Sorry if the above is too sarcastic, (it is), but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

Yeah sorry, my fault. I forgot that I'm just an ignorant hick back here in the back-blocks of Australia while you're a worldly and wise man who understands how everything works and should never be questioned.

Well you got that one right. Some of your opinions are just insane without any factual basis.

Yeah well I don't have any respect for your opinions either sunshine so looks like we're even.

So you're okay with being told you're dumb? Good to know.

Do you worry if someone says you're dumb? I certainly don't; there are a few opinions of me which are vital, a lot of others that I value, and the rest of the world can call me whatever it likes.

Not really, and yeah you're right.

The argument that China has no power over Australia is fundamentally stupid though - we're a nation that sells commodities and not much else. We're not exactly diversified either with our trade base or our customers and we're actually quite vulnerable to external trade shocks. This is exactly why China are doing what they're doing - they're hoping that our politicians will panic and eventually be bought to heel because we can't afford to lose our number one source of export income.

Commonwealth bond sales this week are $5.65 billion - at the moment we're still spending double what we earn. It's a big problem - we're going to owe the Japanese big time before things get back to any sort of normal.

Sorry if the above is too sarcastic, (it is), but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

Yeah sorry, my fault. I forgot that I'm just an ignorant hick back here in the back-blocks of Australia while you're a worldly and wise man who understands how everything works and should never be questioned.

Well you got that one right. Some of your opinions are just insane without any factual basis.

Yeah well I don't have any respect for your opinions either sunshine so looks like we're even.

This Railpage thread was always going to be controversial. But sadly, though perhaps inevitably like others alongside it and before it, it seems to have become dominated by a small group of pompous, dull and habitually grumpy grandstanders.

I suspect that the real 'true truths' behind the various matters being supposedly 'debated' might actually be beyond the range of comprehension of some of these perpetually aggrieved people. For me at least, their personalised insults and petty point-scoring over who's right and who's wrong (as if it even matters in this trivial context) has long since robbed this thread and others in the (Public) Lounge of any useful credibility they might once have had.

Do I hear the sound of lockdown keys jangling? And who knows, for a couple of recent risky instances perhaps even the deep rumble of litigation starting its journey?!

For goodness sake people, step back, pause and take stock of yourselves!

Steve

Sorry if the above is too sarcastic, (it is), but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

Yeah sorry, my fault. I forgot that I'm just an ignorant hick back here in the back-blocks of Australia while you're a worldly and wise man who understands how everything works and should never be questioned.

So now you are playing the victim?

All I did is provide the data YOU asked for and my own personal experience and your response is to call yourself a hick?

This Railpage thread was always going to be controversial. But sadly, though perhaps inevitably like others alongside it and before it, it seems to have become dominated by a small group of pompous, dull and habitually grumpy grandstanders.

I suspect that the real 'true truths' behind the various matters being supposedly 'debated' might actually be beyond the range of comprehension of some of these perpetually aggrieved people. For me at least, their personalised insults and petty point-scoring over who's right and who's wrong (as if it even matters in this trivial context) has long since robbed this thread and others in the (Public) Lounge of any useful credibility they might once have had.

Do I hear the sound of lockdown keys jangling? And who knows, for a couple of recent risky instances perhaps even the deep rumble of litigation starting its journey?!

For goodness sake people, step back, pause and take stock of yourselves!

An interesting point of view, and I take due note.
Debate is, of course, the clash of varying views which, I agree, gets a little out of hand at times. I can't speak for anyone else, but I have no desire to dominate any thread and if I have ever offended you I will be the first to apologise.
It is fair to say that there is a pretty good and diverse range of threads and topics in the whole of RP, and I don't visit the majority of them because they're outside my field of interest.
You have just contributed to this thread, which is only one of dozens in The Lounge alone. You're perfectly welcome here and anywhere else to say what you like. If it is outside the area which interests you, just remember that you are welcome but not compelled to be here.

This Railpage thread was always going to be controversial. But sadly, though perhaps inevitably like others alongside it and before it, it seems to have become dominated by a small group of pompous, dull and habitually grumpy grandstanders.

