Auspol December: All I want for Christmas is a new government.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Auspol December: All I want for Christmas is a new government.

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bowmore: Oct 6, 2008; Lipstick Apathy

Saul Goode posted:

Actual quote over Christmas breakfast: "Don't go anywhere on Australia Day, I've got friends who've told me some big poo poo is gonna go down."

Said to a vaguely-Middle Eastern looking relative.

God bless this time of year for bringing families together, and reminding us why we only see some of them once a year.

I think we've all got at least one kinda racist relative, or if we are super lucky* one or more racist ones

*not actually lucky

# ? Dec 25, 2014 02:12

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# ? Jun 11, 2024 13:42

Jibs Monteef: Dec 13, 2009

Jumpingmanjim posted:

No i mean buying a shipping container and renting it out to shipping companies. Like this: http://www.ownyourownshippingcontainer.com.au/ Obvious scam stuff.

Incidentally Is anyone here from Perth? I've heard that there are an awful lot of for lease signs going up on offices in the CBD, let me know what you've noticed.

From a couple pages ago, but yes - there's a ton of offices now for lease in the CBD, mainly due to mining companies either folding or reducing their CBD footprint. FMG's pulled back into one building from the three they used to lease, BHP is now going to be leasing out 16? floors of their horrible giant obelisk, and Rio's cut down on their Central Park floorspace. A lot of the smaller mobs are just gone, with operators like Atlas pretty soon to follow. Also a lot of the storefronts being spruiked for ridiculously high prices are now sitting empty across Murray and Hay, since the real estate dickheads don't seem to be all that interested in filling vacancies; the refurbished Trinity is a good example, as the lease for the storefronts down there went up by about 60% after the revamp. A good half of them are still sitting empty.

The Libs are finally moving some of the public servants out of the central part of the CBD and up past the Supreme Court, which is likely to free up a fair bit more space. Buggered if I know what's going to go in there, though.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 02:35

Nibbles!: Jun 26, 2008; TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP

make australia great again as well please

Saul Goode posted:

Actual quote over Christmas breakfast: "Don't go anywhere on Australia Day, I've got friends who've told me some big poo poo is gonna go down."

Said to a vaguely-Middle Eastern looking relative.

God bless this time of year for bringing families together, and reminding us why we only see some of them once a year.

Wait till the new year when all the 'citizen day' posts start appearing on FB.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 03:01

Lizard Combatant: Sep 29, 2010; I have some notes.

This one goes out to the ADL boys spending Christmas in the slammer
http://youtu.be/Qljs6phMy8o

Let's get drunk!

# ? Dec 25, 2014 03:12

I would blow Dane Cook: Dec 26, 2008

So i found a wallet and it belonged to osama bin laden and he told me to stay away from Sydney on new years because something big is going to happen.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 03:13

Gough Suppressant: Nov 14, 2008

bowmore posted:

I think we've all got at least one kinda racist relative, or if we are super lucky* one or more racist ones

*not actually lucky

If you can't spot the racist relative at Christmas lunch, it's you.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 04:12

T-1000: Mar 28, 2010

Jumpingmanjim posted:

It seems to be the Chinese that do that. They want to keep it in pristine condition so they can flip it later.

Sometimes they're buying it just as a place to sink a large amount of money they've managed to get out of China.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 05:33

i got banned: Sep 24, 2010; lol abbottwon

Yeah I belong to the screts muslims only know group and they give us a heads up on up coming terrorist attacks. As a personal favour for returning my wallet I will let you know about one upcoming attack.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 05:54

I would blow Dane Cook: Dec 26, 2008

i got banned posted:

Yeah I belong to the screts muslims only know group and they give us a heads up on up coming terrorist attacks. As a personal favour for returning my wallet I will let you know about one upcoming attack.

But is it in the form of a riddle?

# ? Dec 25, 2014 05:58

Anidav: Feb 25, 2010; ahhh fuck its the rats again

Jumpingmanjim posted:

But is it in the form of a riddle?

