Covid 19 -

[Ross 1]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Good time to cut all the deadwood they couldn't get rid of due to unfair dismissal laws too.

They are doing a lot of that here in NZ, people that would have been difficult to get rid of before are going left, right and centre. The government is also giving those made redundant a higher weekly benefit for the first 8 weeks than the normal dole payment.

[MITCHAY]

While it's no surprise we are in a recession, it's something to see on a graph over a period of time. Huge drop and I hope somehow we can peg that back.

I'm firmly of the belief as many others are that we were heading south anyway albeit no where anything close to this severe.

Only so many times you can say the economy is good while ordinary people don't think it is. Everything costs more with wages stagnated, housing going through the roof, RBA calling out for stimulus. This was all happening before the bushfires let alone the 'rona.

I've been on phone hookups with my Mexican colleagues who have literally not been to work in months. They are pretty smart people and understand a lot of it but they are well over this **** and are angry about it while being realistic it could be worse.

But it's only not worse if you're still employed and can WFH of course which they can. Many can not.

[Franco Cozzo]

Our friend Vik Grujic on Fiona Patten helping the SoE legislation pass

https://twitter.com/VikGrujic/status...12144972943361

[buggerlugs]

Re the Job Keeper allowance thru Covid

This from my accountant this morn...........

The government has said they will audit everybody, however I don’t think it will be possible. Jobkeeper is rife with people abusing the system. It was supposed to be for businesses in trouble, but plenty of people saw it as a cash grab to get free money. The same situation is happening down here, plenty of people claiming it who shouldn’t. Last email from the ATO said there have been over 200,000 complaints lodged so hopefully they do something about it and go after the people who weren’t entitled to it.

We are all going to have to pay for this one way or another..........

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Re the Job Keeper allowance thru Covid

This from my accountant this morn...........

The government has said they will audit everybody, however I don’t think it will be possible. Jobkeeper is rife with people abusing the system. It was supposed to be for businesses in trouble, but plenty of people saw it as a cash grab to get free money. The same situation is happening down here, plenty of people claiming it who shouldn’t. Last email from the ATO said there have been over 200,000 complaints lodged so hopefully they do something about it and go after the people who weren’t entitled to it.

We are all going to have to pay for this one way or another..........

It's the balance between trying to get support out quick over checks and balances, always has been. No one has denied this and we know plenty are taking the ****.

Mind you if the opposite was true everyone would be raging about the red tape too. No win position

But we are now in a position where we should be making it better.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

We are all going to have to pay for this one way or another..........

Just like every other time the country has gone deep into debt. In fact the country has rarely been out of debt.

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Re the Job Keeper allowance thru Covid

This from my accountant this morn...........

The government has said they will audit everybody, however I don’t think it will be possible. Jobkeeper is rife with people abusing the system. It was supposed to be for businesses in trouble, but plenty of people saw it as a cash grab to get free money. The same situation is happening down here, plenty of people claiming it who shouldn’t. Last email from the ATO said there have been over 200,000 complaints lodged so hopefully they do something about it and go after the people who weren’t entitled to it.

We are all going to have to pay for this one way or another..........

Similar thing with the early super access. Last week we received a report on how many people accessed early withdrawal from our company. The number did not correspond with the number of staff we had laid off or who had reduced hours....not by a long shot. A large number of people are wrongly accessing the $10k-$20k. I'm not judging because times are uncertain and I can understand why some people my have felt the need to take it "just in case".....but if you are doing it deliberately, its technically fraud.

Treasury is estimating that $42b will be taken out, it'll probably be higher if we include the unqualified. That affects everyone. It will hit everyone's super performance in some shape or form, and takes investments out of industries.

We can only hope there is some plan out of this.

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by prydey

Just like every other time the country has gone deep into debt. In fact the country has rarely been out of debt.

In fact with some planning this would be the best time to take on cheap money to get some things done.

Not talking about handing out money like it's going out of fashion, but to fund some solid projects that are shovel ready that will keep people employed and deliver benefits.

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Similar thing with the early super access. Last week we received a report on how many people accessed early withdrawal from our company. The number did not correspond with the number of staff we had laid off or who had reduced hours....not by a long shot. A large number of people are wrongly accessing the $10k-$20k. I'm not judging because times are uncertain and I can understand why some people my have felt the need to take it "just in case".....but if you are doing it deliberately, its technically fraud.

