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Work Down Under?

Discussion in 'YachtForums Yacht Club' started by Henning, Jan 19, 2010.

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  1. Henning, Jan 19, 2010
    #1
    Henning

    Henning Senior Member

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    Admin Note: This thread was split from a previous discussion.​


    Australia is a first world country? By what test?
  2. K1W1, Jan 19, 2010
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    K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Walk down the street and tell a few locals they are not at the top of the tree like Canberra says and see if you can walk home again.
  3. JWY, Jan 19, 2010
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    JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    While "new boat bugs" is an accepted nuisance, some boats and manufacturers have greater prevalence. What is not acceptable is a dealer who represents the builder and does not stand behind all defects and a builder who doesn't step up to the plate when they have signed on with an unscrupulous dealer.

    The warranty issues were not indigenous to the Aussie dealer. Not sure how many Symbol owners are repeat buyers, but Symbol is not a boat I recommend to my clients.

    Judy
  4. Henning, Jan 19, 2010
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    Henning

    Henning Senior Member

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    Try real tests like where the economic base is. Australias economy revolves around the export of raw mineral resources, even worse actually in some instances like Uranium, they sell the rights to mine their resources, no value added at all. Now lets look at what you can buy, and the result is about 1/3 of the product range of a first world country. How about polution? Australia is the highest per capita carbon emmiter in the world. Pretty third world to me....
  5. K1W1, Jan 19, 2010
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    K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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  6. Henning, Jan 19, 2010
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    Henning

    Henning Senior Member

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    Yep, the one thing they do have is a strong welfare/human services system and I'm sure that's what that group is looking at for inclussion. They do educate a lot of people on it and provide reasonable (though not top shelf, I doubt you find Rupert Murdoch in an Aussie hospital for something serious) medical care. Government services work quite well, surprisingly so, but the government is large and population small.

    When people ask me to describe living in Oz, I tell them it's a third world country with pretensions. It's like an English speaking Mexico... with hippies.
  7. Kafue, Jan 19, 2010
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    Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    Third World Countries

    And how many third world countries have you lived in to make this judgement? Also, if you are so negative about Australia why are you here? With your OBVIOUS uber knowledge about boating, people, culture etc why chose this third world hovel?
  8. Henning, Jan 19, 2010
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    Henning

    Henning Senior Member

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    Actually, at the moment I'm in Ft Lauderdale on vacation. I run a boat that is in Aus undergoing a major commissioning refit. I do it because I am paid well for it and I work 3 months on, three months off. When I get back, we'll soon be underway for Indonesia, a third world country with no pretensions. I'm not that down on Aus, just realistic. It's quite trying when working there and everything has to be imported. Every part is a weeks delay. I've thrown people off the project for saying "she be right mate". That attitude more than anything describes third world.
  9. Kafue, Jan 20, 2010
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    Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    Third World

    If needing to import many items makes for a 3rd world country then watch out for the US boat building industry. Ask the gentleman who can't get a Volvo part! As for the comment "she be right mate!" I know what you mean & you won't want to hear this but that is the supervisor's fault, or business owners fault for employing that type. I run a construction company & guys with that attitude don't get past the first morning. BTW, are you saying this type of worker does not exist in the US yards? Come on, look at the fella workin' on the Bert.
    Have to admit, I had work done on my Offshore in Ft Lauderdakle & was IMPRESSED at the speed & efficency.
    Still Henning calling Aus 3rd world is a) not truthful b) Ignorant & c) arrogant...Mate;)
  10. Henning, Jan 20, 2010
    #10
    Henning

    Henning Senior Member

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    I don't mean the parts aren't domestically produced, I mean I have to personally import or order imported every bit individually as I need it because no retailer carries inventory. Finding Flitz Metal Polish and Collenite Insulator Wax netted me stares from 2 of the three chandlers and a "Nope, never heard of it, can't get it" The gal in the little chandlery shed inside BMIP off Barku Ct in Hemant, she found it for me, she's good. I worked in Aus before, actually right there for Brisbane Ship Construction in the old big Warren south shed. I was living with my Aussie G/F back then. (I also built airplanes for a small shop in Melbourne for a year) The work ethic and workmanship I saw there, I can definitely say that I have never seen in the States. It was painful to watch the (lack of) progress and fix mistakes. Out of 40 people fabricating, 4 knew what they were doing, and nobody cared. "Rough as Guts".... Oh yeah, then there's Aussie chicks.... Y'alls girls are more psycho than our girls....:p

