade - is not present in other parts of the world.

This fire in London is a clear warning.  If fire safety defects are not checked and remedied, then the fire safety we rely on in multi storey buildings is a myth.  That " Towering Inferno " scenario can become a reality !

Battleground !

The last remaining great access highway to be built in Sydney is the " missing link " that will enable motor traffic from inner Sydney to Wollongong and the South Coast.  It was termed the " F-6 " when the section linking Waterfall and Sydney was constructed decades ago.  What remains to be built is the multi-lane, divided road corridor linking Waterfall with the inner city at St Peters.

There is absolutely no doubt that whatever plans are put forward for this section will spark major controversy because there are two options for that section between Waterfall and Loftus.  One would require the acquisition of about four hundred homes and commercial properties and their demolition - at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars.    The other would involved the acquisition of sixty hectares of the Royal National Park - at a cost of about forty million dollars.

To any reasonable person the answer to that question is clear.   The Royal National Park is a mighty expanse of native vegetation covering sixteen thousand hectares.  It - and a similar National park to the north - are often described as the " lungs of Sydney ".   Slicing off a mere sixty hectares would seem insignificant, but the ecology lobby will not see it that way.

" The Royal " is the second oldest national park in the world and was established after America's Yellowstone National Park.  Botanists report that it contains the richest concentration of plant species in temperate Australia and it was placed on the National Heritage List in 2006.  It is expected that the ecology lobby will strenuously fight this acquisition proposal.

Hopefully, the government will stand firm because the higher the cost the longer the delay before this important piece of infrastructure becomes a reality, and this is not breaking new ground.  The existing Princes Highway was established on land taken from the Royal National Park and the divided road F-6 extension between Waterfall and Wollongong is also on land that was formerly part of the park.  If anything, these roads allow travellers to get a view of this magnificent scenery which is otherwise only visible from aircraft passing overhead.

The less contentious part of the new F - 6 is the section from Loftus to St Peters and that passes through Miranda, Taren Point, Sans Souci and Brighton to reach the inner city.   Some of this corridor is already reserved but there will be a degree of acquisition and demolition and most residents have known that this must eventually become a reality.   It is unlikely to generate the flak concentrated on that National Park acquisition.

Another coming point of contention will be road tolls. No doubt this new work will be subjected to a toll, but the divided road from Waterfall to Wollongong had a toll for decades and this was lifted when the work was paid for.  But that is a battle to be fought when this new road becomes a reality !

Car Sharing !

Sadly, any spectator taking the trouble to observe the great Sydney morning or evening commute will notice we still have a high proportion of cars crawling by - with just one occupant.  It does not take the need for a mathematical genius to see how car sharing could reduce the traffic numbers and speed the traffic flow.

The public transport lobby wants money diverted from roads to extend rail corridors and create more light rail and yet public transport seems mostly concerned with bringing workers into the city centre, and jobs have become much more diversified.  Public transport tends to diverge from the city without providing direct links between the outer suburbs.   Some public transport users have to travel to a rail hub and change trains to reach their objective.   The car provides a direct option.

The new Metro and extended use of the existing rail system, plus the return to trams to quickly move masses of people will certainly improve the cross city function but we still need an incentive to get more people interested in ride sharing.  In the past, ride sharing was often a means of avoiding the overcrowded public transport system entirely by finding a mutual way to the jobs of a diverse group of people.  The future may see more people looking for a comfortable and convenient way to travel from their homes - to the nearest public transport terminal.

The obvious hindrance is parking the car once that has been achieved.  Parking is the incentive that would make ride sharing attractive and obviously giving cars that arrive packed with people preference over those with a single occupant makes economic sense.  The close proximity parking around transport centres needs to be reserved for vehicles carrying four - or more - passengers.

To be effective, such a scheme would need rigid rules.  A simple permit sticker would be open to abuse.  Probably the simple solution would be to fill the available spaces with cars carrying a person in each available seating position ( Sports cars excluded ) but this would require a checking monitor at the entrance.  Provided spaces were available in reasonable numbers that incentive would suffice and those lacking the full compliment would know that entry would be refused.

Obviously, when a regular has to withdraw because of illness that car and its remaining passengers must suffer the inconvenience of having to find other parking, but when the rules that apply are clear and fairly enforced the opportunity is available to those who care to use it.

