There are things that only happen in Russia, China, India and so on.
Think it may be interesting to learn your thought/experience on things that you think are uniquely Australian. No right or wrong.
First example from me.
What a load of rubbish, Australian tax rates are not even close to being the highest in the world.
I was once told Germany was 50% of all earnings…
@Slippery Fish: I'm Canadian, worked in Germany 2012-2014. Including healthcare premiums, federal pension plan, employment insurance, longterm care insurance, reunification tax and income taxes withheld by employer, it was upwards of 50%. I earned €4505 per month and my net earning was €2651 to my bank account. All of those are standard withholdings and don't even include the Church tax as I declared myself non-religious (~€100/month).
Plus VAT (19%)… plus car emissions tax…
Australians are NOT even close to being the highest in the world and Germans aren't even either. This is completely incorrect and read straight from a right wing handbook.
@truemana: I refuse to study other countrys tax systems lol. But I was not quoting a book, I used to work with a German man who told me how much more he enjoyed our tax system. I never said Germany was highest, just higher.
@truemana:
Do Scientology pay a church tax????
Since I understand, it's not a church in Germany, but classed as something else. I don't think it's a cult, but something similar.
@truemana:
"straight from a right wing handbook."
I thought it was the useless lefties that sat in the corner and thought up things to complain about? Working and income is not on their agenda LOL.
@JetBombat:
Sadly, it's not the churches that pay the tax. It's their members that pay it and the money goes to the churches.
So you have to tell the taxation office what religion you are and they will add a surcharge on your tax.
And yes, being an atheist means you don't pay this at all.
meh, one of the reasons I hang on Ozbargain is because of the "Australia Tax" :P
Very arrogant cricketers without any sportsmanship
wonder where comes their money?
IPL???
you can wear sandals whole day including go uni, shopping, beaches without any problem, you don't need mask when work anywhere.
Good idea to wear a mask if you are a coal miner, bee keeper or scuba instructor
Fireman, Racing drivers, Asbestos removal workers also.
Also boilermakers.
And ninjas….dont forget the ninjas
This is more Singaporean than Aussies
Read my mind
governments that council contracts that cost 100's of millions of dollars in exit fees and not batter an eyelid.
home owners who get sued for injury by perps doing B&Es
transport ticketing systems that cost more to run then not using them
sleeping in your car if your over the limit and needing to place the keys under it
thats pretty much world wide not Australia.
no it aint :) - the B&E and leaving your keys under the car often appears on the list of "silly things in others countries" on the web - very uniquely Australian.
as far as ticketing, the Oyster and Octopus card systems which a lot of other countries use (and its derivative systems) actually work really well. for some reason the idiots in Australia decided to try re-invent someone elses tech that works and made a meal of it. the irony of it all is the Octopus technology was acutally developed in Australia, but something else thats uniquely Australian is selling our good ideas overseas and not using it for ourselves.
my typos in the original post are uniquely Australian to :) boom tish
was in asia for holidays and noticed not only the octopus system was designed here in aus, but the trains also (Goninan)!
However their transport system is spot on in every aspect compared to ours!
Yes! Octopus (and I believe Oyster) are made by an Australian company, Perth from memory. Whoever made Myki should be fired instantly.
@domcc1: The HK MTR cars are made in Aus too… at least some of them are as I've seen the plaque on them that says "Made in Australia"
Than. The word is than.
Hang on a minute, aren't you missing an n in your name?
Google agrees
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=thorton
Grant Thornton uses cookies…
Maybe he's T Horton, not Thornton
And you're*, surprised you didn't mention that. I'm even more surprised Ozbargainers didn't down-vote you into oblivion; they hate to spell correctly.
"governments that council cancel […]" ?
How about governments that make dodgy deals in kitchens pay 3 million in tax payer dollars and not explain why. Good ole Matthew guy :)
The B&E lawsuit thing is an urban legend. I spent a fair bit of time trying to find such a case, as I couldn't find any basis in law.
Alas, with the exception of word of mouth, there is no real evidence in the form of court case or report that it has ever happened.
If there is anything unique about our government, its the creation of carbon tax, and the removal of it almost immediately.
Not really - that case will turn on whether the offender responded to the thief with reasonable force (ie. Self-defence). It's not about owing a duty of care to a trespasser.
Cancel
Than
You're
worldwide very, very few public transport companies that run at a profit.
