DadAgain

- Cost of living
- Career prospects
- Family support
- Improved climate
- Improved working conditions (more holiday)
- Quality housing (decent construction materials)
- More affordable holiday travel options
- Availability of quality media
- Clothing that fits (i.e. Jeans have TWO size measurements: waist & leg, not just waist.. Shirts have neck & sleeve length - not just neck)

Of course there are many downsides to returning too - but right now if I could work out how to be offered a UK job without travelling on a 'hope and a prayer' and assuming I could get something within a month before I was bankrupt and destitute - then I'd do it.

Steve2009

Rents are generally quite reasonable in Brisbane and don't seem to suffer the irrationality of purchase prices.

Hoolio1972

here, here!! Sometimes you need to be away, just to realise what you have got!

4500 Times

Career Prospects ?? - Maybe should have done more research b4 hand.

Family Support ?? - Well you have moved half way round the world...what did you expect ??

Improved Climate ?? - Fail to see your point ??

Quality Housing ?? - Again fail to see your point.

Affordable travel options ?? - Obviously you'd prefer to spend a week in Blackpool than somewhere like Figi / Bali / Barrier reef, which i bet you could do for the equivalent costs.

Availability of Quality media ??- Ever heard of the internet ??

Clothing that fits ??- well if this is an issue for you !!!!!!

DadAgain

I didnt move here for career reasons - in fact I didnt MOVE here at all - I just happened to be here when I settled down! - oh and it was 13 years ago so I think claims of inadequate research are a little past their statute of limitations. The fact remains - even a deflating UK economy would provide me (and anyone in the IT industry) with a better career outlook (although not nearly as impressive a disparity as it used to be).

Again - I moved around the world as a single guy a long time ago not needing family support. I now realise that the support I would get from my family back home would be far superior to the half-assed 'dont give a shit' attitude of my in laws here in Brisbane! (Obviously this point pertains to me but is irrelevant to pretty much anyone else - also 'lack of family' would be high on my wifes list of 'reasons not to move to UK'!!!)


The UK has 4 seasons distinct seasons, summers can be disappointingly dull - but can also be superbly refreshing, light and easy. Winter can be cold, but inside its always snug and warm. Spring sees nature literally pop-up all over the place and autumn has delicious colours and refreshing winds. There can be times when its raining and tough to be outside but in general you can do things outside ANY time of the year with the appropriate clothing.

In QLD there is no [significant] variation in daylength, the humidity and heat can be so oppressive you cant do anything outside, if you do when its cooler in the evenings you get savagely attacked by mosquitos. In winter days can be nice yeah - but at night it gets surprisingly cold and theres no escape - no snuggling up by the fireside since your house is a big open plan affair designed (as is required in summer) to let the heat out.

Not so much "little boxes made of ticky tacky" - but "big boxes made of ticky tacky". Poorly insulated, thin wooden frame houses with wafer-thin walls and single glazed windows (builders here havent even HEARD of double glazing for f*&k sake). No match for a proper 'cavity brick' house with brick internal walls and decent glazing as is standard in UK.

Just spend a week in Fiji for 4 for $7000. At the same time my sister spent a week all inclusive for 4 on the Sinai coast for GBP1600. There's no doubt that travel options from the UK are far more varied and affordable than from Australia.

- Yes and it is the source of all my media. (I dont even think theres an antenna plugged into my TV anymore). All the same it would be nice if there was a newspaper to read from time to time or if the TV news actually had the odd news segment....

Obviously not a huge issue - but its something i'd enjoy if I was back home!


None of these things on their own present a convincing case to me for returning to the UK - but put together there starts to be a reason for having the debate. Since the PP asked for reasons one might consider life in the U gover Australia I thought I'd list a few. I think perhaps some people need to stop thinking of the world as simple black & white. Theres no right answers in the 'which country is better' debate. There *may* be a right answer to 'which country is better for me right now'.

Lots of people (possibly me included) are effected by a distinct "grass is greener" set of attitudes. I take very serious the complaints I read from those in the UK right now. I think anyone considering moving to Australia would do well to seriously consider TRYING to look beyond the rose tint and see the grumbles that those with more experience have.

Hoolio1972

All very valid dadagain.

Rose tinted glasses, seem to come as standard by many xpats in OZ. Allot of people I know simply cant afford to go home or haven't the energy. So they push on 'accepting' the bits you've pointed out and many many other aspects of life, which are in my opinion much lower than what the UK has to offer. Without sounding a snob (I come from a working class family and lived in some really rough areas in Belfast for most of my years) The majority of Brisbane is working class (at best!) - it has a long way to grow socially. I personally have seen allot of it in 8mths and think it and the majority of the people are quite 'trampy'. Then lets add untrustworthy, or the petty crime rates or unprofessional practice in the work place, drug problems, needles in parks, etc, etc
I'd say sorry to my great Australian friends, but they agree and would be the first to criticise the bogan lifestyle that many conform to.

However everyone experiences things differently and has different expectations. So it depends on where you have came from and your expectation levels.
I lived in Yorkshire for 6 years . . . it has good and bad points - depending on where you can afford to live and who you associate with. I really enjoyed my time there. Equally I enjoyed living in Tokyo for 1 year.

OZ is a great country for visiting, however for me the climate and natural beauty are its shining points - everyday life is below the average UK living experience. As a point of reference we have a base income of +$165,00AUD, so we are ok for money. I live in a beautiful area, in a beautiful house.

I have enjoyed my time here, however will return home to N Ireland soon. That's my home and thats were my family want to be


Good luck everyone else - always live your dreams, not your regrets

fish.01

As a different perspective I live in Brisbane and am lucky enough to daily see clean, beautiful, well maintained and lush parks, mostly respectable decent neighbours, honest and decent work colleagues..like everywhere I think brisbane has some areas as described, more often in the outer suburbs, but it is quite easy to find areas not like this...I can understand it being easy for immigrants to make a mistake though as lots of people can live in big modern houses here and people can sometimes end up somewhere that doesn't suit them because they were blinded by the fancy houses.