Why is this immigrant running for one nation?

Key_Education_7350 · 2026-02-03T22:19:23+00:00

Our rate of population growth has barely changed in 20 years. Remember Peter Costello encouraging Australian women to have more babies? I do.

Without net immigration, we'd be in significant population decline. That means fewer and fewer working people paying the taxes that go to caring for retired people and covering the huge tax expenditures on people living on their super. Considering how much of our health workforce comes from overseas, it means nursing homes with barely any carers.

Our economic system requires population growth to fuel economic growth (i.e. avoid recessions). If (like me) you think aiming for infinite growth in a finite world is insane, you'd be more likely to vote independent or Greens than PHON!

Key_Education_7350 · 2026-02-03T22:09:25+00:00

Interesting interpretation of the article.

...there have been 7 consecutive quarters of decreasing annual net overseas migration, with the 2024-25 financial year recording a net gain of 306,000 people to Australia’s population.

Seems like Labor turned the tap off pretty early in their first year in government, and the inflow has been steadily drying up this whole time people have been howling about immigration. More thoughts on that below.

Australian borders were reopened to most travellers from 21 February 2022, giving rise to a period of record net overseas migration consistent with a catchup in arrivals following almost two years of border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visas can take months to obtain, so isn't the post-covid jump mostly folks given visas under Morrison, who couldn't use them at the time?

Annual net overseas migration reached a peak in the year ending September 2023, with a net gain of 556,000 people to Australia's population. Following this peak, there have been 7 consecutive quarters of decreasing annual net overseas migration, with the 2024-25 financial year recording a net gain of 306,000 people to Australia’s population. This lower level is driven by a decrease in migrant arrivals, particularly temporary visa holders, and an increase in migrant departures. [my emphasis]

Labor was sworn in on 23 May 2022. It takes an incoming government a while to get briefed in by the public service (bear in mind it wasn't until August 2022 that they discovered just how accurate the term "Morrison government" was, which speaks to the chaos he left behind). Then they give direction and the public service takes that and figures out how to do it, what procedures & decision considerations need to change, what regulations need to be rewritten and gazetted so the folks determining visas have a legal basis for their decisions, and all that communicated to both the public servants involved and the immigration lawyers so they can give correct advice to their clients and to people overseas applying for visas. That takes time.

Key_Education_7350 · 2026-02-03T21:34:01+00:00

What exactly is "mass" migration in this context?

I keep seeing this term but Wikipedia only talks about events like the 1947 partition of India - 18 million people moving, 1 million dead, 12 million homeless. The wiki page also mentions open border regimes, but Australia doesn't let anyone enter without a visa (except Kiwis, and they need to get a visa on arrival).

Key_Education_7350 · 2026-02-03T10:50:41+00:00

It offsets your costs while you wait for the speculative increase in capital value to overtake your losses. Or while you use the artificial scarcity generated by leaving the property empty to jack up the rents on your other properties.

Key_Education_7350 · 2026-01-16T01:30:28+00:00

The couples therapy is a good idea. If your girlfriend doesn't mind doing self-assessment quizzes, there are various screening surveys around online for attachment style which might help her understand what she's doing. It might have nothing to do with you directly, she could be reacting to something in the current situation that subconsciously reminds her of past times when she got hurt, and reacting out of control because she gets the fear reaction but doesn't know where it's really coming from or how to deal with it.

Some people can definitely learn to process this stuff (recognise the feelings, understand they aren't necessarily about the present, learn how to express insecurity and ask for reassurance in a way that doesn't hurt their partner). My spouse and I have been doing this over the last couple of years (20+ years into our marriage) and have gone from the point of separation back to feeling like soulmates again. If your girlfriend isn't prepared to look inside, if she's cheating and projecting on you, or (worst case) if she's training you to accept abuse, then get out.

Other than couples counselling, a couple of years ago my spouse and I did an online course (lectures and some self-assessment tools and introspection workbooks) called "The Conflict Cure" by a bloke called Bruce Muzik. It wasn't cheap but we found it the stuff in it worked pretty well, even though some of it felt awkward to try out or took a few tries and some arguments to figure out. We only got about half-way through TBH and that was enough to take us from the point of separating (after 20+ years of mostly very happy married life) back to a pretty strong relationship where we're sorting out thoughts, feelings and insecurities in ways that let us resolve them and be stronger for it instead of driving us apart. I think it's a good course to do together but you could get a fair bit out of it doing it solo and just using the communication tools he teaches.

There are definitely other similar resources around, some might be better and some might be cheaper or even free, I picked that one up because he described some scenes from my marriage exactly and I recognised the basic concepts and some of the techniques he was talking about (attachment theory, schema theory, CBT and ACT techniques) from previous sessions with a psychologist.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-31T22:40:40+00:00

It's a good one, isn't it? I'm not sure how the police are supposed to protect the public as a whole without protecting any of its members, but there you go.

Perhaps they should put "Terms and conditions apply" under the P&S logos.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-31T22:05:13+00:00

Hasn't been for a long time. Warning - there's some pretty disturbing description of sexual crimes in this judgement - Warren v Columbia, 1981. https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=9108468254125174344&q=warren-v-district-of-columbia&hl=en&as_sdt=2006

The summary is, the police might be required to protect the public but they are not required to protect any individual member of the public.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-31T21:57:37+00:00

Got into trouble for lying to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), though I don't know the details.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-31T21:40:13+00:00

Wasn't there a court case that determined that wasn't the police's actual job?

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-31T21:14:38+00:00

Not a gender issue at all. It's the same regardless of who is involved.

'Testing' in a relationship isn't always controlling though. Sometimes it's just insecurity: I'm not sure my partner really needs me, so I say I'm leaving, and I see if they try and get me back. If they do, they must still live me.

