tommyiscooldotcom

The rising cost of petrol, from 80c/litre a few years ago to the current price of bendoverandtakeit/litre has had an effect on every single Australian. It's seen the cost of groceries and other goods rise from extra shipping costs, seen 250g blocks of Cadbury Chocolate rise from $3.98 to $4.07 at Woolies, seen a slump in large car sales and has led to a general tightening of the wallets. Coupled with interest rate rises and inflation, the lower-income earners of Australia are especially feeling the pinch.




Which is why yesterday, the Sunday Telegraph decided to turn their attention to the heartland of low-income earners, to where the real battlers live - in the mean streets of Castle Hill.

For those of you that do not know Castle Hill, it's the flashiest part of Baulkham Hills in Sydney's west. It's the jewel in Alan Cadman's crown, the mecca of metros and the wallet of the Garden Shire. So, what better place than to get middle Australia's reaction to the petrol prices.



(at this point, Tommy realised his Dad had already put the Sunday Telegraph from yesterday in the recycling)



(right about now, Tommy realised he was fucked, so tried to cover. let's watch)



I won't quote the article word for word, but the general gist was they took three or so families from Howard Street in Castle Hill (lol cause it's the name of the Prime Minister), and asked them how petrol prices were affecting their family budgets. Which, I'm guessing probably include scholarship fees to private schools, Foxtel Digital subscriptions and a 10% tithe to their local Church.

Now, obviously these families are geared up to their neck with mortgage repayments, but that's their choice. You have to pay for the privilege of owning a house in a suburb with no Mosques. So when I read one family of four bitching about petrol prices, then see they're paying to fill up three cars, including one 4wD Pajero (!!), it doesn't exactly pluck at my heart strings.

Nor does this exact (kinda) quote from one of the McMums...

'It's gotten to the point where I can put $10 of petrol in the Saab, and it doesn't even get past empty'

Hmm. You know things are bad when you can't even fill up your Saab without having to sacrifice your bi-weekly Pad Thai. How ever will she afford her Skim Milk Frappacino with Chocolate and Cinnamon Flavour Infusions? WHAT IF SHE CAN'T BUY A NEW BREAD MAKER?!@

You can't really tell, but this is a tiny, tiny violin

Now don't get me wrong, I come from a rich family, I went to a private school and I am currently in a long-term relationship with Foxtel Digital, but I'd like to think if the Sunday Telegraph came calling, I would have the decency not to complain about my horrible plight when there's people in this country that can't even afford fucking medicine.


So, in conclusion, let's go egg Howard Street.

The Honourable Alan Cadman preparing for a bombing run of Kellyville