Why so much negativity about Perth???
Jun 12th 2011, 4:41 am
#31
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Location: Perth (ex Oxford)
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
While Perth might not have all the aspects of other cities that we've lived in previously (London, Amsterdam, Oxford, ...), it certainly offers an overall great lifestyle which we really appreciate. A large part of that lifestyle is the ability to get out and about under blue skies, and for the rest of it there's definitely enough to keep us entertained.
Ok, so Perth doesnt quite have a cafe culture with the likes of Amsterdam, but I can easily swap that for the great beaches, blue skies and a warm climate, chilling at open air live concerts at wine estates, socialising at home and friends houses round the pool, open spaces and fantastic parks, much bigger houses...
I think Perth attracts a lot of opportunistic immigrants due to the booms in workforce demands and it seems that a lot of these people expect to change countries without accepting a change in their day-to-day lives. Hence there's probably a higher degree of negativity that's voiced on these forums, which, as others have also stated, is out of proportion with the silent majority that get on with their lives.
And as far as a previous comment of professionals not liking or fitting in to Perth, my experience is the opposite. The very large majority of professionals (engineers etc) that I know really enjoy Perth and the lifestyle here.
Ok, so Perth doesnt quite have a cafe culture with the likes of Amsterdam, but I can easily swap that for the great beaches, blue skies and a warm climate, chilling at open air live concerts at wine estates, socialising at home and friends houses round the pool, open spaces and fantastic parks, much bigger houses...
I think Perth attracts a lot of opportunistic immigrants due to the booms in workforce demands and it seems that a lot of these people expect to change countries without accepting a change in their day-to-day lives. Hence there's probably a higher degree of negativity that's voiced on these forums, which, as others have also stated, is out of proportion with the silent majority that get on with their lives.
And as far as a previous comment of professionals not liking or fitting in to Perth, my experience is the opposite. The very large majority of professionals (engineers etc) that I know really enjoy Perth and the lifestyle here.
Jun 12th 2011, 4:46 am
#32
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
First lecture, first semester, first year, Nursing 101.
Is Nursing a Profession?
Seem to remember writing 3,000 words on that subject..
Is Nursing a Profession?
Seem to remember writing 3,000 words on that subject..
Jun 12th 2011, 4:57 am
#33
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
Good on the folk whom live here in Perth uncritcial in acceptance and in bliss with their environs. Seriously, the path to least resistance is the way to profit from Perth and there is a lot of things to be thankful for.
My concern to a point though is that every time a criticism is made with regards to Perth so many folk feel the need to aggressively defend their lifestyle here dismissing other points of view and concerns which is something I don't recall expressed so strongly in other places lived in overseas.
Some folk wonder why are others so defensive. They have the right to remain in bliss as much as those whom would advocate change or critique aspects of how they see the life here.
Society would be all the poorer if we didn't have folk prepared to speak up and at times become unpopular for doing so.
Granted sometimes it can be a whinge in place of constructered criticism but we all do that at times and to my reckoning few things are worse than blind acceptance or passitivity.
On a personal level something that I like or enjoy I feel no need to justify why I like whatever it is I may be doing and certainly would not expect all or even most to appreciate or see it in the same light as me.Why should it matter in the slightest?
At the end of the day Perth works better for some than others. Some who love it at the moment may and do change their views in time while others come around to liking or accepting it while initially finding the going hard.
All is good and all is relivant. All sides are needed to be aired to allow the full picture. Perth has experienced a massive rise in breakins in recent times.That is fact.Figures are in yesterdays newspaper. . Not to say all will experience that but potential need to know that crime is an issue here as well.Perth has become far more stratified in terms of wealth distrubtion in a rather short period of time. It is harder by far these days to achieve the same result as a dozen years ago. I suspect we are all poorer off for that.
Perth will become a far better and mature place to be when a divergence of views can be aired without an overly defensive posture used against those looking perhaps from a different perspective or even larger picture.
My concern to a point though is that every time a criticism is made with regards to Perth so many folk feel the need to aggressively defend their lifestyle here dismissing other points of view and concerns which is something I don't recall expressed so strongly in other places lived in overseas.
Some folk wonder why are others so defensive. They have the right to remain in bliss as much as those whom would advocate change or critique aspects of how they see the life here.
Society would be all the poorer if we didn't have folk prepared to speak up and at times become unpopular for doing so.
