You would have noticed I’ve been a little quiet lately. I hope you know it wasn’t anything you said. It wasn’t you, it was me. This post is a little all over the place, because I’m very sleep-deprived and am trying to convey 2 different messages in a single post (sorry!).
That said, there was a good reason for my lack of posts, and a quiet spot in the comments. A couple of songs to try and explain it:
First up, two of my all-time favourite guitarists playing one of my all-time favourite tunes. Music with a message…
If that was too subtle, here’s another hint:
That’s right, the Democratic People’s Socialist Republic of the Long White Cloud is today just a little less grey. A little less depressing. A little more free.
Because from today it is Plus One Gantt Guy! After 10 years living in Melbourne, the Gantt Family are on our way home.
Now, for those kiwis making the move in the opposite direction, I offer some advice. Although I have lived in Australia for a decade, I was considered by all and sundry to be a temporary resident. That is because the “special category” visa by which New Zealanders and Australians can enter each others countries, while freeing up the trans-tasman travel, does not confer any formal residency status. So if you’re a kiwi heading “across the ditch”, here is my advice:
(1) do everything you can to AVOID the government-mandated superannuation scheme. More on this in a moment.
(2) take out citizenship as soon as possible.
(3) if you decide to leave Australia in the future, head somewhere other than New Zealand.
Why is that, you ask? Well, you might recall I have recently been through some tough times, and had a period of several months where work was hard to come by. I’ve been in Australia paying taxes and making (mandatory) payments into a superannuation account. The law provides that in circumstances of severe financial hardship a withdrawal of up to $10,000 can be made from accumulated superannuation. But here’s the rub: in order to prove you’re experiencing financial hardship, you need to have been receiving CentreLink benefits (unemployment social security) for 6 months! Now, there are 2 problems with that (well, for me anyway):
(1) I’d rather sell a kidney than go on social welfare, and
(2) even if I wanted to, social welfare is not available for kiwis in Australia, no matter how long we’ve lived there, unless we “formalise” our position by taking out permanent residence and/or citizenship!
This is why I HATE mandatory superannuation, and why it should be avoided at all costs. I went 7 months with absolutely NO income. I couldn’t go on welfare (and wouldn’t even if I had been able). I have a reasonable sum invested in a superannuation account, but I can’t touch it because I didn’t go on welfare.
On top of that, I heard the other day the government is preparing legislation requiring all superannuation funds to invest a portion of their portfolio in “nation building” projects. What does this mean? Basically, the government is stealing people’s private superannuation savings to fund their white elephants and boondoggles.
Oh, and as a p.s., if a “temporary” resident leaves Australia they are able to take their superannuation savings with them … unless they’re going to New Zealand!
Government-mandated superannuation SUCKS!
Now, there are a number of ways to avoid having to make the mandatory payments into a superannuation account. Here’s what I did. As an independent contractor (not an employee of a company) your income is dividends and capital repayments from the company established to manage your contracts. Ergo, you are not receiving “income” as such, but shareholder dividends which are not (yet) captured by the superannuation legislation. If you’re going to do this, get a good accountant.
End Rant.
It makes me sad to hear that you’re going back to NZ, Gantt. Australia needs more people like you, and conservatives are wasted in NZ. The country will take years (if ever) to shake off its socialist mindset.
And a prediction–within six months, the greyness, the stifling PC bullshit and the racism will begin to get to you.
Yup, probably. And thanks for your kind words. Thing is, we have a heap of family support in Auckland which we just never had in Melbourne. We’re going to settle in Whangaparaoa (Colin Craig Country), close to Mrs Gantt’s parents. That way if work dries up in Auckland I can always commute to Melbourne, Sydney or Brisvegas. And, if the worst comes to the worst we can always come back!
Seasick won’t be a problem, the rougher the better. The problem would be the fishing (and the eating the fish). I’ve always wondered what the attraction was with fishing, and always felt that those animals whose misfortune it is to commence their life in the ocean should be stamped “Pet Food – Not Fit for Human Consumption”!