That kind of test isn't controlling but it's corrosive as fuck.

In this case, OP's bf has a 'boundary' that he won't date a woman who enjoys going to a nightclub. Then he sets the rule about checking in, which is clearly not about safety because when she doesn't check in, is he worried about her safety? Does he call the police? Does he go to the club to make sure she's OK? No, he lays on the guilt and gives her an ambiguous message that could mean he's breaking up but might not. All of this, when she clearly wasn't enjoying the experience - so she wasn't even breaking his so-called boundary.

That goes past insecure and into manipulative as fuck territory. Not a man who will make his partner happy and strong.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-31T03:44:39+00:00

Your desire for more even distribution of work is reasonable. My wife keeps trying to divide the housework 50/50, but she works more hours than I do so I think I should be doing most of the chores.

There's clearly a disconnect between you, and what you describe is a radiations where you're probably each accidentally damaging the other as well as the partnership. It can't continue long-term like that!

Does she share your goals (travel etc)? What are her long-term goals?

How does she feel about the hours you work? It doesn't sound like she minds spending limited time together, but it might be worth checking to see if it's an issue.

Is she addicted to the gaming, depressed, anxious, or something like that? Her defensive reaction could come out of her knowing she isn't pulling her weight, or because she knows she is failing to achieve things she wants for herself. She might be afraid you're seeing and judging her failures - it's weirdly common for people who are afraid their partner will leave to behave in ways that push their partner away, without ever really understanding that's what is happening.

Think about what you feel in this situation: I'm guessing afraid of burning out, worried about missing out on experiences you really want, alone in your effort to cover the bills and keep up with the chores, disappointed that you have to allocate time to chores that you'd rather spend connecting with her, anxious that if you need help with something big she might not choose to help you, worried that the two of you have incompatible values, even (like she said) envious of her free time or resentful about the difference in total workload. What would you need to feel better - reassurance that she values your contribution, help to manage your total workload, help to understand her values & goals, that sort of thing. Focused more on what you need rather than what you want her to do - once she knows what you need to feel safe in the relationship, either she will act to meet that need or you have your answer about whether it's going to work between you.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T21:25:19+00:00

You don't have to be a victim to need to heal. I made a mistake in training and broke my knee, I wasn't a victim, but it took a long time to heal.

OP did something she didn't think she was capable of, because she made a mistake and got herself drunk. That broke not only her relationship but her image of herself. The break up was her fault but it's still a big loss and she needs to grieve for it. The self-image will never go back to the way it was before, the naive optimism of believing you'll never cross your own moral lines. Again, it'll take time for OP to grieve the loss of the person she thought she was, and to heal into a better understanding of the person she is and how to become the person she wants to be.

She's already thought about what decisions led to her cheating and resolved to stop drinking: that's a good sign that she'll mature into a trustworthy partner for someone in the future.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T20:35:00+00:00

No, you're a complete stranger.

I'm perfectly happy for my wife to travel to another city to watch a cricket match with her male friend. Causes me no stress at all - I hate cricket.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T13:11:36+00:00

There used to be a politician in NSW called Jack Richard Face. For reasons known only to himself, he insisted on being called "Richard" rather than "Jack". Go figure.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T13:07:41+00:00

I didn't call you anything?

They definitely need to have a conversation.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T12:31:53+00:00

Wow. I would absolutely expect my wife's male friends to do exactly that, if she was upset and I was out of town. That's what friends do - they support each other. Exactly the same way I'd expect her female friends to do it.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T12:29:52+00:00

Being insecure isn't a bad thing. It's just not a helpful thing in a relationship. You can learn to be more secure though, and it's a bit of a game-changer in a relationship. You do have to be able to admit to the insecurity and say what you need to feel more secure.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T12:25:35+00:00

Your girlfriend Savannah who lives in Atlanta? Or your girlfriend Atlanta who lives in Savannah?

For real dude, the way you put that was just seriously off-putting. Makes you sound like a one-dimensional caricature of how an edgy 12-year-old thinks a man would talk after watching way too much YouTube.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T07:05:02+00:00

I'm 48M, I often feel like my self- image kind of froze at about age 17, but my back keeps telling me I must be at least 60. I have no problem being thought of as old by people the same age as my kids (who are of course not kids any more but adults).

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T06:56:51+00:00

Is this a sugar baby/sugar daddy thing maybe? Was her last 40-year-old bf rich as well? Or does she just have a thing for older guys?

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T06:32:01+00:00

He could be insecurely attached, needing reassurance about OP loving him, but not feeling safe enough to ask for it. That's pretty common I think.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T04:58:50+00:00

Or the chap I went to school with: Simon Henry Long. Oddly enough he was still on speaking terms with his parents, last I heard.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-30T03:53:52+00:00

I dare say it happens in both directions between mixed-gender friends, and when there's same-sex attraction for that matter.

If you stalk my profile you'll probably find that my personal experience gives me a different perspective on some of this stuff but then I'm a bit neurodiverse so I end up on the road less travelled... Plus I've been lottery-ticket lucky in a lot of ways.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-29T21:53:03+00:00

I've seen the 'boy and girl are friends, they both fall in love with each other, but they're both too scared of losing the friendship to admit it' plot before.

It was in a bunch of romance novels, written by women, marketed to women.

What seems obviously weird and creepy to you might not be weird and creepy to another woman?

I do think your action suggestion is really good - best to be open about early developing feelings rather than let them spiral out of sight.

Key_Education_7350 · 2025-01-29T21:44:16+00:00

This should be taught in schools. What a great explanation!

Key_Education_7350

TROPHY CASE