If we want more people in the cars on our roads, we need to provide a reason for owners to adopt that  ride sharing practice.

Isolating Terrorists !

New South Wales  is going to spend $ 47 million creating a specialist terrorist wing at Goulburn Supermax to house and isolate those convicted of terrorism and prevent them spreading their views in the general prison population.  This special 54 bed high security unit will be designed to contain the illicit use of smuggled phones enabling prisoners to maintain contact with sympathisers outside the prison.

There is a lesson to be learned from a similar experience many years ago at Long Bay gaol.  A very similar high security unit known as " Katingal " was closed down when an enquiry labelled it an " electronic zoo " that delivered a form of " mental torture ".   The purpose of Katingal was to house the worst kind of prisoner and keep them under twenty-four hour surveillance.  The lights were permanently on in all cells and prisoners rarely came into contact with one another.

Terrorism is a crime outside of the parameters we have ever previously experienced.  Adherence to a particular aspect of a religion convinces some adherents to end their own lives by strapping on an explosive vest and detonating it to kill and main innocent men, women and children who are not followers of that same religious doctrine. Holding them in a prison serves two purposes.   It prevents them from carrying out terrorist acts that kill and injure members of the public, and it allows measures to be tried to de-radicalize that urge and return them to a normal state of mind.    Whether such conversion can be completely successful is an unknown factor.

No doubt the authorities in other states are debating what to do with similar prisoners.  Perhaps this is the time to deal with terrorism on a national basis.  We have abolished the death penalty nationally, but we do lock up certain categories of prisoner for life for horrendous crimes.  It would be reasonable to declare that terrorism falls into that category.  Conviction for even planning a terrorist attack could see the offender serve a life sentence in a Federal prison somewhere in central Australia - with no hope of remission.

No doubt the civil liberties people will be horrified, but this is mass murder. The type of person radicalizing others needs to be removed from society.  We need an attitudinal change to accept that those who wish to inflict mass death will pay the penalty of losing their freedom - with no hope of redemption.  It will not totally stop this crime, but it will certainly reduce the number of incidents because many will be nabbed before they can carry it out.

It needs to be moved in the Federal sphere to take it out of reach of individual state systems and their susceptibility to civil liberty pressure.   Otherwise what is planed for Goulburn may suffer the same fate as Katingal !

At What Price ?

All eyes are now focussed on the  Democratic Unionist Party ( DUP ) of Northern Ireland and the ten seats it holds in the United Kingdom parliament.  Theresa May will need their support if she is to continue as Prime Minister in a minority government.

This party was founded in 1971 under the auspices of the Reverend Ian Paisley and it has strong links to paramilitary loyalist groups that openly battled the IRA.  Eventually both DUP and Sinn Fein reached an uneasy alliance to form the devolved government in Belfast.  This contrast in opposing views will now play out on the national scene.

The planks of the DUP manifesto signal trouble for the Conservatives.  One of their aims is to abolish the license fee that funds the BBC and that might get a very mixed reception.  They strongly oppose abortion - for any reason - and are quite implacable in rejecting same sex marriage.   The fact that other British political parties are either headed by Gays or contain many Gay members seems to ensure that this will be hugely divisive.

Their domestic agenda calls for an increase in the  national living wage and the establishment of " free ports " in Northern Ireland to create a frictionless border after Brexit.  Strangely, they demand a corporate review to abolish the twenty year time amnesty in prosecuting terrorist offences, and obviously this would reopen old wounds in the battles between the IRA and the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Volunteer Force.  The peace in Northern Ireland would come under fresh pressure.

Other aims are more manageable.  They want the Olympic team renamed from " Team GB " to " Team UK " and some of their members have expressed doubts on the validity of global warming, but a lot depends on how hard they flex their muscles and use the power this hung parliament has invested on them.

The one thing that is certain now is the form of Brexit has changed.  A " hard " Brexit is no longer attainable because the parliament lacks the strength to force through unpopular " concessions " that are inevitable as both sides thrash out this messy divorce.   The outcome may even end with the dissolution of what formed the heart of the former British empire.

One of the founding truths of politics was the wise maxim that " You never ask a public question unless you are absolutely certain what the answer will be " ?   That was ignored when the question of remaining in the EU was put to a vote, and the virtual disintegration of the nation started from that point.

