Wrong Game

Israeli cabbies must be making a fortune,

"Do you now what an honour it once was to be a lawyer? Do you know how proud my parents were when I became a lawyer? Today a lawyer is worth less than a taxi driver..."

Recently I informed a lawyer, "Mate, for every hour of your service, I need to do thirty eight hours of driving." Good luck to him though, as obviously I'm in the wrong game.

However, I'd do much better in the boom states of Queensland and Western Australia, in particular their mining districts. There are driver shortages in central Queensland and Perth whilst last year regional WA was even looking at importing foreign cabbies,

First it was meat workers and farm labourers, then it was kitchen hands and burger flippers. Now country Western Australia is crying out for taxi drivers and is looking to hire them from overseas because there is such a shortage.

In Karratha, booming thanks to the rocketing iron ore price, you can reportedly earn $120,000 cleaning the smoking room or driving your boss to the airport. The workforce is deserting small businesses needing unskilled labour for the big bucks end of town.

A passenger from Perth recently insisted MacDonalds workers in Port Headland were earning $80K ! Hmm, this blog may soon relocate to regional Queensland or WA.

Comments

[Heisenburg]

They are earning that much in Port Hedland and Karratha - only thing is, they are lucky to rent a room to stay in for less than $400/week, food prices are roughly 20% more than in Perth (already probably around 20% more than over East, esp.fresh fruit and veg). It may look like boom time from over East, but salary increases get eaten up by ridiculous house and commodity prices.

[PQ]

There is indeed big money to made in WA in the current mining boom. Along with the big money of course, comes the resulting cost of living increases, particularly in the major mining towns.
However, if you are prepared to take on either a "fly in-fly out" job or to live in a remote area camp, you can avoid the costs of having to maintain a flat or house in the expensive areas and save plenty of money.
There is an ongoing problem with trying to save money when living in remote area camp quarters, and that is boredom. There is nothing to do when not working, and the dreaded drinking and gambling tend to make the wages evaporate.
Most definitely not a family friendly industry either. Single men are preferred, single women are tolerated, married couples are usually told to look elsewhere.
Unskilled jobs are hard to come by, but for fit and strong blokes there are plenty of opportunities as Trades Assistants and labourers.
Older people who have truck and machinery licences with appropriate experience are in high demand. If you don't mind living a bit rough for a couple of years, and don't over indulge in the demon drink, you could end up with a nice wad of cash in the back pocket.
Many West Australians got their start in life from the 70's boom, no reason why it couldn't happen again.

[AG Canberra]

And don't even mention the wages for skilled workers like geologists and mining engineers. Their only decision is to decide where to work (here or overseas) and what they think the boss is prepared to pay. Uni students with appropriate skills are being signed up 2 and 3 years before they get their degrees. HECS assistance and "scholarships" are all over the place in return for a non-binding committment.

Still, with house prices the way they are all over Aus at the moment - you are going to need every penny just to pay the mortgage.

[Brian]

Listen to those warnings, same thing in Alberta Canada sounds great until you have to pay the rent, eat, get health care, then there is the lifestyle, sucks mate.

[Will]

Plus, you don't want to live in Port Hedland. It is an oppressive, ugly, hot, dusty town. You might make $100,000, but there's nothing to spend it on.

[adrian]

Sorry folks to mislead you but I wasn't really serious, especially at my age. However there's some interesting responses as to the pluses and minuses of such a move, all valid. Though Will...

You might make $100,000, but there's nothing to spend it on.

...that's a problem ? I'll take it !

[grendel]

Head on over to WA Adrian - we could use a blogger like you.

And another Cabbie!

Yes, even at Chicken Treat up north, serving chicken dinners can earn you $2000 a week - the rental prices are the killer though.

[Legal Eagle]

Great post. I will have to blog on this from a lawyer's perspective (linking to this post, of course).

Not all lawyers earn big money. Although some earn HEAPS. Just not yours truly - I chose to have a life.

[Legal Eagle]

Have now written promised post - there are some odd parallels between cab driving and lawyering, I think...