Zip it, KG!! We need all the help we can get over here.
Although, to be fair, the PC bullshit and racism does wear you down over time…
Duly zipped.
Gantt
You are going to need lots of family support in Auckland, because you dont speak the local lingo
How will you order food or get insurance etc.Prepare for a massive shock!!
Welcome back
…
I must admit when I got to the airport this afternoon I had to double-check and make sure I’d jumped on the No. 4 bus for Auckland and not the No. 6 for Hong Kong!
In the city to start work tomorrow. What could possibly go wrong?
“.. I’ve always wondered what the attraction was with fishing”
Don’t worry–within five minutes of being hooked up to a striped marlin or a mako shark, you’ll “get” it.
I’m not so sure. I understand the contest of man vs nature and all that, but it looks to me like the fish is being tortured. And then, when there are no bites for hours on end and the beer’s run out, so is the fisherman!
Bear in mind, this coming from an entrenched suburbanite who believes steak comes not from the paddock but from the local butcher’s shop!
GG – It is always a good excuse for sitting on your arse for hours and ruminating about life, etc.
Keith’s got my email addy. Drop me a line when you get to Akl. :cheers
Time spent fishing is not deducted from your allocated time on Earth.
Yep. And only hopeless fisherman get to sit on their arse and ruminate…the rest of us are too busy catching fish.
Such has been my experience
That and watching the weak lay a burley trail
Count me among the weak…if I haven’t been to sea for a while I can throw up in almost calm conditions.
I went fishing the other day for the first time since childhood. Caught one – and regretted it immediatley. Fishin’s not for me !
OT – Kg I don’t know if you have read all this about Joooolia and her Union thug.
http://joannenova.com.au/2012/08/allegations-about-our-pm-raging-across-the-internet-around-australia/#more-23246
Oh yes, Mawm. :whoop Looks like her friends in the Canberra press gallery won’t be able to sit on the story any longer. How sad…
The song title “going home” had me worried you were going to kick the bucket or something-sheesh
:whoop
Now THAT really will be “going Home”, Darin
It may be a socialist shit-hole, Gantt, but it’s OUR socialist shit-hole. Welcome home.
O/T, but – News Flash from offshore Broome, Western Australia:
The Australian Navy intercepted three boatloads of people off the northwest coast of Australia today.
This placed the Navy in an awkward position, as the boats were not heading to, but away from, Australia towards Christmas Island.
Another surprise finding was that they were loaded with Australians who were all seniors of pension age.
Their claim was that they were trying to get to Christmas Island so as to be able to return to Australia as asylum seekers and therefore be entitled to far more benefits than they were receiving as legitimate Australian pensioners.
The Navy, it is believed, gave them food, water and fuel and assisted them on their journey.
We are booking the next boat; let me know if you want to come.
Brilliant! And sadly, there’s a deal of truth in it too.
Yep,same thing here,I know married couples in the 25-35 age bracket who want to start a family,but can’t because it just costs too much if your white,a legal citizen and honest working class.
Meanwhile if you are in Mexico and simply step across the boarder to have a baby it’s all free thanks to the taxes paid by those same people
How can you use a track from that short-arsed, sniveling, pretzel-making-terrorist hugging, Queen-street-riot-starting Dave fucking Dobbyn???? :rant
Not a fan, then?
Me neither.
Used to be, before I found out how into H1 he was.
Me neither
Because I knew someone would bring up the Dole Day Afternoon Riots, Ciaron. But mostly because I love that song (most of his other work is shite).
And because I knew it would piss you off.
I think Whaling was his pinnacle, and pretty much the only song of his I can listen too these days… :cheers
I see BNI is down again…
BNI?
BareNakedIslam.com
Welcome back GG.
I’ve often thought of moving to be more “free”. To me Australia is just the boot being pressed slighty lighter.
About the only place that appeals is Texas – and the wife ain’t keen.
Me and Gecko are both very keen on Texas, Pinko, but we’re too old to do it legally.