Has left a very bad legacy with backward seat NIFs. Hopefully, someone will come along soon and put these trains to suburban use. Every time I see a Vset rolling along, I shake my head in disbelief on how a decision was made to replace these beautiful fit for purpose trains by total rubbish. A terrible mistake was made. Tragic.

Actually the V sets are no longer fit for purpose as their their doors and toilets do not meet present day disability requirements. The crew cabs are woeful and many, mainly the camshaft sets, are well beyond their use by date.

When you say the V sets are fit for purpose I am not sure what you mean? They were originally built as a somewhat luxury inter-urban service with 2 classes of seating, chilled water etc. That purpose no longer exists as they are no more used as a commuter service with minimal fares and built to a design no longer possible to manufacture at a reasonable cost. These days I do not believe any manufacturer would be prepared to tender for such a design with a narrow body.

The NIF are probably OK for purpose with the main concern from the RTBU and members that they are unsafe to operate without a guard, particularly on the difficult Blue Mountains line. A number of serious issues have arisen during the testing phase with any hope of early introduction dashed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Korean factory has been closed as have component suppliers located in all the hotspots of China, Italy and France.

NSW Trains is desperate to introduce the NIF prior to the expiration of the NSW Trains EBA since once the EBA expires (shortly), the unions can take protected industrial action.

Quotes like these, are always amusing.

Frydenberg last two years: 'The Coaltion govt has created 1.2 million jobs!' Frydenberg on RN today: 'Fran, the govt doesn't create jobs, business does.' Fran: '..zzzzzzzzzzzzz...'

Good, I’m responsible.
Bad, wasn’t me.

Stop it!!R

They sure do create jobs - they were boasting a few years ago about the NDIS creating about 300,000 jobs that weren't there before.

Frydenberg is just trying to deflect blame for the unemployed. He also said yesterday that the "super dole" would definitely end in October and that everyone who was still stuck on the dole would have to go back to the standard rate of $270 p/w. If you've never tried to live on that amount of money before you'll be in for a shock...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXerYUAUYAEMMOy?format=jpg&name=medium

Just in case anyone had thought the 'Sports Rorts' had gone away

Australian National Audit Office evidence to Senate appears to contradict Morrison’s claim that he provided no authorisation

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/08/bridget-mckenzie-was-told-to-seek-scott-morrisons-authority-for-sports-grants-program

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXerYUAUYAEMMOy?format=jpg&name=medium

The latest case here in South Australia is someone who tested positive to the virus SIX WEEKS after they got it - showing no symptoms whatsoever.

On the basis of that you'd have to think that continued periodic shut-downs will be part and parcel of life in this country for the next few years... imagine what that will do to the economy?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXerYUAUYAEMMOy?format=jpg&name=medium

The latest case here in South Australia is someone who tested positive to the virus SIX WEEKS after they got it - showing no symptoms whatsoever.

On the basis of that you'd have to think that continued periodic shut-downs will be part and parcel of life in this country for the next few years... imagine what that will do to the economy?

It’s certainly a delicate balancing act. But how much in dollar terms, is your or anyone else’s life worth?

Should the kick off, go swimmingly, credit taken by Scumo, tits up, be a matter for the states.
SOP, for these feds.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXerYUAUYAEMMOy?format=jpg&name=medium

The latest case here in South Australia is someone who tested positive to the virus SIX WEEKS after they got it - showing no symptoms whatsoever.

On the basis of that you'd have to think that continued periodic shut-downs will be part and parcel of life in this country for the next few years... imagine what that will do to the economy?

It’s certainly a delicate balancing act. But how much in dollar terms, is your or anyone else’s life worth?

Should the kick off, go swimmingly, credit taken by Scumo, tits up, be a matter for the states.
SOP, for these feds.

I'm really, really unlikely to die of COVID19 even if it was uncontrolled and out there in the community. We've had less than a hundred actual fatalities from COVID19 in this country - and of those people who died the median age was 80.

So COVID really only kills the old or people with compromised immune systems - sad but true. It really isn't a problem to the general population and its very unlikely to kill you if you get it UNLESS you've already got one foot in the grave.

How much is the periodic shutting down of the Australian economy worth? Can we afford to do this all over again if the disease becomes rampant again?

So COVID really only kills the old or people with compromised immune systems - sad but true. It really isn't a problem to the general population and its very unlikely to kill you if you get it UNLESS you've already got one foot in the grave.

That is only true if the number of cases is low enough that the medical system has enough capacity to give the necessary care to all patients.

If young people don't get the supportive care needed to keep them alive while they fight it off, it can kill them too.

Corono cannot kill Sports Rorts. Maybe we should all make ourselves immune by creating our own Rorts.

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-09/pm-involved-in-sports-grants-funding-scandal-labor-says/12231342

I'm really, really unlikely to die of COVID19 even if it was uncontrolled and out there in the community. We've had less than a hundred actual fatalities from COVID19 in this country - and of those people who died the median age was 80.

So COVID really only kills the old or people with compromised immune systems - sad but true. It really isn't a problem to the general population and its very unlikely to kill you if you get it UNLESS you've already got one foot in the grave.

