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Well, we're taking the jump. My wife and I test drove 3 EVs today - MG 4, MG 4 Urban and MG 5. Kate had already put down a deposit on the MG 4, but after driving all 3 we're tossing up between the Urban and the MG 5. In all 3 cars the acceleration is brilliant. Handling is great. We found the Urban and MG 5 more comfortable because we're both tall (and possibly a bit wider than we should be). Over the weekend we'll decide which way to go and switch the deposit on Monday.

I agree with you there Nev...the media in this country is shockingly bad. Journalism is now tainted with woke and left bias. Very few have any right bias its mainly left. What ever happened to unbiased fact based journalism that just gave you the facts and not the spin depending on who owns the media company The ABC used to until it was poisioned by idealogy and crap interviewers

This is beautiful.

Geez, you've really been sucking on the Trump Kool-aid bottle, haven't you? What do you think is going to be the next thing to happen? A long-lasting peace plan engineered by Trump, where the Iranians lay down all their arms, and come meekly to the surrender table to sign the surrender document? You're off with the fairies, along with the Tangerine Toddler. He's so full of sh**, it's a wonder they haven't called the portaloo collectors to come and collect him.

Bugger that...I have a rainbow to sell the daft bloke

It seems funny hearing people refer to 4% as high interest rates. It was 17.5% when I took out a variable rate loan to buy my place, and the loan peaked at around 20%. My father was paying around 22% on his business loan at it's peak.

"Real Australians" are a mythical beast invented by absolute fuckwits who spew their ignorance and racism on sites like this.

Even though election analyst Antony Green has retired from election night broadcasts, he still crunches numbers and runs his election blog. He comes up with some interesting stats. On his blog he was breaking down the S.A. Labor government's votes and swings and found that in safe Labor seats with a margin of 15% or more, there was a predominately large swing away from Labor, and in Labor seats with a margin less than 15%, there was a swing to Labor.

I tried the beer when I was up in the country, but it was hard to get, warm and tasted like the worst home brew you'd ever tried. Rotten egg gas smell when you opened them and no two bottles were the same. Apart from right hand drive cars driving on the right, another oddity was a couple of years later when Ne Win introduced new currency based on his lucky number 9. He also demonetized three existing notes which rendered 75% of the country's cash invalid. It wiped out most people's savings in a country that relied heavily on black market cash and hammered the economy. The military government was a bit crazy. In the first place I stayed there was a window between floors in the stairwell. In the distance seen out of the window was a big red building, and on the wall a poster with a stern government warning not to look at the big red building. I imagine in the big red building there would have been a government agent with the job of looking through a telescope to see if any foreigners were looking at the big red building. I wouldn't have even noticed the big red building if I hadn't seen the warning sign, so of course the natural response on reading the sign is to look out the window at the big red building.

And for good reason ... to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons ... and the spread of international Islamic terrorism.

Your preferences only apply in your electorate, which wins one seat in parliament. To win government, a party must win sufficient electorates in a first past the post race in the House, so it's only a partial preference vote.

With first past the post in a multi candidate electorate, depending on the number of candidates, the winner could win with only 30% of the first preferences. That means that 70% of voters didn't want that candidate. Don't they have the right to say "OK, X didn't win, but I don't want Z, I'd prefer Y.

People pay big money to go for long train rides, and the aura and advertising associated with the "Great Train Journeys of the World" is very prominent. Both the Ghan and the Indian Pacific make money from passenger traffic. These trips are advertised as "premium" tourism events, and the passengers pay high prices for premium accommodation, premium food and dining experiences, and associated events in towns that the lines pass through. A company named Journey Beyond runs these train trips and the whole operation is quite highly profitable.

The Farrer by-election count is still in early stages but it's looking like a One Nation win over the independent. She might pick up a bit with the Albury booths coming in, but she's got a battle on her hands against the strong ON primary vote. The Liberal vote has crashed, particularly facing both One Nation and National candidates. The big question will be whether the Nats outpoll the Libs as both are fairly close at this stage.

The Victorian and South Australian Electoral Commissions regularly analyse ballot papers and have determined that around 40% of major party voters complete their ballot paper with their preferred party’s HTV preference sequence. The proportion following HTVs is even lower for minor parties and independents. The difference in follow rate is largely related to the proportion of voters who receive the HTV for a particular party or candidate. Obviously the probability of a voter copying a HTV recommendation is higher if they receive a HTV than if they don’t.