What's red and charred and spread all over? You after my explosion, infidel! Buuuut for saving my pet cat I will warn you!

# ? Dec 25, 2014 06:28

hambeet: Sep 13, 2002

Saul Goode posted:

Actual quote over Christmas breakfast: "Don't go anywhere on Australia Day, I've got friends who've told me some big poo poo is gonna go down."

Said to a vaguely-Middle Eastern looking relative.

God bless this time of year for bringing families together, and reminding us why we only see some of them once a year.

Not going to out on Australia Day is great advice imo.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 06:59

Turks: Nov 16, 2006

The Guardian posted:

Supertrawlers will be permanently banned from Australian waters, the federal government announced on Wednesday.

The move follows the temporary bans on supertrawlers imposed by the Labor government two years ago and re-endorsed by Tony Abbott in March. The first ban expired in November and the second was up for review in April.

The parliamentary secretary for agriculture, Richard Colbeck, said the government would stop vessels longer than 130m from fishing in Australian waters.

This definition of supertrawler does not take into account the processing capacity of a vessel, which proponents of the ban say is just as critical as the size of the vessel.

�This government will introduce regulations under the Fisheries Management Act to give effect to this decision,� Colbeck said in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon. �This decision will have policy effect immediately.�

Colbeck said the government �has consulted widely and accepts the legitimate concerns of many in the community, including those involved in recreational and commercial fishing�.

�The government is determined that Australian fisheries management remain among the best in the world,� the statement said.

Labor banned supertrawlers, or large freezer-factory vessels, after outcry from the public. The Stop the Supertrawler petition has nearly 63,000 signatures.

�Supertrawlers are large freezer-factory fishing trawlers that threaten our unique marine life and fisheries, and the recreational fishing, commercial fishing and tourism industries that rely on these,� the petition said.

�Supertrawlers are part of a global problem that has led to the devastation of the world�s fisheries, marine life and local livelihoods, and we don�t want that kind of fishing in Australia.�

Abbott addressed the House of Representatives in March, saying: �The supertrawler was banned from Australian waters � it was banned with the support of members on this side of the house. It was banned. It will stay banned.�

It seems that the LNPs anti-boat stance is stronger than their pro-'raping the Earth for the profit of big business' stance. They don't give a poo poo about the environment and I'm not sure they really think they can trick anyone into thinking otherwise with this, so what's their reasoning?

# ? Dec 25, 2014 08:40

open24hours: Jan 7, 2001

The companies without supertrawlers have better lobbyists than the ones with them.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 08:44

Senor Tron: May 26, 2006

Supertrawlers are almost exclusively run by companies outside Australia aren't they? So yeah, less effective lobbying.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 10:17

Birb Katter: Sep 18, 2010; BOATS STOPPED
CARBON TAX AXED
TURNBULL AS PM
LIBERALS WILL BE RE-ELECTED IN A LANDSLIDE

Happy holidays you bunch of shitheads

# ? Dec 25, 2014 10:56

Endman: May 18, 2010; That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even anime may die

It's a pretty decent vote winner. Bloody foreigners comin ere takin are fishes!!

# ? Dec 25, 2014 10:56

gay picnic defence: Oct 5, 2009; I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS

IslamoNazi posted:

Happy holidays you bunch of shitheads

Change the ham to Australia or a homeless person.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 11:27

open24hours: Jan 7, 2001

gay picnic defence posted:

Change the ham to Australia or a homeless person.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 11:42

Konomex: Oct 25, 2010; a whiteman who has some authority over others, who not only hasn't raped anyone, or stared at them creepily...

Jumpingmanjim posted:

No i mean buying a shipping container and renting it out to shipping companies. Like this: http://www.ownyourownshippingcontainer.com.au/ Obvious scam stuff.

Incidentally Is anyone here from Perth? I've heard that there are an awful lot of for lease signs going up on offices in the CBD, let me know what you've noticed.