I suspect that the real 'true truths' behind the various matters being supposedly 'debated' might actually be beyond the range of comprehension of some of these perpetually aggrieved people. For me at least, their personalised insults and petty point-scoring over who's right and who's wrong (as if it even matters in this trivial context) has long since robbed this thread and others in the (Public) Lounge of any useful credibility they might once have had.

Do I hear the sound of lockdown keys jangling? And who knows, for a couple of recent risky instances perhaps even the deep rumble of litigation starting its journey?!

For goodness sake people, step back, pause and take stock of yourselves!

Steve

Hi Steve,
I think you are taking this thread more seriously than most of us do. Yes at times things get a bit heated, but unfortunately at times when people do feel strongly about a subject and we are interacting on this form type of platform it happens and its not like it only happens in here or in RP. Mostly though I think its just group of mostly guys chatting and many have been doing it here for more than a decade and go to know each other a bit even though most of us have never met.

In reality I think personal insults here are few and far between, which isn't a bad thing and over the years when one or two people have crossed that line others and/or mod's have stepped in.  

There is almost no one here that given the opportunity I wouldn't buy a beer for and by and large I have a healthy respect for most here.

Regards
Shane

So many different opinions and the way people look a some things it's great

Sorry if the above is too sarcastic, (it is), but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

Yeah sorry, my fault. I forgot that I'm just an ignorant hick back here in the back-blocks of Australia while you're a worldly and wise man who understands how everything works and should never be questioned.

So now you are playing the victim?

All I did is provide the data YOU asked for and my own personal experience and your response is to call yourself a hick?

Nothing you said in that rather long-winded post actually proved your point that Australia is in a really good position to weather a trade war initiated by China. Nothing.

Instead towards the end you make an appeal to your superior knowledge and worldliness which is supposed to shut me up and put me back in my place.

In fact we are in a terrible position, snookered by our own government that put us in this ridiculous position of being almost entirely reliant on the export of commodities AND dependent on a crazy communist regime that is determined to manipulate and use their power over us to get what they want.

Nothing you said in that rather long-winded post actually proved your point that Australia is in a really good position to weather a trade war initiated by China. Nothing.

Instead towards the end you make an appeal to your superior knowledge and worldliness which is supposed to shut me up and put me back in my place.

In fact we are in a terrible position, snookered by our own government that put us in this ridiculous position of being almost entirely reliant on the export of commodities AND dependent on a crazy communist regime that is determined to manipulate and use their power over us to get what they want.

So now walking away from your comment of "woe is me"?

You asked for data, I posted quotes. Takes up more space as I doubt you would have read the link.

Never said I had superior knowledge Don, you did. Just sharing my experience.

Never said shut up and back in your box Don, you did.

I've said and agreed with in the past we were too hooked on China and happy to outsource too much to China and I don't think the China blockage will be ad for us long-term as it will make a few people wake up and think. However with China buying less than 20% of our coal its hardly End Game either. To be honest if I was PM and China was doing this crap. I'd block sales to China on the basis that they are hurting trade by blocking shipping / free trade and only allow resumption of trade to China when China allows ships with Australia coal to complete their job as contracted to do.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/12/business/work-from-home-tax/index.html

So now the German's want to tax those working from home. Working from home has been a growing trend for the last decade and it will continue with many EU/UK banks finding some of their staff are now working from villa's in Greece, Canary Is and Southern Spain/Portugal as a starter.

How do you decide who should and shouldn't be working from home?
Sure if people are working from home the city based services industry is suffering but these people spend their money in other ways creating jobs elsewhere, especially their local area.

My wife was driving 1300km/wk, but now 1300km/Qtr. Yes Toyota and the oil industry is seeing less income, as is the fashion industry as she buys less clothes for work, but we have increased our power bill's and others as we go out more as she is less tied.

So now walking away from your comment of "woe is me"?

Where did I say that?

All I said is that you appealed to your superior knowledge because you're smarter and more a man of the world than I am. Which is where all your arguments end up, don't they.

You asked for data, I posted quotes. Takes up more space as I doubt you would have read the link. Never said I had superior knowledge Don, you did. Just sharing my experience.

