Aussie Standards
 

HI,
I have been here now about 9 weeks and have to say I am not very impressed so far. The house prices which by UK standards are still quite cheap have put most 4x2 above $300000 and in most cases well above. Now as I said compared to the UK still quite cheap but if you do compare to the UK you realise that what you get for your $$$ is a very basic house No double glazed windows or doors, no insulation in the loft, the list is long,poor finishing which you most certainly would not accept back in the UK.

Then there are the schools Fantastic, brand new in some cases but a long long way behind the UK in the level the children are educated. My Child is 6 years old and will be 7 in August, this means she is now in year 1 over here and is being taught how to spell words like THE, HAS ,HAT,DOG, CAT, etc
when we left the UK she was getting towards the end of year 2 and was spelling words like SCULPTURE,CAUGHT,etc .As for maths i,d rather not go there. Please remember the state does`t provide writing books or any stationary at all, parents( and any passing pervert ) will be sat outside the class room 20 Min's before the kids are let out chatting and disrupting the class. there are no restrictions on who is hanging about the schools,and no controls about who picks the children up. There seems very little to choose between the state and private sectors unless you want a religious backdrop to education, private fees are reasonable but waiting lists are long, the state seems to rely on a large private sector taking children off its hands.
Hospitals again nice and modern in general but for gods sake don`t take ill unless you have very expensive medical insurance, and then hope is not a mental illness (acute lack of funding in this area ) or your troubles will really begin.
If you are a tradesman or have any formal qualification be prepared for the locals to tell you you need to either start at the bottom or retrain to Australian standards ( in general far below British & European standards). On the plus side this creates employment and safeguards the jobs of the local population.

What next? oh yes TV and radio - well I came here to get outdoors anyway so won`t bore you with that one.
Food not bad I have to admit.
Cars New very cheap used overpriced in comparison to new, petrol and car insurance very reasonable.
The beaches great , the parks Great , the people are nice and friendly.
I am sure this post will annoy or upset some people but it is how I preserve the situation here in Perth. :(

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why would you need double glazing? :confused:

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I think this post is an informative post from your perspective, so should'nt annoy/upset people!!!

But you like it then :D

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Yes I like it but am unsure if it is somewhere I,d like to spend the rest of my life, time will tell.

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I'd suggest you read the first post in this thread:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=306666

BTW it was reported in the last few days that 1/5 of 11 year olds in the UK are illiterate and there have been calls to return to the traditional way of learning how to read - C A T spells cat etc. The government have re-iterated that they want children to be taught by the new phonics method!

OzTennis :)

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Oh well you can always go home :D

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Because its bloody freezing in winter

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hehe well that would make sense

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LOL I wouldnt have believed it until I spent a winter in Perth :(

Whats it like in Brissy in the winter? do they have winter? sorry if its a blonde question :D

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Good for you gazf for posting an honest picture of how you are finding aus.

someone else put up an 'im loving it here' thread, and got rave reviews - they posted honestly about how they are finding their new life - gazf has only done the same so please dont lets start pulling him down for posting honestly and giving his opinion - just because its not what you want to hear, doesnt mean he should be slated for posting.

sue

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dont know yet im just a wannabe too i think its mild compared to uk but i must admit im surprised theres a need for double glazing over there.
my first flat here didint have double glazing or central heating mind you it was baltic in winter :eek:

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It's generaly warm during the day [20+ degrees]but quite cold/nippy on an evening. Defo long trousers / long sleeved top....but nowhere near double glazing type cold ......in Brissy that is ;)

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I guess it's all about making trade-offs.

I left China to settle in Sydney this year and found to my great dismay that the service standards and I.T infrastructures in Australia are lagging far behind that of China.

one simple example:
We ordered a sofa from Harvey Norman in early April, but it took 5 weeks to arrive. I guess the furniture stores here are not at all well stocked. In most large Chinese cities, the goods are normally delivered on the same or next day. I figure this is a result of the sparse population here.

But dont get me wrong, I still prefer to stay in Australia, which is a democratic nation.

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If it isn't in new houses and there are few if no businesses which retro fit it, it could be because the locals see no or little need for it. Double glazing is unknown in Sydney too.

As to the rest of your message, post on. There is no point in people coming to Australia on false knowledge. There are plenty who find it to their liking. More, in fact than there are places for them.

As to temperatures, let see how you feel by next February.

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I still cant work out if our house here is that much warmer than our other house or if my medication is working overtime but I don't think its even been cold so far this year. We've had a fire going a few times, but havent seriously thought its been cold. Most nights I've only had to slip a jumper on after 9pm (like tonight, cos we dont have a fire), got up in the mornings with just a summer nightie, no dressing gown or slippers etc, havent used them yet this winter.

A couple of nights its been nippy, but not cold cold - has it? :confused:

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If its so damned bad, why do you want to "preserve" it?? Surely you would want to change it :-))

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I wonder if building a British style house would work here? I mean with radiators, dble glazing etc?

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Dunno this is something we want to find out.

we are going to Tas so it WILL be cold in winter, but dont know if they have central heating like we do.

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Urmmmm actually MrsD I've been quite cold...but only on a night and 5-6am in the morning. During the day it's luuuurvly. I think I've finally acclimatised.

I'd bloody die of hypothermia in UK if I went back now. And that's the UK summers!!!...lol

Given you haven't felt the cold....hows about you share your tablets :D :D

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Yeh....be great in summer :rolleyes:

Could use it as a sauna :D

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LOL welcome to them, as long as you leave some for me :) .

