Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
In summing up,
Id also like to point out that our tax rate has nothing to do with our free healthcare as thats funded diffferently than a tax.
Our tax rate is mainly due to us being a socially aware culture. We supply a decent unemployment benefit of $500 a fortnight for a single person and $450 for a couple plus added perks. Old age pensions at $890 a fortnight and couples $ 1300 plus added perks.
We also pay our solders are very nice wage, as they should be and a generous tax free pension that is payable no matter their income in private life. I couldnt find the current rates of pay but in 2014 it was: "Under the current pay scheme, a non-commissioned soldier in the Australian Army earns about $59,500 annually (including uniform and service allowances). A mid-ranking infantry officer takes home around $84,000". This has gone up by about 10% i understand.
My Dad was in Vietnam for two tours and his pension is currently $1400 per fortnight plus perks (he has been receiving a pension since the end of the Vietnam war on top of his occupational salaries.
No Australian would mind paying a few bucks extra every week so that old people can have some money to live on and hopefully some extra to spend in the local community nor begrudge a solders right to a decent income and pension.
In regard to "paying more for everything". This is just not true. Sure some things are more expensive, we do live on a rather large island and freight can add up. Just like some things are more expensive for you there than here. Australians love lamb, i buy a dressed lamb for $100. I would imagine it would be more expensive there for you. We might have the largest cattle stations in the world but the head per acreage is low, quality is excellent but so are the export dollars for them. Australians on a budget certainly dont eat scotch fillet very often!
Min wage linked to inflation is a good thing. It helps protect those who are unable to protect themselves.
Id also like to point out that our tax rate has nothing to do with our free healthcare as thats funded diffferently than a tax.
Our tax rate is mainly due to us being a socially aware culture. We supply a decent unemployment benefit of $500 a fortnight for a single person and $450 for a couple plus added perks. Old age pensions at $890 a fortnight and couples $ 1300 plus added perks.
We also pay our solders are very nice wage, as they should be and a generous tax free pension that is payable no matter their income in private life. I couldnt find the current rates of pay but in 2014 it was: "Under the current pay scheme, a non-commissioned soldier in the Australian Army earns about $59,500 annually (including uniform and service allowances). A mid-ranking infantry officer takes home around $84,000". This has gone up by about 10% i understand.
My Dad was in Vietnam for two tours and his pension is currently $1400 per fortnight plus perks (he has been receiving a pension since the end of the Vietnam war on top of his occupational salaries.
No Australian would mind paying a few bucks extra every week so that old people can have some money to live on and hopefully some extra to spend in the local community nor begrudge a solders right to a decent income and pension.
In regard to "paying more for everything". This is just not true. Sure some things are more expensive, we do live on a rather large island and freight can add up. Just like some things are more expensive for you there than here. Australians love lamb, i buy a dressed lamb for $100. I would imagine it would be more expensive there for you. We might have the largest cattle stations in the world but the head per acreage is low, quality is excellent but so are the export dollars for them. Australians on a budget certainly dont eat scotch fillet very often!
Min wage linked to inflation is a good thing. It helps protect those who are unable to protect themselves.
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