How all this finally works out - will be in the history books of the future !

Dismay !

Once again the free world has leaned that voting intentions are impossible to predict.  We were shocked when the " unelectable " Donald Trump was handed the keys to the Oval office and now the " unelectable "  Jeremy Corbyn came perilously close to taking up residence at 10 Downing street.

Theresa May took a gamble by taking the country to an election years before it was due.  She became prime minister when David Campbell lost the " Brexit " referendum and resigned and she needed a " mandate " to reinforce her authority in the negotiations that will take Britain out of the EU.   There was the expectation that she would romp home with a greatly increased majority.

The Conservative election campaign was dismal.  The prime minister refused to debate her opponents and several policies were swiftly cancelled and back tracked.  Much of the reasoning was based on Labor's return to the old discredited socialist strategy of re-nationalizing industry into public ownership.  A win vote was more based on a Labor rejection than a Conservative promise of better things to come.

In Britain voting is optional and young people are notorious for failing to turn out on voting day.  The pundits predicted the result on this pattern holding but the world recession was particularly hard in denying school leavers jobs and wages have slipped badly in recent times.  An avalanche of young voters liked the socialist utopia that Corbyn was spouting and for the first time they voted in droves.

Most likely Theresa May will hold office in a minority government backed by Northern Ireland's Unionists but she will be weakened in negotiating the withdrawal from the EU.   It will be harder to " sell "  unpopular measures to the British public and it will be easier for smaller political parties to create mischief when measures are debated.

Perhaps the greatest impact will be on world affairs.  In the latter part of the Twentieth century the Cold War was  shielded from Communist expansion by the American, British and French nuclear arsenals.  Donald Trump seems disinterested in leading the free world and Britain must soon decide on the costly replacement of its Polaris submarine fleet carrying its nuclear weapons shield - and France has a new and untried president in the Ulysses palace.   At the same time,  Russia is in an expansionist mood and China is promising trouble in the South China sea.

We seem to be heading into a realignment of world power. A number of smaller nations have shifted to illiberal forms of government and authoritarian presidents have gained office.  The one thing that can not be taken for granted is that previous voting patterns will automatically take hold.   We have had surprises in America, France - and now Britain.    We should tighten our seat belts in expectation of more to come !

Kings - and Presidents !

When the last century commenced many of the countries of Europe were ruled by Monarchies.  Over the years the Kings and Queens fell out of favour and many became Republics - with a President becoming head of state.  This post changes hands as Presidents are elected by the people.

In much earlier centuries the King ruled by " Divine Right " and in Britain this was curbed when the powerful barons of that era forced the Monarch to sign " Magna Carta ", devolving power to an elected parliament.  Under the form of government in which we live the Crown serves as a figurehead and the person who leads the nation is a Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister is selected by the political party holding the most seats in parliament and may be replaced at the whim of that body.  The policies imposed on the nation require the support of the government party and must win assent on the floor of parliament.   The power of a prime minister is thus limited.

Strangely, most Republics leave Executive power in the hands of the current President, and that power includes the right to wage war.  The affairs of the nation as still governed by elected bodies but the impetus the nation takes is directly flowing from the edicts that the President issues.  This is closer to the " Divine Right " of earlier Kings.

The fact that the President is the choice of the people by way of a vote ensured that there is moderation in policy.  The selection of a President is a lengthy process and over the years the choice has changed as both Republican and Democrat politics has come to the fore. It was generally felt that the office was in safe hands.

Many Americans are both disillusioned and alarmed.   The vote of the people has put in office a man who completely contradicts the leadership of the free world and seems to delight in insulting our allies.  He was formerly a Real Estate developer and host of a television series and his electioneering caught the attention of many voters still recovering from the displacement of jobs and trade caused by globalization. He has surrounded himself with family in executive positions and ignored the usual protocol of putting personal financial interests on hold during the presidency.  Hundreds of positions that shape the direction of government are unfilled and he has not even bothered to make nominations.  It is feared that commerce and even the military safety of the nation may be at risk and a scandal has arisen that foreign powers may have consorted with his close advisers to influence voting intentions.