What you said was:

Sorry if the above is too sarcastic, (it is), but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

You know more than I do because you live in Dubai - that's your bottom line. This is yet another instance (out of dozens) where I've tripped you up with your own words, Shane. Just get over it and move on.

So now walking away from your comment of "woe is me"?

Where did I say that?

All I said is that you appealed to your superior knowledge because you're smarter and more a man of the world than I am. Which is where all your arguments end up, don't they.

You asked for data, I posted quotes. Takes up more space as I doubt you would have read the link. Never said I had superior knowledge Don, you did. Just sharing my experience.

What you said was:

Sorry if the above is too sarcastic, (it is), but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

You know more than I do because you live in Dubai - that's your bottom line. This is yet another instance (out of dozens) where I've tripped you up with your own words, Shane. Just get over it and move on.

You said you were ""Hick", not me.

You said I was "Superior", not me.

You said I was "smarter than you", not me.

I explained my reasoning as well proving the data YOU asked for, no tripping involved.

You crap on saying not living in Australia right now, "I don't know", so now I give you a "non-resisdents" perspective for a Non-on shore topic and you still go on.

What you said was:

Sorry if the above is too sarcastic, (it is), but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

You know more than I do because you live in Dubai - that's your bottom line. This is yet another instance (out of dozens) where I've tripped you up with your own words, Shane. Just get over it and move on.

You said you were ""Hick", not me.

You said I was "Superior", not me.

You said I was "smarter than you", not me.

I explained my reasoning as well proving the data YOU asked for, no tripping involved.

...but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

You can't lose with grace can you RTT_Rules, you have to keep punching on the way down. Go on, find something else to say, I know you can't help yourself.

You crap on saying not living in Australia right now, "I don't know", so now I give you a "non-resisdents" perspective for a Non-on shore topic and you still go on.

It has nothing to do with having a 'non-resident's perspective' and everything to do with the fact that you constantly claim to know better because of your life experience and your worldly travels. And this is yet another example of that dreadful skyting.

Don't you get how you come across? Obviously not.

What you said was:

Sorry if the above is too sarcastic, (it is), but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

You know more than I do because you live in Dubai - that's your bottom line. This is yet another instance (out of dozens) where I've tripped you up with your own words, Shane. Just get over it and move on.

You said you were ""Hick", not me.

You said I was "Superior", not me.

You said I was "smarter than you", not me.

I explained my reasoning as well proving the data YOU asked for, no tripping involved.

...but living in Dubai has opened my eyes to how parts of the world really work and its not the rule book floated in Oz.

You can't lose with grace can you RTT_Rules, you have to keep punching on the way down. Go on, find something else to say, I know you can't help yourself.

You crap on saying not living in Australia right now, "I don't know", so now I give you a "non-resisdents" perspective for a Non-on shore topic and you still go on.

It has nothing to do with having a 'non-resident's perspective' and everything to do with the fact that you constantly claim to know better because of your life experience and your worldly travels. And this is yet another example of that dreadful skyting.

Don't you get how you come across? Obviously not.

Oh comon Don, what complete tripe.

I explained to you why I expressed a view based on lie experience here. I did not big note it. If I just made the comment without the Dubai experience reference you would have called BS on that too saying I had no evidence.

You are forever posting non stop views of how the economy and everything is. Whats your experience or justification for this?

It has everything to do with non-resident's perspective because you play on that almost weekly.

I could ask this Q of you  "Don't you get how you come across?"

Oh comon Don, what complete tripe.

I explained to you why I expressed a view based on lie experience here. I did not big note it. If I just made the comment without the Dubai experience reference you would have called BS on that too saying I had no evidence.

Of course you 'big noted' it, you said along the lines of 'since I've moved here I've learnt the world doesn't work how it does in little old Australia'. The really funny part is that you're not even aware of the fact that you're doing it.

You are forever posting non stop views of how the economy and everything is. Whats your experience or justification for this? It has everything to do with non-resident's perspective because you play on that almost weekly. I could ask this Q of you "Don't you get how you come across?"