That's why they are publicly owned;)
Calling your friends 'c$&ts', and calling people you dont like 'mate'
A cobber riding a kangaroo up Uluru
A Holden full of drongoes
Warnie smoking winnie blues
Mitchell Pearce subbing 16 cans of VB, then making 'funniest home videos'
Brendan Fevola staring at you as he urinates on a restaurant window just inches from your food
Happens in the UK
I know exactly what you mean
Haha this is so true
It's almost as if "c$&t" is more affectionate than "mate"… actually now that I think about it, in Australia, it really is!!
You are a good c$&t :)
Haha you too, pointless c$&$&$t!!
when you go overseas, and see people rush to do any basic things, and see they get all the harassment,then come back to Aus, you can fill how relax and how enjoyable the whole society is, you don't need to worry about the government block you access anything such as gmail, google map, google calendar, facebook etc etc.
Chinglish instruction manuals.
4chan /gif/
Riding on an emu to school.
Kangaroos have better mileage
But emus run on diesel.
Probably why emus are only found in the outback.
this http://i.imgur.com/K2bkB72.jpg + https://i.imgur.com/etfs0Lj.jpg fits the bill…. The old everything in OZ is out to get/kill you….
Edit: grabbed from reddit :P
that second pic freaks me out even looking in the comfort of home.
If it's any consolation, its probably not as deadly to humans as a red back or a funnel web….. and it most likely eats the more dangerous spiders for dinner….
Huntsmen are generally not considered dangerous to healthy humans.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntsman_spider#Venom_and_aggr…
That said, I wouldn't go near a mum protecting her young without thick gloves, long sleeves and pants tucked into my socks.
And a flamethrower, you know, just in case.
On the flip side, free feed if you' get them before they do
Henley On Todd:
A yacht race in a dried river bed
and then having it cancelled when it the river actually carries water.
…agreed
Don't get shot at…. not much is Australian nowadays.
Actually people do get shot at. You'll find better luck of not getting shot at in Japan and even then it still happens
free healthcare.
getting paid by the government if you're not working.
government housing.
"subsidised" tertiary education.
family tax benefit A + B
seriously, we have it good in this country.
And not to forget if you are as stupid as me, study hard and work hard all your life:
- you pay premium for free healthcare
- are encouraged to also pay for private health insurance so you get the same service others get for free
- pay gap on top of that
- get NOT paid if not working. in case you are stupid enough to save any money
- Pay high rent
- pay high taxes
- pay high tax again on super (unless of course you are a politician)
You have it good if you don't contribute.
Study hard and working hard is punishable by high taxes.
Sorry, but I dont feel I am in the lucky country, I work my ass of so others get a free ride and spit on me on the trains, had that happen. Sucks
So RobMel, did you ask the person if they were unemployed and/or traveling for free before or after they spat on you?
The price you pay for living in a lucky country (or more accurately being lucky enough people to live in this country) is manifested in:
Taxes - so that if things go wrong for you or your loved ones in the future (maybe next week, who knows) you will not starve to death on a street corner.
High Rent - because everyone WANTS to live here.
Premium for Free Healthcare - because not many doctors, nurses, hospital workers, administrators and other healthcare professionals will work for free.
Private Health Insurance - for EXTRA services that are NOT covered.
If you don't feel you are in the lucky country, try another - there is a huge selection of 8 countries that people are apparently happier in…
The high rent is from property speculation. I see lots of houses empty as they belong to overseas investors who just want to make a quick buck.
A few buy up many properties and hence manipulate prices this way.
In Europe they just got 1.5 million extra people in a six months, the majority of them in Germany (1 million plus). Yet rents have not increased because there property is not a speculation object as it is here.
Re Healthcare: the high rents results in th eneed for high salaries. That in turn leads to high charges for healthcare. Again, it all starts with property speculation. Allow every one to only buy one house and prices will fall everywhere. The only problem then though is that Australia has no other engine to drive its economy as there is no industry, high tech innovation (not enough to sustain the country) etc.
I believe everybody has the right to have teeth - that should not be a prerogative for the rich.
RobMel is right: if you fall between the rich and the very poor you are f…. in this country.
Landlords who charge high rent push people out of the area on the contrary. High rent is based on the public infrastructure, industry and economy while landlords are just a parasitic class who enjoys the windfall from the hard work of others.
@Lysander: High charges for healthcare? I guess you've never been to the US.
After seeing a physio in the US, I was charged $250 for ice packs. No, they weren't made of gold. The same ice packs I'd buy for $5 in CVS.
