The Australian dollar and how we're getting ripped off. - General

We get it worse in Brazil. 1 US dollar is worth about 1.75 brazillian Real, and we end up paying 100~120 reals for a game. Also, we make a lot less money than you. It's hard to be a geek in Brazil :|

[QUOTE=mr apple;25482012]It doesn't really even itself out, I used games as an example, the cost of living is very fucking high right now, my mum has her job and her BF has 2 jobs and they're hardly paying the bills each week.[/QUOTE] 2 Jobs? I hear that you get taxed around 50% percent the income from the second job. Correct me if I'm wrong though. [QUOTE=DogGunn;25499764] With the NBN, hopefully, coming into play, we'll have even cheaper prices..[/QUOTE] I have a feeling the NBN is just a way that the government will put the censorship in place. Or I'm just paranoid and extremely stupid!

lol you guys know nothing of economics or politics [editline]19th October 2010[/editline] No the NBN is not a way to put censorship in place, nobody supports the censorship or at least definitely not enough people to put it through both houses of government and you nerds need to shut the fuck up about it because it hasn't been an issue since at least 3 years ago. [editline]19th October 2010[/editline] People complaining about not being able to afford how to live is their own fault for being under educated in a ridiculously easy society to be educated and employed into wealth.

I have a full paying job and I get on just fine.

[QUOTE=SlickBlade;25472581]Ehh, roughly 2 to 7 bucks for a pack of 20. But don't get me wrong, our prices aren't over the top, its the fact that we tried to have a easy simple dollar, equal to most currencies, however we were tricked into thinking a little silver coin coated in a thin sheet of [U][I]real[/I][/U] gold is worth less than a piece of paper, due to the size of both. A bad play on our part. Since then America's corporate greed has exploited us for a very long time. I have spent a total of 369.2 Australian dollars on Steam games. I thought I spent quite a bit. I had no idea I had really spent over 430 dollars.[/QUOTE] The American one dollar coin has copper, aluminium and a small amount of nickel, what are you talking about?

[QUOTE=Weird_Bartender;25485603]- Books are heavily overpriced here. A new US$14.00 book will cost us around $AU30 or even 40.[/QUOTE] This I absolutely loathe. The government would rather let consumers be overcharged than let a few australian publishers/printers have international competition

[QUOTE=Kendra;25502866]The American one dollar coin has copper, aluminium and a small amount of nickel, what are you talking about?[/QUOTE] you know they add alloys so the face value of the material less than the actual monetary amount it represents, most countries do it [editline]19th October 2010[/editline] stops clever folk melting them into copper and gold and making a ton o moneys

[QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25502711]lol you guys know nothing of economics or politics No the NBN is not a way to put censorship in place, nobody supports the censorship or at least definitely not enough people to put it through both houses of government and you nerds need to shut the fuck up about it because it hasn't been an issue since at least 3 years ago.[/quote] Did you just say those two big things? We know nothing about politics or economics? Pretty ironic that you go ahead and say nobody supports the censorship. The Labor Coalition have a majority in the HoR and the Senate too (until 30 June 2011) - they have more than enough support to push legislation, which has not been attempted through both houses of Parliament. [QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25502711]People complaining about not being able to afford how to live is their own fault for being under educated in a ridiculously easy society to be educated and employed into wealth.[/QUOTE] You just said people don't know shit about economics and then you go and make a stupid broad statement such as the above?

It's quite shitty because Google says that the current conversion rate is 1 US dollar = 1.0120 Australian dollars. Unfortunately, I think as stated previously you have to import quite a lot of goods. The only thing that I wouldn't understand is the fact that you pay more for something that's digitally downloaded. :C

[QUOTE=andersonmat;25506232]Unfortunately, I think as stated previously you have to import quite a lot of goods. The only thing that I wouldn't understand is the fact that you pay more for something that's digitally downloaded. :C[/QUOTE] I gather when you mention that, you're referring to shipping costs - and it really doesn't have anything to do with that. Shipping is so cheap due to globalisation (i.e. removal of tarrifs), that it's not even worth mentioning.

I like how you all complain about this when really it's an entirely different currency alas you are really not paying more but what your money is worth in Hungary I pay 10 thousand hungarian forints for a game, were it called hungarian dollar should I cry?

[QUOTE=Pred4tor;25471107]It's because you have to import everything...[/QUOTE] We have a free trade agreement with America which removes tariffs and taxes, the cost of shipping mass costs money, but isn't exactly hundreds of dollars, and shouldn't be pushing games up by $60, which is the case now. Digital distribution is no excuse. Also, our games stores are often cheaper than steam, which is surprising as far as I'm aware.

