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#1951 | ||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,551
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i have 11 panels on the north face, and 9 panels on the west face. to have them all on the north face was going to result in some panels have shadows from a/c unit which would drag the whole string down for the duration of the shadow, so it was unavoidable to split the panels to the north and west faces.
so not sure if poppa is thinking of something else, as he is pretty clued in on this solar game, but i see many houses with panels on 2 faces. as for noticing other houses with much smaller systems, you'd be surprised at how many people don't actually work things out correctly, or just simply can't afford a bigger system. i'd say there is a fair percentage of people who have solar who are still getting a reasonable sized bill each quarter. edit-just re read what you said about splitting the system and realised you were talking about different structures so disregard everything i just said ;-) Last edited by prydey; 05-05-2013 at 10:34 PM. |
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#1952 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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I was referring to the statement about a set of panels on one roof of the house and another set on the shed
two sets of panels on the one roof would be fine as it is still on the one structure to split the system onto two roofs would have to involve two inverters...well as I've been told anyway in my previous post I should have said if you wanted to place one set of panels onto the house roof and another set on to the shed and tie the two into one inverter at the house .....then I am sure this cannot be done
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! |
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#1953 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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Quote:
this is a worrying statement as it is of course wrong.....any shading on any panel in any string or system will affect the rest of the system exponentially. I cant chant the exact percentage as my memory is poor but it is something in the region of 10% shading = 30% loss of the total system the numbers may be greater but it is significant
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! |
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#1954 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Just waiting for a mate
Posts: 1,406
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Quote:
regarding splitting the arrays 11 panels one side and 11 on the other, the beauty is that you will still be making a reasonable amount of power in the afternoon, because the sun will be in the western sky, beating down on those western facing panels; also meaning you can feel less guilty about turning the TV on when you get home from work. If you're unhappy about placing panels on the western roof, or unhappy about the size of the system, it is also worth doing an energy audit on your home, pretty simple stuff. Have a look at all of your appliances, see what kin of power consumption they use; have a look at any old appliances that might need replacing soon, and when you do buy new appliances, make your purchases based on those with the lowest kWh consumption. You'll be surprised. When I lived in Perth I got my power bill from $150 down to $50 by just replacing old appliances and made no compromise to my lifestyle. By doing this you can reduce your kWh consumption, meaning that you need less panels to break even, meaning you may need less or no panels at all on the western roof, and can get away with just 11 panels also meaning you have a lower upfront cost. Energy audit = win win! The salesman is correct about not recommending 11 panels, this is a common mistake that without explained properly gives the industry a bad name. When you buy solar, more often than not, your electricity tariffs increase. When you undersize a system, and then your tariffs increase, what can happen is those savings from an 2.75kW 11 panel system, will be undermined with the increased cost of electricity, meaning you see no savings at all; which leads to those believing that 'solar is a scam'. So the salesperson was spot on with the system sizing; go too small, you don't get any return on investment at all! Also, why people have systems of sizes from 6 to 12 panels could be any reason. They might be a single retired pensioner, or they might use just as much power and be mislead by a dodge salesperson. Every household is different. One week I sold someone 2 x 250W panels to be installed on a caravan, later that week I solar a 15kW system to someone who operated a screenprinting factory out of his garage! everyone is different. Essentially, here is the step by step process I would go through: Step 1: Go through every single appliance in your home with a fine tooth comb and see what can be used less, replaced, or not used altogether. Step 2: by calculating how much power can be saved through an energy audit, you can see how many less panels you require. Step 3: ask for an alternative quote to suit your new power habits. Step 4: ask for a quote with some of the panels that are my recommendations lol Step 5: Up to you which way to to. My recommendation is just that; change habits if possible, and if possible, go for a smaller system with premium panels.
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DAS IT MANE
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#1955 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 656
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Thanks everyone for your replies. I just realised I may have misled Poppa Smurf with my comment about putting 11 on the 2 storey roof and 2 on the garage. The garage is attached to the house and is where the meter box is. It is not a separate building just a lower roof at the front of the house.
