Gas Prices are cool!

[jaydisc]

Saw this the other day:

http://lindalane.com/temporary/tf/DSC03280.jpg

In all seriousness though, stock up before the weekend, because our financially stricken oil companies are in dire need of raising their profits and the Easter weekend is traditionally a good time to raise the ridiculously low low prices.

[kup]

Last week in Sydney they rose from like 133 to 146 to 149. Its gone down a bit to 136 to 138 now. The rise just 'coincidentally' happened right before the weekend :(

[GoktimusPrime]

Gas? Don't you mean petrol? (unless you fill up on LPG) :/

I heard on TV and radio this morning that Sydney-siders shouldn't be paying more than 137 for petrol and that we should definitely be filling up today as Tuesday is often the cheapest day for petrol with Wednesday being the most expensive, but they're saying that tomorrow's price will especially be high because we're coming up to the Easter long weekend.

As benben would say, grrr.

[jaydisc]

Gas? Don't you mean petrol? (unless you fill up on LPG) :/

Yes. No, and I don't.


As benben would say, grrr.

[i_amtrunks]

Yeah petrol rises by about 12-15 cents a litre from Tuesday evening to Wednesday lunchtime.

Whats annoying is when the news/Current Affairs shows say "Petrol could be up to $1.50 a litre within a week" all they are doing is giving the petrol companies an opportunity to raise prices to those levels whether or not we should actually be paying it, because the Petrol companies can simply say "well it was predicted"

When I started driving only 4 yeas ago I though 90 cents a litre was a rip-off! :)

[Paulbot]

When I started driving petrol was around 40 cents a litre. Ah the good old days!

[1orion2many]

:)I wont tell you what i remember petrol prices at but I might add I wasn't old enough to drive:p:D.(about 15 cents a litre :eek:)

[Thanatos]

I remember about 9 years ago it was about 60c a litre and my parents would go ape about the ridiculously high priced black gold.

[kup]

I remember about 9 years ago it was about 60c a litre and my parents would go ape about the ridiculously high priced black gold.

I guess that the previous generation's traditional 'life was harder back in my day' doesn't seem right when said to our generation.

They had dirt cheap housing, cost of living and petrol prices. Right now we face a whole generation who will likely never own a home and pays weekly for rent what someone in the states is said to pay monthly!

[llamatron]

They had dirt cheap housing, cost of living and petrol prices. Right now we face a whole generation who will likely never own a home and pays weekly for rent what someone in the states is said to pay monthly!

Quoting this for truth. That don't understand either, they're completely out of touch. "If you just work hard and save more you'll be fine. You young ones are just lazy and demanding." Even if you point out how the different rises in inflation, median wage, living costs, housing prices etc they still don't get it. A house is now eight or nine times your annual wage as opposed to the three times it used to be a mere 10 or less years ago.

Screw this, I'm going to Canada.

[kup]

Screw this, I'm going to Canada.

I have had this in mind for some time, that or going back to South America. This new job that I got recently was the only thing that stopped me from leaving as I want to see if I see a future after a year or so.

I know this sounds depressing but unless you can inherit property from your parents/relatives, I don't see much of a future aside from working your ass off until you die with less and less in return for your effort.

[llamatron]

I just bought a house. Settlement is tomorrow. Fairly cheap ($280,000) but still freaking insane. But with the way rents are going (expensive and impossible to get) it was really my only option. It has been a huge effort to get the cash and loan together though.

[Paulbot]

Congrats! Not bad price really... I'm looking in that price range.

[kup]

I just bought a house. Settlement is tomorrow. Fairly cheap ($280,000) but still freaking insane. But with the way rents are going (expensive and impossible to get) it was really my only option. It has been a huge effort to get the cash and loan together though.

Yeah Congratulations. An average looking home in sydney can cost you about a million bucks so that price is very good in the context of how things are these days.

[Paulbot]

A mil? I might consider moving to Perth instead of Sydney then! :)

[i_amtrunks]

A mil? I might consider moving to Perth instead of Sydney then! :)

If you are happy to live about an hours drive out of Sydney (an hour drive at midnight Sunday, more like 3 hours in peak traffic) then prices drop down to around $400,000 to half a mil, but thats only places where the house takes up the whole (tiny) block.

[Paulbot]

Melbourne's prices don't seem so bad then. Although the Canada idea is intriguing too.

