Rosie Cheeks

Oh no, I'm doomed!

louise4

Best behave yourself then

Rosie Cheeks

I'll try. Blimey that was really funny

louise4

So you can hold dual nationality in the UK. No restrictions here, so i think that we should be able to hold dual citizenship in OZ or it is very unfair to say that we have to give it up if everyone else can keep theirs.




Copied from uk website:

Dual nationality
In general there is no restriction, in UK law, on a British national being a citizen of another country as well. So, if you get another nationality, you will not lose your British nationality. Similarly, you will not need to give up any other nationality when you become British. The Home Office provides more detailed information

Westralia

Every western country has sub-replacement birth rates. How the aged welfare problem will be dealt with here by increasing the population to a level that is neither economically, socially or environmentally tenable long term is an utter mystery to me. Maybe the powers to be are of the view that if the aged are to have a shittier existence in the future, so can everyone else.

I don't understand what you are getting at with your reference to too many scroungers and not enough taxpayers. Our mineral resources, which are unbelievably vast, is sufficient to support the current population at the current standard of living (In the top 5 in the world as much as the antis here would probably deny) well into the future. The problem is we also have this little problem that has infected the rest of western europe, canada and japan called socialism. I believe in a safety net but at present, people here are being encouraged not to work through ridiculously excessive levels of welfare designed to keep public servants employed administering these programs and to secure the votes of welfare recipients.

Surely you can see the parallels between the UK and Australia in this regard?

Rosie Cheeks

Ah, there you are you Aussie person you.

Great post. Brilliant in fact.

louise4

Absolutely, people in the uk are left on social security when they could be out working and contributing to the nation. I believe that if you are claiming any benefits you should be made to work for them, i.e clearing off graffiti, helping out with rubbish clearence. it would certainly sepperate the lazy from the people who really can't find work. and it would also give those claiming benefits some pride in the fact that they are doing something for their money and not just sitting waiting for Giro day.

Rosie Cheeks

The Aussie systems and social policies appear to be based on the British Model, as is the tax system? It is correct to have a social policy. But I notice the "scroungers" here more so than I did in the UK for some reason. Could be due to the smaller population - less opportunity not to notice them.

louise4

It's so funny peoples different experiences. we noticd hardley any scroungers in oz. we actually came away thinking that the oz system was far tougher than that of the uk. Just show's what different experiences can highlight

Rosie Cheeks

True true very true

Old William

You could always use the US system whereby people are thrown onto the social scrap heap and left to rot on a whim.

louise4

Is the situation particularly bad over there then? I think maybe that the more wealthy countries are actually victims of their own success. Why these people are allowed to stay on benefits when it does neither them or their community any good what so ever is beyond me.

There are people out there who so need the governments help and could have a lot more of it if the the other lot got off their backsides and were made to work for their living.

Tableland

This is an interesting article, but it's quite misleading because the guy they focused on is obviously a huge earner and in a business where living in US/UK is a clear advantage. For most people on ordinary salaries stuck in the dark and rainy commute every morning, the UK is less attractive. Also, your judgment about the UK would be different if, like this guy, you have an Australian passport: he knows he can leave whenever he wants, and even refers to retiring in Australia.

And another thing I found interesting about this article is when they wrote that "Almost 1 million Australians now live overseas and those abandoning their homeland are some of the brightest stars born under the Southern Cross". This is funny, because we are constantly told in the UK that our brightest are going to Australia. Where are all these geniuses really going then? US maybe?

An interesting article, but ultimately one focused on a very specific type of high-profile career. Also, these people have the ability to return to Australia any time no questions asked and this distorts their perception of Britain. I wouldn't add this to my Reasons-To-Leave-Australia List.

Rosie Cheeks

Why would you want to do that?

HiddenPaw

What I am getting at is that the current working population in Australia is relatively small, and the revenue generated from taxpayers is insufficient to support the country and provide an infrastructure for the future. Australia currently has one of the lowest levels of 'aged' employment (i.e. >55s) in the western world. A huge percentage of people are retiring in their mid-50s and this trend cannot continue unless the younger workface is increased. The retirement age for women has already been increased to 62, and is set to reach 65 by 2012, and there is talk of increasing the male retirement age to 67. Add to this the increasing cost of the social welfare system and the fact that in years to come the dwindling birth rate will mean a smaller home-grown workforce, then yes, Australia does need more people.

As for resources, I will use Melbourne's growth targets as an example. Population there is set to top 5 million by 2025. The city is already struggling to provide enough water for 3.5m so how do they plan to provide for 5m? There are no specific measures in place - with the exception perhaps of some water recycling strategies which so far are way off target anyway.

I do see lots of parallels between the UK and Australia. I wasn't trying to say that the UK system is a perfectly working model (in fact, I didn't mention the UK at all!).