Treasury is estimating that $42b will be taken out, it'll probably be higher if we include the unqualified. That affects everyone. It will hit everyone's super performance in some shape or form, and takes investments out of industries.

We can only hope there is some plan out of this.

It has always been stated this should be the path of last resort.

At the end of the day the worst thing about this is they are taking advantage of the tax rates but it is still their money. And of course potential returns too.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Re the Job Keeper allowance thru Covid

This from my accountant this morn...........

The government has said they will audit everybody, however I don’t think it will be possible. Jobkeeper is rife with people abusing the system. It was supposed to be for businesses in trouble, but plenty of people saw it as a cash grab to get free money. The same situation is happening down here, plenty of people claiming it who shouldn’t. Last email from the ATO said there have been over 200,000 complaints lodged so hopefully they do something about it and go after the people who weren’t entitled to it.

We are all going to have to pay for this one way or another..........

In effect it is free money. The government, through the ATO, never gives a business any relief. This is a once in a lifetime event, and a once in a lifetime opportunity for some. I heard many small businesses (employing 5 people or less) are actually benefitting to the tune of over $100,000 over the last 6 months with Job Keeper and the Cash Boost Grant. Say a small business has 5 employees collecting $1500 per fortnight, that's a rebate to the company of $15,000 per month, plus GST rebates up to $10,000 per quarter paid back to the company. Effectively wages are subsides to the tune of 75-100%, no IAS amounts are payable, ATO direct depositing funds into your account around the 15th of every month for $15k, and a $10k kickback when you lodge your BAS.

Not a bad effort.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Similar thing with the early super access. Last week we received a report on how many people accessed early withdrawal from our company. The number did not correspond with the number of staff we had laid off or who had reduced hours....not by a long shot. A large number of people are wrongly accessing the $10k-$20k. I'm not judging because times are uncertain and I can understand why some people my have felt the need to take it "just in case".....but if you are doing it deliberately, its technically fraud.

Treasury is estimating that $42b will be taken out, it'll probably be higher if we include the unqualified. That affects everyone. It will hit everyone's super performance in some shape or form, and takes investments out of industries.

We can only hope there is some plan out of this.

There are stories of couples taking out their $10k before the EOFY, then taking out another $10k at the beginning of the current FY, fronting up with another $10k and buying $50k cars.....true story.

Good luck with the ATO chasing down people to pay back their own super, the only ones complaining are industry funds run by former ALP and union organisers. The general consent amongst the Libs is the super is your money, you get to decide what to do with it.

If I'd known better I'd have taken the $20k and bought small cap shares and turned the $20k into $100k within 12 months, then put the $20k back into super.

[nstg8a]

My missus works at the ato, one of the girls she works with is also permanent, but get this. She’s also fully employed by flight centre, and receiving the full job keeper allowance as well as her ato wage.
She has no intention of going back to work at flight centre, but intends to keep collecting the jk allowance as long as it’s there.

It’s this sort of thing they should be cracking down on, but as it stands currently there’s no rule against it.

The worst she will face is a tax bill.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

My missus works at the ato, one of the girls she works with is also permanent, but get this. She’s also fully employed by flight centre, and receiving the full job keeper allowance as well as her ato wage.
She has no intention of going back to work at flight centre, but intends to keep collecting the jk allowance as long as it’s there.

It’s this sort of thing they should be cracking down on, but as it stands currently there’s no rule against it.

The worst she will face is a tax bill.

Wouldnt your missus be obligated to report this to her superior? That's not the purpose of JK, she's rorting the system. Give me her name, I'll call the ATO myself.

[MITCHAY]

I think that is the thing I hate most about this. Too many people who could work not doing so. But to be fair that is same before all of this anyway just worse.

What they need to realise that this will be a short to mid term solution and better to be in a job now IMO even if you have to get off your **** and potentially be paid less to do so. I would work for less than sit on my **** for more. Because the music stops eventually.

I don't understand people with this attitude to be honest.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by Romulus

Wouldnt your missus be obligated to report this to her superior? That's not the purpose of JK, she's rorting the system. Give me her name, I'll call the ATO myself.

They know. It’s not against the rules.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

I think that is the thing I hate most about this. Too many people who could work not doing so. But to be fair that is same before all of this anyway just worse.

What they need to realise that this will be a short to mid term solution and better to be in a job now IMO even if you have to get off your **** and potentially be paid less to do so. I would work for less than sit on my **** for more. Because the music stops eventually.

I don't understand people with this attitude to be honest.

