Election date: 20 September

[Oakie]

If we value the support workers at the bottom of the economic heap then we damn well better pay them enough to live on. This is probably the single biggest reason I want that bastard Key the hell out of power.

Broad statement and do you think he is personally responsible? It's not like support worker wages have gone down in the last 5.5 years. Where I work the average support worker can earn $55,000 basic for a four day week with about 35 hours hands-on. Sleepover payments has pushed it up from about $45000 previously but I would have thought even that wasn't too horrendous? (Sorry ... not meaning to divert the thread but needed to comment on that one).

[Oakie]

So vote for Govt and then sit back and wait for things to improve? Sounds easy.Much better than the get off your arse method my old man made me do.

Part right. Things will improve (are improving) but you still have to get off your arse and take advantage of the environment/opportunities.

[Akzle]

it really matters!

Really it does!

I have to agree with smokey. Get rid of teh jews. All of em.



... And replace em with snackbarist camel jockeys!

[Oakie]

it really matters!

Really it does!

I have to agree with smokey. Get rid of teh jews. All of em.

... And replace em with snackbarist camel jockeys!

Nooooo, don't distract us. We were having a pretty good debate there and no one had even called anyone a Nazi or a lady's front bottom yet.

[swbarnett]

That's an erroneous interpretation of what I said

I'm glad to hear it. I thought it may not be what you meant; hence the question mark.

, lots of opportunities doesn't mean opportunities for every single person, but it does mean more than if the economy was in the shitter.

No argument here.

As someone who has voluntarily (to aid business startup) been on less than minimum wage for 12 months and living quite comfortably (which has been a raise compared to my student days), I have to point out that you're full of shit. It's not enough to support a family or household, but it is enough to live on.

Thank you for proving my point. I agree that a single person may be able to live on it. It all depends on how many kids you have doesn't it? Otherwise why all the cries for a "living" wage?

[bogan]

Thank you for proving my point. I agree that a single person may be able to live on it. It all depends on how many kids you have doesn't it? Otherwise why all the cries for a "living" wage?

Financial security should be a precursor to having kids, not the other way around.

[swbarnett]

Broad statement and do you think he is personally responsible?

I don't think he's personally responsible but his attitude sucks for someone who is supposed to set the direction of the country. It will hardly lead us to a caring society.

It's not like support worker wages have gone down in the last 5.5 years. Where I work the average support worker can earn $55,000 basic for a four day week with about 35 hours hands-on. Sleepover payments has pushed it up from about $45000 previously but I would have thought even that wasn't too horrendous?

No, not all support workers are on minimum wage. Are you saying there are none?

[Oakie]

Thank you for proving my point. I agree that a single person may be able to live on it. It all depends on how many kids you have doesn't it? Otherwise why all the cries for a "living" wage?

But when you have kids you get 'Working for Families' support too so someone supporting kids on what is shortly to be $14.25 an hour actually has more disposable income than just the $14.25 would indicate. They get up to four different tax credits, accommodation supplements and assistance with childcare costs. Would be interesting for someone to work up the figures and see if it all equates to the so called 'Living Wage'.

[Oakie]

No, not all support workers are on minimum wage. Are you saying there are none?

No. Just pointing out that you can't throw a blanket over all support workers and say they are all 'at the bottom of the economic heap' as you did. Christ ... most of ours earn more than their managers do! I think the Aged Care sector is the worst though. Disability workers seem to be a bit better off than aged care with probably quite a significant percentage of aged care support workers on low or minimum wage. The lowest hourly rate at our place is $15.85 and that is for someone who has never done the work before. They find their way up to our top step of $17.65 before too long if they measure up.

For what it's worth, at our not-for-profit, 74% of the funding we get goes straight out in staff wages. Getting off topic though

[swbarnett]

But when you have kids you get 'Working for Families' support too so someone supporting kids on what is shortly to be $14.25 an hour actually has more disposable income than just the $14.25 would indicate. They get up to four different tax credits, accommodation supplements and assistance with childcare costs.

Interesting. Obviously I have no personal experience of the minimum wage.

Would be interesting for someone to work up the figures and see if it all equates to the so called 'Living Wage'.

Indeed it would. Rather than relying on what's reported in the media.

No. Just pointing out that you can't throw a blanket over all support workers and say they are all 'at the bottom of the economic heap' as you did.

I didn't mean to say that all support workers are at the bottom of the ecomonic heap. Perhaps the use of the term "support worker" was a bit off the mark. I was really referring to those on minimum wage.

[Scuba_Steve]

But when you have kids you get 'Working for Families' support too so someone supporting kids on what is shortly to be $14.25 an hour actually has more disposable income than just the $14.25 would indicate. They get up to four different tax credits, accommodation supplements and assistance with childcare costs. Would be interesting for someone to work up the figures and see if it all equates to the so called 'Living Wage'.

My Sister-in-law worked out some figures, I believe she worked out w/ 2 kids & both parents working you have to have a household income breaching $110,000/yr to break even with a family with 1 parent working bringing in the "average income" & subsidies.
Most of the cost was childcare if I remember rightly

[Oakie]

My Sister-in-law worked out some figures, I believe she worked out w/ 2 kids & both parents working you have to have a household income breaching $110,000/yr to break even with a family with 1 parent working bringing in the "average income" & subsidies.
Most of the cost was childcare if I remember rightly

Wow. Interesting.

[mashman]

My Sister-in-law worked out some figures, I believe she worked out w/ 2 kids & both parents working you have to have a household income breaching $110,000/yr to break even with a family with 1 parent working bringing in the "average income" & subsidies.
Most of the cost was childcare if I remember rightly

Yup... 8 weeks holidays between yaz and schools not being in for many more weeks than that. So not only don't you get time off together as a family (unless you can afford to take unpaid leave), some other fucker gets paid to look after them when you have no holidays... and it ain't cheap.

[Akzle]

Yup... 8 weeks holidays between yaz and schools not being in for many more weeks than that. So not only don't you get time off together as a family (unless you can afford to take unpaid leave), some other fucker gets paid to look after them when you have no holidays... and it ain't cheap.

but that makes for such a productive, profitable society.

Gotta balance the fuken books man!
The economy is important.

[mashman]

but that makes for such a productive, profitable society.

Gotta balance the fuken books man!
The economy is important.

I know I know, I should just accept that things are the way they are because they can't be otherwise despite knowing otherwise. I may as well vote national this year and settle in to a life of ignoring my kids in order to work for 18 hours a day to provide for my future.

WOOO involuntary shudder.