Just jumping back to the first past the post voting systems. Here are the countries that have that system. I can't really see a trend here as to whether these countries are better or worse to live in. First Past the Post (FPTP) is a majoritarian electoral system where the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins, even without an absolute majority. As of May 2026, roughly 68 countries and territories use this system for their national legislatures, many of which are former British colonies. Electoral Reform Society +2 Countries Using FPTP for National Legislatures This list includes major nations and representative examples across different regions: The Americas & Caribbean United States Canada Belize The Bahamas Barbados Jamaica Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago Europe & Central Asia United Kingdom (for House of Commons only) Belarus (House of Representatives) Azerbaijan Electoral Reform Society +3 Asia India (Lok Sabha) Pakistan Bangladesh Malaysia Nepal (Note: Nepal uses a mixed system, but the plurality component is significant) Laos Africa Botswana Ethiopia Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia Zimbabwe Oceania Cook Island Country Cook Islands Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Tonga Key Characteristics Plurality-Based: A candidate only needs one more vote than their nearest rival to win. Single-Member Districts: Voters typically elect one representative for their local area. Direct Result: It often leads to a "winner-takes-all" outcome, frequently resulting in two-party dominance.

Wille. you are correct. I had 2 properties at the time. My home/workshop and the house next door that I purchased to rent out...18% from memory I was dealing with on both places That wasnt caused by the economy though...Keating and the banks were fighting. The banks won

If you believe that, I've got a lovely bridge for sale.

What are Real Australians? Nev

I believe Australia is 4.35 percent and the US is 4.35 percent. Not a huge difference.

Actually ch7 has been a bit unusual lately. I noticed that when they showed Charmers interview when the interest rates went up and he blamed the Iran war basically and they then showed Michelle Bullocks assesment they did NOT show the the part where she said its mainly govt out of control spending that did the damage and not the war was the main reason..they essentially reported the story as Charmers version and did not show the other side. Then Spotlight did their program. so they seem to be swinging both ways on those 2 reports. Maybe its as usual its only for clicks not showing both sides of the one story.

I agree with him too, but he forgot to add that the US is responsible for creating the new normal that he's complaining about.

Channel 7? Their recent hatchet job on batteries was disgusting. Sure make your case but don't lie.

Nev. you didnt read what I wrote. I said there are not many that have a right bias.....the only really right side and not far right bias is Sky (any owned by Murdoch) all the rest are left or far left like the ABC is now

I may have had a Paulian conversion on the road to Damascus. And Paulian if not a misspelling of Pauline.

Newspaper editorials have always been political when the there is a political discussion going on. They are not something that Murdoch et al invented. In Australia you can go back to the very first newspapers published in Sydney. (You can find them using Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/ ) and see the political editorials therein. The editorials always promoted one view or another of the situation.

Between us, I think it's made up. Nev

Anyhow we are Off Topic. Nev

New immigrants from "war torn" countries often go back and spend a holiday with relos. There's no money, that's why. The Govt spends it on terrorists' families.

Small area and lot's of People. Complete OPPOSITE of our situation. Look no further. Nev

You’re implying that was money handed to them by the Government. It’s much more likely that they worked hard for it doing jobs and running businesses that Real Australians didn’t want, and paying taxes as well.

I haven't looked into this however if true does not bother me. At this point I don't own an EV but the the more of these vehicles on the road the better for everyone. As a regular cyclist I can say that I would rather be waiting at the traffic lights behind an EV than a car spewing fumes in my face We know the kids who live near major highways have more respiratory issues. My son recently spent time in Beijing. He was expecting the air to be thick with car fumes however the air was surprisingly clear thanks to the uptake of EVs. Thus benefits all of society.

Kyle, You think Sky and Murdoch don't have any right wing Bias? I can't see how you can say that with a straight face. Nev

https://www.news.com.au/technology/motoring/outrage-over-proposal-to-charge-all-households-for-national-ev-charging-network/news-story/bbd8978da0b62ff10da3bbd60c8758d4?utm_campaign=EditorialSB&utm_source=News.com.au&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_content=SocialBakers

The thing with preferential voting is that I can send a signal. My seat is a safe seat, it has not changed hands in decades. Whilst I know my vote will flow through to the least worst of the 2 major candidates. If the winning candidate only just scrapes in then post election analysis may pus a party right or left depending on where the preferences are coming from. A strong One Nation vote is a signal for the major parties to the right and a strong flow from the Greens may signal something different. No system is perfect.