How much is the periodic shutting down of the Australian economy worth? Can we afford to do this all over again if the disease becomes rampant again?

Don, no-one really cares if you get the virus and you die or not. It's not about you.

Obviously, the lockdown has bought enough time for the health system to build up its capabilities to cope if the disease becomes rampant again.

Job done.

So COVID really only kills the old or people with compromised immune systems - sad but true. It really isn't a problem to the general population and its very unlikely to kill you if you get it UNLESS you've already got one foot in the grave.

That is only true if the number of cases is low enough that the medical system has enough capacity to give the necessary care to all patients.

If young people don't get the supportive care needed to keep them alive while they fight it off, it can kill them too.

So we're just going to keep living this way - shutting back down again when needed for second, third and fourth wave COVID19 infections?

No international travel for any Australians until the end of next year I heard today.

So COVID really only kills the old or people with compromised immune systems - sad but true. It really isn't a problem to the general population and its very unlikely to kill you if you get it UNLESS you've already got one foot in the grave.

That is only true if the number of cases is low enough that the medical system has enough capacity to give the necessary care to all patients.

If young people don't get the supportive care needed to keep them alive while they fight it off, it can kill them too.

So we're just going to keep living this way - shutting back down again when needed for second, third and fourth wave COVID19 infections?

No international travel for any Australians until the end of next year I heard today.

I highly doubt that we will have to keep on shutting down again, I believe that COVID-19 is relatively under control in this country, the states have almost set out all of their stages for reopening again, if things get bad during these stages, all it will mean is a prolonged stay in that stage.

I highly doubt that we will have to keep on shutting down again, I believe that COVID-19 is relatively under control in this country, the states have almost set out all of their stages for reopening again, if things get bad during these stages, all it will mean is a prolonged stay in that stage.

I'm tending to think that way too. The main thing is to keep it from overwhelming the health system. Reckon we should now have enough capacity to handle any cluster before it gets too bad.

Don, no-one really cares if you get the virus and you die or not. It's not about you.

Obviously, the lockdown has bought enough time for the health system to build up its capabilities to cope if the disease becomes rampant again.

Job done.

It IS my business if I can't work on account of the shut-downs..

So COVID really only kills the old or people with compromised immune systems - sad but true. It really isn't a problem to the general population and its very unlikely to kill you if you get it UNLESS you've already got one foot in the grave.

That is only true if the number of cases is low enough that the medical system has enough capacity to give the necessary care to all patients.

If young people don't get the supportive care needed to keep them alive while they fight it off, it can kill them too.

So we're just going to keep living this way - shutting back down again when needed for second, third and fourth wave COVID19 infections?

No. We need to be patient while we stay the course and eliminate it here on the first wave, doing the work now to ensure there is no second wave and no more shutdowns.

Relaxing things just when elimination was starting to become a realistic possibility is wrong.

ScoMo and Co. are considering winding up the "Job-Keeper" payment early over fears that it might actually be paying money for jobs that no longer exist (shock, horror...). From News.com.au;

Scott Morrison is considering slashing the $1500 JobKeeper payment or phasing it out faster than expected amid fears it’s creating “zombie” companies that don’t exist without the wage subsidy.
Just days after the first payments started hitting employers’ bank accounts, news.com.au has confirmed options are under consideration to end the one-size-fits-all approach of paying $1500 a fortnight to each employee regardless of the size of the business, or whether workers are part-time or casual and previously earned less.
The current JobKeeper scheme is legislated to end on September 27, but new options under examination include: reducing the $1500 subsidy, targeting it at smaller businesses, or limiting it to particular industries that are hardest hit by COVID restrictions.

Out of the six million workers expected to sign up only five million have actually participated - a lot of small businesses can't afford to wait the 6-8 weeks to be reimbursed by the ATO for the money spent so they didn't participate.

I'm wondering where the unemployment rate will end up after this: My guess is 11-12% official by the time the super-dole finishes in October?

Where are the daily articles in the Australian about "how your money's being spent" reviewing this massive influx of dosh borrowed by our government?
Poor Joshy. He was the one who was finally going to deliver a (sort of) surplus. That they'd broken Abbott's promise to deliver one in their first year & every year thereafter doesn't count, apparently. And here Josh is giving us the biggest deficit by far in the country's history.
"Ahh," but the cry goes up, "there are Reasons & Circumstances!!." Not an excuse that's been afforded other political parties.

Where are the daily articles in the Australian about "how your money's being spent" reviewing this massive influx of dosh borrowed by our government?
Poor Joshy. He was the one who was finally going to deliver a (sort of) surplus. That they'd broken Abbott's promise to deliver one in their first year & every year thereafter doesn't count, apparently. And here Josh is giving us the biggest deficit by far in the country's history.
"Ahh," but the cry goes up, "there are Reasons & Circumstances!!." Not an excuse that's been afforded other political parties.

Labor was making noises a few weeks ago along the lines of "how is all this going to be paid back" but they've forgotten about that now. They probably realised that there's really no point of difference between themselves and the LNP.