Granted sometimes it can be a whinge in place of constructered criticism but we all do that at times and to my reckoning few things are worse than blind acceptance or passitivity.
On a personal level something that I like or enjoy I feel no need to justify why I like whatever it is I may be doing and certainly would not expect all or even most to appreciate or see it in the same light as me.Why should it matter in the slightest?
At the end of the day Perth works better for some than others. Some who love it at the moment may and do change their views in time while others come around to liking or accepting it while initially finding the going hard.
All is good and all is relivant. All sides are needed to be aired to allow the full picture. Perth has experienced a massive rise in breakins in recent times.That is fact.Figures are in yesterdays newspaper. . Not to say all will experience that but potential need to know that crime is an issue here as well.Perth has become far more stratified in terms of wealth distrubtion in a rather short period of time. It is harder by far these days to achieve the same result as a dozen years ago. I suspect we are all poorer off for that.
Perth will become a far better and mature place to be when a divergence of views can be aired without an overly defensive posture used against those looking perhaps from a different perspective or even larger picture.
I don't know of anyone here who is "uncritcial in acceptance and in bliss with their environs." The people I know who like Perth and want to stay here do so with a pretty substantial appreciation of the situation. They know the infrastructure needs work, the road system sucks (ugh Kwinana), it's expensive, it's a million miles from anywhere. You can be critical of your home and still like it enough to keep living there.
In the end, it makes no difference what people say...some will like Perth, some will despise it...funny though that we don't see the endless "I hate Sydney" and "Melbourne bites" threads on here. Again, expectations. I didn't come to Perth expecting it to be something it's not and cannot provide. That's like moving to Regina and being ticked that it's not Vancouver.
Jun 12th 2011, 5:05 am
#34
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
In answer to the OP's question, I'm not sure there is that much negativity.
Some like it, some don't; there's a lot of debate.
We love it.
(And we're working class professionals (who know how to spell "privilege") originally from the Midlands/North but have lived out of the UK for years, so I'm not sure what stereotypical socio-economic group we fall into. But then we don't really care about people who stereotype anyway.)
Some like it, some don't; there's a lot of debate.
We love it.
(And we're working class professionals (who know how to spell "privilege") originally from the Midlands/North but have lived out of the UK for years, so I'm not sure what stereotypical socio-economic group we fall into. But then we don't really care about people who stereotype anyway.)
Jun 12th 2011, 6:15 am
#35
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
Don't know why folks are so down on Perth - we love it! Its sometimes called Dullsville but believe me compared to Stoke on Trent - it ain't!
We came out for 5 years in the early 90s and were unlucky to move with work to Mandurah and Rockingham where we felt the isolation despite the beauty of the coast. But we always intended to make this place our final home so we returned here in 2005 after 10 years back in the UK. We had two teenaged daughters when we came back so it was a bit tough for them initially but they have loved living here and are now both studying at UWA. Our eldest is just finishing a one semester exchange with a uni in the US organised by UWA and we have just come back from a three week trip to the US East Coast. We were very glad to get back home to Oz despite having had a fantastic holiday. Yes Perth is expensive - yes the service in your local cafe can be slow but compared to life in a provincial UK city life here is fantastic! We deliberately chose to spend more on our block to build in Joondanna which is not trendy but is only 6 kms from the CBD so that we can take advantage of what the city has to offer. Its a personal choice but I wouldn't want a bigger block up in Mindarie. Yes we work hard - both of us harder than we have ever worked in our lives!! Unless you have a nest egg behind you Perth is an expensive place to buy into but there are so many work opportunities here if you are prepared to work hard that I think it must benefit anyone lucky enough to come here. Added to that we go out more to the cinema, restaurants and concerts (both pop and classical) than we ever did in the UK so we get more out of our weekends. Jonesy make the leap but don't follow the herd and you will have a great life here. Oh! and we have never been burgled.
Go the Dockers!
