"most local bi-laws are unconstitutional"
 
Interesting you have mentioned that.
The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1901 clearly does not recognize local councils as being a third tier of government.
 
The Constitution clearly states that only the federal government has the power to raise taxes, with a few exceptions for state taxes. 
 
So clearly your local council cannot charge rates and taxes on your privately owned land, because it is not a federal government. In fact your local council is a corporation because it has an ABN. (please check your council rates notice). Governments do not have an ABN.
 
My local council appears unable to answer my short letters I have been sending them since May 2016 asking them to please provide in printed form (ie a letter) the exact law, the exact act and the exact section that states the payment of taxes on privately owned land is mandatory by the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1901.
They reply side stepping my questions and choose to send threatening and intimidating letters threatening legal action.
 
The Commonwealth Attorney-General  for Australia side steps my short letters with indirect answers despite me asking for a simple "yes" or "no" answer to my very simple questions.
 
Other government departments appear unable to reply despite my continual follow up letters.
 
The entire NSW Local Government Act (1993) is unlawful since it has not received royal assent, and because the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1901 does not recognize this "law".
 
Also a number of state owned corporations are trading/operating unlawfully.
 
We are being duped.
 

From the other side of the fence we deal with alot of psychopathic ratepayers daily... People (who pay our wages aparently) think we're all making rulings from a dark chamber sitting in chairs made from the bones of dead children. You're average clerk or outside worker has nothing to do with any 'rulings' and are usually well trained in verbal judo, you'd be suprised how quickly you can shut down a dickhead with a bee in their bonnet...
 
Anyway back to the cars, I'm with the lack of patience/ timebomb theory. The oldies next door just got rid of their one owner, always garaged, serviced and pampered EL Fairmont. He reckons it was getting unreliable "Last year I had to do a radiator, this year it was the power steering, I just can't trust it" He got $500 at the wreckers for it, still licenced. Wow I thought, the old man was always patching up the family Anglia and later the Escort. How things have changed. X series Falcons used to be worth nothing, now try to find one for under 10g. Same with our small Fords... If only I had space to store that E series Fairmont...
Cheers Drew

Leasing cars is very popular in the USA too. I was in L.A 6 weeks ago around West Hollywood and the number of luxury sports cars was impressive. There was a billboard for the new Chrysler, MSRP $80K USD. You could have this for a $2K up front and $500 a month lease plan.
 
I don't think it's all negative. It's great that Porsches, Ferraris, Lambos, Bentleys, Beamers, oh and the ridiculous amount of Teslas, are within reach of many rather than just the dirty rotten filthy stinking rich.

Damn Drew - makes me think my son wasted his money on his van - should have bought that Fairmont!

"Car leasing is a bit of a con..."
 
I was brought up the old way, "If you can't afford to pay cash for it, you can't afford it."
 
I was also brought up to believe, "If you can't buy a Dodge, dodge a Ford." (I seem to have ignored that one.)

Yes from what my friend in LA was saying, a lot more people leasing there. It makes sense what you're saying about car manufacturers, leasing is good business for them.
 
Peter I would love to own a Dodge. One of the new SRT Hellcats please

Just try to get a home loan while running your own business. I've had several brokers quite literally pack up and walk out when they found out. I only got my loan when I quit and worked for someone else. And as for my second home it was a burnt out housing commission house, hardest to get financing for. It amazed us while we lived their what the neighbors did and had. My shoes $30 bucks from Kmart their shoes $200 bucks and that's not even talking the rest of their outfits.

Whooligan,
"Where is the incentive in this country/world to work hard?"
 
My parents brought me up to believe "If you work hard you will do well".
Either I was lied to, or someone, somewhere, has changed the rules.
I also easily work 60+ hours a week. If you drive past my home anyone would easily think that no one lives there because I am never home to enjoy it, and the front yard looks like the untouched depths of the wildest Congo rain forest.
 
My neighbours arrived from Chad 5 years ago (a very poor country in South Africa). They are renting. Each has a newish car. Nice home and a nice family and happily live very well thank you.
I am a white Aussie male. I have never married, no children and have lived continuously in the home I was brought up in from day one, which I have inherited from hard working parents. Witnessing other men's experiences I am scared that the crooked australian family law court will strip me of my (parents) home and other assets I have worked hard for if I decide to even decide to live with someone for three months.
 
Wiggy333,
Try BigW for runners. $12-00 normal price. If you can fluke it $7-45 on special.
 

"Just try to get a home loan while running your own business."
 
I hear what you are saying. I own over 90% of my assets.
Simply given up trying to refinance to a cheaper mortgage because of the hoops the lenders are demanding self employed people jump through. If I adhered to what lenders were demanding I would have no reason for the mortgage.
 

And just this week first time ever received a letter from my accountant regarding Garnishee order from tax dept. we owe them under $30k and run a successful business able to pay our debts. But they have gone to one of our customers and demanded 15% of their bill be retained and sent to the ATO. Firstly how do they know my customers and secondly what now do you think that customer thinks of my company.
We spoke to the customer who is a big builder and they said in 15 years they had received 5 garnishee orders like this. They then said in the past two weeks they had received 30 so we are not alone (their words). To garnishee at this time of year when it's the hardest time to get paid is wrong wrong wrong. Hope this doesn't happen to anyone here. I just don't get it.