LOL and there you go doing it again! Completely unconsciously fulfilling my prophecy that you'd:

1. Post again on this topic
2. Claim to have superior knowledge to me - yet again.

And then to top it off you (not so) subtly tell me that I don't really have a right to an opinion on an internet chat board because I don't have the life experience that you do. You completely and without a doubt prove my point -

And I think at this juncture I need to remind you (as I've reminded others here from time to time) that this is an internet forum. It's not a peer-reviewed journal, it's not a national newspaper, it's not a current affairs program that should check their stories for some semblance of accuracy. We're all here to express some kind of opinion - we're free to rip apart each other's arguments and we're allowed to criticise each other when we think the other person is wrong. That's the whole point.

Oh comon Don, what complete tripe.

I explained to you why I expressed a view based on lie experience here. I did not big note it. If I just made the comment without the Dubai experience reference you would have called BS on that too saying I had no evidence.

Of course you 'big noted' it, you said along the lines of 'since I've moved here I've learnt the world doesn't work how it does in little old Australia'. The really funny part is that you're not even aware of the fact that you're doing it.

You are forever posting non stop views of how the economy and everything is. Whats your experience or justification for this? It has everything to do with non-resident's perspective because you play on that almost weekly. I could ask this Q of you "Don't you get how you come across?"

LOL and there you go doing it again! Completely unconsciously fulfilling my prophecy that you'd:

1. Post again on this topic
2. Claim to have superior knowledge to me - yet again.

And then to top it off you (not so) subtly tell me that I don't really have a right to an opinion on an internet chat board because I don't have the life experience that you do. You completely and without a doubt prove my point -

And I think at this juncture I need to remind you (as I've reminded others here from time to time) that this is an internet forum. It's not a peer-reviewed journal, it's not a national newspaper, it's not a current affairs program that should check their stories for some semblance of accuracy. We're all here to express some kind of opinion - we're free to rip apart each other's arguments and we're allowed to criticise each other when we think the other person is wrong. That's the whole point.

Oh grow up Don, you live in Adelaide a point you have made in the SA group. "People don't live here don't know what its like" or words to this effect.

If someone has experience or education over someone else of course they are going to see the same thing from a different angle.

Once again you playing the victim, "... tell me that I don't really have  or a right to an opinion on an internet chat board because I don't have the life experience that you do." You know full well I intended no such claim.

"We're all here to express some kind of opinion - we're free to rip apart each other's arguments and we're allowed to criticise each other when we think the other person is wrong."  Yet you have made no attempt to rip apart my comment, but rather plat some sort of BS victim crap and smeg because I made a reference, a reference you asked for of why I don't agree with you. Did at any time when I made that statement I said you know nothing, your opinion is not worthy, no I just I disagree and this is why.

So how about it Don, how about you don't bitching about "woe is me" and we get back to China, because as you said, "That's the whole point."

Oh grow up Don, you live in Adelaide a point you have made in the SA group. "People don't live here don't know what its like" or words to this effect.

Where did I say that? Doesn't sound like something that I'd say. Link please.

If someone has experience or education over someone else of course they are going to see the same thing from a different angle. Once again you playing the victim, "... tell me that I don't really have or a right to an opinion on an internet chat board because I don't have the life experience that you do." You know full well I intended no such claim.

And yet you said that Dubai wasn't like little old Australia, the world doesn't play by the same rules that we have in Australia.

So why say that if it wasn't what you intended? Do you often say things that you don't mean? Just asking.

"We're all here to express some kind of opinion - we're free to rip apart each other's arguments and we're allowed to criticise each other when we think the other person is wrong." Yet you have made no attempt to rip apart my comment, but rather plat some sort of BS victim crap and smeg because I made a reference, a reference you asked for of why I don't agree with you. Did at any time when I made that statement I said you know nothing, your opinion is not worthy, no I just I disagree and this is why. So how about it Don, how about you don't bitching about "woe is me" and we get back to China, because as you said, "That's the whole point."

You're just angry at me because I've run rings around you (yet again)... poor you.

Have the rest of the night off looking at this thread and start again tomorrow, you'll feel much more able to deal with my psychological batterings after a good night's sleep.

