I don't know what more to write about the imminent termination of lives on Nusakamgan Island in Indonesia.
There has been so much toing and froing and it looks hopeful that Indonesia is doing the right thing and not proceeding with their plans to terminate the lives of ten prisoners on death row.
Initially the Indonesian Government was unrelenting and said they would proceed but now it looks like they won't.
The Australian Government needs to play it so carefully because one wrong move.....We're walking a very fine line. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has offered money for drug rehabilitation programs in addition to the prisoner swap. Now I would have offered these things a few weeks ago but it appears that they are making a difference. It also appears as if the Indonesian Government is having second thoughts based on assessing the cases of other prisoners on death row.
Several media organisations have reported that the termination of lives is delayed indefinitely while they explore legal avenues and re-assess the merits of every case.
The problem is there have been local protests in Indonesia while internationally the termination of lives by the Government is being condemned. Indonesia's president Joko Widodo must somehow strike a balance between keeping people happy internationally and keeping his people happy.
It's very tough.
To paint a picture of what happens when the Indonesian Government terminates lives of prisoners, they tie them to a post, Jesus style, and then the prisoner is given the option of having their heads covered or not. It's just absolutely horrible. The shooters are lined up and all fire at the same time, half with blanks so that nobody knows who fired the fatal shot. It's barbaric and just horrible.
I can only hope that Indonesia lets everyone on death row live and I cannot imagine what all the prisoners are going through. May Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan live to continue their good work. If they do live it's clear that when they return to Kerobekan Prison there will not be a song and dance like there was going to Nusakamangan Island. Indonesia will want to keep this out of the spotlight.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
The road is ending, the unthinkable is happening tomorrow.
The journey has come to a tragic end for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran charged with smuggling heroin out of Indonesia in 2006.
It's reported they will be transferred to Nusakambangan Island tomorrow.
From there they will only have 72 hours.
Indonesia has lost the plot. This is cold blooded murder. Killing people won't help others. It will actually make things worse and misses the point. Drug education is better and more effective.
Why not let Chan and Sukumaran be the hope they never had and encourage them to share their stories of why they got mixed up in the wrong crowd.
I hope the Australian Government recalls all officials and ceases trade with Indonesia immediately.
This decision is disgusting and shows Indonesia's president Widodo to be very weak.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
The leadership garbage continues...what really needs attention.
People say today's news is tomorrow's fish n chip paper. Never had that been more true when you consider the Australian and NZ media won't let the leadership crap go.
Now they're saying Foreign Minister Julie Bishop should be the leader instead of Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
How about no.
The Liberals were elected in 2013 fairly and squarely and it seems journalists have forgotten that.
Prime Ministers are never going to be loved by everyone and people need to realise that we are talking a $1 trillion economy and you can't treat that like an after school job.
A New Zealand journalist, at a joint press conference with NZ PM John Key asked Tony Abbott doesn't just stand down. The question not only shows a lack of understanding of the importance of the position. It also mitigates the day that voters have. Let's not forget there are people in Australia who don't even have the right to vote and these discussions undermine democracy and peoples say.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott may be unpopular amongst certain groups and that's fine but he hasn't committed a crime. The only time a Prime Minister should be overthrown and booted out is if they've committed a crime or lose an election.
If you don't like Abbott, that's okay but this is why we have elections every three years. If it's the Liberal party's policies you don't like that's fine too. Write a letter to your local MP if you aren't allowed to vote, or join a party if you'd like to influence policy.
Politics is also not a popularity contest. It's about running the country and doing what's best for it and sometimes decisions will be made that are unpopular. What's amazing is that while Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey were being criticised for their proposed tax reforms which may see GST increased, journalists never asked why 32.5% taxation kicks in for every dollar earned over $37,000. Nobody living in Australia today would think that is a large amount of money, so shouldn't our taxation levels reflect the current wages and cost of living? Rather than mocking and criticising the individuals in Government shouldn't they be looking to the future and focusing on ensuring we prosper. We can hardly do that if we are being overtaxed because the mainstream media are wetting themselves over silly things that don't actually affect us. High taxation does. Where is the outrage about an outdated tax system?
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Employment agencies and the unemployed
The ABC's Four Corners has recently investigated the fraudulent and corrupt activity going on in job agencies like ORS and not for profits such as the Salvation Army. It was alleged that ORS filled out forms fraudulently in order to gain government funding. Several job seekers were featured as being disgruntled and disenfranchised. They were concerned that ORS and Job Services Australia simply didn't really care about placing them in employment. There was reference at the beginning of the story to generational unemployment in areas like the South Australian town of Elizabeth where Holden's factory is situated.