Yes. Lots. They're still putting up buildings and some of the buildings that were completed a few years ago still have for lease signs.

I've got a lot of mates in the mining sector too and they've all been told they're losing their jobs for some reason or another. Either because they're downsizing or because they invented a bullshit reason for a mysterious 20 staff. 'You were all rude, insubordinate and... uh... stole office supplies?'

# ? Dec 25, 2014 16:48

Gough Suppressant: Nov 14, 2008

quote:

Woolies hits suppliers with five-year-old bills
December 25, 2014 - 9:00PM

Woolworths has been reviewing supplier accounts.

By MARK HAWTHORNE
Woolworths has billed suppliers for accounting errors that date back more than five years, and has deducted money it claims it is owed from the trading accounts of suppliers without their permission.

Australia's biggest supermarket chain has been reviewing supplier accounts under a "forensic accounting program" that has been running for 18 months, in an effort to recoup tens of millions of dollars from suppliers by the end of December.

Suppliers are receiving bills from Woolworths, claiming they have charged the supermarket the wrong amount, or supplied an incorrect quantity of a product.

"In my case, I have received an invoice for thousands of dollars dating back from 2010," said one supplier, who did not want to be identified.

"How am I meant to recheck the details of an order from four or five years ago? I questioned it, but I am being pressured to pay."

The revelations follow a tough month for the supermarket industry.

Last week, Fairfax Media revealed that Woolworths faced accusations of bullying from suppliers, who have been asked to pay millions to help to fund a discount war.

Suppliers provided emails that showed they had been hit with demands for cash payments from Woolworths, to fund "the gap between sales and profit growth" on their products. The practice is known as "margin filling" or "margin maintenance".

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims has confirmed the regulator will investigate Woolworths over the claims of margin filling.

A number of suppliers have told the ACCC they are willing to hand over emails and documents.

On Monday, rival Coles was ordered to pay $10 million in penalties for "serious, deliberate and repeated" misconduct towards suppliers, some of which were in financial trouble.

Justice Michelle Gordon of the Federal Court said the conduct by Coles was "deliberate, orchestrated and relentless" and involved threatening harm to suppliers by unlawfully withholding funds or demanding payments.

The Federal Court ruled in favour of an agreed settlement between the retailer and the ACCC over the claims of unconscionable conduct. Coles will enter an enforceable undertaking to establish compensation for up to 200 suppliers - a process that could cost the retailer a further $26 million.

Woolworths has confirmed its review of old accounts, which is being led by the company's head of trade, Ian Dunn.

The supermarket says some suppliers have received refunds as a result.

"Like most companies, Woolworths audits its invoices and has done so for some time. Where we find an error, in our favour or the supplier's favour, we take steps to recover or return the money owed," said a spokesman for the company.

In July, the Australian Food and Grocery Council received complaints from suppliers about billing for old accounts by Woolworths.

After a meeting with the AFGC, Woolworths promised to stop automatically deducting money from supplier accounts, and promised to limit its review to accounts dating back two years.

A number of suppliers have since provided Fairfax Media with recent documents that show the supermarket is continuing to bill for accounts that are more than five years old.

"I have a claim from Woolworths claiming incorrect prices for 2009," said one supplier. "We refuted all the claims a number of times, and they backed off."

Another supplier also produced recent invoices for products supplied in early 2010.

"We are still fighting the invoices, but they don't accept any of our arguments," said the supplier. "How are we meant to confirm if we supplied the right amount of a product almost six years ago?"

According to an email circulated by the AFGC last week: "Woolworths has continued to claim against suppliers for historic invoicing errors or omissions".

On December 12, representatives of the AFGC met with Tjeerd Jegen, Woolworths' managing director of Australian supermarkets and petrol.

The billing program was the key topic of discussion.

According to the AFGC, Woolworths "reaffirmed their support for the Code of Conduct and their commitment to working with the industry body to resolve and clarify members' concerns".

