|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:14 am
This whole conversation has made me feel like I know way too much about our country compared to the US. I don't know if that's symptomatic of Australia's inferiority complex and/or reliance on the US, or just a reflection on me! I'm inclined to say the former though, since almost everything I've talked about has been because I read about it in the news. It does make me wonder though, as the US' power in global affairs fades, whether in 50 years time I'll be talking about life in say, China, instead. It's hard to imagine any other country having such a global cultural impact but I suppose history proves it's almost a certainty.
Don't know too much about 401k but from what I understand, our superannuation plans are very similar. The funds are still invested so a lot of people close to retirement were hit hard by the GFC. But we have more control over the type of investments which means there's less risk. Rather than investing only on the stock market, super funds also invest in property, fixed interest, cash, etc and you can even choose to run your own self managed super fund. Like you said, the key difference seems to be that it's compulsory - 9% (increasing to 12% by 2020) of our salary or wages goes into super, so presumably most people will have some kind of savings by retirement. I think there will be issues due to life expectancy though - there's a lot of worry that super just won't be enough. We also have an age pension (social security) so there's always that safety net.
Hmmm there's definitely room for our cities to expand - although my opinion on the urban sprawl is not particularly favourable (for both environmental and social reasons). I do think that the complexity of the planning process, including the release of land by governments and the necessary approvals, etc, definitely factors in. Australia is lucky in that we don't really have an 'underclass' (or at least, not one as large as many other countries), but as cities expand outwards, the provision (and funding) of infrastructure becomes such an issue, and we're at a real risk of creating one. Our train system can (just) handle the population now, but patronage is increasing and we're not building any new train lines. You end up with this outer ring of suburbs which are reliant on cars. The alternative being that you have to increase population density - more units, apartments and high rise, which goes against the 'Great Australian Dream' of owning a house with a backyard and so forth. Acceptance is growing but people are still resistant to building a 10 or 20 storey in the middle of their suburb.
It's probably easier to have better infrastructure when you have a smaller population! Plus, Australia might be large in size, but quite densely packed - everyone's on the east coast. xd It seems like we're increasingly reliant on overseas investors to fund new infrastructure, which I'm iffy about. Urgh, I have so much more to say now you've got me going, but I really better get to bed and I'm sure I've given you enough to digest. rofl
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:16 am
Lea Fealith shells_of_sand Lea Fealith Oh wow I forgot all about those postcards! If you guys want more this season you should PM me an address because I'll yet again be out of the country. So if it's always been your dream to get mail from India I can make that dream come true. It can be a housewarming present, Crono. All this housing talk. We are all so old. crying You're going to India!!! What are you doing there? Holiday / volunteering / spirital journey? All three! I'm going with a student group in.. 7 hours haha. We'll be doing service work and attending lectures, mostly. Would love to ask you more but have to go to bed! Have a safe flight and an amazing trip. heart
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 4:46 am
Someday maybe China will be the country everyone is talking about. A lot of Americans are terrified of the prospect of not being the ones everyone looks to. We think we're so special that if any other country was on top the end of the world would happen or something. It's crazy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:18 pm
mad D Everyone should know more about their home country than some other country; I just happen to spend a little time doing research (read: using Google for 2 minutes) before I post things. Also, I wrote a research paper on Australia when I was in school once. This gives me random background knowledge. (This is all from memory, so maybe I'll get something wrong. West of the cities is a lot of desert/scrub; I'll be amazed if there's not at least one Las Vegas style city out there in the unused space in the next 100 years. I'm sure it'll be funded by some investor, but I dunno about overseas. Doesn't the North/Northeast have a rainforest?) On the future of the world point, though, I just don't think about the places of countries. It's all speculation and politics, and I've never really cared much about what other people think of me, the majority of the world included. Lots of people like having role models or idols; I don't have one. America was once a role model for the rest of the world; we've lost that through mismanagement and corporate pandering.
We're in a much worse boat on safety nets. Our social security (age pension) is paid into much less per person (we pay in 4.2-10.2%), and without increasing this, the program will run out of funds in the next 20-30 years. However, no one in America wants to pay for government benefits (ie the American ego and self-entitlement complex), so there's no progress in the legislature to fix it. And without a second compulsory retirement plan, common people who don't think ahead are pretty screwed.
As the world's population rises, things will get even more interesting, especially with people's tendency to live only in the extremely comfortable places. We have the same coastal population thing, too, just on a bigger scale. When people can no longer squeeze together, they will adapt. I like the Coober Pedy approach most. Down is easier than up, and I'd live in a cave. Geothermal energy ftw. I wish it were viable in more places.
I'mma stop writing here and prob'ly pick up again later; my sister wants to play a game with me. whee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 11:53 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 8:09 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 1:55 am
Gosh, I hope they don't build a Las Vegas style city out in the desert! We have more than enough casinos and pokie machines in the cities as it is, and they're planning to build another one in Sydney at the moment. Urgh, don't get me started on how much I hate casinos. We have a massive one in Melbourne and it's so TASTELESS. So many clashing colours and patterns and lights and noise. Not my cup of tea at all!!
I read some sci-fi book recently, I can't remember what it was called, where humans had been genetically modified so that we could photosynthesise with our hair, essentially removing world hunger. It was such a fascinating concept compared to the usual post-apocalyptic novels I usually come across, and I wish the book had explored it more fully.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
