Category: General news

If everything goes according to plan, as far as the government is concerned, Australia might end up with the highest retirement age in the world.

The suggested retirement age is 70, surpassing countries such as Greece, Iceland, Israel and Norway with their retirement age set at 67.

While in Sweden retirement age is set at 61, but if you feel like it, you can retire at 68. At least the Swedes have a fair choice.

The increase of the retirement age in Australia is due to how superannuation works— or doesn’t work if you will —at the moment.

When superannuation was first introduced in Australia in 1909-10 the retirement age for men was set at 65 and for women at 60. A time when life expectancy for men were about 58 and about 60 for women.

In other words, in 1909-10 you would be lucky if you managed to retire before you died — your sole purpose in life back then was— as it seemed —to work till you were six feet under before you retired and not becoming a burden on the government.

Former PM Paul Keating argued in a 2006 ABC interview that if the superannuation rate had been 15% since 1996 (minimum rate now is set at 9.25%), total superannuation assets in Australia would be approaching $2 trillion — almost double the current level.

On Twitter last year ALP made the bold statement that, “Australia’s superannuation system is the envy of the world.”

At that time I reached out to them and asked who they were referencing — no response (no surprise).

A quick search on Wikipedia shows that only Canada, USA, New Zealand and Hong Kong uses a similar superannuation scheme as Australia.

From that I can only assume that Australia’s superannuation is the envy of Canada, USA, New Zealand and Hong Kong — hardly the whole world I dare say.

It still raises the question, if Australia’s superannuation is allegedly the envy of the world, how can it be if the retirement age must be raised to compensate for its inability to properly fund the retirement of Australian workers?

Maybe they are going for the original strategy from 1909-10, hoping most workers will be six feet under before retirement age — the payment is much lower when you try to cash out before you’ve retired, as it is then subject to tax.Let us not worry though. Australia is the best country in the world, so this is just for the better. Instead of increasing the payment rate into a fund that has poor growth, controlled by the big banks in Australia, thanks to lack of competition, let us work till we die.

So why not set the retirement age to 80 and be done with it — Australians live so they can work, not work so they can live, right?

The government gave us Work Choices— thankfully repealed in 2007 —and now the recent Strong Choices. Maybe they should brand the increase of the retirement age as Life Choices. The perfect hat trick to show what this government thinks of its people — that we only have the choices they give us, not any rights.

<caption>Onwards to the past: Older people may work in less skilled jobs

 

By Sophia Skordilis

There were eight children in our family and I was number seven. So, by the time my mother had my younger brother, Pauly, and me, even though she wanted us, she was sick of kids. Mum never rejected us but the drudgery and monotony of keeping a house going often threatened to break her spirit. But she was always a trouper, even though you ran for your life when you knew she was ready to tilt.

She felt extra pressure because we were Greek. Dad had left his Greek village in the mountains and came to Australia when he was sixteen and after experiencing other cities and towns, settled in humid and hot subtropical Brisbane, Highgate Hill in the 1940s. Mum was also Greek but she was born here.

There’s a big difference!

Dad was always working at his café in the city, the Star Milk Bar, and he was always on Mum’s back, ringing her to say someone saw my brothers or my sister doing this or that, or that I was up to no good.

Everyone said I was a tomboy because I had six brothers and only one older sister. I doubt it, I just was. My sister, Antonia, was named after Dad’s mother but for some reason, I can’t remember why, I called her Ansy. She was femininity personified and we were all proud of her style and model good looks. I loved slingshots, bows and arrows, goannas, Astro Boy, Shintaro, skateboards, Dragster bikes with flower-power banana seats and fighting. “Quicker than quick, Stronger than strong” that was my motto just like Gigantor, the robot. I always looked for a good fight.

World Championship Wrestling was one of my favourite TV shows in the sixties. My younger brother Pauly and I would tear home from church like ‘Speedy Gonzales’ (the fastest mouse in all of Mexico) to be in time to see the wrestling. Watching it at twelve o’clock on Sunday was a must and, if my brothers dared to say that wrestlers Spiros Arion, Mario Milano, Killer Carl Cox or Brute Bernard were just pretending to fight, they had better watch out!