And the actual amount of money governments owe to overseas interests more than doubled under the last six years of the LNP - that was going on even before this COVID-19 smokescreen. The debt we owe to foreigners has exploded - neither side has a plan to tackle it.

Is this thread becoming the defacto 'economy' thread? Why was the other one locked?

Looks like Pauline is weighing in on the "trade war". At least she has a spine.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/pauline-hanson-calls-for-shipping-baby-formula-to-china-to-be-illegal/news-story/cdc3bf9439706a66693874a2e7edea21

Regarding ScoMo's push for a collaborative approach to industrial relations going forward.

Problem is, he thinks the job is done by 'booking the room'. If it ends up as an almighty s**tfight, he will walk away saying 'Oh well, I tried.'

He needs to display a clear vision instead of just setting up a forum for the various stakeholders. He is obviously riding on the coat tails of the pandemic response, imagining that it gives him free licence to make whatever changes he wants. Too bad he doesn't appear to have the gumption to follow through.

Although I rate his performance during the pandemic as a solid B+ I will turn against him unless, for example, he is prepared to intervene against rogue employers. If he doesn't, this latest announcement will go down in history as nothing more than window dressing.

Hello All,

it was said of Billy Hughes that he drew the line by not joining the Country Party ! Ming the Merciless ( Menzies ) made Hasluck both PM and GG to prevent Hasluck becoming PM. And Tiberius with a telephone ( McMahon ) only became PM because Gorton voted against himself.

I was a teenager at High School when Billy Big Ears became PM, and both then and now I cannot for the life of me understand why the Liberals voted out a popular PM who would most likely have won the election against Whitlam, whereas McMahon consistently made an idiot of himself as PM, and clearly did not enjoy full support from the Coalition MPs.

I am not a fan of Scotty from Marketing, however, I will give him credit in his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, by establishing a National Cabinet he did ensure a consistent national approach, and even including NZ in some discussions, did show true leadership, and a willingness to listen, and a willingness to do what was best in the National interest, which is in stark contrast to the abysmal response of the Commonwealth Government to the East Coast bushfire disasters.

Whilst I do not agree with everything the Commonwealth Government has done, it has generally ensured that qualified experts were listened to, and ensuring that the Commonwealth Chief Medical & Assistant Chief Medical Officers were the public face of explaining the Covid-19 response did ensure a consistent message went out. Contrast this with Trump, Boris, Bolsinaro and other incompetents, Scotty from Marketing has taken the correct approach.

We have also been fortunate that the Commonwealth took action when it did, as it appears to date to have been remarkably successful to date in better managing the pandemic than most other countries. It is also notable that Dumbo ( Dutton ) has been silenced on this matter, his two contributions to date have been factually wrong and unhelpful.

Regards, Radioman

Hello Don and Others,

as the ABC's Medical Reporter Dr Norman Swan has pointed out, a successful Covid-19 response means that not much appears to be happening, conversely, if a lot is happening, then the problem is getting worse. Hence, it is preferable if we all keep on our guard, wash our hands more often (**), limit travel to essential purposes, maintain social distancing, and other hygienic strategies until such time as the Covid-19 threat has been substantially reduced.

This could take a few years, yes, years, if we look at the misnamed Spanish 'Flu which predates 1919, and was still around, in diminished form, in 1921. Some studies intimate that it broke out in Kansas ( USA ) in 1916, but that also means that it was possibly starting to mutate in 1915.

(** You can wash your hands with sufficient time by singing Happy Birthday, or God Save the Queen ( German or English versions to taste ! ) or Queen's We will Rock You, take your choice. )

The uptake in 'flu shots should be encouraged as both the 'flu and Cover-19 have similar symptoms , and like pneumonia can develop from the 'flu, it is equally likely that the 'flu could make you more susceptible to Covid-19, so understandably, the Medical Authorities are encouraging people to get a 'flu shot.

I also note that the ABC News this evening made comments about the high risk poorly ventilated offices pose, which is also evident in the past when the 'flu spread though an office building rapidly.

Do not underestimate the ability of a virus to mutate, especially a virus that has shown an ability to infect people quickly. It is also to be noted that people who have recovered from Cold-19 spent 6 weeks + in hospital, and returned home in a weakened state, which some survivors has indicated this weekend state has lasted for months and they still do not feel as well as they were prior to hospitalisation.

Best wishes and regards to all, Radioman.

Interesting timing for Scumo to be looking at IR reform.
Is this a peek into the future?

A cabinet reshuffle is in order.
Move Joshy from accounting, somewhere else and make this bloke federal treasurer.

Is this thread becoming the defacto 'economy' thread? Why was the other one locked?

Looks like Pauline is weighing in on the "trade war". At least she has a spine.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/pauline-hanson-calls-for-shipping-baby-formula-to-china-to-be-illegal/news-story/cdc3bf9439706a66693874a2e7edea21

Easy enough to open another thread about the general economy...

Pauline seems to have had a victory of sorts over the QLD state government by forcing them to stop wasting money on a bid for the 2032 Olympics. Brazil has never recovered financially from the huge expense of that big party, Pauline is right - that money needs to be spent in regional QLD.