i am 13. i live in vic. i am applying for a job through my school's program, for a job in the school's library. 13.50 an hour. do i have to pay taxes for this?

Hey everyone, does anyone remember the old roundabout ad that taught us how to drive a roundabout to the tune of "Click Go the Shears"? I remember it in the late 80s at my late grandmother's house in Broken Hill.

Did this exist or am I imagining this completely? If it does, does anyone have a copy?

I wanna bring my gameboy, switch, PC etc. with me when moving down under, I know that I will need new Australian plugs but will my PC blow up when i plug it in?

Here are some of the events that happened on this day in Australian history. Please feel free to add others that you know of in the comments section.

• 1811 – John Oxley is appointed Surveyor-General of New South Wales.
• 1977 – The Federal Court of Australia opens.
• 1981 – Cricketer Trevor Chappell bowls an underarm ball against New Zealand causing outrage with officials and fans.
• 1984 – Medicare comes into effect.
• 2004 – The first Ghan passenger train across Australia from Adelaide to Darwin sets off on its three-day journey.

International Observances.

• Abolition of Slavery Day (Mauritius)
• Air Force Day (Nicaragua)
• Earliest day on which Constitution Day can fall, while February 7 is the latest; celebrated on the first Monday in February. (Mexico)
• Federal Territory Day (Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya, Malaysia)
• Heroes Day (Rwanda)
• Saint Brigid’s Day/Imbolc (Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, and some Neopagan groups in the Northern hemisphere)
• Memorial Day of the Republic (Hungary)
• National Freedom Day (United States)
• The start of Black History Month (United States and Canada)

Post one of your favourite Australian songs in the comments or as a standalone post.

If you're in an Australian band and want to shout it out then share a sample of your work with the community. (Either as a direct post or in the comments). If you have video online then let us know and we can feature it.

If you've heard an Australian song you like in another community then feel free to cross post it.

I haven’t been able to find it anywhere unfortunately, any help is welcome thank you!

To address the cost-of-living crisis before the next federal election, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) must focus on immediate, tangible measures that voters can feel in their wallets while laying the groundwork for longer-term solutions. Here’s what Labor could realistically do, given its current position in government and political constraints:

**1. Fast-Track Immediate Relief for Households

Energy Bills

• Expand Energy Bill Relief: Double the existing energy bill rebates (e.g., the $300–$500 relief already offered to low-income households) and extend eligibility to middle-income earners. Fund this through a windfall profits tax on gas and coal companies.
• Accelerate Renewable Rollout: Fast-track approvals for solar, wind, and battery projects to boost supply and lower wholesale energy prices. Prioritize community solar programs for renters and low-income households.

Housing

• Boost Rent Assistance: Immediately increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 20–30% (indexed to rental inflation) in the next budget. This directly helps 1.3 million households and can be implemented quickly.
• Unlock Social Housing: Release funds from the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund faster and partner with states to fast-track construction of 20,000 social/affordable homes in the next 12 months.
• Pressure States on Rent Caps: Work with state Labor governments (e.g., Victoria, Queensland) to implement rent increase caps (e.g., limiting rises to once every 12 months and capping them at CPI + 2%).

**2. Healthcare Cost Relief

• Dental Care Expansion: Expand Medicare to cover basic dental care for pensioners and low-income families first (a phased rollout). This could start with $500 annual dental vouchers.
• Freeze PBS Co-Payments: Prevent the annual indexation of PBS prescription co-payments for 2–3 years, saving households $10–$20 per script.
• Urgent Care Clinics: Expand the existing 58 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics to 100+ to reduce emergency room wait times and out-of-pocket costs for minor injuries.

**3. Childcare and Education

• Increase Childcare Subsidy Rates: Raise the maximum childcare subsidy to 95% for families earning under $80,000 (currently 90%) and expand eligibility to more middle-income families.
• Free TAFE Expansion: Add 50,000 more free TAFE places in high-demand fields (aged care, construction, renewables) to reduce education costs and boost skilled workers.