We came out for 5 years in the early 90s and were unlucky to move with work to Mandurah and Rockingham where we felt the isolation despite the beauty of the coast. But we always intended to make this place our final home so we returned here in 2005 after 10 years back in the UK. We had two teenaged daughters when we came back so it was a bit tough for them initially but they have loved living here and are now both studying at UWA. Our eldest is just finishing a one semester exchange with a uni in the US organised by UWA and we have just come back from a three week trip to the US East Coast. We were very glad to get back home to Oz despite having had a fantastic holiday. Yes Perth is expensive - yes the service in your local cafe can be slow but compared to life in a provincial UK city life here is fantastic! We deliberately chose to spend more on our block to build in Joondanna which is not trendy but is only 6 kms from the CBD so that we can take advantage of what the city has to offer. Its a personal choice but I wouldn't want a bigger block up in Mindarie. Yes we work hard - both of us harder than we have ever worked in our lives!! Unless you have a nest egg behind you Perth is an expensive place to buy into but there are so many work opportunities here if you are prepared to work hard that I think it must benefit anyone lucky enough to come here. Added to that we go out more to the cinema, restaurants and concerts (both pop and classical) than we ever did in the UK so we get more out of our weekends. Jonesy make the leap but don't follow the herd and you will have a great life here. Oh! and we have never been burgled.
Go the Dockers!
Jun 12th 2011, 6:20 am
#37
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
If you like restuarants, bars, culture then essentially Perth is not for you. You don't see smart professionals from London moving to Perth it's always working class from the North.
Life here would be comfortable but boring. A old lad at my work has done 35 years in Perth and has regretted it..he's heading back to the UK in a month.
Life here would be comfortable but boring. A old lad at my work has done 35 years in Perth and has regretted it..he's heading back to the UK in a month.
Jun 12th 2011, 6:23 am
#38
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
What a load of rubbish. Perth, that is Perth greater metropolitan area has a population of 1.6 million. Manchester's greater metro area has a population of 2.6 million. Birmingham is 3.6 million.
Geographically, the CBD of Perth is smaller than all the UK cities I can think of. I am not talking the greater metro area here as obviously Perth would win hands down but the greater metro area is not the city.
Geographically, the CBD of Perth is smaller than all the UK cities I can think of. I am not talking the greater metro area here as obviously Perth would win hands down but the greater metro area is not the city.
"Birmingham is the most populous British city outside London, with 1,028,700 inhabitants according to 2009 estimates."
Manchester:
In 2009, its population was estimated to be 483,800,[3] making it the seventh-most populous local authority district in England.
Jun 12th 2011, 7:08 am
#39
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
From Birmingham's wiki site:
"Birmingham is the most populous British city outside London, with 1,028,700 inhabitants according to 2009 estimates."
Manchester:
In 2009, its population was estimated to be 483,800,[3] making it the seventh-most populous local authority district in England.
"Birmingham is the most populous British city outside London, with 1,028,700 inhabitants according to 2009 estimates."
Manchester:
In 2009, its population was estimated to be 483,800,[3] making it the seventh-most populous local authority district in England.
But I have to agree with some of the other posters, why do Perth residents get so wound up and defensive when someone thinks their city is a hole? I mean if someone tells me Canberra is crap and boring I think ok, maybe for you but not for me, no big deal. Why do Perth residents feel they need to Justify their choice to live there? You make it look like you're angry you are there and secretly agree with the negative comments. I think it's a crap place but so what?
If you're happy there then who the he'll cares what I or anyone else thinks about it?
It's your life, if you're happy then just stuff what other people say
I certainly don't care that you like it, so you shouldn't care that I (or anyone else) don't like it.
Jun 12th 2011, 7:28 am
#40
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
But wasn't he talking about he greater metro area? If we are talking about just the city then Perth comes in with 17,955 population. "The city of Perth covers an area of 12.7 square kilometres (5 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 17,955 as at June 2010" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Perth
But I have to agree with some of the other posters, why do Perth residents get so wound up and defensive when someone thinks their city is a hole? I mean if someone tells me Canberra is crap and boring I think ok, maybe for you but not for me, no big deal. Why do Perth residents feel they need to Justify their choice to live there? You make it look like you're angry you are there and secretly agree with the negative comments. I think it's a crap place but so what?
If you're happy there then who the he'll cares what I or anyone else thinks about it?
It's your life, if you're happy then just stuff what other people say
I certainly don't care that you like it, so you shouldn't care that I (or anyone else) don't like it.
But I have to agree with some of the other posters, why do Perth residents get so wound up and defensive when someone thinks their city is a hole? I mean if someone tells me Canberra is crap and boring I think ok, maybe for you but not for me, no big deal. Why do Perth residents feel they need to Justify their choice to live there? You make it look like you're angry you are there and secretly agree with the negative comments. I think it's a crap place but so what?
If you're happy there then who the he'll cares what I or anyone else thinks about it?
It's your life, if you're happy then just stuff what other people say
I certainly don't care that you like it, so you shouldn't care that I (or anyone else) don't like it.
