At least 188 staff have been made redundant in the restructuring of the bank’s technology and at least 2000 Westpac jobs could go. According to the report sacked staff are being made to train Indian workers, who are here on temporary visas, at Westpac’s Sydney City offices, after the completion of their training Indian staff will return to Indian and teach their colleagues in India.
Westpac one of the four major Australian Banks and the bank that made $6.9 billion profit last year, has outsourced Indian workers from India through companies like Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services and has brought them to Australia on employer-sponsored 457 Visa.

Heinz fire more than 300 Australian workers as it will be moving its production to New Zealand. Jobs from Victoria, NSW and Queensland will be moved to Hastings New Zealand as Heinz plans to shift its production of sauces, beetroot and meal products to New Zealand.
Voting Julia Gillard’s Labor Government, Greens, Labor Union, workers’ strikes, more sometimes even too many paid leave and less work, ask yourselves is it worth it?

Australian dollar is breaking another record as it keeps climbing towards the 110 US cents. Yesterday at 5pm it was trading at 107.79 US cents and this morning at 11am the Australian dollar was trading at 109.02 US cents.

Shiril of Melbourne Posted at 10:51 AM Today
Who is asking u to pay the astronomicla rent? How about you open stores in cheaper areas and provide better services to your one off customers? Where was your outrage when all the Aussies manufacturing jobs went overseas bacause you retailers wanted economies of volume? Please do me a favour and go cry me a river

Cynical Observer of Sydney Posted at 10:36 AM Today
If the price difference was not in the region of 50% and customer service was better I (and many others) would be very happy to buy our clothes where we tried them on. Most shops employ Gen Y kids who could not care less about customer service and, apparently, apply excessive margins, not least due to excessive rents. However, is that my fault as a consumer? Retailers without online presence have completely failed to understand their customers. Do I and others need to subsidise their ignorance?

ChrisS of Shopping online Posted at 10:22 AM Today
Solution, offer to price match, carry less stock, offer online sales. Most internet shoppers, like myself, would prefer to buy from an Australian retailer if the prices are close. However when the prices retailers offer are substantially higher, of course shoppers will buy elsewhere. READ MORE…

Christmas or Christ mass is a waste of time and nothing to do with Christ or Christianity. According to Australian institute’s executive director, Richard Denniss it was unwanted presents represented a staggering $798 million waste of money, time and resources. The growing culture of obligatory giving only brings joy to the big retailers and the big banks whose credit cards are largely funding the annual splurge.
Sending some of the Australians on debt and unable to pay their credit card in full each month. It is just a pagan tradition where businesses can make money.

Billionare Gina Rinehart buys $50 million stake in Fairfax Media

Mudgee, Weddin, Wellington, Warrumbungle, Cootamundra, Coonamble, Harden and Young shires have been declared natural disaster zones after having sustained significant damage from recent heavy rain. It has been estimated up to $500 million worth of NSW winter crop has been wiped off because of the heavy rain.

Telstra has admitted to another privacy breach of some of its customers. Customers who were using Telstra’s Tribe service, platform which aggregate social Medias like FaceBook, Twitter and MySpace were exposed to other Tribe users. Some social networking sites that were accessed through Tribe were able to be accessed by other Tribe users.
Tribe service was shut down for couple of days while it was being fixed. But, according Telstra now the problem has been fixed and its up and running. MORE

Gina Rinehart buys 10 per cent stake in Ten Networks

$1.2 billion redeveloped Westfield shopping centre re-opens on Pitt Street Mall, Sydney. Photo: SR Thulung
Information centre Westfield Sydney CBD. Photo: SR Thulung

Touch directory, Westfield Sydney CBD. Wonder who, Mr Abbott or Ms Gillard will be the first one to use it? Photo: SR Thulung

View as you enter the shopping centre. These elevators on Pitt Street Mall entrance has much better lightning, design and feels more like shopping centre. Photo: SR Thulung

These elevators on Castlereagh Street entrance side feels more like entering party house with darker colour and design. Photo: SR Thulung

Castlereagh Street entrance. Photo: SR Thulung

Inside of Pitt Street Mall Westfield shopping centre, looking towards Castlereagh Street entrance. Photo: SR Thulung

Still work in progress and stores yet to be opened on some top floors. Photo: SR Thulung

Yes, welcome to Earth. The only planet where shopping and humans are welcomed and where Pitt Street Mall Westfield shopping centre has just re-opened. Photo: SR Thulung

Some are yet to open. Photo: SR Thulung

Australian dollar has reached US99.71c, it is the highest that Australian dollar has been against the US dollar since it was floated on foreign exchange markets on 8th December 1983.
Some online commenter even suggested for Australians to buy good American shares when Australian dollar is high. But, again one can only buy shares if he is she has the money? But, be warned will it worth it?
Be not hasty in making decision to act. Like one British man who acted hastily and he was doing right from his point of view. He was told by his doctor that he has been scanned by terminal sickness and he was dying in three months. So, the man thought he had little time left and so much to do and sell. He lived worrying and he sold his house, antiques which he inherited from his parents and all his belongings and gave his money away to him family and relatives.
This man sold everything within few weeks and when he has just finished selling his possessions and given away all the money, his doctor called him to say his result was a mistake due to faulty scanner and he was a healthy man and nothing was wrong with him.
He made his own decision and invested all right, but was the investment worth it? You answer it to yourself and make a decision to act accordingly…