Hutch

Generalise much?

ABCDiamond

It can be cheaper, or it can be more expensive, depending where you live, and where you shop. No one person is right in what they say, when they state something as definite for an entire country.

Education is also variable, depending on various factors.

My 14 year old daughter is very happy here, well, as happy as any kid can be going to school

Her and a friend have just nipped into Brisbane for the day, hopefully just window shopping

She has a 14 year cousin in the UK, and when comparing, we feel we are in the better situation in many respects.

My best guess is that
55.09% feel that moving to Australia was the best thing for them
21.76% feel that moving to Australia was NOT the best thing for them
23.15% haven't really decided yet

And if you haven't guessed, no, that wasn't a guess, it was a representation of 216 recent migrants.

The number disappointed with Australia is higher these days than it used to be, possibly because in previous times, expectations may not have been as high as they seem to be now.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

..or possibly that arriving in the past, with a big wedge of cash, made on a stupidly over priced UK home, made starting out here that bit easier than the exchange rate and Oz house prices allows for now?

Gibbo

I assume you're talking about the fairly recent past. When I came wages/salaries and house prices were much higher. Food was cheaper.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Yes. The last couple of years, for people coming out of the UK at least, must have been much tougher, financially, than say the five years or so prior.

ABCDiamond

Maybe in some years, but other years where the rate was about 1.8, 1996 ? or 1.9 in 1986, and UK house prices were not stupidly high.

We just didn't have so much info to create dreams of gold, that turned out not to be true. But even starting from scratch in 1986, I think I was down to about $5k before I began working. And I was renting a small 2 bed unit. Within 5 years I had bought a house.

It all depends on what people are wanting. Instant perfection or normal life with more sun

Brit Princess xxx

I think some of you think I'm planning to come to australia by myself. But im asking this question for the whole family cause my mums crappy with computers and genereally technology. Well I think we've decided that as ive only got one more year till I finish my A levels I can finish that then maybe go on a gapyear to see what it's like to live in australia.

Ive been there a few times before and I recon id like it more there than here, the weathers nicer, people are more laidback and i dunno it just seems more relaxing and not as much pressure put on 17 year olds aha.

Cheers for all your comments btw xx

BadgeIsBack

Couldn't have said it better (whole post).

(Specifically - 53k is a literal pittance. It's sort of what you get in your second job after school and maybe your first grad job. Only salaries I have seen lower are for 16-17 year olds or for unskilled jobs. Literally unskilled.)

Some people seem to move because they are bored. That could be dangerous.

I'll also say that a lot of people have nothing but apparent institutionalised dislikes of Australia, often the result of poor conditions and a succession of poor experiences. I think this is different from finding fault, having balanced views or just not being massively impressed with the place - and it takes all sorts. You have to take these into account along with the people who are doing well. Many people fall somewhere in the middle. I'd say - look closely at why people are doing well, and why some people are not doing so well..

Pollyana

I hate to tell you this Badge but there is a huge number of people who live on less than 53k! Many of us aren't unskilled, nor are we teenagers, nor do we consider that we are living on a "literal pittance". Don't be so dismisive of those of us who don't meet your high standards

Pollyana

Wish I was 17 and hat innocent all over again!!

arrrobbbie

There is no better option than England.The U.K is the light that the world follows.We made much of the world what it is today.We brought parliamentary democracy and the rights of the individual to the fore.Moving to Australia would be a move backwards unless the idea is to try and teach Australians how to improve their lives by emulating what we here in the U.K. take for granted.Even then it could only be for a short time as a Britisher could not possibly settle in such a country.

floss in dubai

Gosh, and here I was thinking democracy was a Greek thing?

What's a Britisher???

Are you being ironic?

Bermudashorts

I read your thread earlier and didn't think you were planning to come to Australia by yourself, but I must admit it crossed my mind that is probably what you should be considering ... at some point in the next few years that is.

It seems like Australia might be your dream not your mothers. I wonder if perhaps she is quite happy where she is and perhaps she does not want to go to Australia and perhaps she does not think that it is the best option for your younger brother and sister. If your mother is worried about jobs, education and cost of living, then based on everything I have read so far I am inclined to think her concerns could be well founded.

For every good point that somebody comes up with about Australia, there is bound to be somebody else who comes up with a bad point. There is no rigth or wrong answer to the question "which is the better option". They both have pros and cons. Australia works for some, not for others. I am sure some people are laid back and others are not. Same as in UK really.

You are young but in the next few years there will be options for your to explore the Australia idea by yourself, a gap year either after A levels or after university sounds like a very good plan.

Alfresco

Sounds like colonialism to me - AKA arrogance.

Where did you 'learn' to read and write?

(The troll lives for another day)

Pollyana

The troll doesn't any longer, he has been banned for stirring trouble elsewhere