Jun 12th 2011, 7:43 am
#41
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
For the record, I don't think you're common, boring or uneducated (I don't know you). My own opinion is just that Perth itself is boring and felt unsafe. Simply an opinion based on my own personal experience. As for people being boring, common and uneducated, that's going to be anywhere isn't it?
Jun 12th 2011, 8:00 am
#42
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
But wasn't he talking about he greater metro area? If we are talking about just the city then Perth comes in with 17,955 population. "The city of Perth covers an area of 12.7 square kilometres (5 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 17,955 as at June 2010" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Perth
But I have to agree with some of the other posters, why do Perth residents get so wound up and defensive when someone thinks their city is a hole? I mean if someone tells me Canberra is crap and boring I think ok, maybe for you but not for me, no big deal. Why do Perth residents feel they need to Justify their choice to live there? You make it look like you're angry you are there and secretly agree with the negative comments. I think it's a crap place but so what?
If you're happy there then who the he'll cares what I or anyone else thinks about it?
It's your life, if you're happy then just stuff what other people say
I certainly don't care that you like it, so you shouldn't care that I (or anyone else) don't like it.
But I have to agree with some of the other posters, why do Perth residents get so wound up and defensive when someone thinks their city is a hole? I mean if someone tells me Canberra is crap and boring I think ok, maybe for you but not for me, no big deal. Why do Perth residents feel they need to Justify their choice to live there? You make it look like you're angry you are there and secretly agree with the negative comments. I think it's a crap place but so what?
If you're happy there then who the he'll cares what I or anyone else thinks about it?
It's your life, if you're happy then just stuff what other people say
I certainly don't care that you like it, so you shouldn't care that I (or anyone else) don't like it.
Jun 12th 2011, 8:04 am
#43
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
But wasn't he talking about he greater metro area? If we are talking about just the city then Perth comes in with 17,955 population. "The city of Perth covers an area of 12.7 square kilometres (5 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 17,955 as at June 2010" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Perth
But I have to agree with some of the other posters, why do Perth residents get so wound up and defensive when someone thinks their city is a hole? I mean if someone tells me Canberra is crap and boring I think ok, maybe for you but not for me, no big deal. Why do Perth residents feel they need to Justify their choice to live there? You make it look like you're angry you are there and secretly agree with the negative comments. I think it's a crap place but so what?
If you're happy there then who the he'll cares what I or anyone else thinks about it?
It's your life, if you're happy then just stuff what other people say
I certainly don't care that you like it, so you shouldn't care that I (or anyone else) don't like it.
But I have to agree with some of the other posters, why do Perth residents get so wound up and defensive when someone thinks their city is a hole? I mean if someone tells me Canberra is crap and boring I think ok, maybe for you but not for me, no big deal. Why do Perth residents feel they need to Justify their choice to live there? You make it look like you're angry you are there and secretly agree with the negative comments. I think it's a crap place but so what?
If you're happy there then who the he'll cares what I or anyone else thinks about it?
It's your life, if you're happy then just stuff what other people say
I certainly don't care that you like it, so you shouldn't care that I (or anyone else) don't like it.
I get cross because people seem to ENJOY critising Perth and it's done in such a sneering way. Like if you are not living is some cultural mecca (and really how many places in the world fit that description?) you are some type of inferior person. I find it pathetic.
I don't bag any other place in the world because every place on the planet has it's charms.
Jun 12th 2011, 8:19 am
#44
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
I get cross because people seem to ENJOY critising Perth and it's done in such a sneering way. Like if you are not living is some cultural mecca (and really how many places in the world fit that description?) you are some type of inferior person. I find it pathetic.
I don't bag any other place in the world because every place on the planet has it's charms.
I don't bag any other place in the world because every place on the planet has it's charms.
Can anyone give me some positives about Perth or WA as a whole....people who have made the move and are now living there happily...
Last edited by Japonica; Jun 12th 2011 at 8:39 am.
Jun 12th 2011, 8:26 am
#45
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Re: Why so much negativity about Perth???
Think most/lot agree it is an okay place to raise young children but the jury is perhaps out on suitabilty for older teenagers.
Being a resource rich state,WA is highly suited to allied professionals and tradies and far less so to the creative professions for example.
Different skills thrive here but most should be aware of that before coming.
A little black and white for some and if the term common is at all used I don't think it would hold such sway here as perhaps it would in England.