I've been considering an exit from my industry but given the dramas around the economy and what's on the horizon, I might stay put while I'm still collecting as I'm fairly safe for now.

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I've been considering an exit from my industry but given the dramas around the economy and what's on the horizon, I might stay put while I'm still collecting as I'm fairly safe for now.

Yeah before all of this I was thinking about getting into the contracting game where I would be paid close to double to do the same ****.

Not changing industry but certainly chasing more pesos.

But I was thinking the economy was not that great so didn't really pursue it luckily

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

Yeah before all of this I was thinking about getting into the contracting game where I would be paid close to double to do the same ****.

Not changing industry but certainly chasing more pesos.

But I was thinking the economy was not that great so didn't really pursue it luckily

Yup mine was based on the mighty spondoolies also but I think getting **** all is still better than government benefits

[Franco Cozzo]

A pregnant anti-lockdown protester has live-streamed her arrest on social media and been charged for allegedly inciting a protest against COVID-19 restrictions in Ballarat’s CBD.

The video on the woman’s Facebook page had already been viewed more than 1.4 million times in the space of four hours by Wednesday night, with comments describing the scenes as “absolutely disgusting”.

“What the actual f***!” one person wrote, echoing many others.

Detectives descended on the woman’s Miners Rest home today, armed with a search warrant, after they became aware of a “prohibited gathering” scheduled to take place in the regional Victorian city this Saturday.

Officers raided the 28-year-old’s home and seized her mobile phone and computer equipment, after she greeted them at the door in pink pyjamas.

Upon being told she was going to be arrested, the woman began to cry and told officers she would “happily” delete her social media posts, with her Facebook page reportedly containing links to a “peaceful, freedom day” protest scheduled for the weekend.

“The government has gone to extreme measures and are using scare tactics through the media to prevent the Melbourne protest,” the event’s description said.

“Here in Ballarat we can be a voice for those in stage four lockdowns.”

“What on earth? Excuse me, what on earth?” the woman is heard asking police while filming them, before asking another male in the house to film the confrontation.

“I’m in my pyjamas. I have an ultrasound in an hour.”

She then told police she had not “broken any laws” by posting about the protest on Facebook, to which the officers responded that she had.

The woman was charged with incitement and granted bail, and is expected to appear in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on January 25 next year.

“This is unequivocally not okay,” US-based conservative Australian commentator Sydney Watson wrote on Twitter.

Herald Sun columnist Rita Panahi wrote, “Victoria Police going after the big crooks.”

Victoria Police have since issued a stark warning to anyone still considering attending the event, saying protesters can “expect a swift and firm response from police”.

“Those still thinking of attending the protest in Ballarat on Saturday can expect a swift and firm response from police,” a statement said.

“We will have no hesitation in issuing $1652 fines to anyone who is breaching the restrictions on the day, or making arrests if necessary.”

The arrest comes just days after a group of anti-lockdown protesters in Melbourne’s north clashed with police, and AFL great Sam Newman called on 250,000 residents to “take back the city”.

After Victoria Police threatened to arrest him, the 74-year-old abruptly backed down, telling Sunrise yesterday morning that his call to arms was simply “hyperbole”.

“I said wouldn’t it be great to have 250,000 people wandering through the city – I don’t encourage people to do that but it was just a sign that this government should cautiously reopen business enterprises in the city before it rusts over,” Newman told the program.

The former Footy Show host tweeted this afternoon he’d also been paid a visit by police, who advised him “against protesting”.

https://www.news.com.au/world/corona...c1925e4e6aef8d

Big difference in attitudes towards anti lockdown protests compared to BLM protests?

This is ridiculous - pregnant woman arrested in her house and had computers and phones seized for organising local protest.

[Citroënbender]

It could have been worse, the police might have “welfare checked” her…

I note suggestions Europe is appreciably tending towards high levels of CV infection comparable with March this year. Konfetka is probably stuck in Riga for several months now as transit flights across Europe are being significantly reduced and the remaining ones priced right up.

[falcon_bandit]

Daughter went for a job interview, & went to shake their hand as she introduced herself, & was told it was an instant fail as your not allowed to do that in these current times. Clearly there is something wrong with all this.

[Citroënbender]

If that’s how they treat (understandably nervous) people, your daughter may have dodged a bullet.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

https://www.news.com.au/world/corona...c1925e4e6aef8d

Big difference in attitudes towards anti lockdown protests compared to BLM protests?

This is ridiculous - pregnant woman arrested in her house and had computers and phones seized for organising local protest.