I can't beleive I was swimming last Sunday afternoon before we went out to dinner with you :p .

Seriously, inside your house right now, is it cold? :confused: I only put a jumper on after 9pm tonight & we havent got any heater or anything on :eek: .

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Aye....during the day it's lovely and warm but tonight I've got me fetchin fleecy jim jams on with socks.....and a cardi. Alls that's missing is a ballaclava :eek:

I look more like a bloody burglar than a sexy temptress :o

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Still having cold showers in the morning in Sydney.

Aimed to manage to 31 May but still at it. Cuts down on water usage as you don't dawdle.

Perhaps it's global warming.

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Blimey...you're a brave puppy / kitten :D

I went to Sydney for the weekend a couple of weeks ago. Bloody freezin compared to Bris, even during the day it was noticably colder. Must be getting soft in my old age :o

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Only FIVE weeks? :rolleyes:

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No way - I just checked my thermometer in our kitchen & it says its 20 degrees! :confused: :p

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And then again, I ordered a sofa here in the UK from a big sofa warehouse and it took 6 months to arrive... (from China!)... I reckon wherever you are, you pay your money and take your choice!!!!! :D

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There have been a number of major furniture warehouse fires in Sydney recently.

You are lucky not to be sitting on milk crates.

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Geez, that's a long temperature measuring device! :D

(sorry couldn't resist, must ensure Aussie standards of spelling) :D

OzTennis :)

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Yes, and much of that would have been shipping time, including waiting for the next sailing, on water, on UK wharf etc etc could be up to 4 months. Is a lot of UK stuff made in China these days then? Most of our clothing and household gadgetry/electricals are here.

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Was 30C recently over in the UK wasnt it? Not always cold mate is it.

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Arghhhhhhhhh I was talking about swimming in a heated pool LOL.

I knew I'd spelt it wrong when I wrote it & then posted while I was distracted watching tv & forgot to change it. Should have known someone would make a smart comment :rolleyes: :p .

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My son will be 7 at the end of the year and is in year 2...why don't you talk to the school about moving her up...he automatically went into year2, they talked about putting him in year 1 but said would try yr2 first and then see how he got on..most schools will put children into years based on ability rather than age, if you have concerns then talk to them.

Oh and the double glazing would be good to stop the noise from the dogs next door!!

Spalens wife

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Hiya spalens wife, if your son turns 7 before 31st Dec then hes actually in the correct year for his age anyway (here in Qld). :)

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Thats why I posted...forgot to check where the original poster was from...was it Perth?..thought they started at the same age as they do in QLD..so his daughter should be in year 2 not year 1!

We are really pleased with the school our kids go to, the work is def challenging, parents evening tomorrow so we will see what the teachers have to say.He has just gone up a stage in reading and is very pleased with himself! :D

Spalens wife

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or the morons on their skateboards next door, with their rap music. But I do get a laugh from them, when they do the crossed arms, head bopping like they're 'in the hood'!! No, you're in f'ing Ormiston, not some Detroit ghetto! :rolleyes:

I'm turning into a grumpy old man. And I'm not even old :o

In my opinion it only feels cold here first thing in the morning, stepping out of the shower is a nightmare. After that, it only gets warmer.

As Mrs DB says, whack a jumper or fleece on in the evenings, its fine. Or get pulled around the suburb by an insane dog, that gets the blood flowing nicely,

JTL

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[No double glazed windows or doors,
In 36 years in Aus., and having lived in every State except NSW, I have to say that I've never seen a single house with double glazing.


no insulation in the loft, the list is long,

If you're looking at new houses, i.e., ones without installed air-conditioning, the insulation won't be installed until you've decided what type of a/c you want, which will determine where pipes, ducting etc. will need to be placed.

no controls about who picks the children up.

On the occasions when I've collected my friend's children from school, I've had to produce a note signed by the childrens' mother before they're released to my care.


Hospitals again nice and modern in general but for gods sake don`t take ill unless you have very expensive medical insurance, and then hope is not a mental illness (acute lack of funding in this area ) or your troubles will really begin.

Is it entirely unreasonable to expect you to pay for your own and your family's health care if you're :
a) a recent migrant who has as yet made no contribution to the costs of Australia's public health system: or
b) you have already obtained a position which is sufficiently well-paid to enable you to meet these costs?

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Yes, OP was in Perth, I think their ages are similar to Qlds. Qld is one of the latest to start school. Congrats to your son for his reading, what a great achievement :) .

JTL, Im glad its not just me, I thought I was going mad :rolleyes: (even though I dont even think its cold after havig a shower in the morning! )

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Thanks for your views - any views appreciated. :)

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Perth school ages are different, for the 2005 year children born between 1st july 1998 and 30th june 1999 are year 1, july1997 and june 1998 are year 2. I always find it strange when people slate the education system here, sure its different, but just that, different, not worse, not better, the emphasis is on different things, values for a start.....

I also have to ask where your comment in regard to hospitals came from, medicare covers your medical expenses in a public hospital, i have given birth in a public hospital, had ante natal care at the same place, have had to attend the ER for both myself and my son and last week my husband was told he may have a heart attack at any time and was taken in for a treadmill test the following day, in the uk my Dad had to wait 3 months for that, all in a public hospital and all covered by medicare.

Lynn