A single panadol pill can find its way on your hospital bill at about $20 - $30. That's right. Per pill.
Linking the apparent "cost" of Australian healthcare to property speculation is a pretty long bow, and the Australian healthcare system is much better than many others around the world (in terms of price and quality of care). Spend some time out of the country and you'll realise we have it pretty good here in that regard.
Yes, the US has higher charges. What about the many countries that have lower charges and better quality healthcare?
The Australian health care system is certainly much better than many systems but also much worse than most systems in other "first-world" countries (how I hate that term). For example, in many Western European countries the cost is lower, the standards are higher and dental is included.
I give you an example: my overseas health cover is about $30 a month, is valid anywhere in the world, provides dental cover and full cover in other areas. I get all costs back, no gap fee, no costs for medication.
Where can I get that here?
@Lysander: Well, the thread asks for things which are "only in Australia". Not so much "what things are better in some of the 196 countries around the world?" which frankly turns into a bit of a whinge fest.
I've lived in a number of cities in different countries around the world. There were great things in each of them. But the reason I'm back in Oz is because it's one of the best places on the planet to live.
The things I listed I have ONLY experienced in Australia.
And yes, I have even lived in the US in 1993-1994 and 2000 and then medical care was still cheaper for me than it is here (yes, inflation and time considered) although I do acknowledge that the US has the most expensive health care system in the world.
But to be fair, if I relate it to the level or quality of care it is not that expensive anymore.
Anyway, I appreciate your input and opinion.
Have a Happy Easter.
@Lysander:
Your worldwide $30pm cover -where can I get that too please? and does that include coverage in Australia ?
I'm looking at changing from Bupa. Seriously.
But, there's a missing link here. In the U.S., almost everyone has an insurance. If one is employed, then employer gives the insurance as a part of the salary package and you can choose to upgrade it at your own expense. Career opportunities are plenty and career progression is good too due to sheer size of the economy/ job market, so it's not difficult to be employed with a good employer in the U.S. and therefore having a good insurance isn't a rare thing. Plus, in the most professional jobs (engineer, pharmacist, professor, etc.), salaries are on higher side in terms of absolute numbers and don't forget the conversion rate between their dollar and our dollar.
[@Drew22] @MITM @Lysander (/comment/3570821/redir):
Actually he said overseas insurance that covers him everywhere in the world.
So i too am curious about this magical, dirt cheap, health insurance
Australia should not be "for sale to the highest bidder".
No land sales to non-AU citizens should be the first step.
Non-Aussie's can "LEASE" the land, not buy it.
Australia's gov't needs to stop selling off what isn't their's alone to sell.
Imho
Actually, you are right it is worldwide except the US. And yes, it includes coverage in Australia which is why I got it in the first place.
Unless you have lived in the country where the insurance is issued (in my case this is Germany as I have worked there before but my friends have similar insurances issued in the Netherlands and Belgium) for at least three months as a resident, you cannot get the insurance as far as I know.
However, it might be worthwhile to research foreign provider a bit as there might be some that doe not have such residency requirement and are still cheaper and better value for money than local Australian insurances.
Although I have to say that in two years' time when my current insurance expires it will be a bit more expensive as insurance companies mustn't differentiate in their tariffs by gender anymore (and use differences in costs between male and females due to life expectancy and medical procedures as a basis to offer cheaper tariffs for men) and hence must offer the same tariff for both men and women. But still a great deal that I will be looking to renew if I can by taking holiday over there for three months or taking a short sabatical then.
I fully agree with you.
However, if that is fully implemented Australia will have a quite serious financial crisis as a large part of the wealth in Australia is built on the premise of increasing property prices.
I have to say that in no other country I have lived and worked in (and there are 5 of them, including the US and the UK) I have seen such a concentration of real estate agents everywhere, even in the smaller city suburbs there are a minimum of five offices.
Being a real estate agent seems to be a fairly quick way to becoming relatively rich quickly.
As a joint landlord - I can tell you it's not all "making it rain" flicking $100 notes around the place for fun.
First I (and the brother)had to save for a deposit. We decided to go this route instead of splashing out elsewhere. As a result I've never owned a car that didnt make you want to get a tetnus shot just looking at it and the most exotic place I've been to is Bali.
We rent our place out privately at a little more than the average rent in the area. In return he doesn't have to put up with property managers pestering him, and we give him permission to do just about anything including put more photos on the walls.
