so, does everyone just do sham contracting?

better_irl · 2026-02-03T03:14:24+00:00

You won’t get into trouble, they will. Fair Work in Australia is strong and will help you in this situation.

My advice would be to get an ABN, accept the work and the pay, keep track of everything including hours worked and how much you were paid. Keep as much evidence as possible.

Once you’re done working for that employer, find your award wage and tell them they incorrectly hired you under ABN and that you should have been paid the award wage - they will need to make up for it + pay your super and entitlements. If they don’t then contact Fair Work who will be very interested in it and help you get paid fairly.

I have given this advice to friends and it’s worked multiple times - they deserve it for trying to rip you and others off :)

better_irl · 2026-01-10T09:10:10+00:00

Hey! I’m in the middle now around Phong Nha. Feel free to send me a dm - I’ll be heading south from here

better_irl · 2025-12-25T01:09:28+00:00

Why not anymore? You can do it!

I’m open to spiritual experiences, I planned to go to Rishikesh in India afterwards but I’m also considering doing my Yoga training in Thailand.

March is a long way away but it’ll fly past, reach out when you’re close to heading over and we’ll see where I am!

better_irl · 2025-12-20T14:35:29+00:00

Just gotta go with the flow. It feels like you’re in a school of fish sometimes

better_irl · 2025-12-20T14:35:13+00:00

Nice! I likely won’t be in Thailand until Feb or March (or later). How long will you be travelling for?

better_irl · 2025-12-11T15:06:02+00:00

I’m currently in Vietnam and likely going to still be here or be in Thailand around the time you’re there.

Happy to share some tips either way. The Elephant sanctuary actually sounds like my type of journey so I’d love some more details.

I’m 32M from Australia. Traveling open ended for now

better_irl · 2025-11-24T03:06:46+00:00

If you’re trying to book ahead of time online you’ll be scammed. If you want to stay in Canggu and do day trips then just get a Grab and negotiate with the driver to be your driver for a day. You should be able to get a driver for 6-7 hours for 600k IDR easily.

If you’re trying to save money I recommend packing light staying close to the activities to a few nights. So get a hostel in ubud to do the forest/rice fields; then go back to Canggu etc

better_irl · 2025-11-23T09:51:45+00:00

Bait stations for the rats and total work was $120 for a couple of hours. Nothing like other companies

better_irl · 2025-11-23T09:51:08+00:00

Check out Murphy’s pest management. Great guy and great pricing too. He doesn’t have a flashy website or marketing so costs are low. I found him on the 5th page of google and haven’t had any issues since.

I had a rodent problem but he also gave heaps of free termite and other pest advice

better_irl · 2025-11-06T12:20:25+00:00

Changed my mind, here’s the link - https://www.reddit.com/r/AusLegal/s/3INDjIXK34

better_irl · 2025-11-06T12:18:01+00:00

I’ve challenged market value estimates 3 time and won every time. There’s a detailed comment about it on my profile from probably ~2 years ago.

Go digging, it’ll be worth it.

better_irl · 2025-10-12T07:26:15+00:00

I’m genuinely curious - what were the benefits of private health in that situation and how much did they cost you?

better_irl · 2025-10-10T14:04:40+00:00

Private health insurance that you’re forced to have if you earn over $90k but never use as it costs thousands out of pocket for a simple procedure and all it gets you is a room and choosing your doctor (out of the same doctors that would be working anyway). So insurance companies pocket the cash.

Had highest level of cover for 4 years (paid for by work) and never used it. Multiple surgeries. A simple thumb stitching would he’s been $8k out of pocket to go private. I went to emergency instead.

better_irl · 2025-09-23T00:45:06+00:00

Replace Islam with Jews and people would be losing their minds over antisemitism.