Now there is talk of impeachment over his firing of the head of the FBI who was investigation links between Russian intelligence and a " fake news " blitz that detracted from his presidential opponents campaign and may have delivered him the presidency.  The damage this is doing to American world prestige is enormous.

It seems possible that some Americans will start thinking it is time that the Presidency was subjected to a form of Magna Carta to reduce the damage an unsuitable President is able to cause.  The present incumbent defies the assumption that whoever is elected to office will be sane, sober and intent on doing the nation no harm. In the minds of many, the four years of this present presidency may do irreparable damaged to the American nation.

At such times new ideas on forms of government are likely to appear.

Doctors - and Home Visits !

Health care used to be very predictable.  Most suburbs had several independent doctors practising as general practitioners and most families chose one to provide their health needs.  They became that doctors " patient " and regularly attended the surgery for checkups and the renewal of prescriptions. Surgery hours were usually over a five and a half day week.

It was usual for GP's to set aside time for home visits and sometimes these extended into the evening or during weekends.  Some patients were too ill to travel to the surgery and old people living alone were a medical concern.

The government encouraged this practice because it reduced demand on hospital emergency departments.  It was rewarded with an eighty dollar medical rebate on the usual Medicare payment GP's received for a consultation and usually doctors restricted home visits to those who were regular patients of their practice.

Recently, the number of doctors offering service as GP's has been declining.   In some suburbs and in many country towns the local GP has disappeared, or where the service exists the delay in gaining an appointment has blown out to a matter of weeks. As a result, attendance at hospital emergency departments have increased sharply, resulting in long waiting times for treatment.

Initially, the pool of GP's in many cities saw a way to ease that pressure by providing a home call emergency service.  Those that volunteered were rostered for call out at night and during weekends for those patients in urgent need of a doctor.   Each of these calls would be bulk billed to avoid payment problems and the calls would be financially assisted by that home visit rebate.

Most cities and large country towns now have such a service and it has evolved with an identity of its own.  In fact some doctors find it more appealing that establishing an independent suburban practice and it is now widely advertised.  It is fast becoming a replacement for making an appointment and seeing a doctor in his or her surgery. The immediacy of " urgent " need has been replaced by " convenience ".

The amount paid out in medical benefits has blown out by one hundred and seventy percent between 2010/11 and 2015/16,  from $ 90.8 million to $ 245.9 million.   Unfortunately, it is not only failing to meet an urgent medical need but it also tends to deliver poor value for money.

These services operate under a variety of names and still seems to be fast expanding into more regional areas.   It is now under review and it is likely that restrict provisions will apply. In the future, obtaining out of hours medical services may no longer be a matter of simply making a phone call.

Wages - and Jobs !

The Fair Work Commission was faced with an impossible decision when it decided to award a twenty-two dollar a week rise to the low paid workers of Australia.  It applies equally to a café worker in expensive cities like Sydney and Melbourne as it does to the counter hand at a truck stop in a remote country town.  The big question is whether it will further deplete the already scarce job market.

Perhaps Fair Work is trying to balance the penalty rate reductions by topping up the base rate above inflation.  That increase represents  a 3.3% increase and inflation is currently running at 2.1%, but even so it now will deliver a minimum wage of a fraction over $ 36,000 a year - and that is insufficient to support a worker with family, anywhere in Australia.

Gross pay will rise by 59 cents to $ 18.29 an hour and many employers think that will kill jobs.  It will certainly cause industry to evaluate change.  Perhaps many cafes which offer table service will change to self service.  Perhaps places that shut on Sundays and were thinking of opening - may think again.

Obviously, it will work its way into the cost of living.  Everything from train fares to road tolls is geared to the cost of living and when the base rate moves, everything above that comes under pressure.  One of the problems with the low paid locked out of home purchasing is the reliance on rents.  It is quite possible that increase may be absorbed by increased rental prices.

Then there is the effect it will have on what is termed the " black " economy.  We have recently seen pay scams exposed across franchise networks as employees deliver unpaid overtime or accept " doctored " pay slips to hide pay discrepancies.   The tax office is well aware that vast numbers of people work " off the books " and receive cash in hand for their time.  Often they are also receiving unemployment benefits from the government and this extra lifts them above subsistence level.