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#1956 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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ah! in that case you wont have a problem.....should still be the same structure
although we had a case here not long ago where the sparky determined the structure as separate even though it was attached.....council agreed and the install could not go ahead, only one we've had around here though hopefully common sense will prevail and you can install what sort of longevity/performance warranty comes with the system you enquired about and did you ask if you could get any claims dealt with locally?
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! |
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#1957 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Barossa Valley, South Australia
Posts: 3,381
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Quote:
For me, it wasn't a matter of getting rid of electricity bills but to reduce them so the financial pressure wasn't as great. On our last bill, we were $250 in credit due to the amount we pay monthly to cover electricity bills and the reduction in our usage due to using solar instead. Winter is our big killer as we're an all electric house and our only heating is electric.
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Cheers, Sam. |
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#1958 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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Quote:
if you find yourself in this situation, not able to afford the system necessary to cover your needs, at the initial time of purchase, and before the install, of the system, say to the sales person that you will be applying for a greater P.V.S.E.G. number this number (photo voltaic small energy generator) is a license from the government for you to generate and sell (hopefully) excess power back to the grid the number initially applied for is the maximum generative amount you are stuck with when claiming your credits I.E. if you apply for and install a 3.5 KW system but later expand to a 5 KW you will lose your initial 3.5 KW credits (breach of contract) however if you initially apply for a 5 KW system but only install a 3.5 KW then later expand to a 5 KW all is peachy in the FIT stakes
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! Last edited by poppa smurf; 07-05-2013 at 11:24 AM. |
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#1959 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Filling up
Posts: 1,459
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Quote:
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VIXEN MK II GT 0238 with Sunroof and tinted windows with out all the go fast bits I actually need ![]() |
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#1960 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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I reckon mine is around 25 years.....but like everything that has already changed once......
as far as I'm aware the FIT from the government does not change unless you break the contract then it is dropped completely the "top up" we get from retailers will vary enormously and can be withdrawn
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! |
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#1961 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 3,336
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Quote:
In VIC and NSW you could not say you wanted to go 5kw, and install a 3kw system then upgrade to 5kw later. In VIC if you are on the PFIT, TFIT, SFIT and you upgrade your system, you will drop to the current FIT of 8 cents. |
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#1962 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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yep! shoulda mentioned my references mostly pertain to South Australia.......but I'm pretty sure the PVSEG quoted figures would go everywhere
just make sure you enquire about it first.....if the answer is no then nothing lost if yes then a lot to gain
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! |
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#1963 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Just waiting for a mate
Posts: 1,406
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Quote:
Most people are still ignoring the fact that these FiT rates all over Australia are only current and in place for the next few years, there will be a tipping point that will start in the next 2-3 years when existing PV customers with premium tariffs will lose their premium rates and the rates will drop to as they are currently for new PV customers (wholesale electricity tariff), and I am sure of it that there will be a lot of people jumping up and down when they lose these premium tariffs too, potentially a lot of people taking down panels. In the next few years before tariffs drop, is most definitely going to be the best time to go retrofit battery backup systems, to beat these premium tariff cutoffs!
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DAS IT MANE
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#1964 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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ah! standalone.....totally different scenario......pretty much open slather here
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! |
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#1965 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Just waiting for a mate
Posts: 1,406
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Yeah that's true, but honestly, most people who bought solar justified the reasons to go solar because of the payback which was greatly due to premium tariffs; although none of these premium tariffs are permanent, nor were they ever permanent. What worries me is in the next few years when people on a 68c feed in tariff all of a sudden have their tariff drop to 10c (which it will in the coming years) I think that a lot of people are going to take down their systems.
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DAS IT MANE
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#1966 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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nah! I, and many others, will go stand alone.....most will look at generating the needs of the household then shut the system down so as to not let the companies have free power.
I'll do this until I look at all my options.
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! |
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#1967 | |||
Missing a sock...
![]() ![]() Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Brisbane 4017
Posts: 8,250
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Quote:
Sure I'd like to see the FIT's stay longer, but I don't think they will - that's the one part of solar that is not sustainable. Cheers!