We would watch and wrestle and, because I was bigger than Pauly and even though he would try and wriggle out of my grip, I could easily get him into the ‘sleeper hold’ or knock him down on the mat for the count one … two … three … with one of my ‘trip from behind’ moves.

I didn’t like my brothers, especially Bulla, teasing me and calling me ‘“Tom”. I was comfortable being a girl, but wanted to do all the things that boys were allowed to do. I didn’t want to be a boy but rather a gunslinger like Annie Oakley and I was always practising my draws.

I didn’t like being called Tom as I actually liked my name ‘Sophie’ as it meant ‘wisdom’. Greeks would stop me in the street to animatedly share the significance of my name. It just wasn’t about good old average wisdom it was “God’s wisdom”.

They were also keen to enlighten me that western civilisation, democracy and philosophy can be traced back to Ancient Greece. Even though Dad only went to school for a couple of years (he really learned to read by reading the Bible), he would tell me about these wonderful and profound themes and ideals – all Greeks do, regardless of their background.

He was also, proud of his Peloponnesian heritage and loved to tell me about the greatest hero of them all, brave and mighty General Theodoros Kolokotronis (when Dad said his name he said it in a deep and fierce voice) who led the charge against the Ottoman (Turks) Empire to help liberate Greece in the Greek War of Independence, surprisingly not all that long ago in the early eighteenth century.

Well, I was into super heroes and liked hearing all about Kolokotronis. I had seen pictures of him in encyclopaedias and thought he looked very much like my proud and strong Papoú Bellas as he had a similar chiselled out face and stance.

When Dad would hug me sometimes he would sing my name like a religious liturgy  and prayer … Sor … phi … aaa … as it must have been chanted throughout the centuries in all the great orthodox churches, such as the most famous and revered Ayia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) in Constantinople (Istanbul) before the Turks turned it into a mosque.

I was drawn to thinking about my name and its various meanings.

Somehow, I think I was a little bit wise as I was interested in understanding people and the world around me, but I certainly had my share of folly – like grabbing a swarm of bees with my hands to listen to their buzzing sounds when I was showing off. Yet, I imagined myself as mythological Goddess Sophia in ancient Grecian clothing, wearing a helmet, and holding an owl in one hand and a sceptre in the other. Or I would have imaginary conversations with Plato and Socrates about philo-sophia – the love of wisdom.

I felt honoured to be given such a divine and immortal name. In Greek, I was called Sophia but I liked being known as Sophie.

Fossil fuel free portfolio for ethical investors

Have you heard about the National Divestment Day which will be held on Saturday 3rd May? If you are concerned about precious environmental areas like the Great Barrier Reef, not to mention our land, and water resources, then you may like to get involved. In the last 8 months, the campaign has asked the ‘big 4 banks’ to stop lending to new coal, oil and gas projects. They haven’t listened. If banks won’t divest from fossil fuels, then you can support the environment by closing your bank account and moving to a new bank. If you have shares in the ‘big 4 banks’ ANZ, Westpac, CBA or NAB, then you may like to consider your options and where you can re-invest.

A truly fossil fuel free portfolio now exists. Ethical Investment Advisers has created a new Separately Managed Account (SMA) that is perfect for ethical investors looking to divest from fossil fuels and invest in sustainable investments.
Finally investors and superannuation members can avoid fossil fuel investments (oil, gas, coal, and coal seam gas), tobacco, uranium mining, and weapons, whilst also investing in those companies which are providing positive solutions to global issues like aged care, sustainable property, healthcare, renewable energy, medical technologies, education, and information technology!

According to Ethical Investment Advisers’ Director Louise Edkins, “The model portfolio is an exciting product that offers social and environmental values with financial benefits. The mix provides a combination of smaller and medium sized Australian listed companies providing competitive financial returns without compromising their client values.”