If this pay increase results in further advances in the black economy the government may take measures to reign in cash.  India recently cancelled high denomination banknotes to force industry to use electronic banking for even small purchases.   The advantage being that electronic money changing hands leaves a trail that is invisible when banknotes are the chosen medium.

What is becoming obvious is that Australia is fast becoming a two tier economy country.  The economy is vastly different for people who live in Sydney - Melbourne - Brisbane - than for those living in regional cities and country areas.   In particular, housing has risen to a bubble in those city centres and transport costs absorb a greater proportion of each pay dollar.  We are in danger of pricing out the low paid and making it impossible for them to live and work where their labour is essential to keep the city running.

The merits of this pay increase is overwhelming.  But what changes it will bring remain to be seen  !

Car Theft !

It is distressingly common to hear news items that deliver a fatal story of a car being pursued by police crashing into another vehicle and killing an innocent family.   Many people have observed one of these chases in action.   Screaming police sirens and the car being pursued moving at high speed with total disregard for pedestrians or other traffic, running red lights and often on the wrong side of the road.

Often the errant driver is a young man affected by alcohol or drugs.  Not only does this reduce his driving skill but the bravado encourages him to take risks in his desperation to avoid capture.  The driving behaviour verges on insanity - and in many cases the police abandon pursuit for safety reasons.

Car theft occurs across the entire price spectrum of makes and models.  It seems that price has nothing to do with security.  The top of the range cars are as easy to steal as those lows priced basic models and theft avoidance has shown no signs of improvement in recent years.

Past promises of car security have been a failure.   The era of the steering lock was supposed to be the answer.  Once the engine was turned off and the steering directed towards the kerb it would be impossible to steer the car.   In a matter of days the thieves had discovered how to overcome that obstacle.

More recently the law required all new cars to be factory fitted with an immobilizer. This was designed to interrupt power to start the engine but again the thieves learned how to isolate the immobilizer in a matter of seconds.  There have been no credible advances in car safety in recent years.

It seems unbelievable that in an age when we can build and maintain an orbiting space station and we have set foot on the moon we are unable to secure a car from thieves driving it away.  Car security is simply not in the best interests of the car manufacturers.  Their industry is based on a form of fashion that sees cars replaced frequently to bring new innovations to market and to extol design change.

It is technically possible to make a car extremely difficult to steal but it involves both the cost and the degree of inconvenience to the owner to bother setting that safety procedure in place whenever they leave the car - and restoring it mobility when they return.

That is never likely to eventuate - if it remains optional.  The only way this will be achieved will be by the government calling for engineering ingenuity to develop a system that meets that criteria, with the reward that it will become law - and be required in all new cars in Australia as part of the registration process.

The car industry will then be refused entry to Australia unless their vehicles meet the required theft standard, and it is quite likely that this would quickly become the world standard.  That is probably the only way we will ever achieve safety from car theft.

Living With Terror !

It was a very normal early summer Saturday night in London and the city was packed with people doing the things they enjoy on a weekend.  The clubs and restaurants were doing a roaring trade and the friendly pubs were often the meeting place before groups went on to the theatres.

Without warning a Transit van driving over London bridge swerved onto the footpath and mowed down pedestrians, moving on a few hundred yards before crashing.  Three men jumped out, armed with knives and immediately began to stab and slash innocent people.  The police response was swift.  In just eight minutes all three terrorists were shot dead.

The outcome was seven dead and dozens with severe wounds.  Fleets of ambulances quickly arrived and the police escorted survivors to safety.  This was the response to calls by Islamic State for its supporters to kill and main in western cities.   In the past the method chosen had been explosives packed with shrapnel.   This was the response to an IS appeal for attackers to use whatever weapons were available.

It seems that the war with IS has entered a new stage.  IS encounters difficulties smuggling a bomb maker into the country and obtaining explosives, but vehicles and knives are available to ordinary citizens.  IS propaganda urges its followers to strike without warning,  Clearly, the British have developed an effective armed response. The scattering of armed officers throughout the city enabled this attack to be quickly smothered with limited casualties.

In is also interesting to gauge public reaction.  This follows an IS attack in a theatre in Manchester just a few days earlier and warnings that other attacks were expected.  If IS thought the people would be cowed and stay off the streets they were badly mistaken.  The " herd instinct " kicks in and individuals discount the danger that may accrue to them as individuals.   They will certainly seek shelter when trouble eventuates nearby - but they will not change their lifestyle.

