Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 18^th, 2013 at 2:15pm:


You do  - in the form of economic growth that helps you keep your job.  Move on.

sir prince duke alevine wrote on Mar 18^th, 2013 at 2:18pm:


But as I said, that's your wishful thinking.
In reality we are offered a tonne of kickbacks across the board - are we not?

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 18^th, 2013 at 2:11pm:


You reckon you earn so much then why shouldnt you pay your own way?

SOB

It seems the better off feel entitled to better treatment by government. Their status as wealth generators is a passport to ''diplomatic immunity'' from accusations of sponging off the state - however disproportionate to need their benefits and tax concessions may be. Similarly, while age pensioners get the biggest slice of $132 billion in welfare spending (36 per cent of the budget), they are seen to have earned the right to be dependent on government - even those living in $1 million-plus homes. Pensioners and their assets are untouchable, too.

However, much better-off ''working families'' who have come to rely on government to boost their finances seemingly have little to fear from the bipartisan savings drive.

Families with children are the second-biggest recipients of welfare spending - about $34 billion a year. Most goes on family tax benefits A and B, but there are also childcare benefits and rebates, paid parental leave, schoolchildren's and baby bonuses and carer allowances. The full list of family benefits is very long.

Many who receive family welfare are, on any reasonable definition, not needy. Couples with two children in the middle 50 per cent range of incomes ($80,000 to $135,000) may qualify for most or all of the above benefits. One partner can earn up to $150,000 and the second up to $25,623 and they can still get something from Family Tax Benefit B, which costs about $4.5 billion a year.

Given how much welfare money goes to middle and high-income families, you'd think the budget costs of ''middle-class welfare'' would be a natural target for savings, especially when

When last year's budget trimmed the baby bonus for households with incomes of up to $75,000 in the six months after birth, this was said to be a ''vicious and savage'' attack on families

What about private health cover, which gets government support worth $5 billion a year? Policy holders received a 30 per cent rebate on premiums regardless of incomes until the government legislated last year to reduce rebates for single people earning more than $83,000 (the top 20 per cent) and families more than $166,000. Rebates cut out at $129,000 and $258,000. The saving is $2.4 billion over three years.

Abbott vows to restore the full rebate for all as soon as possible, for the usual genetic reasons. ''Private health insurance is in our DNA. It is our raison d'etre, that is why we exist as a political movement, to give more support and encourage people who want to get ahead.''

bugger it that's how it is.

Smithy I was paying friggen $4,500 per month mortgage in AUS.
You don't think the help came in handy?!

Elite schools spend $20 million a year on upgrades

Date
    March 17, 2013


Sydney's elite private schools are spending up to $20 million a year on capital works, data on the My School website shows.    

Pymble Ladies' College plans to demolish its 50-metre outdoor pool and replace it with a $20 million aquatic and fitness centre as part of the school's $39 million master plan. They will also redevelop sporting fields and build a 230-space underground car park, a dining hall, a function centre to seat 600 and a health care centre.

A new feature on the My School website lists schools' total capital expenditure from 2009 to 2011.
Pymble Ladies' College development proposal. image shows - Proposed Aquatic and fitness centree. image supplied



Knox Grammar School topped the list of school spending in Sydney, with more than $56 million over the three years. Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) is next, with almost $45 million, followed by Newington College and Cranbrook School with almost $43 million and $42 million respectively.
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Pymble Ladies' College, which has more than 2100 girls from kindergarten to year 12, spent almost $29 million between 2009 and 2011, which is about $13,500 a student.

The federal government would not provide Fairfax Media with the average capital expenditure of government schools. But, by comparison, between 2009 and 2011 the capital expenditure at the nearest public high schools was $1130 a student at Turramurra High School and $3854 a student at Killara High School.

A spokesman from the NSW Department of Education and Communities said $765 million would be spent this financial year on capital works and maintenance in the 2218 public schools in NSW, which is about $350,000 a school.

''It is important to note that, while all NSW public schools receive annual planned maintenance funding, not all schools receive funding for capital works every financial year,'' he said.    

At independent schools, on average, about 80 per cent of funds for capital developments, such as school buildings, are contributed by parents and the school community.

At Turramurra High, 76 per cent of capital expenditure came from governments, whereas at Pymble Ladies' College just 13 per cent was from government contributions.

Pymble Ladies' College principal Vicki Waters said the existing pool required ''extensive maintenance due to its age''. The upgrade would be funded through the school's contribution and fund-raising initiatives and would not affect fees. Local schools would be allowed to use the pool for swimming carnivals, as would learn-to-swim lessons. ''But it won't be a public leisure centre.''

The school, which charges year 12 students fees of $26,550 a year, received more than $4 million federal government funding in 2011 and almost $3 million from the state.

Greens NSW MP John Kaye said government funding to schools like Pymble Ladies' College was ''wasteful and divisive''. ''It is a stark illustration of the damage done by the $426 million provided by the O'Farrell and Gillard governments to the state's 110 wealthiest private schools in operational subsidies. ''Not only could this money provide for two additional teachers at every public school … but it is also driving a massive, wasteful and divisive capital expansion program at the state's elite private schools.''    

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/elite-schools-spend-20-million-a-year-on-upgrades-20130316-2g7ez.html#ixzz2NlFdOEF8