[kup]

I am speaking based on what I heard from my uncle's friend who bought a house in the Sutherland shire for a million dollars and when I saw it, it was a pretty average looking home, nothing special.

[Zippo]

137 a litre. Thats cheaper than NZ. Touching 180 for 91 octane, 185 for 96 octane and 190 for 98 octane.

Mainly though we have so many road user charges incorperated + GST .. and they are going to add more in April. $2 a litre by July, espy if the dollar drops.

Least prices don't seem to go up on Wednesday here foe payday and then down by Tuesday. They just go up 4-5c a litre each week and stay there everywhere.

[1orion2many]

In Perth as in any other city it all depends where you want to live, the prices took a big increase over here when the mining boom started and we had an increase of population chasing housing. The prices have levelled out and in some suburbs even dropped as they rose beyond what they where worth. It is actually a buyers market over here at the moment as there was a massive increase over an 18 month period of available houses for sale, it went from about 7000 houses on the market up to about 16000 which means people can pick and choose and don't have to panic about missing out;). Sorry that was off topic.:o

[jaydisc]

I think the intended humor of the photo was lost.

[kup]

I guess that the 'l33t' was dround out by everyone's frustration on the currently impossible cost of fuel and living.

[jaydisc]

Indeed :)

[dirge]

I got it...

[GoktimusPrime]

I get it now. I was reading this thread this morning from work so I was distracted. That's my excuse and I'm sticking by it. :p :p

[roller]

simple dont buy petrol

car pool

or hitchhike

or use a penny farthing

and Kup, you are staying in Australia even if i have to blow up a light house!

[turtle boy]

I got it, but yeah, the humor was lost with me, I got fuel today, $1.50 a liter. only cost me $7.00 or something, but its still a stupid price.
It Costs my dad nearly $500 a night to fill his truck up, both tanks full. I'm just glad its not his truck any more.

[Quote]or use a penny farthing

and Kup, you are staying in Australia even if i have to blow up a light house![Quote]

That 1, Makes no sense, how would blowing up a light house do any good? 2, Riding a Penny Farthing is the best thing I have ever heard.... I'm going to try take the one that is on the Island between Albury and Wodonga :D

[Bartrim]

I know this sounds depressing but unless you can inherit property from your parents/relatives, I don't see much of a future aside from working your ass off until you die with less and less in return for your effort.

Not neccasarily. I used to work with a guy who was a complete tool. I mean seriously the guy couldn't divide by 10,000 when working out scheduled servicing for cars. He now owns a beachfront house on the north coast because he went to Mount Isa and worked in the mines for several years. Another friend from Port Lincoln (S.A) works as a deep sea pressure welder on oil rigs. It's a crud job but he only works 6 months a year. I worked nearly 7 years as a commercial fisherman... did I like the job? It had more cons then pros, but the pay was that good that I saved enough to pay for the majority of my house.

Owning a house is achievable it just takes a little thing called sacrifice.

[kup]

Not neccasarily. I used to work with a guy who was a complete tool. I mean seriously the guy couldn't divide by 10,000 when working out scheduled servicing for cars. He now owns a beachfront house on the north coast because he went to Mount Isa and worked in the mines for several years. Another friend from Port Lincoln (S.A) works as a deep sea pressure welder on oil rigs. It's a crud job but he only works 6 months a year. I worked nearly 7 years as a commercial fisherman... did I like the job? It had more cons then pros, but the pay was that good that I saved enough to pay for the majority of my house.

Owning a house is achievable it just takes a little thing called sacrifice.

I have noticed that trades people earn very nice income. Us Office types don't earn crap unless we are high up there.

[GoktimusPrime]

The jobs that Bartrim's citing have high pay because they're "undesirable" (i.e.: lots of people would rather not do it - as Bartrim said, "crud job") and in the case of deep sea oil rigging, there's the danger pay.

Mind you, my job is becoming increasingly undesirable too (only that I don't get any extra pay for it)

[Bartrim]

That's exactly why I said you have to sacrifice Gok. It's tough work and a crappy life but do it for a few years and you too can own a home. Then you can get on with enjoying your life.

BTW I think you should get danger pay Gok considering the things High School Kids do. My wife was telling me the cops busted some kids from Vincentia High School dealing the big H. What the hell!!!