There is also a subtle outcome that does not seem to occur to IS.  The Muslim religion is deeply enmeshed in the western world.   When they order an attack on a theatre or to bring death to people in the street there is a very good chance that they will be killing fellow Muslims.   It seems to be part of their twisted logic that if Muslims are living in a western society then they are probably as morally   impure as infidels.   Hardly an attitude likely to attract support from Mosque attending Muslim families who have chosen a western lifestyle.

Unfortunately, this IS phenomenon is likely to persist for a long period of time.  It had its foundation in a Wahabist school of thinking that originated in Saudi Arabia and this was promulgated by Osama bin Laden when he formed al Quaeda.   IS has simply extended that thinking to include the formation of a world caliphate.

IS gains are being rolled back in the Middle East but the return of its fighters to their home countries will probably bring more attacks - until their numbers are eliminated.  Such has been the history whenever one form of religion has sought to force itself on others by way of violence.

The " Constitution " Enigma !

For two hundred and twenty-nine years a wrong has awaited correction.  Despite Captain Cook's earlier voyages disclosing that this great continent was thinly populated with Indigenous people the British government chose to declare it was an " empty land ".   The first fleet clearly intended to establish a penal colony and they planted a flag on a beach and claimed if for the crown.

The Australian Aborigines were virtually ignored.   They were subjected to white man's law and denied any rights, even being excluded from the census.  Where settlers chose to farm the land they clashed with the native people and drove them from the land they needed to establish sheep and cattle.  The new arrivals had the advantage of superior weaponry and the backing of the law.

When wars threatened Australia the Indigenous people were quick to enlist in the armed services and fought overseas in both world wars.  To our shame, at wars end they were prevented from attending Anzac day parades or to even enter RSL clubs.  It was a criminal offence to supply them with any form of alcohol.  They were denied the Digger's rights accorded to white ex-servicemen.

Change has come slowly, first by referendum and later by decisions handed down by the High court.  Now it is judged necessary to rectify that " empty land " anomaly by bringing the presence of Indigenous people into formal recognition in the Australian Constitution. Just how that should be achieved is yet to be decided.

Some suggest that they be acknowledge by way of a formal treaty.  Usually, such a treaty is negotiated at the time of settlement, as was the custom in both North America and New Zealand. Unfortunately, all such treaties have a record of being shamelessly broken by the incoming settlers and there is no reason to think that such a treaty would meet the needs of our first inhabitants.

Some suggest either reserved seats in parliament for Indigenous representation, or even the formation of an entirely separate administrative body to have control over native affairs.  The objection is that this creates an " them " and " us " culture.  The future of this country depends on a united population moving forward together to meet the challenges and reap the rewards that this great landmass awards to those that call it " home " !

The question yet to be answered is " What do the Indigenous people want ?  "    The answer is far from clear.   Probably a lot less than the hot heads demand be granted - and a lot more than  some colour phobic white Australians are willing to grant.

It will certainly be a matter of balance between calm thinking people on both sides of the divide to reach a consensus of what is possible.  It will not be helped by opportunistic politicians seeking voting advantage by pandering to the hysterical extremists and inflaming the rhetoric.

If it takes a little longer to talk this through and get it right - then so be it !  The last ting we need is a rushed and unbalance decision.  Given time, the fair minded will prevail  !

The " Lucky " Country !

Australia has survived for twenty-six years without a major recession, despite the reigns of government regularly changing hands between Labor and the Conservatives.  We live in a dangerous world.  We look to America for nuclear protection and that great country is walking away from the climate accord that seemed the last hope of saving the planet from global warming.  Britain - which many regard as our " Mother " country is in the process of leaving the EU and its trading future is uncertain.  Europe is struggling with waves of asylum seekers which are straining its stability.

World politics is adopting the defensive tone of erecting trade barriers.  The lessons that should have been learned from the great crash of 1929 are being ignored.  For many countries the hope of achieving a balanced budget is a distant dream.  The future prospects seem to be endless trade deficits.

Britain recently toyed with the idea of a budget measure that quickly became known as the " Dementia Tax :" - and which was thankfully quickly dropped.   It seems to be a measure of sheer desperation when the Treasury starts to delve into financial matters that may also be described as " Estate duty " - or more ominously - a " Death Tax " !

