May 2008 Archives

Employees who earn $450 or less per month with any one employer, are not entitled to compulsory superannuation like every other employed Australian. Superannuation Guarantee Charge Amendment Bill 2002.This seems like discrimination against the working poor. Does it seem that 9% of $450 per month would be too small to justify the administration?

I worked out that 9% of $450 X 12 months = $468 per year
@ 12 % interest compounded over 40 years Compound Interest Calculator gives you a total on retirement of:

$462, 765

Thats a cool half a million dollars. Thats enough to make a big difference to the working poor when they hit retirement age and the Federal government has promised that there will be no age pensions in the future. The people who need the superannuation contribution from their employer the most are the people who are excluded from getting any.

And if it so happens that you have several part-time jobs with a many different employers, then the superannuation you are missing is much, much higher.

So I'd like to see the start of a campaign to change the law so that there is NO minimum amount for compulsory superannuation contributions. Include those earning $450 or less from any particular employer in the new super economy!

Centrelink has the gear


Originally uploaded by iwoolf.

These containers of cool gear were at the Centrelink exhibit at CeBit 2008. They have their own power supply and solar panels, WiFi, servers, virtual PCs, everything they need for disaster response IT support. They booth guy told us we'd be surprized by how much disaster management Centrelink handles, and we were.

3D at last


Originally uploaded by iwoolf.

This 3D TV/monitor screen at CeBit 2008 was the most impressive thing I saw. They have software to convert 2D movies into OK 3D, and software to generate great 3D directly. If they put a processor into the monitor to convert 2D movies to 3D on-the-fly whule you're watching, they'll sell millions of them. Everyone with two eyes will want them. Since they use stereo for the 3D effect, its no use to people with only one eye. They'll have to wait for the holographic TV sets. Unfortunately the exhibitor was in the Aus Events exibition next door, so I couldn't ask how it worked.

XO and me


Originally uploaded by iwoolf.

If you look closely, you can see me captured on screen taking the photo. At the Open Source discussion, every developer was carrying an XO laptop. My interview with one of the inventors Professor Barry Vercoe will be broadcast soon.

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