News
Snakes, Comas and Loans
About 10 years ago my local council started an eradication program to rid the local area of feral foxes. Initially, people were happy but as time went by and as some pesky newcomers moved in, the euphoria of lynching the foxes didn’t last.
FOMO, Property and Business Class
Have you ever walked down the aisle of a plane whilst heading overseas and looked with envy at those business class seats? Of course you have. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t. So, what stops you booking the fare in business class?
Home Loans and the Regulator
If you’ve been following what’s been going on in home loan land in the past two years you may have realised that the unprecedented intervention by the banking regulator, APRA, has had a profound effect on the affordability of a home loan.
Destroying A Brand
There are some brands that mean something to consumers. Indeed, much to the joy of their marketing teams, their brand names have passed into our daily lexicon to signify a particular function or quality unique to their products or services.
Things Just Happen
Some of us are blessed in that we’re the type of people that things just happen to. Sometimes, these are bad things but mostly – especially since 10 June 1970 (the day I arrived in Australia) – they’ve been good.
Oligopolies and a Government Lender for SMEs
If you’ve been following the financial news in the last week you may have come across a proposal for a Government backed lender to provide funding for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). If you’re that keen, you can read about the story here.
Personal Responsibility, Custodial Sentences and the End of the Boom
We hear a lot about people getting ripped off by banks, financial planners, builders, mortgage brokers, real estate agents, tradesmen…the list goes on and on. One could be forgiven for thinking that our entire society is based on ripping one another off.
From the Ashes of Our Banking Careers
I didn’t think I would be contemplating a career in my mid 50’s. I had always planned to retire at the ripe old age of 58. Then a series of events happened that forced me to rethink and re-educate myself to go on.
Self-promoters
Most of us meander through our corporate careers with a burning ambition to learn. This learning serves us well to do our jobs better and if we’re lucky will result in a promotion. Then, repeat.
Lies
It’s difficult to admit but we all lie at one time or another. Mostly we lie so as not to offend with the usual “don’t you look nice?” whilst trying not to wear our true feelings on our faces. Sometimes we lie to our kids to protect them from torment or unnecessary fear. Sometimes we lie to our partners “I swear I only had one [insert your weakness here]!”