[GoktimusPrime]

...being underpaid and working in crummy conditions are some of the reasons why we strike. :/

[Jimreborn]

BTW I think you should get danger pay Gok considering the things High School Kids do. My wife was telling me the cops busted some kids from Vincentia High School dealing the big H. What the hell!!!

Oh I really don't think it's THAT bad. Besides, before you know it, anyone with a remotely dangerous job will be claiming that sort of stuff. Hell a council worker on the side of the road with a lolipop stick has more chance of being run over then a teacher being seriously assaulted.

Besides. Gok knows Kung Fu. I'm sure he could bitch slap any kid before they made a move :D

[kup]

Although I agree to some extent about having other options avaliable that doesn't fully address the issue. We shouldn't have to seek those types of employments in a country which is supposedly first world.

The cost of living is so high these days that's its ridiculous, if you are single then you are dead as the only way to survive a mortgage is to share the burden with a partner, double income. What hurts more is that only a generation ago things were piss easy and as they say, working hard did bring results, that is not the case anymore.

The cost of living is artificially high and I blame it all on previous Governments who fully mismanaged the economy and urban development. Australia is now filled with Property barons who monopolize the house market maintaining costs high and aside from them, the other people benefiting are the older generations who bought their homes for next to nothing and their properties are now worth over a million dollars.

The only way that Gen X/Y can win here, is if they are set to inherit such property or win the lottery. Otherwise they will never be able to buy a home unless they partner up with someone else for joint income or win the lottery. Even upper middle wage earners don't have enough to afford a mortgage on their own. With partnerships, the trouble is that if something happens and one of them becomes unemployed, even for a short while, they won't be able to hold the mortgage and likely to have their property repossessed causing a disaster.

The Dream of 'owning your own home' is now just that, a dream for the new generations.

[llamatron]

Kup is wise in his words.

Good on you government, for encouraging people to buy as many houses as possible. Thanks Baby Boomers for ruining us forever.

[roller]

yeah lets beat our parents up




Kup you can buy my Sydney house soon its close to many toy shops and the city

[GoktimusPrime]

Oh I really don't think it's THAT bad. Besides, before you know it, anyone with a remotely dangerous job will be claiming that sort of stuff. Hell a council worker on the side of the road with a lolipop stick has more chance of being run over then a teacher being seriously assaulted.

I wasn't seriously suggesting that we get danger pay - but we are underpaid. Considering the conditions we work in etc., the pay isn't worth it. Teaching is a labour of love... but without improved working conditions and wages, we're seeing an ever increasing shortage in teaching labour (and we're seeing the same other fields with similar problems such as doctors and nurses). Universities are seeing ever decreasing numbers of enrolments in education and we're seeing decreasing number of students teachers and new teachers. I've heard that the average new teacher doesn't last beyond their first three years of teaching before quitting their job and changing careers. And a lot of people are taking up teaching as a temporary job - something to do for a few years before changing their job (i.e.: they're planning this while still at uni) instead of going in with the intention of doing it as a lifelong career.

And ultimately the people who really suffer from this are the kids whose education is becoming increasingly compromised. :( It will be a sad day indeed when our teacher shortage becomes as bad as in the UK (and I imagine there would be similar shortages in other underpaid professional areas like nursing too).


Besides. Gok knows Kung Fu. I'm sure he could bitch slap any kid before they made a move
...and it's come in handy more than once. My right elbow is currently sore after an encounter with a student yesterday.

We can't hit students but we are allowed to restrain them. The most extreme move I've ever had to use on a kid was a "triangle" headlock. I'm currently co-teaching Kung Fu (see details on the martial arts discussion thread) where we're focusing on passive self-defence which is easier to use legally and is also more ideal for use at schools - i.e.: countering violence without becoming violent.

In Monday's Telegraph there was a story about schools where teachers were attacked by students with weapons including pieces of wood, broken glass, and even a toy gun (which looked realistic) - and the latter is the reason why we need a frikkin' permit to own Megatron. As benben would say, grrr!!

[dirge]

What depresses me is that there's _no_ public debate at all on the impact that negative gearing (read: tax concessions on residential property investment) has on the prices in the property market.

The net effect is to increase the prices through an increase in demand for property.

The present band-aid solution being proposed by the real estate industry? Increasing the FHOG. Which will do squat for the average first home buyer, since the vendors will lift their prices accordingly. It will disadvantage those buying an owner occupied property _not_ eligible for the grant, while the investors will factor the net increase in initial cost into their rent.

