Urban myth.
There are plenty of miserable people here and plenty of moaning and bitching.

I agree with the comments about PR, just because you have it doesn't mean you have to stay forever. Priorities change through your life and what works well for you now may be less important in a few years from now.

But remember to emigrate for the pull and not the push.

I'm not saying any country is miserable, people adapt, so the changes to a personality are minimal, but slightly noticeable. Living in an optimal weather environment, like Oz, will give a boost. Of course it swings both ways, so too much sun and the effects are wasted, but this is usually very noticeable (sunburn, tired, etc). The UK doesn't have optimal levels for weather, some months the sun only shows for 1 hour a day on average. Whether you live in Melbourne or Brisbane, your getting that minimal requirement of weather, so it doesn't matter where you live in Oz, no city is better.

Yes, there are many great cold countries, but they grow at a very slow and steady pace and have done for hundreds of years. The UK was once the best country in the world, Russia too, now that people travel cheaply, this have changed. The north european countries do well because they have to. They need to offer great stuff like government run 100mb internet and low taxes, just to survive, all this scores good in "which country is happiest" surveys. These countries have the highest suicide death toll by far. In Russia they drink vodka all day and in Norway the sun doesn't even rise in winter.

Weather is really important for me.

Funny thing is the weather in Perth isn't "All that". long cold, wet winters and summer that takes ages to arrive. I'd say the weather is shite for 6 or 7 months of the year here.

Getting back to the original topic..

If you emigrate just because you think the UK has more negatives than Oz, then don't. You will certainly find a similar amount of negatives in Oz, then you'll be thinking of UK of equal and will want to return because friends and family tips the balance in UK's favour. I'd only consider leaving for solid reasons that are not going to change.

I'd disagree with almost all of this except the part about Russians and Vodka.
For a start find me a Scandinavian country with 'low taxes' and I'll eat my cork hat!! They also don't grow at a slow pace.....Finland in particular springs to mind.....despite being disected by the Arctic Circle!

Despite the gathering gloom the UK economy has also been no slouch of late. Australia's recent economic good times are not a function of good weather but an exposure to the Chinese and Indian markets and being able to sell them what they need.

With all due respect, I would disagree with most of that. How on earth does Australia have an 'optimum weather environment' and at what time do you think Russia was the 'best country in the world'? Don't have time right now to list all the other bits that seem wrong to me. Hope you're not basing any important decisions on these ideas though!

Why do you need to have solid reasons?

What's wrong with just saying, I'd really like to experience something different, sample life in a different country, broaden the mind n'all that - if it doesn't work out then hey ho.

I think a lot of people have this inclination but then feel they need to justify it by constantly bashing one country or another.

Solid reasons would be... experience, if you went to Oz and came back, it would still be worth it for some people, some may be financially crippled though. Weather is another, but I think we covered that already. Family or friends already in Oz. Job opportunities. etc

Don't be quick to bash bcworld, I agree with you

Agreed, optimal is too strong a word, maybe "improved" for lack of a better word.

When they were winning the space race, ask any historian, mother Russia owned.

Are you deliberately winding people up with this drivel?! For a start, 'any historian' will not agree with you, historians have a range of opinions & interpretations. And when the USSR was 'winning the space race', if you are referring to the 1950s/60s, there were hundreds of thousands of deaths from famine, there were mass deportations, failed agricultural policies, and the country was ruled by a dictator who used force & fear. But hey, apart from that I'm sure it was peachy.

Quite, if any country was making hay while the sun shone in that period it was the USSRs rival in the space race.

esperanza just google "mother russia" + "russia at its peak"

OK, now I know you're just winding me up.

Our friend also wants to know why Perth sucks monkey balls in MBTTUK ... we clearly have an intellectual amongst us.