Oh grow up Don, you live in Adelaide a point you have made in the SA group. "People don't live here don't know what its like" or words to this effect.

Where did I say that? Doesn't sound like something that I'd say. Link please.

If someone has experience or education over someone else of course they are going to see the same thing from a different angle. Once again you playing the victim, "... tell me that I don't really have or a right to an opinion on an internet chat board because I don't have the life experience that you do." You know full well I intended no such claim.

And yet you said that Dubai wasn't like little old Australia, the world doesn't play by the same rules that we have in Australia.

So why say that if it wasn't what you intended? Do you often say things that you don't mean? Just asking.

"We're all here to express some kind of opinion - we're free to rip apart each other's arguments and we're allowed to criticise each other when we think the other person is wrong." Yet you have made no attempt to rip apart my comment, but rather plat some sort of BS victim crap and smeg because I made a reference, a reference you asked for of why I don't agree with you. Did at any time when I made that statement I said you know nothing, your opinion is not worthy, no I just I disagree and this is why. So how about it Don, how about you don't bitching about "woe is me" and we get back to China, because as you said, "That's the whole point."

You're just angry at me because I've run rings around you (yet again)... poor you.

Have the rest of the night off looking at this thread and start again tomorrow, you'll feel much more able to deal with my  batterings after a good night's sleep.

Treads on Baroosa Valley railway and Belair Line.

No Don you are again twisting my statements, I stated that the rules many in developed countries, ie EU/Nth America/Aus/NZ/Japan think applies universally are indeed only applied between them, not how the others play ball. You know that because you have talked about this in the past in discussions on level playing fields and that's just the legal ones.

Not angry you Don. If you choose to represent yourself a way, its your choice.

"physiological" is one word for it.

Oh grow up Don, you live in Adelaide a point you have made in the SA group. "People don't live here don't know what its like" or words to this effect.

Where did I say that? Doesn't sound like something that I'd say. Link please.

If someone has experience or education over someone else of course they are going to see the same thing from a different angle. Once again you playing the victim, "... tell me that I don't really have or a right to an opinion on an internet chat board because I don't have the life experience that you do." You know full well I intended no such claim.

And yet you said that Dubai wasn't like little old Australia, the world doesn't play by the same rules that we have in Australia.

So why say that if it wasn't what you intended? Do you often say things that you don't mean? Just asking.

"We're all here to express some kind of opinion - we're free to rip apart each other's arguments and we're allowed to criticise each other when we think the other person is wrong." Yet you have made no attempt to rip apart my comment, but rather plat some sort of BS victim crap and smeg because I made a reference, a reference you asked for of why I don't agree with you. Did at any time when I made that statement I said you know nothing, your opinion is not worthy, no I just I disagree and this is why. So how about it Don, how about you don't bitching about "woe is me" and we get back to China, because as you said, "That's the whole point."

You're just angry at me because I've run rings around you (yet again)... poor you.

Have the rest of the night off looking at this thread and start again tomorrow, you'll feel much more able to deal with my  batterings after a good night's sleep.

Treads on Baroosa Valley railway and Belair Line.

No Don you are again twisting my statements, I stated that the rules many in developed countries, ie EU/Nth America/Aus/NZ/Japan think applies universally are indeed only applied between them, not how the others play ball. You know that because you have talked about this in the past in discussions on level playing fields and that's just the legal ones.

Not angry you Don. If you choose to represent yourself a way, its your choice.

"psychological" is one word for it.

Oh grow up Don, you live in Adelaide a point you have made in the SA group. "People don't live here don't know what its like" or words to this effect.

Where did I say that? Doesn't sound like something that I'd say. Link please.

If someone has experience or education over someone else of course they are going to see the same thing from a different angle. Once again you playing the victim, "... tell me that I don't really have or a right to an opinion on an internet chat board because I don't have the life experience that you do." You know full well I intended no such claim.

And yet you said that Dubai wasn't like little old Australia, the world doesn't play by the same rules that we have in Australia.

So why say that if it wasn't what you intended? Do you often say things that you don't mean? Just asking.