[QUOTE=Egevened;25507047]I like how you all complain about this when really it's an entirely different currency alas you are really not paying more but what your money is worth[/quote] The value of a currency can be calculated. It's about US$1 for AU$1, yet in the US games are around US$59.99, but in Australia games are around $119.95 - does that make sense to you when you do a direct dollar conversion? There are other factors, such as cost of living, taxes, duty etc, but that isn't directly related to the currency's worth.

If people got more to spend then the market will upscale to fit what the people can afford. Companies hire on more staff, bring in new equipment which circulates around into other companies and into pay rates, etc and it all goes around. Can't be that hard to understand.

[QUOTE=DogGunn;25506174]Did you just say those two big things? We know nothing about politics or economics? Pretty ironic that you go ahead and say nobody supports the censorship. The Labor Coalition have a majority in the HoR and the Senate too (until 30 June 2011) - they have more than enough support to push legislation, which has not been attempted through both houses of Parliament. You just said people don't know shit about economics and then you go and make a stupid broad statement such as the above?[/QUOTE] You just proved my point by being an undereducated idiot. The labor coalition doesn't exist, the greens stand up for their issues and anti censorship is a big podium of theirs so it won't pass through the senate. On top of that there's the fact that the labor party doesn't even support a censorship bill as a policy platform. Now I will say once again, shut the fuck up about the censorship because it won't ever pass. [editline]19th October 2010[/editline] You're also forgetting the fact Australia has avoided a recession, while America has something like 10% unemployment or similarly ridiculous.

[QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25507298]You just proved my point by being an undereducated idiot. The labor coalition doesn't exist, the greens stand up for their issues and anti censorship is a big podium of theirs so it won't pass through the senate. On top of that there's the fact that the labor party doesn't even support a censorship bill as a policy platform. Now I will say once again, shut the fuck up about the censorship because it won't ever pass. I agree. Censorship is being pushed, but it will never pass, not only because of the reasons stated above, but also because among the Australian people there is huge antipathy for it that will severely damage the Labor Party's already-damaged hopes of winning the next election. [editline]19th October 2010[/editline] You're also forgetting the fact Australia has avoided a recession, while America has something like 10% unemployment or similarly ridiculous.[/QUOTE] I agree. Not only for the above reasons but because there's huge antipathy for it among the Australian people and it will damage the Labor Party's popularity pretty hugely. And the labor party don't have a majority, the greens have already stated that their support for the Labor party will not be 100% concrete.

[QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25507298]You just proved my point by being an undereducated idiot. [/QUOTE] Amazing. [QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25507298]The labor coalition doesn't exist[/quote] So how did they form a minority Government? [QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25507298]the greens stand up for their issues and anti censorship is a big podium of theirs so it won't pass through the senate.[/quote] The Greens do not yet hold the majority of power within the Senate. I don't think you understand that. [QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25507298]On top of that there's the fact that the labor party doesn't even support a censorship bill as a policy platform.[/quote] While it's not listed within the ALP's National Platform, it certaintly is part of the ALP's current plolicies / agenda. [QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25507298]Now I will say once again, shut the fuck up about the censorship because it won't ever pass.[/quote] I doubt it will, but there's no point in pretending the ALP don't have the capacity to push it through. And anyway, all they need is the legislation to enable funding for the project. The legislation for blocking RC content is already in place. [editline]19th October 2010[/editline] [QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25507298]You're also forgetting the fact Australia has avoided a recession, while America has something like 10% unemployment or similarly ridiculous.[/QUOTE] Wow, you're a genius. You know the definition of a recession! [QUOTE=killerteacup;25507385]I agree. Not only for the above reasons but because there's huge antipathy for it among the Australian people and it will damage the Labor Party's popularity pretty hugely.[/quote] I doubt it. While us tech users care, most of Australia remains apathetic towards a filter. Why do you think it was hardly a big topic during the election?

The few who do care don't want it. And labour risk getting a backlash from the population if they bring in the censorship.

[QUOTE=Jake Nukem;25507745]The few who do care don't want it. And labour risk getting a backlash from the population if they bring in the censorship.[/QUOTE] There are also a few that do care and do want it (me not being one of them). Labor won't receive any backlash from the public if they do pass it. Why? Because most people don't give two hoots about it.