We spent a bit of money doing the place up, put a decent aircon in, landscaped the backyard, installed a security screen door at their request. Then there's the lawn mower man, insurance, rates etc.
Then there was that period where our tenant couldn't work due to an injury and rent wasn't exactly regularly coming in the way it should which had us worried for a while but we covered the shortfalls and were pretty flexible about the whole thing
As a result he's managed to keep a roof over his family of 6 and his menagerie of dogs cats and birds when it's doubtful a property manager would give him a look in.
Indigenous Australians have paid the highest price for any of us to be living in this country.
So very true. Still a tragedy. SOmetimes I wish the country is given back to them completely and then all non indigenous Australians should leave.
That would help the Aboriginals, the country itself but it would also give Australians a taste of what it feels like to jump through shit loads of hoops and be exploited when merely wanting to work in a different country as many Australians would then need to get a visa (the European countries should only allow current passport holders, not issue passport anymore on ancestry!). Maybe that would instul more humbleness in many Australian people and a better understanding of what kind of hell and torture their government puts people through, basically bankrupting them in the process as they view immigration as a business model rather than a method to secure the future of the country by attracting highly qualified people such as scientists.
Ha,ha,ha. That's funny.
Save Aboriginals we are all immigrants.
Looks like the truth is not too appealing to be revealed and heard.
Have a Happy Easter.
Wow, what a jokster. ;-)
@Lysander:aboriginal means native to this land, they in turn traveled here, ownership of a land older then us all is a untrue idoelogy. I claim to be aboriginal in that I am born Australian, live here and call myself it.
Also not to start any word wars but they had it bad, as all invaded countrys inhabitants did throughout history. That has not been the case for afew generations now and they actualy recive benifits greater than I do now.
Im stumpted to think of another invaded country where they give such benifits to the invaded population, though im sure there will be some. Regaurdless I dont see it as us or them ect. I belive us as one country and one people.
US. I am partly American native Indian. But it still does not make up for what the invaders did to the natives in the past. By no means.
I do understand Aboriginal in the legal sense. Unless you can tick the box when applying for a government job, you are not Aboriginal.
The point I aimed to make and failed is that the sence of ownership to the dirt is as law, only given the power we let it hold.
If no one obeys a law and refuse to punish it it is as dust. If no one allows your claim to ownership it is as dust. Im not saying its right or wrong just making conversation.
Edit: also I was never getting into checks and balances, very few injustices in this world are ever truely made up for, But once the ones who remember and move past the grudge is as dust also. Very little of our concerns over generations will affect the world in 200 years.
@Slippery Fish:
You actually have no idea. Indigenous people get benefits? 2 percent of the population is indigenous, yet 28 percent of prison inmates are indigenous.
Indigenous Australians are six time more likely to commit suicide than the rest of the population.
Whatever benefits indigenous people are receiving has done next to nothing to combat the harm 240 years of colonization has caused them.
@mnermner: you took a comment about social benifits paid by centerlink ect and twisted it till I sounded hateful and rude. They DO get benifits, even if you would like to cloud that fact, I said nothing wrong.
As for prison stats ect they were irrelivant to my point, as are the suicide ones. I have only pointed to one thing as a point of conversation in a bigger comment on colinisation throughout history.
I refuse to let you drag me into an anti aboriginal hate chat, I was only ever trying to open a conversation on colinisation of countrys.
@Slippery Fish: I think your keyboard is broken… it keeps popping out the letter "i" when it shouldn't…
youre all wrong… Dorothy the Dinosaur and her family were here first.
@Slippery Fish: no, you said they get benefits that you don't, suggesting that they have it better than they used to. i pointed out that it's the same if not worse than it used to be.
Also, congratulations, you can pay high taxes. Not everyone can pay high taxes. Some people spend their whole life not being able to pay high taxes. It's actually not a good way to live despite what you seem to think. And you can bet if that free health care was not there, there would be a whole lot more crime, more people getting spat on more often.
Don't you see RobMel? We deserve a bigger percentage of your income because you make more money. Now that you see that, please tell me how motivated you are to increase your income?
Seriously, all the others that came before you created these opportunities that you now benefit from. I am a high a income earner however I fall into the belief that our taxes form part of our unwritten social obligation. No system is 100% perfect but Australia has it pretty damn good in comparison globally for everyone, rich or poor. The only thing that sucks is your misunderstanding of who you think you are what you do for society.
A dingo stole my baby.