We had such a tax here in Australia at the end of the second world war - and people hated it.  Along with radio listener and television licenses it was despised and avoided by all possible means.  This British proposal sent a shudder through the entire population of the United Kingdom.

The plan was very simple.  When each person ended their tax paying years the government continued to pay the usual welfare payments and began to keep an individual record.  Every time you accessed the national health plan or received a fuel subsidy in winter the cost went on your ledger and that included the age pension.

It would be a bit like having a holiday at a very nice seaside resort.  When death occurred, the bill became due.  That took account of all your worldly possessions - money in the bank - shares - cars - boats - and even the family home.   The government recouped whatever you owed Treasury, with the benevolence that the next of kin were allowed to retain an equity of one hundred thousand English pounds.

The potential unfairness bestowed it with the " Dementia Tax " description.  Obviously, a wealthy person who died of a massive heart attack soon after retirement owed the government little and would will his or her fortune to relatives.  Someone who had the misfortune to develop Dementia might spent many years in an expensive nursing home - and be financially wiped out at death.  In an age of housing price bubbles the vast majority of people would fall victim to this tax.

It was also obvious that the rich would employ gifted lawyers and  accountants to plan their estates to avoid such a tax.   There are always loopholes that allow money to be secreted away in trust accounts and bursaries or moved offshore to be beyond  the reach of the tax man.   Such a tax would merely create a new tax dodge industry.

Unfortunately, tax ideas have a similar affinity to the common cold.  They are contagious.   We live in difficult economic times and governments are desperate for money.   Whatever they may call it,  the last thing Australia needs is a return of the " Death tax "  !

Mixed Results.

This week it seems that what could have been a terrorist disaster was handled magnificently by the public - and botched badly by our security authorities.  Passengers on a Malaysian Airlines flight aboard an Airbus A330 bound for Kuala Lumpur lifted off from Melbourne airport and began a climb into the night sky when one of the passengers accessed an overhead locker and retrieved something from his backpack.   Clutching a large black object he announced that it was a bomb and tried to access the flight deck.

The reaction was swift.  A number of male passengers leapt from their seats and wrestled him to the floor. His hands and feet were secured with ties and belts and the aircrafts captain reported the incident and his intention to return to Melbourne airport.   He requested police meet the plane to deal with the intruder.

The plane landed safely and taxied to a secure location on the tarmac where Federal police handed the incident to the Victorian state police.  At 11-53 pm they were summonsed via the D 24 radio control centre.   The Critical Incident Response Team arrived at the airport - at 12-23 am.   during this time the aircraft sat idle with its doors sealed.

Nothing happened until 1-20 am when police stormed the plane.   Passengers could see police congregated on the tarmac but there was no emergency evacuation and they were conscious that they were sitting in an aircraft with a fuel load to reach Malaysia.  The " bomb "  turned out to be some sort of radio speaker, but whether other explosives were involved was still an unanswered question.

We are supposed to be on high alert for possible terrorist incidents after events in Paris and Manchester and yet this was not handled well.   It seems there were multiple reasons for the tardy response by the unit that had first responsibility.   There was an initial delay when an officer on-call failed to respond to his phone, and then the police squad was unable to locate weapons and body armour.

Fortunately, this incident turned out to be a man with psychiatric problems who had only been released from a mental ward that very day, and that probably needs work because of the obvious risks involved.  The passengers had the expectation that the incident would end swiftly once the intruder was safely brought under control and were less than impressed by the time they were left sitting on a darkened airport tarmac.   They expected that at the least they would exit the plane while it was searched for any remaining explosives.

Hopefully, this incident may lead to our response to what could be terrorist incidents getting a thorough re-evaluation.  This time, luck served us well, but if that had been the real thing the outcome might have been tragically different !

" Flag of Convenience " Ships !

An Australian coroner investigating the death of two crew members of a visiting coal ship has branded the vessel a " murder ship " and concluded that these two deaths were the result of " foul play ", but what happens as a result is unknown.