There are a few questions this report does not actually ask. It blames the agencies for people's inability to find jobs and it blames the lack of jobs for unemployment.
Let's look at a few things. I will however acknowledge that there are shortages of jobs in some areas and in some industries work simply does not exist. This being said, if there are not jobs in a particular area or industry there are actions you can take to ensure you are more likely to find a job.
Undertaking study is a no brainer really. If you have an education you're more likely to have the communication skills required to undertake employment and will be more likely to have the intellect to adapt to different situations. By having an education employers will see you as better prepared. This education could also be in terms of experience. While this is not possible for everyone, the more skills you have, the better. For example, if you're a qualified journalist those skills can probably be transferred to copywriting or public relations. If you are in sales then you could become a customer service representative/professional and vice versa. If you have been a team leader or manager in one industry then it's probable that you could become a manager in another area. Do you see what I'm saying? You can simply transfer your skills. In today's economy this is essential.
Nobody wants casual employment. Casual employment is tough. I was casually employed all of last year and it was a nightmare. There were times when I didn't know when I was going to be working beyond that particular shift and cases where I'd only find out I was working that day. Still, casual employment is better than no employment and it is much easier to find employment while you are employed. If you can't find casual employment then work for free to have something on your CV and to gain new skills.
When watching the Four Corners report there was one thing that was very clear to me, and it's entirely possible that some of the story was not told so there may be some people who are in fact doing what they can to get jobs. Four Corners made it appear like some of the job seekers were only relying on the agencies and that they were effectively being told they were useless. The solo mother, if she was given some positive reinforcement could go into customer service or modelling. The man who had an accident worked out so he could become a personal trainer. The one question that the report did not answer was, why weren't the agencies looking outside of the square? And the other question, were the unemployed job seekers looking for employment elsewhere?
I'm not saying it's easy if you're caught in a cycle of poverty but it appeared to me like the people interviewed were quick to blame the Government and the job agencies without expecting the job seekers to take any responsibility themselves. There is certainly more to the story, and instead of employment agencies sending people on silly courses that won't help, why aren't people being taught real skills to gain employment? When I was in school we would have careers days, do these still happen?
There's more to the story and the job seekers must take some responsibility for their situation rather than just blaming the Government.
There are a few questions this report does not actually ask. It blames the agencies for people's inability to find jobs and it blames the lack of jobs for unemployment.
Let's look at a few things. I will however acknowledge that there are shortages of jobs in some areas and in some industries work simply does not exist. This being said, if there are not jobs in a particular area or industry there are actions you can take to ensure you are more likely to find a job.
- Relocate to a place where there are jobs.
- Undertake study to develop skills that will make you more attractive to employers.
- Take casual employment until you can find permanent employment.
- Apply for as many jobs as you can.
Undertaking study is a no brainer really. If you have an education you're more likely to have the communication skills required to undertake employment and will be more likely to have the intellect to adapt to different situations. By having an education employers will see you as better prepared. This education could also be in terms of experience. While this is not possible for everyone, the more skills you have, the better. For example, if you're a qualified journalist those skills can probably be transferred to copywriting or public relations. If you are in sales then you could become a customer service representative/professional and vice versa. If you have been a team leader or manager in one industry then it's probable that you could become a manager in another area. Do you see what I'm saying? You can simply transfer your skills. In today's economy this is essential.
Nobody wants casual employment. Casual employment is tough. I was casually employed all of last year and it was a nightmare. There were times when I didn't know when I was going to be working beyond that particular shift and cases where I'd only find out I was working that day. Still, casual employment is better than no employment and it is much easier to find employment while you are employed. If you can't find casual employment then work for free to have something on your CV and to gain new skills.
When watching the Four Corners report there was one thing that was very clear to me, and it's entirely possible that some of the story was not told so there may be some people who are in fact doing what they can to get jobs. Four Corners made it appear like some of the job seekers were only relying on the agencies and that they were effectively being told they were useless. The solo mother, if she was given some positive reinforcement could go into customer service or modelling. The man who had an accident worked out so he could become a personal trainer. The one question that the report did not answer was, why weren't the agencies looking outside of the square? And the other question, were the unemployed job seekers looking for employment elsewhere?
I'm not saying it's easy if you're caught in a cycle of poverty but it appeared to me like the people interviewed were quick to blame the Government and the job agencies without expecting the job seekers to take any responsibility themselves. There is certainly more to the story, and instead of employment agencies sending people on silly courses that won't help, why aren't people being taught real skills to gain employment? When I was in school we would have careers days, do these still happen?
