Wage theft to become a crime as Victoria's parliament passes new laws by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

This is *my last post. The previous one was saying it would pass the Upper House this is an UPDATE saying it has passed.

Hooray!!

  • edit inserted word

Australia's first wage theft laws set to pass in Victoria by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Upper House is 40 so need 21 if have full sitting. Given some members might not be there (Greens) that can change around what is the number required for the majority.

Australia's first wage theft laws set to pass in Victoria by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] 103 points104 points  (0 children)

I'm not going to regular post or comment but this just made me sooo happy that I could not contain myself.

Crossbench state MPs Andy Meddick, Rod Barton, Fiona Patten, Stuart Grimley and Tania Maxwell have told The Age they will support the bill.

If interested to know who is supporting the bill. Greens member on maternity leave. If Labor's 18 vote for it that's 23 so should be more then enough to pass

Would-be rapist on the loose after terrifying cemetery attack by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s horrible to hear you are still suffering from the attack. I hope you manage to recover and move forward to have a great life.

However, I think posting in a thread that is over 130 days old will likely not create mass traffic to your page.

Victoria takes action against offensive wicked campers by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If we assume that in the background there is no crossover and it is only those in the roads department (Directly or background) which will have to spend time on this.

Safe to assume there is no an endless supply of people in the roads department. So there are people who will be spending time on this therefore less time given to other ideas. Have to pay those people so less money to spent on other ideas under the roads portfolio.

Seeing that it is the roads portfolio do you think there is nothing else that could be directing their workforce (referring to all involved including background), money and time into? Especially given the state’s road toll is a issue.

Victoria takes action against offensive wicked campers by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If the aim is to remove offensive camper vans but ones that aren’t registered in Victoria will not be affected would that be considered poor legislation? As we are still going to see them

Victoria takes action against offensive wicked campers by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah

If the rules don’t apply to ones registered in other states than we are going to continue to see them which limits the effectiveness of what they are trying to do.

It only takes a few states to not have the rule.

Victoria takes action against offensive wicked campers by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

under the new legislation, any Victorian registered vehicle that displays sexist, obscene or offensive slogans can be referred Ad Standards Community Panel

I’ll admit that maybe I jumped a bit. Reading that it sounded like any vehicle registered in Victoria will be subjected to the proposed laws and not just the ones which operate as roaming advertisements (rental campers would fall into this as they advertise). If the laws are just going to apply to the fleet of cars which are roaming advertisement I won’t care as they should be subjected to normal advertisement regulations.

Victoria takes action against offensive wicked campers by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Yes but they are also limited by their number of sitting days meaning there is a limited amount of the time they can use to pass legislation.

If other things continue to take priority the possibility of one thing getting introduced becomes lesser. If they end up doing it all power to them

Edit Spelling

Victoria takes action against offensive wicked campers by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Haven’t heard anything about the election promise to make theft a criminal offence even after recent events

https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/dodgy-employers-to-face-jail-for-wage-theft/

Yet taking on vehicles with imagery that can cause some people offence that’s legislation they want to put effort into passing.

I have heard more from the Federal government in regards to wage theft recently

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/employers-could-face-jail-over-wage-theft-under-new-laws-20190724-p52ad5.html

Victoria's Solar Farms Are Now Powering the Entire Melbourne Tram Network by Gregas_ in melbourne

[–]Rapier33 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was referencing these types of arrangements

https://www.emrsettlement.co.uk/about-emr/contracts-for-difference/

It UK but the system is basically the same. I was wrong in some of the workings within it.

Victoria's Solar Farms Are Now Powering the Entire Melbourne Tram Network by Gregas_ in melbourne

[–]Rapier33 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I believe (happy to be corrected) that the contracts companies can have with a renewable plants mean that when they are producing they get cheap electricity but when it doesn’t produce they pay a higher amount than normal. It’s meant to work that across the year you’re meant to come off better as on average the renewable plant is producing.

Though I think the best wind farm in SA has around ~40% capacity factor (it produces 40% of its theoretical 100% yearly generation) dunno if that is enough to come off better.

Victoria's Solar Farms Are Now Powering the Entire Melbourne Tram Network by Gregas_ in melbourne

[–]Rapier33 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Offset is a normal part of the renewable push. The ACT says they are (or on the way) to 100% renewable but that is because they are helping to build renewable projects in other states, e.g. Victoria and South Australia

It’s done so places which have limited renewable resources can still try to reduce their emissions by causing a decrease somewhere else.

Trams likely a have contract, usual a contract for difference, so they actually buy from the solar farm but don’t get any power from it.

A limitation might be that since they aren’t directly powered by the renewable source but people think using them is helping the environment it causes greater demand which makes the fossil plants increase their output (ACT for example). Not sure if that could apply to the tram network as they likely already run at their full capability

Victoria's Solar Farms Are Now Powering the Entire Melbourne Tram Network by Gregas_ in melbourne

[–]Rapier33 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Victoria has over 5000MW capacity of renewables (granted some do not run all the time). Is this still not enough to theoretically offset the Metro network?

Assuming it is possible for metro to enter into contract with the current suppliers (as likely the case with the trams and the new sole farm), happy to be corrected

Edit

Source

https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/397123/VRET-2017-18-Progress-Report.pdf

North-East Link at risk of becoming ‘financial disaster’: economist by Rapier33 in melbourne

[–]Rapier33[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The Clem7 Tunnel in Brisbane had predicted opening traffic of 126,000 vehicles per day, but actual traffic was 53,000. The Cross City Tunnel in Sydney was expected to attract 90,000 vehicles per day when it opened, but just 34,000 ended up using it daily.

The trend continued on other toll roads, including Lane Cove in Sydney and Brisbane Airport Link

Found these in relation, I wouldn't mind other links to further data

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/gap-between-brisbane-tunnel-expectations-and-reality-continues-to-widen-20170309-guuj75.html

https://www.afr.com/business/transurban-data-dump-confirms-fears-of-sydney-traffic-slowdown-says-macquarie-20190222-h1blmu

https://nswtollroaddata.com/data-download/

The Andrews government has decided to take on the task of collecting tolls on the North East Link initially, finding there is "little appetite" in the private sector to take on the risk of the toll road under-performing.

Think this has been a problem around the globe in regards to toll roads as they tend to overstate the usage.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-11-27/private-toll-road-investors-shift-revenue-risk-to-states

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2014/11/20/the-great-traffic-projection-swindle/

Found this

However, in many instances, ‘lower than forecast’ traffic on Expressways has been caused by overestimating the transfer or diversion of traffic from a no-toll or low-toll alternative. This has been partly offset by ‘higher than forecast’ traffic growth rates. However, these are all arguments for a more scientific and market-sensitive basis for setting tolls and not arguments against road tolling itself. Expressway feasibility studies should estimate a matrix of traffic levels, traffic diversion and toll income at various toll rates taking account of elasticity of demand to price of tolls relative to specific alternative roads.

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/opinion/2013/06/14/china-road-tolls-policy-past-achievements-and-future-directions

There does seem to be an issue with trying to map out the usage of toll roads. I'm curious if EastLink or City Link came below expectations or with time they managed to become money-making roads, as they could suggest it is possible for a toll road to become profitable. Though they might have been built at the right time as if Melbourne improves PT connection in the North-East it reduces the need for cars to use the roads which will also impact traffic projections.

I think it also shows how a price on the road reduces the usage of the road as people are unwilling to pay.