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Real friends + great times = sheer bliss! Considering becoming an organ donor? Click here QLD Events, Cruises and Get Togethers: Click here Gain success instantly - lower your standards. It's not government funded - it's taxpayer funded.
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#1968 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Filling up
Posts: 1,459
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Quote:
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#1969 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Just waiting for a mate
Posts: 1,406
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Quote:
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DAS IT MANE
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#1970 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 545
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Quote:
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/energy/env...feed-in-tariff |
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#1971 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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yeah! mate......my contract states my F.I.T. is guaranteed until around the same.
supplier contribution has actually increased as competition increases. any new installs will be subject to whatever is around at the time!
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! |
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#1972 | ||
Pethy FG XR8 Ute
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Perth N.O.R
Posts: 2,966
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or you could be in WA and if you wernt lucky enough to get the 47c and 27c for 10years or what ever it was lucky ..but everyone else gets to enjoy the whole 8.6c for every unit you sent to synergy and then they sell it back to you at 22.8c unit .. i love making stuff and buying it back at a higher price ..and then the power company goes we are not making any money lets put power prices up more ...WTF they are making 14.4c from every unit of power they get from us solar people from every solar system in the synergy area
how many thousands of homes have solar in that area and what would the average system be ? between 2-3kw maybe ..thats alot of extra power they are getting for nothing
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FG XR8 Ute 2010 Nitro, Mods so far: Herrod CAI, headers, Ballistic cats, Cat back Manta dual 2.5" with X pipe and hotdog mid section, Mellings oil pump, Summit racing 60mm twin throttle body, and Yella Terra plenum Powerbond 25% under drives, Sports bar, now fitted with Koya Inox R1's, the rears are 20x10 with a 40mm offset and the fronts are 20x8.5 with a 35mm offset total of 285.5 rwkw and 642nm when Herrod cams in 290rwkw GSXR 750K7 with goodies, dyno'd 136rwhp, 10.567sec for the strip |
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#1973 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: outback S.A...hiding in a workshop
Posts: 3,513
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that analogy can be used for any purchase you have made, or are about to make on any product one could think of.
"greed is good"......profit is king, shareholders demand ever increasing dividends!
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--------------------------------------------------------------- G'day....I'm Dave, ...everyone calls me Poppa,..05.. B.A. Fairmont mark II... may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! |
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#1974 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Just waiting for a mate
Posts: 1,406
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DAS IT MANE
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#1975 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Just waiting for a mate
Posts: 1,406
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#1976 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 545
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#1977 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Just waiting for a mate
Posts: 1,406
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Quote:
Legislation was also for the Solar homes And Communities Package (SHCP) rebates of $8000 to be indefinite. That was eliminated in 2009. Please, understand that there is credibility to what I say based on experience and history of changed government legislation. It has happened on every previous incentive without fail. It is legislation to be there until the year 2024 and my opinion is tariffs are as guaranteed to remain at the premium rates just as much as the previous incentives were guaranteed to remain in place, which did not happen.
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#1978 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 292
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Anyone here running an electric hot water system off solar electricity?
My understanding is that in Melbourne at least, the rules prevent you from having a conventional electric hot water system if natural gas is available; but you can get an exemption - how, I don't know. I am not attracted by the dedicated thermal solar hot water systems, on account of cost and stories of problems. I am unsure whether the heat pump solutions are any good, or, as I fear, a technology in progress, e.g. I have seen reports of problems with noise. However, I am worried about the likely price hikes down the road, as China's appetite for our gas increases. It is easy to predict that the Federal Treasury and Productivity Commission will say everyone will be better off by forcing consumers to pay the world price for gas. At present we have a natural gas hot water system (only 136 litres, but we get by). How much power, in general terms, would a conventional electric system of that size be likely to use? |
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#1979 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Barossa Valley, South Australia
Posts: 3,381
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Just remember that government can repeal or amend any legislation they put in place in the first place...
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Cheers, Sam. |
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#1980 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 292
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