    Aus does have pretty birds though, and possums. Ringtails are pretty sweet.
  11. Kafue, Jan 20, 2010
    #11
    Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    Now its Girls

    Now its Girls! Thats BETTER! Before I married one, who is an ANGEL (AHHHH Sweet) I would agree with you, BUT to say they are more physco than US girls:D Was in LA in 1984 and thought, at first anyway, that I had landed in heaven, now that WAS phsyco!
    Henning, your expeirences in Australia might have a lot to do with YOU and the way you treat your employees. Being a perfectionist is no problem, but the Aussies are not ones to take to the same type of management as the US guys would. May sound like a generalisation but they can play that game with relish and send you Phsyco. PLUS, as everywhere, you get what you pay for. Am I guessing the refit here is due to price?
    BTW, the Indonesians will play the game too if you crap on them. Great guys and workers, just don't kick ass (probably telling you something you already know).
  12. Henning, Jan 20, 2010
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    Henning

    Henning Senior Member

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    LOL, I could have put it on a ship last April when I first saw it , sent it here and been in Indonesia by August and for less money. I've paid shipping bills getting stuff (some big and heavy stuff) air freighted over here that would literally have paid for the ride on a ship. Cost?!?! OMG, not saving a dime doing it in Aus, that's for sure. The one cheap thing though is the dock. Australian dock rates are the lowest rates I have seen in the world. And then there is the slow labor, and the fact that I have to go around every night and catch up the final details that the contractors didn't get right.

    No, the owner got screwed by the industry. He's a really nice guy, he just wanted a boat he could enjoy, he has money. The industry has just taken him on a 7 year f- job. The poor dude was hit with the barbarian (w)hoard that is the core of this industry. Poor guy never got a single bit of good advice. Actually got some really bad advice from a broker, surprise to that huh? He never had a good professional advocate. He's from that area, and after his experiences with a prior captain and crew getting things done in China and Singapore, he needed the project close to home for daily supervision. The project is the most extensive refit required to get a boat into first commission I have ever been on bar none. How this boat was delivered with a Lloyds certificate, I don't know.
  13. PropBet, Jan 20, 2010
    #13
    PropBet

    PropBet Senior Member

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    Congratulations Henning.
    You've successfully hijacked yet another thread.

    Let's hope a mod or admin comes in a splits this to a new thread and not pollute a mans thread who's looking for information on his boat.

    Cheers!
  14. Kafue, Jan 20, 2010
    #14
    Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    For What it's worth, just spoke to a well known and liked identity in the boating/marina industry. Sure Take Five would know him and he too is now aware and DIGUSTED by this situation. Austrlia is small in population and this krap will not bode well for Mr. Mac or Mr. Symbol. For SURE. And I do apologise to High Five if we have gone way off subject, yet Henning has brought up another victim. What better way to out these cons than YF.
  15. YachtForums, Jan 20, 2010
    #15
    YachtForums

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    Gents,

    The posts above have been split into a new thread titled "Work Down Under and the new thread has been placed in the YachtForums Yacht Club.

    Let's all make an effort to keep in mind... the internet is international and forums promote unity. We're all in the same boat together.

    Thanks!
  16. Kafue, Jan 20, 2010
    #16
    Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    New Thread

    Thanks Carl, at least High Five can have his thread back.
    I am very surprised though that this thread, titled Work Down Under has been created due to ONE persons extremely ARROGANT and BIASED opinion. We are talking of ONE person who, whilst he seems to be extremely knowledgable in boating, is opinonated on everything even outside of boating. I have recieved a number of Private messages, in support and dissppointment that these types of comments have got past the moderator. Australia has a large (for its 20 million population) and highly respected marine industry (of course to Henning who could not get the right polish OR BOLT, we are "UNTERMENSCHEN!).
    I am reasonably new here but NO TROLL! This guy is being OFFENSIVE and if you believe I am the only one who feels this way you are wrong, both Aussies, New Zealanders and OTHERS feel this is way off mark. Would you let me get away with saying the Germans have an arrogance and racial issue? NO, firstly because it is bigotted and secondly, not true. I know I have German family.
    In Australian slang Henning...PULL YOUR HEAD IN AND LEARN SOME HUMILITY!
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