Inequality abounds in Australia

In less that 15 minutes I have read or heard about three different forms of inequality....

• The lack of equal representation of minority groups employed within the public sector.
  

• The inequality of Federal funding between elite private and public schools.

• The increasing gap between male and female salaries in the mining sector. Male managers earned up to 60% more than their female counterparts.
  

Why would these three things in particular catch my attention I wondered. After some thought I realised that they attacked the very essence of what I believe Australia is all about.....Equal Opportunity for everyone, no matter what their race, gender or socio-economic status.

Obviously I was wrong.

Cost of Living in Perth

I can not believe I am saying this but.....it IS cheaper to live in Malvern UK than Perth WA.

For years I have had relatives from the UK visit our lovely city and say how cheap everything was and now....well the tables have turned.

Having just returned from a three week visit to the UK, I was astounded at the price of every day living. Food was sooooo cheap, bargains were every where if you cared to look, and to be honest I didn't have to look very hard.

My main concern is not how cheap it is over there, but how very expensive even the basics have become here in WA. Do we really have to pay $2.99 for a bunch of silver beat? Yes I admit the price of bananas has come down since I went away, but I still think the three bunches of bananas at for a pound would leave our $3.99 kg looking a bit sad.

House prices in Enland also appeared very reasonable, as was clothing if you shopped at some of the lesser known stores such as Primark. I bought a very nice pair of track pants for four pounds and with our dollar being so high, that means they cost me less than $8.00. It was not simply the price that surprised me it was the quality of the goods. Sure we can get cheap clothing, but often it is poorly made with wobbly seams.

In fact I took a dressing gown as a Christmas gift and after seeing what was on offer for a similar price, purchased a second one and discarded the one bought in Perth. It was shabby by comparison.

I think at this point in time someone is making huge profits out of the consumers here in Australia, and particularly in Perth. No one in Melbourne pays $4.10 for a coffee. What the is going on????