The totally off-topic thread

[Quickstatus]

The cake was quite impressive!

sure it not an r2d2 hologram?

 

[Flashback]

It must be about 7 years since I was last in a QF F lounge. LAX this time. Been a long time between squids!

 

[JohnK]

I actually have the same problem.
My understanding of this phenomena is limited.

Apparently when they moved me to monthly billing they still do the meter reading quarterly and estimate it the other 2 months.

What's even worse is the meter I checked this morning doesn't correspond to the readings they are reporting.

Back on quarterly billing until we sort out this mess. And then I think I am moving to Dodo who are offering a $50 credit to send me out the bills instead of AGL.

 

[coco50]

Alternatively like my father who plays "Reverse Lotto" you place your $100 in your pocket and just write your lotto numbers down. At the end of the day you are $100 in front. Better than any antibracket creep measure by Sco Mo in last night's Budget.

My father reckons as of last financial year he was at least $17540 in front. This is the accumulated deposits in his Reverse Lotto bank account. He even calls the account "QS Senior Reverse Lotto"

Bracket creep in this economic scenario of low inflation is a myth invented by Sco Mo and the Libs to justify vote buying tax cuts. Heck, if you earn over $80 000 pa you can now afford a coffee and cake extra a week!. Yep - the $100 in the pocket and failed Lotto ticket is much better value.

 

[Quickstatus]

Well for those who gamble. US powerball now $400mil

 

[RAM]

OK a bit of Googling answers my own question. The issue is the regulated rate of return I mentioned above. This is for the high voltage transmission 'wires businesses' (not the retail 'poles and wires'). Because the 'wires' businesses are a natural monopoly, the National Electricity Market rules say that those businesses can charge customers (usually the retailers) a fee related to the value of the assets employed - hence 'regulated rate of return'.

Apparently there has been some over-building of transmission towers and related switching gear etc, no so much over-specced, but either too large (and expensive) for the anticipated power demand or via inflated capital spend. Illustrative article here.

Unfortunately a bit more Machiavellian than that.

All shades of politics have been looking at selling off the poles and wires.

• As a guaranteed monopoly they are attractive to Insurance and Pension/Superannuation investors.
• Valuation = annuity income stream divided by discount (interest) rate.
• Increase annuity income aka fees charged to consumers = 17x to 25x increase in privatisation value for each $1 of additional income.
• Guaranteed rate of return (was as high as 12% post 2000s btw) on 'capital' spending = easy and RISK FREE way to increase annuity income.
• Certain investment banks on PUBLIC RECORD as becoming advisors to a number of State Govts on privatisation of said assets. Guess who?
• Each year or 3 yrs these Govt corporations would submit their proposed charge increases to the respective State Tribunals (IPart etc) justifying why their charges needed to go up 50% etc.

For example in NSW:

• Oct 98 17.6 cents/day
• Oct 03 20.7 cents/day = increase of 18% over Oct 98
• Oct 08 34 cents/day = increase of 64% over Oct 03
• Oct 13 71 cents/day = increase of 109% over Oct 08

Or the October 2013 rate was a 368% increase over the Oct 98 daily rate.

Part of the justification for the increased 'capital spending' was that electricity demand was constantly rising. An analyst from a Sydney stockbroker decided to have a tree change, bought 10 acres or so somewhere in the Hunter Region and was subsequently notified that AusGrid were going to build a number of the giant transmission towers across his property 'due to the increased demand projected for the region and recent increases experienced'.

Shocked he did some digging, saw a newspaper article about certain smelters cutting more production, and wondered how power consumption could be rising.

Went and looked at the NEM web site for the past 3 or 4 years power consumption data and to his surprise saw that contrary to the submissions put in by these Govt entities as well as their various testimony to different upper house inquiries Aust-wide - IT HAD BEEN FALLING for several years.

He spent many months banging his head against brick walls until finally one newspaper ran with the story and the rest is history.

A bit like the claims for the Sydney CSELR debacle - costing over $2 billion, untold adverse consequences AND it is cutting public transport hourly passenger capacity by nearly 70% compared with the 20 bus routes to be eliminated by it - but that's another story!

 

[RAM]

Apparently when they moved me to monthly billing they still do the meter reading quarterly and estimate it the other 2 months.

What's even worse is the meter I checked this morning doesn't correspond to the readings they are reporting.

Back on quarterly billing until we sort out this mess. And then I think I am moving to Dodo who are offering a $50 credit to send me out the bills instead of AGL.

Worth checking out a couple of the comparison web sites before you jump ship.

There are some VERY good deals to be had currently that not only include credits but ongoing up to 20% discounts every bill. A quick google search will reveal a couple of sites to check with.

Very lucrative especially if no solar panels involved, even more so if you have gas as well.

Worth the 30-45 minutes effort involved.


Note: You only really get the benefit once the next quarterly actual meter read occurs. So if coming up shortly - get your skates on.