There's more to the story and the job seekers must take some responsibility for their situation rather than just blaming the Government.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Sorry NZers, when you think that manslaughter is okay but opinons aren't you're xingjiao tu bou!
I try not to blog about rubbish or get involved in what's happening in reality television but I'm on a long train trip right now from Newcastle back to Sydney so figured instead of sleeping I might as well use the time productively.
A couple of weeks ago New Zealand's second season of X Factor started and there are two things that have captured my attention. I won't dwell on the first one because in all honesty it's really not that noteworthy.
As you all know by now, contestants audition in front of the producers and then the judges before making it through to boot camp. You may or may not recall Steve Broad from the second season of NZ Idol which screened in 2005. He came third overall in the season. Following that he didn't really stay in the spotlight and worked for The Edge radio station while studying before going back to Invercargill to become a teacher. This year he decided to audition for the X Factor, and made it past the initial rounds. He is in boot camp now. As someone who has heard him sing live at church and knows him personally, he deserves the break, HOWEVER, as a viewer /media commentator/blogger it seems a little strange that NZ has literally run out of new talent and has to recycle old talent.
That incident isn't what's got me really annoyed though.
It was revealed a few days ago that the producers and judges had allowed someone who is guilty of manslaughter through to boot camp. Shae Brider revealed to the judges he'd been around when someone was killed but didn't declare he actually played a part.
This has become controversial. Reading Facebook posts people say the guy's done his time and to forgive him. Well I'm sorry New Zealand but it isn't that simple. This guy was involved in taking another person's life and there is no way he should be forgiven and given a second chance for that. What's even more astounding about this entire thing is that NZers appear to be okay with the concept and action of murder, yet if someone has opinions and dares to have a personality that's suddenly not allowed.
So my question is this: NZers in what crazy world do you think a manslaughter conviction is okay but having opinions, which hurts nobody isn't? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Well suffice to say NZ, you've once again proved your retardness.
A couple of weeks ago New Zealand's second season of X Factor started and there are two things that have captured my attention. I won't dwell on the first one because in all honesty it's really not that noteworthy.
As you all know by now, contestants audition in front of the producers and then the judges before making it through to boot camp. You may or may not recall Steve Broad from the second season of NZ Idol which screened in 2005. He came third overall in the season. Following that he didn't really stay in the spotlight and worked for The Edge radio station while studying before going back to Invercargill to become a teacher. This year he decided to audition for the X Factor, and made it past the initial rounds. He is in boot camp now. As someone who has heard him sing live at church and knows him personally, he deserves the break, HOWEVER, as a viewer /media commentator/blogger it seems a little strange that NZ has literally run out of new talent and has to recycle old talent.
That incident isn't what's got me really annoyed though.
It was revealed a few days ago that the producers and judges had allowed someone who is guilty of manslaughter through to boot camp. Shae Brider revealed to the judges he'd been around when someone was killed but didn't declare he actually played a part.
This has become controversial. Reading Facebook posts people say the guy's done his time and to forgive him. Well I'm sorry New Zealand but it isn't that simple. This guy was involved in taking another person's life and there is no way he should be forgiven and given a second chance for that. What's even more astounding about this entire thing is that NZers appear to be okay with the concept and action of murder, yet if someone has opinions and dares to have a personality that's suddenly not allowed.
So my question is this: NZers in what crazy world do you think a manslaughter conviction is okay but having opinions, which hurts nobody isn't? Shouldn't it be the other way around? Well suffice to say NZ, you've once again proved your retardness.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Credit reporting needs to change to include positive behaviour too
A credit file is basically a report card for adults. It details previous financial history such as loans you've taken out, credit applied for, address and employment information. All credit reporting agencies such as Veda and Dun & Bradstreet give people a score. In Australia the score ranges from 0-1200. 600-800 is most common.
Different calculations are used when determining a credit score.
35% - Payment history - In order to maintain a good credit rating you must make sure you pay all your bills on time. Credit reporting across the world has become much tighter following the 2007-08 crash and now includes defaults on utility bills of 60 days or more.
30% - Credit utilisation - You should aim to only use 30% of the credit you have available and should not max out your credit cards or overdrafts.
15% - Length of credit history - The longer an account is open the better as it proves you can maintain long relationships with credit providers.
10% - New credit - Opening too many accounts at one time can adversely affect your credit rating and could increase the likelihood of a default. This will make you look unattractive to lenders.
