ACMS
So if I read you correctly, what you meant is that people would only come to HKG because the EXPAT allowance is substantially more than the LEP package, and not because of what you get as an individual. Cause it does sound like it to me. Why does it have to be ONE EXPACT PACKAGE AND ONE LOCAL PACKAGE? Couldn't it just be ONE PACKAGE? Let it be A-, B-, C-, D-, ... Z-scale. People doing the same job on the same COS should get the same deal.
In no way am I saying that EXPAT allowance should be reduced, but more like the LEP pacakge should be increased to a level that would allow them to afford close to if not the same lifestyle the next guy doing the same job.
If you think living in a 500 sq ft apartment and sending kids to public school is the kind of lifestyle LEPs deserve then it really doesn't surprise me how naive you are at all. Why would you think local kids deserve to be educated in public schools instead of private schools? Is it because HKG's public school system is far better than, say Melbourne's, public school system? So kids coming from abroad requires private school in their home country and thus require the same in HKG? Now that oughta say something about the schooling in your home country mate. And please don't give me the language barrier bulls**t, a lot of the LEP household speak solely English as well so going to public school doesn't make sense for them just like yours.
To be honest, if you ask around, I guarantee you any LEP would prefer allowance for even a 500 sq ft apartment in Melbourne rather than absolutely nothing in HKG, and majority would probably bolt for the base in a flash. If he could be folking out 1/4 instead of 1/2 of his salary for housing and education bills, it'd still go a long way in the end.