Woolworths has rejected any suggestions it has acted unconscionably in its dealings with suppliers.

# ? Dec 25, 2014 23:23

Anidav: Feb 25, 2010; ahhh fuck its the rats again

I guess this is why we should all shop at Aldi.

# ? Dec 26, 2014 00:07

Gough Suppressant: Nov 14, 2008

Anidav posted:

I guess this is why we should all shop at Aldi.

If it was anyone else I'd assume this was a joke but with you I just don't know.

# ? Dec 26, 2014 00:11

Anidav: Feb 25, 2010; ahhh fuck its the rats again

It's probably a joke since food at Aldi is poison. I miss the 90s where you could drive around and there would be IGA, Woolworths, Coles, Bi-lo, Franklins and probably a few others I'm forgetting. Even now the remaining IGA's appear to be getting converted into multinationals like SPAH or 7-11 but it's an incredibly dark place for suppliers because Coles and Woolworths are beyond competition.

I was too young to remember but this is Howard's fault, isn't it?

# ? Dec 26, 2014 00:23

i got banned: Sep 24, 2010; lol abbottwon

Australia has a thing for oligarchs

# ? Dec 26, 2014 00:27

Skellybones: May 31, 2011; Fun Shoe

Wait what's wrong with food at ALDI?

# ? Dec 26, 2014 00:28

SMILLENNIALSMILLEN: Jun 26, 2009

Aldi is just german coles.

# ? Dec 26, 2014 00:52

Paracausal: Sep 5, 2011; Oh yeah, baby. Frame your suffering as a masterpiece. Only one problem - no one's watching. It's boring, buddy, boring as death.

Thank the Lord hisself for La Manna, best grocer in the land.

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:04

Seagull: Oct 9, 2012; give me a chip

Is IGA good? I do all my shopping there because it's closest.

am i inadvertently ideologically pure

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:09

ewe2: Jul 1, 2009

What Woolies is doing isn't just disturbing, I can't see how it's even legal to make commercial demands that far back; just on a mitigation level there's no way suppliers can have a fair contest, although I can think of several grounds on which they could make an argument.

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:13

hambeet: Sep 13, 2002

Seagull posted:

Is IGA good? I do all my shopping there because it's closest.

am i inadvertently ideologically pure

coles is wesfarmers which started as a co-op soooo

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:13

hambeet: Sep 13, 2002

Basically you're supporting capitalism so you fail any which way you look at it. Sorry seagull.

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:14

open24hours: Jan 7, 2001

I always make sure to buy my Coke and Mars products at independent grocers.

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:14

Seagull: Oct 9, 2012; give me a chip

Matthew Beet posted:

Basically you're supporting capitalism so you fail any which way you look at it. Sorry seagull.

by good I meant "good"

open24hours posted:

I always make sure to buy my Coke and Mars products at independent grocers.

i don't buy mars poo poo i'm insulted

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:15

hambeet: Sep 13, 2002

Seagull posted:

by good I meant "good"

Oh my bad yeah sure carry on.

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:17

Anidav: Feb 25, 2010; ahhh fuck its the rats again

Is there a grocery store that doesn't support capitalism or are you telling us to go off the grid and buy some livestock and sow seeds in our backyard?

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:27

Quantum Mechanic: Apr 25, 2010; Just another fuckwit who thrives on fake moral outrage.
Waaaah the Christians are out to get me

lol abbottsgonnawin

Sent to a Muslim man. But #illridewithyou was just promoting a victim complex, right?

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:27

Turks: Nov 16, 2006

Anidav posted:

Is there a grocery store that doesn't support capitalism or are you telling us to go off the grid and buy some livestock and sow seeds in our backyard?

Given that it isn't possible to have a store that doesn't support capitalism in a capitalist economy I'm going to say the second one. In the meantime the best we can do is buy directly from suppliers as much as possible.

# ? Dec 26, 2014 01:30