Possible to start a thread (just thinking out loud) about it so you can then get the 'refer a friend' bonus' as well....

 

[RooFlyer]

Bracket creep in this economic scenario of low inflation is a myth invented by Sco Mo and the Libs to justify vote buying tax cuts. Heck, if you earn over $80 000 pa you can now afford a coffee and cake extra a week!. Yep - the $100 in the pocket and failed Lotto ticket is much better value.

Huh? You are saying bracket creep is a myth, currently? So people don't pay more tax when they move into a higher tax bracket

You keep bringing politics into this thread.

 

[JohnSydney2000]

I know this is slightly on topic, but I am about to have my first domestic flight this year, SYD-MEL.
(to connect to QF 9)
Latest date of the year for me (that I can recall) for my first dom flight. John.

 

[mushez]

I know this is slightly on topic, but I am about to have my first domestic flight this year, SYD-MEL.
(to connect to QF 9)
Latest date of the year for me (that I can recall) for my first dom flight. John.

Heard the price of fish today went up to $23.31 per kg.

 

[coco50]

Well for those who gamble. US powerball now $400mil

To paraphrase the Holy Book:

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a poor man to to get all the right numbers and enter the kingdom of wealth.

 

[JohnK]

Worth checking out a couple of the comparison web sites before you jump ship.

There are some VERY good deals to be had currently that not only include credits but ongoing up to 20% discounts every bill. A quick google search will reveal a couple of sites to check with.

Very lucrative especially if no solar panels involved, even more so if you have gas as well.

Worth the 30-45 minutes effort involved.

Who? Only 4 providers come up for Milton and they are all at around $60-$64/month. Dodo is the only one with discount up front.

Oh and AGL is supposed to offer a discount for paying early but I have never seen it. Direct debit already setup. Maybe only for new customers?

 

[RAM]

Who? Only 4 providers come up for Milton and they are all at around $60-$64/month. Dodo is the only one with discount up front.

Oh and AGL is supposed to offer a discount for paying early but I have never seen it. Direct debit already setup. Maybe only for new customers?

Qld is hamstrung somewhat thanks to action by both major parties unfortunately. NSW and Vic (even Tas) have much more opportunity.

Not sure if it will help but did you try another comparison site as a check?

Do you have the ability to change gas supplier? Use the same provider for both power and gas?

 

[JohnK]

Qld is hamstrung somewhat thanks to action by both major parties unfortunately. NSW and Vic (even Tas) have much more opportunity.

Not sure if it will help but did you try another comparison site as a check?

Do you have the ability to change gas supplier? Use the same provider for both power and gas?

Not a fan of gas. I tried iSelect. Are there others?

 

[RooFlyer]

Not much opportunity in Tas at the moment. BassLink cable has been broken for the past few months and probably a couple to go. So our 'Hydro', with reservoirs currently at about 12%, maintains its monopoly, thanks to a couple of dozen big diesel gensets and a gas fired power station.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Not a fan of gas. I tried iSelect. Are there others?

Just saw an ad on the telly for comparethemarket.com.au try them.

 

[Pushka]

Uber X was coming to SA. Our Government was going to levy a fee of $1.50 on every taxi trip to compensate the existing taxi industry. Uber X is now not coming to SA. Our Government is still going to levy $1.50 on every taxi fare to do, um, something?

 

[love_the_life]

If the SA taxi industry is like ours, bring on the competition. Ours is woeful - overpriced, drivers who have no idea, dodgy taxis and only one company so no incentive to be better. There are several different taxi names but all owned by the same mob.
When Uber started, we were on a bus back from Sydney and when it pulled into the Jolimont Centre there were wall to wall taxis trying to freeze out any Uber parking. Never ever seen a taxi at the bus before.

 

[Quickstatus]

Not a fan of gas. I tried iSelect. Are there others?

Our gas comes via a truck $140 per 45kg delivered. Would be cheaper to get Bunnings 8.5kg but a hassle to keep changing bottles.

Have reduced gas use by going 3 phase electric induction stove. Induction is amazing. The change in temp is fast and accurate.

Gas stoves are ineffective especially for stir frys. Really need the high flow commercial gas rings in those Asian shops where the flames singe your eyebrows and constant running taps to prevent stovetop from melting. Induction still comes second but much better than typical gas stove tops.

Still using gas for hot water. When Instant water heater dies, I'll go solar with electric heat pump backup.

 

[whatmeworry]

Uber X was coming to SA. Our Government was going to levy a fee of $1.50 on every taxi trip to compensate the existing taxi industry. Uber X is now not coming to SA. Our Government is still going to levy $1.50 on every taxi fare to do, um, something?

Victoria government considering adding $10 to the fare for Taxi's in peak hour to encourage drivers... Because not enough drivers want to be Taxi drivers. I feel we need to add a rating system to taxi drivers like they do for Uber.