The objective of the Ethical Investment Advisers Mid-Cap Separately Managed Account is to outperform the S&P/ASX Mid-Cap 50 over the long term, while providing investors with access to small and mid- cap stocks which meet environmental and socially responsible standards.

Responsible investment funds have a history of delivering better returns than average mainstream Australian equities funds over the past 1, 3, 5 and 10 years (Responsible Investment Association Australasia Benchmark Report, 2013). Performance of the S&P/ASX 200 Index over the past 10 years is very close to the S &P ASX 200 ex-fossil fuel companies. In addition there is no change in Beta and modest tracking error (The Australia Institute Climate Proofing Your Investments: Moving Funds Out Of Fossil Fuels, 2014).

The Ethical Investment Advisers Mid-Cap SMA since its inception in December 2013, has gained 5.74% compared with the All Ordinaries Index which gained 3.74% and the ASX Mid-Cap 50 Index which gained 7.46%.
The investments in the Mid-Cap SMA vary from time to time as we are always on the lookout for new investment opportunities. A few of our recent additions to the portfolio are outlined below.

Meridian Energy Limited is the only electrical generator in New Zealand which generates 100% renewable energy. It generates the largest proportion of New Zealand’s electricity and provides electricity to customers including homes, businesses and farms in New Zealand, and provides metering, dam consultancy and insurance services. Meridian Energy currently operates seven hydro stations and four wind farms in New Zealand and one wind farm in Australia.

Carnegie Wave Energy is an Australian wave energy clean technology development company. Carnegie is the owner and developer of the clean energy technology, called CETO Wave Energy Technology intellectual property. The CETO energy converter was designed to harvest the renewable energy resource in the ocean’s waves, produce high pressure water pumped ashore, and convert it into zero-emission electricity and/or freshwater desalinated from the ocean.
Investors and superannuation members can access the Ethical Investment Advisers Mid-Cap SMA by contacting Ethical Investment Advisers: www.ethicalinvestment.com.au or phoning 33332187.

Superannuation members want funds to consider ethical and environmental implications
 Did you know that a quarter of superannuation members are prepared to switch super funds if they find their current one was invested in coal seam gas, based on concerns about environmental impact ? (Market Forces survey compiled by The Australia Institute, 2013.)
 The Australia Institute also found that a greater proportion of respondents believed that in order for a superannuation company to make investments that were ‘in their long term interests’, funds should consider ethical and environmental implications (40 per cent) rather than simply maximising financial returns (36 per cent).

Karen McLeod, CFP®, B Bus is an Authorised Representative (No. 242000) of Ethical Investment Advisers. www.ethicalinvestment.com.au
Ethical Investment Advisers (AFSL 276544) has been certified by RIAA according to the strict disclosure practices required under the Responsible Investment Certification Program. See www.responsibleinvestment.org for details. CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM and are certification marks owned outside the U.S. by Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. Financial Planning Association of Australia Limited is the marks licensing authority for the CFP Marks in Australia, through agreement with FPSB. The contents of this article are intended as general advice only. No specific person’s circumstances, financial situation or objectives have been taken into consideration. You should not act on the information provided without seeking personal advice from an appropriately qualified financial planner. Information included from third parties has been reproduced with their permission. While the source has been verified as reliable, the actual content has not been checked for accuracy. Consequently Ethical Investment Advisers does not warrant the accuracy of the information nor accept liability for any errors in the data.

“Parks can improve physical and mental health, ecosystem services and urban biodiversity. You don’t have to use these spaces to benefit from them.” wrote senior lecturer Jason Byrne, Griffith University (9 January 2012).

Brisbane City Council is furiously approving all kinds of new apartment buildings, all over West End. The LNP’s ambition is to bring a further 26,000 residents into 4101. Since the last census in 2011 an additional 3,000 residents have already moved in.

However Council hasn’t been as quick to bring in the social and trunk infrastructure, such as additional parks and green space.

Unless City Council rezones sites identified for new parks, the people of West End will lose out in many, many ways.

