Cafe spending up in spite of poor economy

admin

take a look: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/economics/shoppers-close-wallets-and-wait/story-e6frg926-1226909543385

Cafes & restaurants up by 13.3% [although doesn't give breakdown between cafes & restaurants] - wonder if it's just an aberration, or do people feel much more confident about the economy?

Lacehim

No shock there from my point of view.  The department stores have been on a year long sale which seems never ending.  I don't need anything so I don't buy anything! Re book stores, ours all closed down or went out of business on the coast.  I only know of 2 left, and a second hand book store at Noosa.  If I need a book I buy from bookdepository.co.uk because it's here in a week, it's cheaper and I can read reviews.  The local books store would order books in (probably from bookdepository) and then charge me full price after a 2 weeks wait.  ???  Newspapers are moving to an online model these days which I think it better anyway. I think our government is going about it all wrong, the damage done when the GFC hit was about 5% fact and about 95% people running around like headless chickens with "we are all doomed" placards!  :stir  If everyone settled down, carried on as usually we would be all right.  If they need more $$$ raise GST 5% for a few years!  In the UK they have 20% VAT and a damn sight less stupid taxes like we do here.  There seems to be a tax for everything.  Maybe they will start taxing coffee next seeing as cigarette revenue is falling!  :coffee2:

shape_shifter

The most common sense thing that they can do is raise and add GST to everything. It makes sense as it's the easiest way to collect money from all areas of the community and it also makes sense as every single person is affected, it's fair. Of course all we hear is screaming from people that the poor can't afford to pay any more and the government needs to give the poor more handouts, which of course comes from the people anyway in ways that we can't afford.