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The Darwin Rebellion Caused by Hotel Workers Disagreement

All children are taught in history class about the Eureka Stockade but they do not learn about the Darwin Rebellion. The Northern Territory was annexed by South Australia in 1863. In 1911 the federal government took control of the NT. Dr John Gilruth was appointed administrator. He had great plans to develop the territory, but he was aloof and would not listen to the community. The administrator was involved in opening a meat works and would not negotiate pay. Consequently Vesteys Meatworks failed. On December 16, 1918 Dr Gilruth refused to allow two bartenders working at the Victoria Hotel the night off to go to a party celebrating the end of WWI. The union leader Harold Nelson went to the police station and got a permit for a protest. A month after the hotel incident a group of men marched from Vesteys Meatworks to Government House. The small group of protesters grew into a crowd of thousands. Things got out of control. People demanded the resignation of the administrator. Dr Giru...

Conspicuous Consumption by Rich on Education

 ▶ Conspicuous expenditures on luxury education by the rich - consumption. | goods + consumption + rich + education + conspicuous + luxury + goods + have conspicuous ha consumption education or goods we luxury ox rich | found. ◀ | Thorstein Veblen coined the phrase " conspicuous consumption " to apply to the purchase of corsets and silver spoons by the upper class. It is assumed that such gross buying of luxury products is still with us. The saying is often used.      ||| education oh rich if goods consumption up conspicuous me found no have my education it goods en conspicuous go goods | Today, mass production has brought the price of such commodities down, unless of course you buy Apple goods that are grossly overpriced. Note, this company is using  oligopolistic   practices . However, for the most part, such items are not that costly compared to income.      ||| ox dravidian at   luxury go goods is consumption rich luxury h...

Global Warming But Floods in Australia!

There is something strange going on with the weather. Despite reports telling us that Australia is becoming drier we are getting more rain than ever. They say that global warming will make it rain more but water will evaporate faster. In Britain they may have to set water restrictions because it is raining less. Holding water in dams in Australia at the moment is a silly idea. With La Nina seemingly fixed off Australia's coast more and more rain is predicted. Some east coast towns, many inland, have had three house-destroying floods in three years. The poles are melting. We know this. Yet long-term predictions about future weather for different countries is like water divining. It seems to be right, though the truth will be known only by what actually eventuates. If the sea does rise and Australia still gets flooding rains people will abandon low, flood-prone regions permanently. There are only so many times you can repair a house. Australia will become what it has be...

High Rents Put Pressure on Low-Income Earners and the Poor

A fall in house prices is a good thing for first home buyers, but it puts a squeeze on the rental market. With lower property values investors invest in other things, the bank or the share market. You would think that rents would move up and down with the price of housing, believing that monthly rents are tied to monthly mortgage repayments. This is a generality that is not always true. The reality is that as house prices fall, rents go up as investment to built more rental properties declines. In Canberra rents increased by 2.2 per cent last year. Perth continues to experience a drain of money to mining areas from Perth city itself. Consequently, new rental properties have not been built and rents have also increased. Those on low incomes who do not earn enough to get a mortgage are at the mercy of the rental market. As rents rise they have to pay more. Furthermore, students from poor families cannot afford to pay high rents. Despite the mining boom in Australia, many a...

The Poor Have to Live With High Rents

The poor in Australia are doing it tough. While the economy is booming the price of housing has continued to rise. Despite the recent levelling off, further increases are forecast. With the higher valuation come higher monthly mortgage repayments and rental payments must keep up with this. Only one per cent of low income earners can afford to pay such rents. If you are on welfare and cannot get public accommodation forget it - you have to live on the street, unless you live with relatives and friends who can put a roof over yours head. The real problem is not the cost of actually building a house. Modular housing can be purchased, but people who have new houses put up do not chose such basic designs. Rental housing is largely designed for the wrong people. Unless government takes the lead and actually builds modular housing for the poor the situation will stay the same. Costs involved in getting land ready for construction is the real problem. Land levelling and servicing is v...