By a thread

Another 150 jobs gone, the state's finances in the toilet, a Jurassic Western Australian MP calls us leeches while two uninspiring boneheads dribble out a mealy mouthed response - Sid Sidebottom  even offered up that Don Randall was a 'friend'. Thanks for the spirited defence, anyone with a modicum of backbone might have opened up a nuclear bomb on Randall, but maybe Sid really knows we're screwed and can't be bothered with the charade.

Makes you proud to be Tasmanian.

But we've got the most affordable capital city in the country - first home buyers can rejoice!

And feel even prouder to be Tasmanian.

Unless you bothered to check the figures... which reporter, Matt Smith, at The Mercury, didn't. Frankly, I don't know why Matt doesn't shut down his laptop, head north, and go and eat poo with the monkeys in the enclosure at the Launceston Park.

"Oh look the HIA has sent us a press release, must breathlessly regurgitate figures for public consumption."

The HIA index compares average household income to mortgage costs, with a rating of 100 meaning an average income earner can service a mortgage for a median-priced house in their city.

The lower the rating, the less affordable the housing.

Hobart is the country's most affordable city on 71.9, with a median house price of $325,000 and an average income of $60,500.

Average income earner? $60k? Tasmania? Hobart even?

Apparently the HIA is spouting the average income in Hobart is $60,500. Back in 2007-08 the ABS recorded inner Hobart (translation: high earning yuppieville) as having an average income of $46k a year. Now either the HIA is applying an Australian average income to Hobart and then calling it affordable, or Hobart incomes are growing at over 15% a year.

Too much for Matt to figure out, or should I give him a break - maybe he's just a typist?