Actually, a lot of things in America is cheaper pretty much because the US has a lot of power in the World Trade Organization. If any nation gives us unfair prices, we'll force them to make them lower with sanctions, threats of war, etc. Everything costs more in Australia, probably because they are the actual price. In the US, they are cheaper because we have power over global tariffs. Not for long, though.

Alot of the reason people voted green was to give warning vote.

[QUOTE=Jake Nukem;25507887]Alot of the reason people voted green was to give warning vote.[/QUOTE] A warning vote over the filter? Are you kidding yourself? The Greens got more of the vote this time due to people swinging away from both major parties. Nothing more than that. Australia does not revolve around the internet, I hate to tell you.

If you watched Q&A a few weeks ago you would have seen the main advocate of the bill Stephen Fielding pretty much say that its not a popular policy among the alp and Tony Jones say it won't pass. If the greens and liberals stand against it that is the senate and possibly the house of reps blocked, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about. [editline]19th October 2010[/editline] Why don't you go post on whirlpool with the rest of you guys who blatantly ignore what is happening with the government in reality and scare monger while prioritizing the internet higher than the economy and social issues vastly, vastly more important. [editline]19th October 2010[/editline] Its not a labor coalition, the greens aren't like the national party and have much different positions towards the ever so slowly moving right labor party, they can't compromise on major policy points or there will be no point for them and a result no votes. I must stress this

I never said it was a large amount, but the world today is ever growing into globalization, and the new generation are growing up on the internet, so it, while it isn't a massive thing right now, it will be in the future. Notice how the NBN plan was a large part of discussion? Would have been a good swing in the votes if labour pushed with information on it. Also it seems I also live about an hour away from you, go away.

[QUOTE=Maximo13;25474247]Send me all your 1 dollar coins. Now.[/QUOTE] you do know that coating is 0,01 mm thick right?

[QUOTE=SeriousPoster;25507915]If you watched Q&A a few weeks ago you would have seen the main advocate of the bill Stephen Fielding pretty much say that its not a popular policy among the alp and Tony Jones say it won't pass. If the greens and liberals stand against it that is the senate and possibly the house of reps blocked, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about.[/QUOTE] Because ABC's Q&A is where policy is set is it? Do you think all of the ALP's policies have to be popular intra-party? Of course they don't. Oh, and I forgot, Tony Jones is never wrong. If the required [B]appropriation bill[/B] does get through the HoR (which is possible), it can still get through the Senate in the next few months. They could very easily sneak it in in any appropriation bill. P.S. calm down.

[QUOTE=JLea;25483896]Yeah our standard of living owns here. My mate is making $48,000 a year at a call center (I will be soon too) and he is 18, fresh out of high school. That's on average, what someone with a Bachelors Degree makes in the US. [editline]19th October 2010[/editline] Also the funny thing about Australia, is "blue collar" jobs earn alot of money. A plumber can make $100,000 per year.[/QUOTE] The fuck. I'm moving to Australia fuck this country.

[QUOTE=Perfumly;25508025]The fuck. I'm moving to Australia fuck this country.[/QUOTE] Holy crap, never heard that one before. Usually it's 'Fuck Australia, I'm moving to America.'

[QUOTE=Jake Nukem;25507998]I never said it was a large amount, but the world today is ever growing into globalization, and the new generation are growing up on the internet, so it, while it isn't a massive thing right now, it will be in the future.[/QUOTE] While this is true - a filter, if enabled, would be put in place in the next few years, and people still wouldn't care. [QUOTE=Jake Nukem;25507998]Notice how the NBN plan was a large part of discussion? Would have been a good swing in the votes if labour pushed with information on it.[/QUOTE] The NBN was only a large discussion point due to the large cost of the project. Rarely was the relevance of a fibre network to Australia was brought up. If Labor had done the right thing, and attempted to reduce the overall cost of a national network, and maybe even attempt to stimulate the private sector in increasing Australia's internet backbone capacity, then it would not have been a talking point at all. Also, it's Labor in Australia - not Labour.

[QUOTE=DogGunn;25508023]Because ABC's Q&A is where policy is set is it? Do you think all of the ALP's policies have to be popular intra-party? Of course they don't. Oh, and I forgot, Tony Jones is never wrong. If the required [B]appropriation bill[/B] does get through the HoR (which is possible), it can still get through the Senate in the next few months. They could very easily sneak it in in any appropriation bill. P.S. calm down.[/QUOTE] Nobody wants it why the hell would it be snuck in, and at the current state all its going to block is back down to child porn and blocking ip's has never slowed the internet so personally i don't care about that