Alan Collett

Work out the tax based on just your Aus salary. Work out the tax based on Aus salary plus contracting income. I use www.taxcalc.com.au for this sort of exercise. You might use the extra income to make a personal super contribution? Best regards.

Really? Each to their own. The companies I use all put transaction instructions in writing after speaking with them. Onwards!

Good luck trying to contact Wise - based on what I've heard. I want people I can talk to if I'm moving larger sums. I'll happily use Wise for moving £5k. Not for £50k or more. Best regards.

Thanks Ken. And the points about a stop loss order - and who to contact if your funds don't arrive? Best regards.

Why do you not work with a forex company with a private client desk and a person with whom you can discuss your wishes and how they can help. I wouldn't use Wise if transferring £250k, even if it was in instalments. I would say to my chosen forex company if the exchange rate gets to (say) A$1.95 I'll sell (say) £50k. If it gets to A$2.00 I'll sell another £50k. etc etc Similarly if the rate drops to A$1.80 I'll sell £50k. I think that's called a stop loss order. And if it gets to those rates at 1am in the morning I won't get annoyed because the forex company will do it all for me. Plus - who do you talk to if the funds are lost when being transferred. I've heard of that happening ... Each to their own though! Best regards.

https://www.gm-parent-visas.com/renewing-subclass-870-visas-the-90-day-conundrum/ Our latest blog discusses an issue of increasing significance to those waiting for subclass 143 Contributory Parent visas to be granted and who have a subclass 870 visa - the renewal of subclass 870 visas and the need to be outside Australia for at least 90 days. This might be of interest to a few of you. Best regards.

Take our private heath insurance with a deferred commencement date. Pay the PHI premium for 3 months of cover. Send confirmation of this (a letter from the insurer) to the Department. Visas should be granted. Then enrol in Medicare under the RHCA. Best regards.

I agree - particularly as the tax take to GDP ratio is 30% ... Best regards.

Albo didn't qualify his replies when asked repeatedly pre-Election (and post) about the Stage 3 tax cuts. An opportunity has been missed to simplify income tax, which is not a good thing. Flattening out the tax rates and increasing thresholds would have simplified the tax regime, and sent the right message to those with aspirations. If the Government wants to extend relief to what is being described as middle Australia it should have cut expenditure to fund a reintroduced Low and Middle Income Tax Offset, while leaving Stage 3 intact. And revisited CO2 targets - much of the cost of living crisis comes from the increasing cost of electricity and gas. We export coal and uranium to countries that use then to power their industries and don't use these resources ourselves. How ridiculous is that? We should have close to the cheapest power in the world. This Government has exacerbated the cost of living crisis, which impacts the poorest in society disproportionately. Onwards (as always)!

Ultimately - and ironically - parties of the left almost always don't look after their own constituencies economically. They aren't good managers of the economy. and the less well off suffer most as a result. The present Federal Government here in Australia are no different. Best regards.

Yes. Stage 3 needs to be seen alongside Stages 1 and 2, not in isolation. Best regards.

The likelihood of interest rates coming down has diminished as a result of the re-writing of the tax cuts. Added to which many will be paying more tax over the next few years due to bracket creep. The chances of Albo getting the next election win - or even being PM at the time of the election - have reduced markedly. Not a good move politically or economically. Onwards!

Notably, almost 28,000 applications for Contributory Parent visas were lodged in calendar year 2023, which represents some 4 years of CP visa grants based on the usual number. Expectations of the withdrawal of CP visas is likely driving this surge in demand; a normal year would see 10,000 to 12,000 CP visa applications being submitted. Best regards.

We have received up to date information from the Department of Home Affairs regarding the number of Contributory Parent visa applications that are in the system. These have been entered into the database on our website, and can be used to estimate CP visa application processing times here: https://www.gm-parent-visas.com/visa-processing-time.../ A reasonable expectation presently is some 7,000 CP visas being granted annually. Best regards.

Thanks for the kind recommendations - is appreciated. Best regards.