**4. Wages and Worker Protections

• Back Minimum Wage Hikes: Publicly endorse the ACTU’s claim for a 5–7% minimum wage increase at the Fair Work Commission’s 2024 review.
• Crack Down on Wage Theft: Fund the Fair Work Ombudsman to investigate underpayments in high-risk sectors (hospitality, retail, gig economy).
• Job Security: Legislate “same job, same pay” laws for labor hire workers and push to close loopholes allowing casualization in permanent roles.

**5. Food and Essentials

• Price Gouging Crackdown: Fund an ACCC investigation into supermarket profits and empower it to penalize unjustified price hikes on essentials (e.g., bread, milk, fresh produce).
• Temporary Fuel Excise Cut: Reintroduce a 6-month fuel excise cut (e.g., 10–15 cents per liter) to ease transport costs, funded by a levy on oil refiners.

**6. Public Transport and Regional Support

• Negotiate Freeze on Fare Hikes: Partner with state governments to freeze public transport fare increases for 12 months, funded by federal subsidies.
• Double the Remote Allowance: Increase support for remote Indigenous communities facing extreme cost disparities (e.g., $3 lettuce in Alice Springs).

**7. Social Security Adjustments

• Raise JobSeeker by $150/fortnight: A modest but immediate increase to the base rate of JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, and Austudy (cost: ~$3 billion/year).
• One-Off Payment for Pensioners: A $750 cost-of-living payment for aged pensioners and disability support recipients before winter 2024.

**8. Messaging and Accountability

• “Cost-of-Living Dashboard”: Launch a public website tracking key metrics (rents, energy bills, grocery prices) and Labor’s actions to address them.
• Local Campaigns: Deploy Labor MPs and candidates to host “Cost-of-Living Help Desks” in shopping centers to connect voters with rebates, subsidies, and support services.

What’s Realistic?

• Budget-Friendly Measures: Many of these ideas can be funded by reallocating existing budgets (e.g., cutting fossil fuel subsidies) or targeted levies (e.g., supermarket profits tax).
• State Collaboration: Work with Labor state governments to align policies (e.g., rent caps, energy rebates).
• Avoid Overpromising: Focus on achievable, immediate steps rather than grand pledges (e.g., “dental for all”) that risk being delayed or defunded.

Political Risks to Mitigate

• Inflation Fears: Frame policies as “targeted relief” (not cash splashes) to avoid accusations of fueling inflation.
• Coalition Attacks: Preempt criticism by emphasizing that cost-of-living measures are funded by cuts to corporate subsidies, not new taxes on workers.
• Greens/Teal Challenges: Co-opt popular ideas (e.g., rent freezes) to prevent minor parties from monopolizing the issue.

By focusing on quick, visible actions that put money back in pockets (e.g., rent assistance, energy rebates, childcare subsidies) while addressing structural issues (supermarket pricing, wage stagnation), Labor can build credibility on cost-of-living before the election. The key is to act now, communicate clearly, and ensure voters feel the difference.

I’m Melbourne based and had to go to five supermarkets over the weekend to find eggs. This was at Cole’s n Woolies. I know the restrictions of “2 items per shopper” during blu flu culls has remain even when supply hasn’t been an issue since that resolved. Yes there have been times when no eggs but this has been going on for so long and no one knows why?

No bird flu announcements on culls recently? So what exactly is going on with the egg supply? My IGA has some but WTF is up with the supermarkets? And is this happening across Australia?

Just had some guys collecting at the door for surf lifesaving, they want you to sign up. Which I don't want because I don't want to be on some spam list.

They want you to sign up for ongoing monthly payments, this seems to be in common with other groups who have tried to hit me up with the same deal.... no way am I going to sign up for something like that.

Then I said, I'll just give a donation. How much? they say. I tell them like $20, it's not much I know but they decline and say it's a minimum of $80. Really, are we serious, a minimum of $80 to donate to a charity!

I’m being told one and 10 houses in Australia are vacant. I’ve been quoted all sorts of statistics including census data etc.

Does anyone actually believe that can be true?