People continue to whinge about the lack of government action in certain areas of life. But where is the border between personal responsibility and government responsibility?
Housing
The media have pushed the term “rental crisis.” What crisis? People can’t afford to rent in the fancy places they want to live. Or people are being turned away because they don’t have a good record as tenants or don’t have a steady income. Do people really expect handouts all the time?
What if the government capped the price of rental properties that are privately owned? The landlord won’t have enough money for general maintenance, repairs, renovations or that one off tree fall through the living room. In the end the landlord will do nothing to the property because there is just no money. What’s the result? More ghettos and slum areas. So have we improved society by making housing more affordable?
Dare I give myself a bit of a rap by stating how I was able to buy a two-bedroom unit on my own? This is on a relatively low income as well.
House prices are on their way down now anyway. If you are looking properly you will find what you are looking for. However, if you are looking for the house on the street in the suburb then you are too picky and will find yourself on a long search.
Ambulance Fees
Certain groups are complaining about the rise in fees to get an ambulance to attend to your injuries. They say that access to this form of healthcare might be out of reach to those who need it most and in an act to avoid paying the fees they may try and get their own way to the emergency room and possibly doing themselves more damage.
That says a lot about how these people regard their health. If you are in a state that you require an ambulance, just pay the damn fee. Otherwise die quietly because it appears you don't hold your health in any high regard.
However most of the people who need ambulance attention are pensioners. These people are on a pension which means they don’t pay for transportation, their pension does. Those privately insured also are covered for the ambulance fee.
Bear in mind that the NSW Ambulance Service has been the most subsidised service in the country and the citizens should be thankful of that instead of dumping on it.
Education
A big beef with both me and Danny. Currently we have a voluntary contribution in the public system. This is because somehow the ‘lefties’ have had everyone believe that everyone deserves free education. What rubbish!! At the very most everyone deserves access to affordable education. If you don’t place value on it then you are not going to get any value out of it. I’m not so hardline right wing that I advocate privatisation of the education system but what is $500 a year? Nothing!!
Housing
The media have pushed the term “rental crisis.” What crisis? People can’t afford to rent in the fancy places they want to live. Or people are being turned away because they don’t have a good record as tenants or don’t have a steady income. Do people really expect handouts all the time?
What if the government capped the price of rental properties that are privately owned? The landlord won’t have enough money for general maintenance, repairs, renovations or that one off tree fall through the living room. In the end the landlord will do nothing to the property because there is just no money. What’s the result? More ghettos and slum areas. So have we improved society by making housing more affordable?
Dare I give myself a bit of a rap by stating how I was able to buy a two-bedroom unit on my own? This is on a relatively low income as well.
House prices are on their way down now anyway. If you are looking properly you will find what you are looking for. However, if you are looking for the house on the street in the suburb then you are too picky and will find yourself on a long search.
Ambulance Fees
Certain groups are complaining about the rise in fees to get an ambulance to attend to your injuries. They say that access to this form of healthcare might be out of reach to those who need it most and in an act to avoid paying the fees they may try and get their own way to the emergency room and possibly doing themselves more damage.
That says a lot about how these people regard their health. If you are in a state that you require an ambulance, just pay the damn fee. Otherwise die quietly because it appears you don't hold your health in any high regard.
However most of the people who need ambulance attention are pensioners. These people are on a pension which means they don’t pay for transportation, their pension does. Those privately insured also are covered for the ambulance fee.
Bear in mind that the NSW Ambulance Service has been the most subsidised service in the country and the citizens should be thankful of that instead of dumping on it.
Education
A big beef with both me and Danny. Currently we have a voluntary contribution in the public system. This is because somehow the ‘lefties’ have had everyone believe that everyone deserves free education. What rubbish!! At the very most everyone deserves access to affordable education. If you don’t place value on it then you are not going to get any value out of it. I’m not so hardline right wing that I advocate privatisation of the education system but what is $500 a year? Nothing!!
Posts
4 comments:
yeah! since when did all these people think information should be free and education a right rather than a privilege. make sure anyone who has no money has no access to education, I say, then they can stay in their sub-standard accommodation and die when they don't pay their ambulance fees.
i'm with anon above, it's easy to say what you did growing up and living in a very middle-class world hammer - come with me to v-land next year, or go with ben and loz sometime to bangledesh...maybe even just live in the druitt for a bit. all your meta-complaints won't seem as water-tight when you see how some people have to live.
Anon, who said that 'anyone who has no money should have no access to education'? Even if education was totally privatised don't you think some people (like yourself) would want to contribute to the education of others? But even Tim didn't want this, he wanted 'access to affordable education'.
Joel, if you want to point to our circumstances, you have also grown up in a very middle-class world. But what have our circumstances got to do with who is responsible for paying for housing, education and medical care? Do you think that government handouts are the solution to the poverty in the world?
Who is responsible for your housing, education, and medical care? You, or do you expect someone else to pick up the tab?
I just heard a song that Dad had on DVD by a gospel group, The Gaither Vocal Band (www.gaither.com). I felt it hit the spot on this topic.
The chorus goes like this:
If you want more happy that your heart will hold
If you want to stand taller if the truth were told
Take whatever you have and give it away
If you want less lonely and a lot more fun
And a deep satisfaction when the day is done
Throw your heart wide open and give it away
Other selected lyrics are:
There are two kinds of folks, there's takers and givers
There's gripers and complainers and big hearted livers
It depends on how we choose to spend our days
You mention Vanauatu Joel, but I bet they are happy with the little that they have. Yet in this country we have everything but all I hear is griping and complaining. The negativity can become all consuming.
Post a Comment