Summer Time

It has been rather hot for the past couple of days consecutively about 40degC or so. It was 35 degC on a night! There is some rain now which is so welcoming.

I'm thinking of heading to the beaches I had read in the Herald Sun. Dromana Beach (Mornington peninsula 70km south of Melbourne CBD), Lakes Entrance (at Gippsland Lakes' hub) 400km east of Melbourne CBD, Cowes Beach (Phillip Island, 140km southeast of Melbourne CBD), Betka Beach (Mallacoota 540km east of Melbourne CBD), and one in Great Ocean Rd, 140km of Melbourne CBD.

I also read an article on the papers by Jeff Kennett, the former premier of Victoria. He asked whether the Australians really need pay rises, that whether they think it better to try to stop the increasing cycle of demand because "every time we make a demand, you can bet your life that our costs go up accordingly."

He has a point there except I think not many people think about it that way. Not many people realise that by raising their wages, their company will have to increase its product pricing. If consumers don't purchase as many of the products, the company will suffer and may be forced to think of ways of cutting cost, one of which is to retrench its employees. Ultimately, the employee may lose his job.

I read about employees urging people to buy Australian. If the economy is not good, people will be trying to make their dollar stretch just a little. How to buy Australian if one can't afford Australian?

People need to start thinking about doing things in a better way so as to be more competitive in the global market, not by going head-on with his competitor and reducing his prices outright, but through training and learning new ways about doing things. There are innovations and new things coming up outside the country.

Investing in education and research is so important to be in the forefront. I hope more can be done because the government cannot continue to earn its revenue by imposing car park fines and property duties.