The MV Sage  Sagittarius sails under what is called a " flag of convenience ".   Her owners are Japanese but she is registered in Panama and is therefore subjected to the laws of that tiny nation.  A number of small countries earn their living by allowing international shipping to sail under their flag to avoid the laws that would automatically come into force if they were registered in their home port. Because of that, crew pay is often a pittance and sometimes conditions onboard fall way below accepted international standards. The law of the sea still confers an amazing power of authority into the hands of ship's captains.

In earlier centuries - in the days of sail - ships travelled unchartered seas looking for new trade opportunities and most journeys were of many months duration.  There was always the risk of pirates and most merchant ships of that time carried cannons for their own protection.  Running out of food was just one of the perils and " scurvy " killed many sailors deprived of fresh fruit and vegetables.  In such circumstances, the captain had the power of life and death over his crew.  Mutiny was a threat punishable by the hanging of any ring leaders.   The captain had the power to conduct marriages and assume the role of judge and jury in settling disputes.  His power at sea was almost unlimited.

Those powers were necessary when the ship could be out of contact with land for what amounted to years, but they have never been rescinded.  A ship sailing the ocean is beyond the boundaries of any country and the ocean was neutral territory.  Basically, the captain was " king " of what floated beneath his feet.

Today, Flag of convenience ships are an anomaly in a world of satellite communications and interconnected trade.  Selecting a port of registry is a matter for ship owners and those that choose a place of uncertain laws are free of the wage regimen and safety laws that apply in their own country.  Many such ships are riddled with rust and would not meet the safety inspections required for home country registration.

The various seamen's unions rail against this practice because it undercuts the fair wages and conditions that apply in most countries.  It suits some countries which otherwise lack a means of income to provide sub standard ship registration in exchange for high fees and this allows ship owners with aged and unseaworthy vessels to continue to extract profits long after the ships should have been scrapped.   The losers are usually crews from poor countries who have to endure virtual " slave ship " conditions.

The odds are that this coroner's finding that murder happened on the high seas will eventually be filed away - and forgotten.   Too much money changes hands for change to be contemplated !

Tax - and Confidentiality !

Paul Hogan was already an iconic Australian character when he secured the lead role in the movie Crocodile Dundee.  It turned out to be a box office success and was dubbed into a dozen languages for world wide distribution.  Hogan immediately became a very rich celebrity.

Profits derived in this way have become a nightmare for the tax people.  Unlike the typical Australian wage slave who receives a pay packet every Thursday a movie actor earns his or her rewards in a variety of countries and in a wide variety of currencies, all of which are subjected to the taxation laws of the countries concerned.

Because Paul Hogan is an Australian citizen the Australian tax office has the job of claiming whatever proportion of tax he owes here, and naturally Hogan employs gifted tax lawyers to claim every exemption possible.  We are well aware that tax evasion is rife with International companies shifting the rewards for intellectual property rights to low tax countries and using tax havens to make the money trail opaque.

Years after the success of Crocodile Dundee the Australian tax office claimed Hogan owed them a hundred and fifty million dollars.  Hogan's lawyers went to court and refuted this as an unfair ambit claim.  It became a battle between pen pushing accountants that looked unlikely to ever reach a conclusion - and so it ended in a " confidential settlement ".

The media was quick to claim that Hogan "won " that battle and managed to refute the main claims of the tax office.  Apparently this stung the pride of the tax commissioner and at an enquiry into taxation practice he claims Hogan was forced to pay a " substantial amount by way of tax and penalties. ".  Clearly, this breached the confidentiality agreement, which is still in force.

This comes at a bad time for the tax office.   We have very strict laws in this country as to how and under what circumstances information may be accessed.   Government agencies - and that includes both the police and the tax office - need to observe the protocols of obtaining a court order to access in most cases.

It now comes to light that the ATO has investigated a number of cases of senior staff trying to access records they are not allowed to examine.  Over the past financial year, thirty breaches were detected, resulting in twelve terminations and a number of demotions.   The tax office claims a high level of probity and this disclosure will be of acute embarrassment.

It will also cause a few people sweaty, sleepless nights.  The world of computers has made most records readily accessible, but those same computers leave " fingerprints " which show who gained access.   For those who peeked where they are not supposed to look - the investigators will now be looking for clues.

Meanwhile, the Paul Hogan tax saga is at stalemate.   The files are closed, but no doubt future " confidentiality settlements " will be harder to negotiate !