10% - Credit mix - Lenders like to know that you can reliably pay back loans with instalments and use revolving credit wisely. If you can use different types of credit then you'll be deemed less of a risk and increase the chances of obtaining credit from banks as opposed to greasy loan sharks who often have much tighter lending criteria in that the loan terms are shorter.
Currently only negative history is recorded on your credit file. Credit reporting agencies only report defaults and inquiries. They do not report when a debt has been paid off in full so if you have bad credit but have changed your ways it is very hard to improve your credit score. People should be rewarded for prompt payment. You could potentially have a bad credit history but be ahead on bills and payments which are not recorded, therefore the full picture is not being shown and lenders are only receiving half the story.
In addition, credit reporting agencies do not currently collect savings data and habits. It may be that you save money regularly but this isn't recorded so again, you look like you'll be a high risk to lenders.
Credit histories are only a snap shot of ones financial habits but they don't show the good behaviour. If the bad behaviour is being recorded then shouldn't the good behaviour be recorded as well? If you take out a personal loan wouldn't it be good if lenders knew if you paid that bank on time or even early? Take someone who has a gym membership? If they are ahead on their payments doesn't that show budgeting and that they are reliable?
Why do we live in a society fixated on punishing bad behaviour but not rewarding good behaviour? Credit files affect so much of our lives that it's essential that financial institutions and real estate agents see the full picture rather than just the negative aspects. It's currently very unbalanced.
If you suspect you have bad credit you can go to Veda and request a free copy within 90 days of being declined for credit for free. If you'd like to obtain it quickly then expect to pay between $69.95 and $119.95. If you want to track changes regularly then you should ensure you get the $84.95 12 month subscription and then you'll receive updates during the course of the year. You will get two reports and a credit score updated every month so you can track how you're going and reduce your risk profile.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Daily Stock Review - 18 February
It's not often I blog about specific stocks but today the ASX has been very interesting as we come into Dividend Season. To save you the time I've compiled a short list of stocks that you should be watching, not necessarily stocks to invest in, stocks to watch.
Toll Holdings:
Toll is Australia's leading freight firm and has operated for 126 years. Their head office is in Mascot and today Japan Post announced a takeover plan. This saw the price increase from $6.08 at yesterday's close of business to $8.95 today. That's an increase of 47.20% according to Commsec's share trading application. Japan Post would look at paying $9.04 per share according to reports today.
Seven West Media Group:
Media is a volatile sector, and Seven West has posted a loss of $1 billion. Surprisingly, the market didn't respond negatively. In fact the shares peaked at $1.475 at close of business today, however, overall, there was no change and they closed at $1.42.
iSentia Group Limited:
iSentia is a media monitoring business which first listed on the ASX in June 2014 after acquiring Australian Associated Press' media monitoring arm in May of last year. Today they posted that they were ahead on financial targets and would be paying out a dividend of 3.1 cents per share. The market was excited at hearing this news and the share price went up from $2.87 at close of business yesterday to $3.05 today. It reached a high of $3.12. Last year iSentia was listed on the ASX at $2.45. This stock is definitely one to watch as it is a media intelligence business that basically has no competition within the Asia Pacific region. As CEO John Croll reiterated today, iSentia's business strategy is a combination of acquisition and diversification within the media intelligence sector.
I'll bring you more sharemarket updates as there are noteworthy developments.
Toll Holdings:
Toll is Australia's leading freight firm and has operated for 126 years. Their head office is in Mascot and today Japan Post announced a takeover plan. This saw the price increase from $6.08 at yesterday's close of business to $8.95 today. That's an increase of 47.20% according to Commsec's share trading application. Japan Post would look at paying $9.04 per share according to reports today.
Seven West Media Group:
Media is a volatile sector, and Seven West has posted a loss of $1 billion. Surprisingly, the market didn't respond negatively. In fact the shares peaked at $1.475 at close of business today, however, overall, there was no change and they closed at $1.42.
iSentia Group Limited:
iSentia is a media monitoring business which first listed on the ASX in June 2014 after acquiring Australian Associated Press' media monitoring arm in May of last year. Today they posted that they were ahead on financial targets and would be paying out a dividend of 3.1 cents per share. The market was excited at hearing this news and the share price went up from $2.87 at close of business yesterday to $3.05 today. It reached a high of $3.12. Last year iSentia was listed on the ASX at $2.45. This stock is definitely one to watch as it is a media intelligence business that basically has no competition within the Asia Pacific region. As CEO John Croll reiterated today, iSentia's business strategy is a combination of acquisition and diversification within the media intelligence sector.
I'll bring you more sharemarket updates as there are noteworthy developments.
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