Seven (7) new sites were listed in the 2011 Local Area Plan (LAP) in West End. They include:

1. a lot immediately adjacent to Davies Park on Montague Road.
2. the long-standing dirt carpark on the corner of Vulture and Thomas Streets.
3. the lawn in front of the ABSOE site on Boundary Street.
4. an unspecified space to be reclaimed from redevelopment at the end of Bailey St and the new extension of Rogers Street in Hill End.
5. a pocket in the redeveloped Parmalat milk factory site on Montague Road and Hope Street.
6. an unspecified site located immediately to the south of the Go-Between tollbridge.
7. an unspecified site near the South Bank train station,

In a worrying failure, three years after delivering developers a windfall only one of these sites has been rezoned by City Council for the purpose of a park.

Why does that matter? It matters because unless Council rezones those sites then it will have to set aside extra ratepayer money to purchase these properties on the open market. Not a wise move in anyone’s books.

Council is frequently lamenting its financial pressures, so the prospect of tens of millions of dollars in new money found for purchasing these sites is improbable – it would also be a waste of public funds when there is the purpose built option of rezoning.

Recent controversy over the Bailey Street park is illustrative. Because the LNP administration has failed to follow-through on its own 2011 amendments to the local plan, those locations remain undefined and uncertainty tears at community. All we are getting so far is reassurances without action.

Without a rezoning there are no specifics, nor have any clear purposes been defined. Who knows what you’ll get? Maybe a park. Or maybe a plaza ala King George Square remake. Or maybe nowhere to lie on the grass at all?

The galling irony is that the same Council is rushing through schemes from developers, without setting aside the official notices listing the requirements for new parks, yet it continues to charge and collect tens of millions from the same developers for “contribution charges” on matters including the provision of new parks.

Councillor Amanda Cooper oversaw the LAP process. It’s incumbent upon her to explain why those sites have not been provided for before granting the DA’s in the same locations. If Councillor Cooper can’t provide immediate rezoning, then clearly its time for Lord Mayor Graham Quirk to sort the mess out. Beware the day when legislators claim they can’t legislate.

<caption p2 of Davies Park Pt1> Davies Park is a break in a relentless 15 storey canyon along the Brisbane river.

 

On Friday May 2, the organisers of the Brisbane G20 provided a moderately well attended community information forum at Brisbane Town Hall. Bernadette Welch head of operations from the Department Premier Cabinet, Terry Crane, Executive Director of the G20 state coordination unit in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, and Peter Rule, Executive Manager for the Coordination Unit with the Brisbane City Council, were at pains to sell the positive benefits of the G20.

The G20 summit will be held in Brisbane on the 15^th and 16^th of November and it is expected that as well as the leaders of the 25 most influential economies, it will attract 4000 delegates and some 3000 media.

In addition to the immediate benefits to accommodation and hospitality businesses, the organisers anticipate some long-term benefits for Brisbane due to the enormous amount of publicity it will generate. According to Peter Rule, for that one weekend in November 2014, Brisbane will be the “capital city of the world”.

So, on the plus side they told the audience that parts of the CBD are getting a facelift: you can already see the work being done in Queen Street for example; and free Wi-Fi in the mall and in other areas of the city will be an ongoing legacy of the event.

To make the event more attractive for us locals, and to showcase the arts in Brisbane, associated cultural events are planned. What’s not clear, with the projected transport and access restrictions, is just who will be able to attend these events.

A number of audience members showed up to hear more about the summit volunteer program. The program is looking for up to 700 members of the public to provide assistance at various venues providing advice on transport assisting the media and providing information at host hotel accommodation venues. Those interested in volunteering can call Volunteering Queensland on (07) 3002 7600 or go to the summit website www.G20.org.

The not so good news was left to Katarina Carroll, Assistant Commissioner with the G20 group from the Queensland Police Service (QPS). Assistant Commissioner Carroll reminded us that there will be considerable restrictions on our movements and access to the city during the summit.