The real estate industry is always going to be happy which leads to a net increase in sale prices - it increases their cut. The fact that it does very little to improve affordability isn't really an issue for them. As long as someone buys the house - they don't care if that someone is more likely to be an investor.

Since most of the powers that be (ie pollies) are around the age of the bulk of investors (Baby Boomers, and those around that age), they're quite attune to the concerns of the poor little investors. Nevermind the fact that if the tax breaks were removed, the investors would (over a few years) shift a lot of their money from property into shares, bonds etc.

The situation will likely change in one way or another, but I think we have to wait for a significant change at the Federal level. One of two things could happen:

1) The Baby Boomers find themselves older than the parliament. A parliament dominated by today's 30 somethings would see their own generation's problems as more pressing than those of retirees who have other options for their retirement funds.

2) Someone in Canberra realises that urban sprawl and (for the most part) awful Public Transport means that our current city model is unsustainable as the market for petroluem becomes ever tighter. At which point they may actually work with state governments on the _heavy_ infrastructure projects required for Australian cities to be of a much higher population density. City living is expensive because there's not enough supply of dwellings _near_ the city. Other than small areas of inner Sydney and a decent chunk of inner Melbourne, our Public Transport truly sucks. If state governments can't or (in the case of NSW) wont spend the money needed, surely it's a nationally significant issue worthy of being included in the federal budget.

[STL]

Here's a good one (playing devil's advocate):

The Baby Boomers are only able to buy these houses b/c they have money to invest. It's their right to. They've been working hard, saving lots while the rest of us sit around and whine but spend our money on annual holidays, gizmos and gadgest and lifestyles we can't afford. So the rest of us should get off our proverbial butts and stop looking to the government for an answer and do it the hard way.

[kup]

Here's a good one (playing devil's advocate):

The Baby Boomers are only able to buy these houses b/c they have money to invest. It's their right to. They've been working hard, saving lots while the rest of us sit around and whine but spend our money on annual holidays, gizmos and gadgest and lifestyles we can't afford. So the rest of us should get off our proverbial butts and stop looking to the government for an answer and do it the hard way.

You are assuming too much with that statement.

[Bartrim]

That he may be Kup. But in my life experience (ie: "the baby boomers" and "Gen X'ers" I've met and known) that statement seems pretty accurate. In my family growing up we didn't have a phone or a car until I was 5. Why? Simple, we couldn't afford them. The problem today (or as it appears to me) is that people want it all. They want to live the lifestyle and own a house without sacrificing anything from that lifestyle. The way I was brought up was needs come first. If it came down to it my house payments would take priority over collecting TF's or whatever.

If you want to own a house so bad You'll be able to work it out.

[kup]

I cannot afford upwards of $600 per week.

[Bartrim]

Yet you can afford your hobbies? You don't have the time to take a 2nd job?

Before making such a statement you have to consider these things.

[STL]

You are assuming too much with that statement.

It's a sentiment that I've seen battered around by people in the older age group. Not all of them, mind you. I'm not saying I agree with it but it is out there and it kind of scares me.

[kup]

It's a sentiment that I've seen battered around by people in the older age group. Not all of them, mind you. I'm not saying I agree with it but it is out there and it kind of scares me.

My Uncle emigrated from England roughly 30 years ago as a young man with almost no money. When he arrived he quickly found cheap accommodation and people literally knocked his door to offer jobs. Very soon he purchased his own reasonably large home at something ridiculous like $20,000 or less. After a couple years he and a friend saved enough money went on a trip around the world that lasted over a year. A couple of years after this he met my aunt and went on another trip around the world for roughly the same amount of time.

These days his $20,000 home is now worth well over a million and because he doesn't have to pay a mortgage or rent he has 2-3 Holiday trips overseas per year and is pretty much set.

Very tough life indeed.

[STL]

My Uncle emigrated from England roughly 30 years ago as a young man with almost no money. When he arrived he quickly found cheap accommodation and people literally knocked his door to offer jobs. Very soon he purchased his own reasonably large home at something ridiculous like $20,000 or less. After a couple years he and a friend saved enough money went on a trip around the world that lasted over a year. A couple of years after this he met my aunt and went on another trip around the world for roughly the same amount of time.

These days his $20,000 home is now worth well over a million and because he doesn't have to pay a mortgage or rent he has 2-3 Holiday trips overseas per year and is pretty much set.

