Welcome to this week’s editorial, There has been considerable discussion around the Tables of Knowledge up and down the coast this week with the news that Eurobodalla is apparently, as reported in local newspapers, seeing a spike in real estate interest. There has been much discussion around our table about the record prices being achieved at local auctions and the news that the average median price has increased on housing across the Eurobodalla with an upsurge of enquiries coming in from Sydney and Melbourne buyers wanting to make a sea change. At most of the Tables of Knowledge that you find outside favourite coffee spots that line our coastline availing decaf soy latte sipping pundits access to the winter sun you will often hear discussions of superannuation, shares, debentures and negative gearing grumbles as they solve the world’s problems along with all their latest pains and ailments. This week there were mixed grumbles about the cost of a cup of coffee and that while penalty rates for weekend workers have been “adjusted” that hasn’t resulted, as yet, on either dropping the price per cup or seeing more staff employed. The grumbles continued that with the assistance packages being offered to first home buyers there will now be a marked increase in auction contestation when their buying their third and fourth investment property and with an identified glut of rental accommodation in Sydney from an oversupply of apartments that would have an adverse effect on the rental market that affects the bottom line. “Another double shot macchiato for me and a long black for my friend…” The conversation then turned to the “ridiculous situation” where there are no trades available to do the essential small running repairs on our holiday houses. Last week Michael received a negative comment on both Trip Advisor and Stayz because of a dripping ensuite tap and a dodgy balustrade that has now bought his rental’s star rating down to 3.5. Half of the Table of Knowledge blames the government for stripping back funding to TAFE and the other half blames parents for insisting little Kylie or Wayne have to go to University and get a degree that sees them move out of home, move to a city, study, pass along with a thousand other kids, have no job to go to, find mum and dad have downsized so they can’t / won’t move home so, they move into a squat, get a job in hospitality either waiting tables or in Wayne’s case growing a beard and becoming an barista, fall in love, have a kid, find an apartment and rent/live unhappily ever after. Simon likes this “What’s the problem? They need somewhere to rent and we can provide it—better returns than the bank and it is negatively geared? If they can’t find work in the city then they should move to where the work is.” Simon then ignores Graham’s input that there is widespread youth unemployment all over, especially here at home. Tables of Knowledge are interesting places that reveal the mad mishmash of information people receive. Some at our table read particular news papers in old fashioned paper form. Others read the news on line. Some quote Yahoo News or their Facebook feed swearing that both keep them up to date on all the top news stories while others at the table take more care with The Guardian and even the humble Beagle. At our table world news was something more seriously spoken of until Trump came along. Federal news discussions were going along fie until the Turnbull/Abbot wars showed their head and Mr Potato Head became the head honcho of all honchos in the huthutthutt stakes of border and crowd control. State discussions had a run for a while but after a good week of discussions about the Batemans Bay bridge and the Dr Phoon hospital debacle it was agreed that conversations would turn to local politics instead for a while and solve the issues of rates, roads and rubbish.
But that fell in a mess with the collective table agreeing that the whole political show at Council was just a waste of time. It was agreed that once there was a hope that the new councillors and the new mayor would do what they stood for. As one the Table of Knowledge reached for their coffees, lifted their eyebrows and let out sighs of what could have been. If you aren’t a member of a Table of Knowledge then form your own. Pick a nice coffee place with a table in the warmth, be there the same time every day and invite the others at their own tables to join you. It’s fun and very satisfying when you can solve the worlds problems over a latte.
Until next week lei