When advised that organisers are considering giving free public transport passes to summit delegates, one audience member asked if organisers would also consider providing free transport access to Brisbane residents. There was some hesitation from the panel, but the reality is they do not want locals travelling to the city during summit, and to this end there will be a Brisbane-only public holiday on Friday November 14.

So oddly, while the world’s media will be focused on Brisbane, it will be a city empty of its usual inhabitants.

Ms Carroll said the summit will be the largest peace-time security operation in Australia’s history with around 3500 QPS Officers and 1500 officers from New Zealand and interstate deployed to Brisbane.

The motorcades for heads of state will create the greatest restrictions to transport and access during the summit. 25 world leaders and 8 heads of international organisations will transported by motorcade throughout the event, with up to 35 vehicles in each. No traffic will be permitted on the routes while motorcades are travelling.

Only limited detail was provided on transport and access restrictions. Nevertheless, people were encouraged to talk with the QPS G20 External Engagement Team. A number of QPS members were available at the forum and several of us took the opportunity to speak with them separately.

The concerns of people living in the CBD and South Brisbane and the West End were both business-related, and related to residential access.

These access concerns do not just relate to transport restrictions but to the probable effects of protest action. The QPS is already working with activist groups and acknowledges that there could be significant associated disruption. It is urging anyone wishing to mount a protest to talk to them about what they want to achieve and how they want to achieve it.

QPS representatives said that while there are no officially designated protest sites, Musgrave Park in South Brisbane is likely to be a strategic rallying point for activists groups.

In response to concerns about the potential for violence, and the mismanagement of protests, Assistant Commissioner Carroll said that the QPS has closely studied and learnt from the G20 event held in Toronto in 2010. Violent clashes between police and protesters in Toronto resulted in injuries to both protestors and police, as well as considerable property damage. It should also be noted that in Toronto, protests commenced 10 days before the start of the summit itself.

A QPS representative was unable to tell me exactly what restrictions will be in place for those of us wanting to access the South Brisbane and West End during the summit. For example, no decisions have yet been made about which bridges will be closed.

While none has been planned yet, he agreed that a public forum in the West End could be a constructive option for those wanting to ask more detailed questions about the impacts of the forum, and how they can contribute to any plans to manage the impacts.

The QPS External Engagement Team is currently working directly with the West End Community Association, so stay tuned for updates.

Details of the declared and restricted area maps are on-line here: Brisbane’s Restricted Areas

If you think you may be affected by the 2014 G20 events you can use the G20 Group Contact Form to ask your questions, or you can email g20.info@police.qld.gov.au or call the QPS on 07 3015 3460.

West End has long welcomed new migrants to its streets, churches, shops and tin and timber houses. The most celebrated being the Vietnamese and Greeks. But has this changed forever?
The 2011 census from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) documents a fundamental shift – the Greeks have officially left West End.
By birthplace of parents, those that identified as being of Greek heritage fell to 9th place.
Today in West End there are more people that identify as being of Irish, English, Chinese, Scottish and German ethnic heritage than those who claim to be Greek.
There’s probably more cause for the St Patrick’s Day Parade to roll down Boundary Street than continuing with Paniyiri in Musgrave Park. And that raises a serious question – what is the on-going future for the Greeks?
West End’s ethnic diversity has been a defining characteristic. The demise of affordable housing options in West End is having a negative impact on this quality. For new migrants cheaper housing was the first step into the suburb. The presence of large Queenslanders and multi-roomed workers cottages provided options.
For the former Greek migrants institutions remain – the church, support services for old people, the Greek Orthodox community of St George, and this month’s Paniyiri Festival; but for how much longer?
The demographic shift is real. More elderly will require more support services. The census charts that ‘Zorba’ has left West End for life and work in other suburbs. The looming intergenerational transfer of houses and assets will bring some soul-searching. Who gets to stay in the family home? If it gets sold what comes in its place? What will be the on-going contribution of the Greeks to the streets of West End?
These questions, ultimately, can only be answered by the Greek community themselves in their choices, conduct, actions and vision. Now that the bulk of the Greek population has voted with their feet and have left West End in the thousands what does the future hold for their community in West End?