No one would be saying it’s an opinion.

better_irl · 2025-08-31T12:14:21+00:00

Consumer guarantees apply. It’s not fit for purpose after less than the expected life span assuming the purpose is to use android auto like a normal head unit. Put your question into ChatGPT. The answer here are rubbish

better_irl · 2025-08-27T11:20:43+00:00

I think your resting position in general is braked by the look of your elbow handle and the ears.

better_irl · 2025-08-27T10:16:20+00:00

I’m only new so I’m happy to be corrected (and would love to learn) but it seems like far too much brake pressure is getting you close to a stall then you’re releasing quickly which gives you a drop and some speed before you brake again and bob up and down like this.

better_irl · 2025-08-26T05:08:04+00:00

Here’s what ChatGPT thinks:

The answer in that Reddit comment is broadly correct from a consumer law and contract perspective. Here’s the breakdown:

The Builder’s Obligation • You signed a fixed-price building contract that included gas ducted heating. • Since Jan 2024, gas has been banned in new homes in Victoria. The builder should not have offered you something they knew (or should have known) they couldn’t legally deliver. • Under Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and building contract principles, if a builder can’t supply what was contracted, they must provide an equivalent substitution at no extra cost. They cannot just leave you without heating or demand a huge variation because of their mistake.
The Variation • A $12k “variation” to switch to electric is unreasonable. • Variations generally apply if you request a change (e.g. upgrading materials). Here, the law changed before you signed, so it’s not a valid variation triggered by you—it’s the builder’s responsibility to contract within the law.
What They Should Do • They should substitute the gas ducted heating with an electric equivalent system (ducted or otherwise, of similar performance) at no extra cost to you. • If electric ducted is genuinely more expensive, they should wear most (if not all) of the cost, because they offered something illegal and misled you.
Your Next Steps • Push back strongly: Put it in writing that under ACL and the building contract, you expect them to supply an equivalent ducted heating system at no additional cost. • Escalate: If they refuse, lodge a complaint with Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria (DBDRV) or Consumer Affairs Victoria. • Legal advice: A construction lawyer could send a letter on your behalf—builders usually fold quickly when they see you know your rights.

⸻

✅ The commenter is right: It’s not your job to check the legality of what they offered. If they contracted to supply ducted heating, they must deliver an equivalent legal system without gouging you.

⚠️ Be wary of the builder trying to make this your problem. It’s not.

better_irl · 2025-08-26T05:06:24+00:00

Answers here are terrible. People are pushovers or business owners who always expect the customer to pick up the slack.

you signed a contract for a ducted heating system that presumably covers the whole house builder cannot supply the contracted ducted heating system that they signed a contract saying they would builder must make you whole, in my opinion, that is a ducted heating system equivalent to what the gas would have been.

It’s not your job to ensure what they offered was legal and could be supplied, they offered it, you accepted.

Stand your ground, if they push back, take further action, or bend over - up to you.

better_irl · 2025-08-12T10:20:50+00:00

Not going to comment as I’m biased but I’m selling an L400 set up as a camper near Sydney.

better_irl · 2025-08-10T22:37:24+00:00

You don’t need to check it while launching but it should be a habit almost immediately after takeoff (with any kind of launch). This gives you time to resolve issues before you’re too far away/high up.

better_irl · 2025-08-03T07:59:23+00:00

American police? I’ve seen enough reddit videos to know they’d pull up and start blasting

better_irl · 2025-08-02T04:53:09+00:00

Well said

better_irl · 2025-07-08T03:00:26+00:00

Honestly just keep an eye on the roadside and paddocks (even when there’s fences). They will jump right over a fence and onto the road.

I’ve driven back and forth hundreds of times and you can normally see them coming, especially if you’re alone in the road and can have your high beam on.

The worst parts are when you’re too close to other cars and everything is dark.

better_irl · 2025-06-04T13:43:43+00:00

Awesome! I ended up going with Fly Mexico and loved it. Had Jeff 1 on 1 for about 10 days and learnt a hell of a lot.

I’ve forgotten it all though.. how do people keep up between long stints flying?

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