"We're all here to express some kind of opinion - we're free to rip apart each other's arguments and we're allowed to criticise each other when we think the other person is wrong." Yet you have made no attempt to rip apart my comment, but rather plat some sort of BS victim crap and smeg because I made a reference, a reference you asked for of why I don't agree with you. Did at any time when I made that statement I said you know nothing, your opinion is not worthy, no I just I disagree and this is why. So how about it Don, how about you don't bitching about "woe is me" and we get back to China, because as you said, "That's the whole point."

You're just angry at me because I've run rings around you (yet again)... poor you.

Have the rest of the night off looking at this thread and start again tomorrow, you'll feel much more able to deal with my psychological batterings after a good night's sleep.

You are quite delusional. I suggest you seek the services of a mental help specialist immediately. Away with him. The man grows madder by the hour.

Oh grow up Don, you live in Adelaide a point you have made in the SA group. "People don't live here don't know what its like" or words to this effect.

Where did I say that? Doesn't sound like something that I'd say. Link please.

If someone has experience or education over someone else of course they are going to see the same thing from a different angle. Once again you playing the victim, "... tell me that I don't really have or a right to an opinion on an internet chat board because I don't have the life experience that you do." You know full well I intended no such claim.

And yet you said that Dubai wasn't like little old Australia, the world doesn't play by the same rules that we have in Australia.

So why say that if it wasn't what you intended? Do you often say things that you don't mean? Just asking.

"We're all here to express some kind of opinion - we're free to rip apart each other's arguments and we're allowed to criticise each other when we think the other person is wrong." Yet you have made no attempt to rip apart my comment, but rather plat some sort of BS victim crap and smeg because I made a reference, a reference you asked for of why I don't agree with you. Did at any time when I made that statement I said you know nothing, your opinion is not worthy, no I just I disagree and this is why. So how about it Don, how about you don't bitching about "woe is me" and we get back to China, because as you said, "That's the whole point."

You're just angry at me because I've run rings around you (yet again)... poor you.

Have the rest of the night off looking at this thread and start again tomorrow, you'll feel much more able to deal with my psychological batterings after a good night's sleep.

You are quite delusional. I suggest you seek the services of a mental help specialist immediately. Away with him. The man grows madder by the hour.

I wouldn't want you as my lawyer, you can't impartially judge stuff even if you tried. You get emotional and personal at the drop of a hat... kind the opposite of what a lawyer should be.

Robodebt class action suit has been settled out of court just before the trial began. $720 million dollars of robodebt collected will be refunded.

https://i.redd.it/1x9e3zrxpiz51.png

Robodebt class action suit has been settled out of court just before the trial began. $720 million dollars of robodebt collected will be refunded.

Of course it isn't going to court; we wouldn't want anyone in the Federal Government held to account would we?

Robodebt class action suit has been settled out of court just before the trial began. $720 million dollars of robodebt collected will be refunded.

https://i.redd.it/1x9e3zrxpiz51.png

This whole thing was a mess from one end to the other. I have a friend who (was) a casual teacher in the SA public system and he was claiming the dole 3-4 years ago when he wasn't working - sometimes doing both at once if he had a very short stint of work which he knew was very naughty but his attitude was "they'll sort it out come tax time".

Anyway a few years ago Centrelink handed him a bill for some six grand of dole that he wasn't entitled to and he agreed to go on an installment plan for it - in the meantime he got full-time permanent so he didn't need to deal with them any more anyway.

Last year when the news came through of the "Robodebt" cases being waived he somehow, miraculously had his remaining debt waived by Centrelink and then later on (lo and behold) he also got a few thousand dollars from them for being forced to pay back money previous to that debt.

This bloke would be the first to admit that he was wrong and was quite honest when they caught up with him yet he got refunded a whole lot of money that he really shouldn't have been entitled to just because all that Robodebt stuff was going on. Truly that thing was one of the worst programs that they could ever have initiated - especially as they appeared to have given back money to people who weren't even entitled to it just because they got scared of anyone taking them to court as justapassenger said.

And, as usual, lawyers are doing very nicely out of it and we the poor taxpayers are left to pick up the bill.