Very tough life indeed.

I'm not disputing that house prices have soared excessively, just stating that the sentinment is out there. And I agree w/ you. We live in a much different society nowadays.

The market forces have changed dramatically, government social policy has changed, people's values have changed. The gap b/n rich and poor has widened and that carries implications. The middle class is thinning and that places pressures on families. Globalisation has transformed the world and reaped great benefits but it too has sown great detriment. We move forward but what I find grieves me greatly is how the disparity between the rich and the poor. I work 3 jobs. I could gloat on about how much i've done and how I deserve everything I have. But I don't. It saddens me that we forget that. As people, our first priority should be a sense of compassion to one another. Yet so often are interests and agendas put ahead of that. We vigorously defend those interests in a righteous manner when what matters most is not those interests. It is how relate to one another.

The issues are complicated, I acknowledge. There is no easy fix to problems such as negative gearing. There are social and economic forces and motivations here that we cannot pretend to control. I'm not advocating that we sit there and accept it. But at the same time, the necessity of action cannot be ignored. It is not an easy crossroads that we find ourselves at and I believe it is the role of government to shape the direction in which we head, to bridge that disparity. I can't say I'm overly optimisitc, but one has to hope in something.


We have the capacity for self-determination and commitment. We have the capacity to exceed our own expectations of ourselves. We have the capacity to generate an income that enables us to lead the lifestyle we so desire. However, at the same time we possess the capacity for compassion and friendship. We may be stronger willed than others, more prudent than others, more skilled than others but let's not hold that as a bludgeon w/ which we can righteously assert our own selves. Let's use our capacity for compassion, our skill and prudence to help those less fortunate in our society.

[Fungal Infection]

I think you guys are overly pessimistic in your views of home ownership. I don't make that much, work a retail profession yet I own an investment property and am currently looking to buy my first home with my wife. Years ago, I made a conscious decision to sell near to 75% of my TF and toy collection. The reason? Because I knew if I wanted to own my own home sometime down the line, I needed to make sacrifices now. Do I regret selling my TFs and other toys? Not in the least. Why? Because I'm setting myself up for the future where home ownership is a reality for me. So I'm not about to shed a tear for any of you who claim that home ownership is impossible. It is possible if you are willing to make the sacrifice(s) needed.

[kup]

Even if I sell ALL my TF toys at double their cost I still can't afford a $600pw mortgage.

[Fungal Infection]

Thats where investment properties come in. I bought that first, made my money, now I'm looking for my own home. If I can do it, anyone can, and I mean anyone.

[dirge]

The Baby Boomers are only able to buy these houses b/c they have money to invest. It's their right to.


Which is fair enough. But the way the system in Australia is set up, much of that investment money is being channeled into residential property, which is a large part of the reason why our housing prices are so high.

I don't have any issue with an individual choosing the best way to invest. I have an issue with those in a position to do something to work towards a better long term solution whose not even willing to discuss it because of short term unpopularity.


I think you guys are overly pessimistic in your views of home ownership. I don't make that much, work a retail profession yet I own an investment property and am currently looking to buy my first home with my wife. Years ago, I made a conscious decision to sell near to 75% of my TF and toy collection. It is possible if you are willing to make the sacrifice(s) needed.

See, I've got a deposit. I save quite a bit - even with my collecting. But the thing that really kills it is the _income_. With a single income, the repayments just screw me. Now with any luck I'll marry and be able to buy one day. If not, that's that.

I'm not complaining, personally. The rent I pay is pretty good. And I like where I live. Yes, I'd like to own, but I can with with renting, provided I'm in a decent situation (as I am now). But on the level of society, the housing market just seems so unhealthy.

[STL]

I'm the person to least worry about owning a home. Yet this is an issue for me. As Kup open acknowledges, it's not easy. TF habit or not. Investment properties aren't easy either. They are very speculative and require large sums for entry plus gearing to generate an advantage.

I do agree w/ Fungal that some sacrifices must be made. But as Dirge points out, the system does not make it easy for the average Australian to get a foot in the market. The basics are what's frightening.
Based on 2007 statistics:
Average mortgage: $400,000
10% deposit: $40,000
Stamp duty: $20-30,000.
Average monthly repayments: $2,400.

Average Wage: $850 a week. x 4 = $3,400.

