[kporte]

Originally Posted by folic Where are the 'whinging Chinese', the 'whining Italians', the 'whining Lebanese' ? Oh, they're here and they do criticise Oz .. continually, in many instances. But we should be asking, 'where are the other northern europeans -- where are the big groups of Scandinavians, Germans, Dutch, French ? ' Where -- where are they ? I know they were here. They were very industrious and independent and they had no qualms about voicing criticism of Australia. But most of those whom I knew, returned to northern Europe. Wonder why ? The Italians, Greeks, Maltese, Lebanese, Chinese .. they maintain their national identity and connections when they migrate to Australia. They intermarry. They go into business together. They employ each other and each other's kids. They establish their own clubs, they live within a soft coooeee of each other; often next door, taking over streets or even suburbs at a time. When you attend their functions, you'll hear them speaking in their regional tongue, often fifty or more years after the first generation migrated to Australia. They definitely put their own first and frown on their third or fourth generations marrying outside their 'own'. Brits on the other hand, generally arrive in a single-family group and attempt to forge ahead on their own -- which is not easy, unless you arrive with a healthy wallet. Lately, they've begun to form organisations and arrange meet-ups and of course nowadays they have access to internet, which takes the edge off the migration process compared to emigrant Brits of past decades. As well, throughout the continuing waves of migrants to land on Aussie shores, the Mediterranean and Asian migrants have largely been considered 'lucky' to be accepted into Australia, whereas Brits have been seen as 'equals' and therefore ripe for a bit of a bashing. It's commonly perceived that for southern Europeans and Asians, any place is better than the one they left. Plus ... you can 'get into trouble' for knocking them. Poms on the other hand are considered fair-game, because they're not automatically regarded as disadvantaged. Kiwis cop the same deal. Yet of all the migrants to land in Oz, Poms are probably the most vulnerable, for all the reasons above. Not only that --- the Aussie government actively seeks British migrants and has been using the same spiel for decades: sun, sand, happy smiles and 'better lifestyle', plus the offer of work and claims that Oz is crying out for Brit tradespeople. The Oz government doesn't have to promote Oz to Asia. And it would appear the Oz government has given up trying to seduce other northern (or even southern) Europeans, who prefer Europe these days, thanks very much. So, of all the migrants in Australia, it's the Brits who've been wooed the hardest, promised the most and (some might suggest) end up gaining the least. Do Asians have to pay for their children to attend Aussie State schools for a set period, for instance ? Do Asians have to pass a skills or even medical tests ? Talk to experienced Sydney cabbies and you'll learn a lot. Or, simply look around, down in China town. Note the elderly, recently-arrived Asian migrants. They're not wealthy or of independent means. They didn't have to purchase a business or show a profit of X-thousand dollars per year. Yet they're here. They have Medicare. Chinatown libraries are equipped with Asian-speaking staff, are provided tv-rooms where they can watch Chinese tv all day if they like. They're assisted or provided with housing. It's interesting. So if, as someone claimed, Brit migrants are a 'poor advert' ... advert for what ... disenchantment ? Hardship ? Disillusionment ? Disappointment ? Struggling to make it in the land of opportunity after all the promises ? What should they do -- stiffen their upper lip, make a cup of tea and sing 'jolly ho' when their hearts are breaking and their pockets are empty ? Why ? Why .. of ALL the whining migrants in Oz, should the Brits be expected to just shut-up and make like it's all ok ? Spend some time with Italian or Lebanese migrants. Listen to what they say about Oz and its people and its 'opportunity'. It will be a real eye-opener. But of course ... it won't be in English ! So that's ok. The Aussies can't understand when they and their country are being put down, even if the non-english-speaking migrant says it to their face. So that's ok. It's just the Poms who are sometimes less than happy with Oz. Of course it is .. just the Poms. Everyone else, including Aussies themselves, are happy 24/7. Sure. That must be it

Interesting post. I don't completely disagree, however poms are easily the biggest whingers, and about the UK even more than Australia. It consumes us in some cases. Personally I take promises in life with a crate of salt but some people like to believe

[folic]

Originally Posted by kporte Interesting post. I don't completely disagree, however poms are easily the biggest whingers, and about the UK even more than Australia. It consumes us in some cases. Personally I take promises in life with a crate of salt but some people like to believe

No. The Poms are not the 'biggest whingers' -- not by a long chalk, as anyone who's been involved with other migrant groups is well aware and will tell you.


It's just that the Poms are set apart as the only whingers. Are utilized as scapegoats.

After all, there's no pommy mafia operative in Oz

There are no pommy MPs to promise massive chunks of pommy votes (at a price) at election time.

Not many pommies grease the palms of immigration and customs.



No. Pommy's are not the biggest whingers .. not by a long way !