With FPP and a Lot of Candidates a ridiculously Low number of Votes can get someone in by a small difference. . FPP is NOT the Magic bullet. A DECENT Media would be the Biggest Help. Nev

I am not sure that more than 50 percent of voters follow how to vote cards I am the go today so I have not thoroughly read this article but here is a link. https://antonygreen.com.au/do-how-to-votes-matter-evidence-from-the-2022-sa-election/ The Victorian and South Australian Electoral Commissions regularly analyse ballot papers and have determined that around 40% of major party voters complete their ballot paper with their preferred party’s HTV preference sequence. The proportion following HTVs is even lower for minor parties and independents. The difference in follow rate is largely related to the proportion of voters who receive the HTV for a particular party or candidate. Obviously the probability of a voter copying a HTV recommendation is higher if they receive a HTV than if they don’t.

Up till recently OME, you were the Greatest Naysayer re Electric cars of all.. I also went to the University of Technology which you poo pooed, remember, as being lower class. I have also researched a lot of this stuff as it has developed over many Years and still continue to do so. Anyone can Post on You Tube. A recent trip with My eldest son in a near new Toyota Camry Hybrid gave 3.8 Litres/100kms over 730 Kms in 3 days of mostly Highway driving.. Nev

The pref system will work if everyone who voted actually used their brain and cast their preferentials to as they actually want them done. The problem is most voters are sheep and only mark their papers as per the handouts given by the partys. This of course is how that party want YOU to vote NOT what you should vote. You should vote the way you want to the outcome NOT what some dick in a political party wants you to vote. In my opinion this is what makes the system flawed because way more than 50% of the voters just copy what the party voting slip tells them. Thats not clutching at straws Nev those are just the facts. This voting system is designed so that the sheep in the population just follow each other over the cliff

My name is on a well wishing List. Very talented Person, as was his brother. Thanks OME. Nev

My Point is that anything is better than war. IF you CHOSE to live in the sticks don't expect the Features and facilities of the Suburbs to be there. Nev

As long as it didn't walk into the cockpit and announce, "Good morning. This is your Captain speaking."

It is interesting that there are two famous books dealing with the bad sides of the human nature of group control, Animal Farm by George Orwell and Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

And one expects to pay premium prices, the same as one does on an ocean cruise or First Class airline flights. When it comes to mass transport of humans, there is no profit. Such systems must run to schedule. You can't have a commuter train standing on a siding while a profitable freight train goes by. Unless of course you are in the USA where AMTRAC trains give way to freight trains.

Fcts, please. Engine capacity; battery capacity; fuel consumption in l/100km. Thank you.

I have been back since and got to Pagan and Mandalay. But in 1985 Rangoon was crazy. There were slabs missing in the footpath and if you fell in you would be swept away in a giant storm drain. We thought the beer had no alcohol in it but instead had some hallucinogenic drug that made everyone weird.

I think gerrymandering is a separate issue. The don't have preferential voting in US but still squabble about gerrymandering.

It was a crazy place back then, probably still is. It was fairly hard to find a safe place to eat in Rangoon from what I remember. We used to eat at the Strand for British food and the Karachi for Indian. Back then the Strand hotel was still like something from the days of British rule. The most far up north I got was Pagan, never made it as far as Mandalay. It surprised me how dry it was in that area, almost semi-arid with a lot of eucalypt plantations. The gum trees were a welcome smell having been away for a long time. My first impression of Burma was landing there on a Bangladesh Biman flight and getting a taxi into town. The taxi was a big yank tank from the late 50's, right hand drive and driving on the right side of the road. It's still like that, some left hand drive vehicles but predominantly right hand drive vehicles driving on the right.

Onetrack .... the gerrymander system is well and truely envoked in the preferential system already. Look at sydney electorates like Burkes one....its gerrymandered by race as a lot of them are..Benelong is another. A lot of electorates are bordered to encompass majority ethnic groups

Great man. He's done a lot for the world.