What? That leaves you w/ a $1,000. Throw in basic bills and food. Pretty tough to even save. As Dirge points out, marriage definitely helps but that too brings up issues of kids and the like. And these are just average figures. You have to keep in mind that a lot more people are earning less than the average wage and the average is positively skewed b/c of the high income eaners bringing the average up.

And that comes back to my point. Though some of us might be good positions and are proud of how we've managed to buy or homes and succeed, we shouldn't wield that as a righteous baton. We need to recognise this is an issue that needs addressing.

[roller]

No country for you old men

[Fungal Infection]

Actually, my first investment property was bought when I made less money than I do now, and when I was single. But I was living with my parents then so I used the money I saved and pumped it all into the property. I actually don't think its that hard to get into investment properties as long as you have the deposit to begin with (hence the selling of TFs) and am willing to cut your spending. My first 2 years were tough but looking back, I'm glad made the sacrifice.

[Saintly]

It is an issue that is hard to address.

My only thought is buy cheap housing (removing all emotions), if it exist...

If it is far, that's the sacrifice but at least... it's a foot in the door.... repay half of that and you would no doubt have more than two deposits (and while repaying) the prices should be steady or rising because let's face it... property prices are not going to take a dive. If they are .. they are not intangible objects like shares.

[MV75]

Previous generations only "seemed" to have it "easy" because they didn't treat all of their income as disposable.

Nor did they have the myrid amount of consumerism that plagues our society today to pour money into (and services that have monthly subscription fees), and brat kids that demanded the latest gadgets, nor did they try and big note themselves with expensive bogan trash such as the latest commodore or big panel tv's.

Wages were in line with what they paid for properties too. And their ease of employment is what we're currently enjoying. Oh yes, marriage was more common back the too with the wife actually able to raise kids and do housework. :D
________
FIRESTONE AND TIRE CONTROVERSY (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Firestone_and_Ford_tire_controversy)

[STL]

It is an issue that is hard to address.

My only thought is buy cheap housing (removing all emotions), if it exist...

If it is far, that's the sacrifice but at least... it's a foot in the door.... repay half of that and you would no doubt have more than two deposits (and while repaying) the prices should be steady or rising because let's face it... property prices are not going to take a dive. If they are .. they are not intangible objects like shares.

Agreed certainly.

The renting out in the sticks argument has been raised. But there's a counter to that. By moving further out you're subjecting yourself to a double whammy. There's the mortgage on the one hand then there's the petrol pump on the other. With petrol prices soaring and more activities in the inner metropolitan areas, your buying yourself into trouble. Petrol prices aren't going to go away so even if you make that sacrifice it's a zero sum game. Buying that house in whoop-whoop wasn't that good an idea after all.

And that turns us to the issue of dismal state of public transport in Australia. It's ironic how all these problems are so interrelated but all require a lot of pain in the short-term to gain long-term benefits.

Man, I feel like a glass half full type of guy tonight.

[MV75]

Agreed certainly.

The renting out in the sticks argument has been raised. But there's a counter to that. By moving further out you're subjecting yourself to a double whammy. There's the mortgage on the one hand then there's the petrol pump on the other. With petrol prices soaring and more activities in the inner metropolitan areas, your buying yourself into trouble. Petrol prices aren't going to go away so even if you make that sacrifice it's a zero sum game. Buying that house in whoop-whoop wasn't that good an idea after all.

And that turns us to the issue of dismal state of public transport in Australia. It's ironic how all these problems are so interrelated but all require a lot of pain in the short-term to gain long-term benefits.

Man, I feel like a glass half full type of guy tonight.

One thing and one thing only will fix all of that, and it's not government, it's corporation.

What that thing is is called "decentralisation".

Housing - fixed.
Childcare - fixed.
Pubic transport - fixed.
Create more jobs - fixed.
Use less fuel - fixed.
________
Dodge venom specifications (http://www.dodge-wiki.com/wiki/Dodge_Venom)

[kup]

One thing and one thing only will fix all of that, and it's not government, it's corporation.

What that thing is is called "decentralisation".

Housing - fixed.
Childcare - fixed.
Pubic transport - fixed.
Create more jobs - fixed.
Use less fuel - fixed.

I agree with that. The business and commercial areas in all Australian cities are way to Centralized. Its always the city or some area near Parramatta. If you work in the city, you are okay because all Public Transport points there but if its in Parramatta and you live somewhere like Southern Sydney, well you are screwed.