If you want to test your claims, let's meet up. I'll take you to some long-term but still determinedly 'non-english speaking' migrant groups. You can sit and listen to them knock Oz for hours. And they'll laugh in your face as they do it. They'll tell you how 'uncle-this' and 'auntie-that' spent five years with them in Oz .. and then went home. And those five years entitled them to a full Ozzie pension and enabled them to live like kings, 'back home'. They'll tell you how 'uncle-this or that' goes 'home' a few times a year ... wearing a suit jacket lined with Aussie bank-notes which the old women sewed lovingly into the lining. They'll show you their son-in-law's white plaster-lion encrusted mansion, paid for by the mere loss of a finger or two and worker's comp. Oh yes, Pommies are babes-in-the-woods, compared to other cultures.

And when it comes to whining, Pommies could take lessons from home-grown Aussies any day of the week. And most Aussies would freely acknowledge that.

[kporte]

Originally Posted by folic No. The Poms are not the 'biggest whingers' -- not by a long chalk, as anyone who's been involved with other migrant groups is well aware and will tell you. It's just that the Poms are set apart as the only whingers. Are utilized as scapegoats. After all, there's no pommy mafia operative in Oz There are no pommy MPs to promise massive chunks of pommy votes (at a price) at election time. Not many pommies grease the palms of immigration and customs. No. Pommy's are not the biggest whingers .. not by a long way ! If you want to test your claims, let's meet up. I'll take you to some long-term but still determinedly 'non-english speaking' migrant groups. You can sit and listen to them knock Oz for hours. And they'll laugh in your face as they do it. They'll tell you how 'uncle-this' and 'auntie-that' spent five years with them in Oz .. and then went home. And those five years entitled them to a full Ozzie pension and enabled them to live like kings, 'back home'. They'll tell you how 'uncle-this or that' goes 'home' a few times a year ... wearing a suit jacket lined with Aussie bank-notes which the old women sewed lovingly into the lining. They'll show you their son-in-law's white plaster-lion encrusted mansion, paid for by the mere loss of a finger or two and worker's comp. Oh yes, Pommies are babes-in-the-woods, compared to other cultures. And when it comes to whining, Pommies could take lessons from home-grown Aussies any day of the week. And most Aussies would freely acknowledge that.

You think that doesn't go on in any other country? I think the mafia in the US for example is a bit more developed. But I presume you are not talking about organised crime as that is a whole other matter.
You can only go upon personal experience and I have never mixed with crime syndicates or a large cross section of migrants. I have however met shedloads of whinging poms.
I do of course accept you may well be correct and have enjoyed your posts.
As I alluded to, I have no great experience of other migrant groups.

[paranoidandroid]

Originally Posted by stm1971 Since I have made it known that I want to go home to England most of my Oz (mainly English) friends and family think I have lost my mind.Okkkkkkkkkkay…………..I think at 37 I might have figured out what I want out of life!! If anything, I feel better than I have in months as it's a relief to admit that I don't want to be here anymore. Has anyone else encountered this??

I've heard it all before when I started telling everyone that I was intending to leave the US to go back to England. It was mainly from either my UK friends that were still in the UK (and think America is some kind of heaven to live in), or from the American friends that I have in the US.
Neither type bother me, they have never experienced living anywhere else to know what it's like, whereas I have.

[mohogony]

Originally Posted by sdunx I personally love it back here and wouldn't go back to Australia to live if you paid me.

What if you were offered $50 million you would surely move back to OZ then.

[mohogony]

Originally Posted by kporte You think that doesn't go on in any other country? I think the mafia in the US for example is a bit more developed. But I presume you are not talking about organised crime as that is a whole other matter. You can only go upon personal experience and I have never mixed with crime syndicates or a large cross section of migrants. I have however met shedloads of whinging poms. I do of course accept you may well be correct and have enjoyed your posts. As I alluded to, I have no great experience of other migrant groups.

l agree non-English migrants in OZ whinge more then Poms but they get away with it because no one understands what they are saying.

[EnglishRose15]

Originally Posted by Jules Europe Not being from the UK and since being a member on here, one of the most enlightening things that I have read, is just how anti-british the aussies are but its even more suprising to read, just how many Brits that go to Aus and then they in turn become anti-British as well with their sentiments!!! It seems a lot need to run down the UK to justify that their new life in Aus is really wonderful. I wonder how many of these people actually really like their new lives in Aus

Yes one of the things you never hear until you get here, is how anti-british a lot of Aussies really are. It is hard to describe the feeling of not belonging to anyone unless they have been through it themselves.

I too don't believe that Britain has 'gone to the dogs' anymore than any other country, some people just tell themselves that to justify staying away for 'materialistic' reasons. It is they that need to justify themselves, not anyone who wants to be back in their homeland surrounded by supportive family and friends, and where they are not afraid to open their mouths for fear of ridicule.