BLM protestors/rioters/arsonists benefit from leftist privilege.
If there was no video evidence of this woman being rounded up gestapo style would someone claiming it has happened be labelled a conspiracy theorist?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by smoo

BLM protestors/rioters/arsonists benefit from leftist privilege.
If there was no video evidence of this woman being rounded up gestapo style would someone claiming it has happened be labelled a conspiracy theorist?

The irony was it happened in Ballarat

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_Rebellion

[five 7]

Originally Posted by falcon_bandit

Daughter went for a job interview, & went to shake their hand as she introduced herself, & was told it was an instant fail as your not allowed to do that in these current times. Clearly there is something wrong with all this.

This, the exact reason i could not work for a company with a HR department and i'm self employed, Covid has just added to the madness we have nanny state and now nanny companies telling you how to act. I was lucky enough to do a engineering trade that taught a good work ethos, pride in what you do and taking personnel responsibility at work, no need for a HR dept to direct how you act.

[falcon_bandit]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

If that’s how they treat (understandably nervous) people, your daughter may have dodged a bullet.

She thinks she might have the job anyway. Never underestimate the compulsion of old perv bosses hiring young pretty things for their workplace

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by falcon_bandit

She thinks she might have the job anyway. Never underestimate the compulsion of old perv bosses hiring young pretty things for their workplace

So now they have no integrity: telling her shaking hands was an instant fail, but still offering her the job anyway.

Company is getting worse and worse by the minute

[russellw]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Doesn't apply to the elites

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story Damo. He is quarantining for 14 days as required and that was made clear when he left to go up there which 30 secoonds of research would have told you.

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Big difference in attitudes towards anti lockdown protests compared to BLM protests?

This is ridiculous - pregnant woman arrested in her house and had computers and phones seized for organising local protest.

No. What is ridiculous is that she thought that she would be able to get away with what she was doing which was planning an illegal protest. Despite her comments in the video, she had to be well aware that a protest gathering was illegal but she was stupid enough to believe that 'organising' one wasn't an offence. She (and others of the same ilk) now have a very clear message that there are offences that they can be charged with so I'd call that a good result.

If she was expecting batons, tear gas and armed SWAT to make her video more exciting she needs to move to the USA and not Ballarat.

Sympathy count in this household is the same as the care factor - a big fat zero.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

https://www.news.com.au/world/corona...c1925e4e6aef8d

Big difference in attitudes towards anti lockdown protests compared to BLM protests?

This is ridiculous - pregnant woman arrested in her house and had computers and phones seized for organising local protest.

This arrest is certainly attracting attention, both nationally and internationally. The double standard of the Victorian Police are no longer covert, they're overt. VicPol can manage to arrest of pregnant woman over a facebook post, yet VicPol allowed the BLM protest to go ahead, almost sponsoring it by saying no one would be arrested.

Looks like the pregnant lady will be in good hands, plenty of legal practitioners willing to provide pro-bono representation. It will be interesting to see how this over reaction plays out over the next 24-36 hours. It's political poison for Comrade Dan and his Gestapo law enforcement officers.

An interesting comment from Gillian Dempsey on twitter about this matter

"Incitement" is an INDICTABLE offence in Victoria. It is "subject to this Act" (ie the Crimes Act). There are no indictable offences that the lady who was arrested was accused of. Those offences were summary. There's a legislative mismatch here. Oh dear..http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/vi...l_act/ca195882
CRIMES ACT 1958 - SECT 321G Incitement

CRIMES ACT 1958 - SECT 321G

Incitement
(1) Subject to this Act, where a person in Victoria or elsewhere incites any other person to pursue a course of conduct which will involve the commission of an offence by—

(a) the person incited;

(b) the inciter; or

(c) both the inciter and the person incited—

if the inciting is acted on in accordance with the inciter's intention, the inciter is guilty of the indictable offence of incitement .

(2) For a person to be guilty under subsection (1) of incitement the person—

(a) must intend that the offence the subject of the incitement be committed; and

(b) must intend or believe that any fact or circumstance the existence of which is an element of the offence in question will exist at the time when the conduct constituting the offence is to take place.

(3) A person may be guilty under subsection (1) of incitement notwithstanding the existence of facts of which the person is unaware which make commission of the offence in question by the course of conduct incited impossible.

S. 321H inserted by No. 10079 s. 7(2), amended by No. 25/1989 s. 20(g).

[CoupeKing]