how come our banks are up...., page-12

LOL katdam. You are right. I have a friend that is involved with welfare and they nicknamed the baby bonus as "plasma payment".

The first home owners grant was for the furniture.

One of my pet peeves is what you can get from the government as a reward for not planning. We should be handing out money as business incentives for small business not extra welfare payments. For example, I served my country for over a decade, decided on a change and had a crack at trading. Because I saved, invested and planned (and own the majority of my inner suburb home because of it), I'm entitled to squat. If I'd blown all my cash on piss and partying I could have put my hand out for all sorts of handouts. Something is backwards...

I'll get off my soap box now, but I suspect as this is an investing site, I'm not the only one that feels this way.