seang

From the Sunday Times(sorry for the cut 'n paste)


AUSTRALIA, once a destination for Britons seeking a new life in the sun, is facing such a large exodus of its citizens that its government has launched an inquiry to discover why.
New figures show that since the mid-1980s the number of Australians leaving for permanent residence abroad has doubled. Out of a population of 20m, about 1m Australians are living overseas, a quarter of them in Britain. Few are backpackers.



As well as celebrities such as Elle Macpherson, the supermodel, Kylie Minogue, the singer, and Natalie Imbruglia, the singer and actress, who have their main homes in Britain, lawyers, bankers, doctors and executives have joined the exodus, drawn by higher salaries and what they perceive as better career opportunities.

Figures compiled for the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) show that permanent departures have increased 146% since the 1980s. In 1985, 16,000 Australians left for good; by 2001 the figure was almost 40,000 a year. Britain is the most popular destination, followed by America and Greece.

At the same time the number of Britons emigrating to Australia as “settlers� has dwindled to 8,000 a year, 50% down in the past four years. In the late 1960s, 41% of immigrants to Australia were British; by 2000 the share had dropped to 10%.

Professor Graeme Hugo, author of the CEDA report, said: “It’s only really been in the past couple of years that the (Australian) government has started to realise the significance of the diaspora.�

Whereas British migrants to Australia have for years had to endure the nickname “poms�, a derivation of POHMs — Prisoners of His (or Her) Majesty — the new arrivals in London are happy to be called Umas: upwardly mobile Australians.

Tracy Edmundson, 33, a private equity broker, left Australia six years ago to work in the City. Her Australian fiancé, Paul Lamb, 29, now a vice- presidentl at Credit Suisse First Boston, arrived in 1999.

Edmundson said: “Salaries in the financial sector are a lot higher than in Australia. Over the years my career has been one of the main factors which has kept me in the UK.�

She intends to return to Australia “one day� because she misses the great outdoors.

Imbruglia, who starred opposite Rowan Atkinson in last year’s spoof spy film Johnny English, also plans to return. However, her reasoning will be of little comfort to the government in Canberra.

“I’m still an Aussie girl at heart and I’ll always go back,� she said in an interview last year. “I mean, I want to spend time in Hollywood but I can’t see myself growing old there. Hopefully, all my ambition will die at some point and I can just let it go for the simple life.�

Amazulu

I work with loads of Aussies & Kiwi's here in the UK, some are backpackers, but most are here to stay or at least make loads of money & further their careers.

bondipom

There are a lot of careers that are not available down here and not too many people get wealthier down under.

maxpaxx

[QUOTE]Originally posted by seang
From the Sunday Times(sorry for the cut 'n paste)


AUSTRALIA, once a destination for Britons seeking a new life in the sun, is facing such a large exodus of its citizens that its government has launched an inquiry to discover why.
New figures show that since the mid-1980s the number of Australians leaving for permanent residence abroad has doubled. Out of a population of 20m, about 1m Australians are living overseas, a quarter of them in Britain. Few are backpackers.



...I heard this on the radio today. I don't think they should be using celebreties as any kind of bench mark - if they are in the film or music industry they would have to leave to make a go of it.

I always think the Aussies are in some ways like the Irish. Ireland is a great place to live but they have to leave sometimes to earn good money and pay less tax!! I have worked with many over the years and I find most go back in the end or at least do a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. That said I do have 2 best friends that are still here but say they will go back one day!

To be honest most of the Australians I have met do always say their plan is to go back one day and I can't recall them ever saying there is much wrong with Aus other than too much tax - Sydney too expensive - I can't understand why people are so suprised by that anyway when you compare prices in London - or for that matter Poole harbour which was somewhere in the top 3 prices per sq ft for real estate in the world a few years ago along with NY or Tokyo.

Human nature will always be 'the grass is greener'!

Excuse my ramblings - it's the detox getting to me!!



Max

Megalania

Most of the Australian Exports are commodities produced and handled by a tiny minority of Australians.

The vast majority compete against imports to produce locally consumed goods and services, some of which can be produced in other countries and imported more cheaply .

Increases in the export prices of commodities has resulted in increased purchasing power of the $A many times in the past and currently. This periodically kills off service exports and import replacement and elaborate transformation of commodities. Commodity prices are volatile and cyclic.

Demand in Australia simply does not exist in some of the more esoteric services which can only exist in larger markets. Australians wanting to work in these esoteric areas have had to move to where the work is available.

helinuk

[
AUSTRALIA, once a destination for Britons seeking a new life in the sun, is facing such a large exodus of its citizens that its government has launched an inquiry to discover why.
New figures show that since the mid-1980s the number of Australians leaving for permanent residence abroad has doubled. Out of a population of 20m, about 1m Australians are living overseas, a quarter of them in Britain. Few are backpackers.



Strange you should post this, only last Friday I took the dog to the local vet(in Surrey) for the first time and guess what ...both the vets were Australian from Sydney been here 2 1/2 YRS. and love UK ...but will eventually return to Oz.

And yesterday we said a sad farewell to our ex tenants who are Aussie and have lived here 2 yrs and are returning to Melbourne next week.

I think the feeling is that most young Aussies want to do the overseas trip to Europe and know that once they have kids its too expensive unless they are expats, as our first tenants were.(from Sydney)
Helinuk

janeyray

Sums Australia up quite well I think... 'The simple life'

If thats what you want, then take it.

MrsDagboy

2 questions/comments.

8,000/year from the UK, but it doesnt mention the other nationalities or the actual figures. Are they trying to give the impression that overall migration is down & people dont want to come here or is it my imagination? Figures can easily mislead.

I would be very very surprised if in MOST western countries migration abroad hasnt doubled. Today with the ease of transport/telecommunications/internet age etc its so much easier to migrate than it would have been 20 years ago. Once again, figures can mislead.

Banksia

If you live in Bondi, what's the need for wealth (except to pay for those expensive parking meters)? But they are probably free for residents anyway.

I suspect the comparative exodus is demographically driven. The children of the baby boomers are in their early career development and looking for experience OS.

Once they start thinking about having children of their own, they'll be back. It's SO much easier to get the washing dry here.

bondipom

The Aussies that I know who are successful in London have developed careers with city institutions in accounts or IT. There is another that I know who organises fashion shows around Europe. They are enjoying Europe and but would probably retire in Australia. The money they are on is too addictive and in the case of the show organiser there is not the work in Australia.

There are also very specialist areas of media where Australia simply does not have the domestic market to support an industry. Even in journalism most international reports are bought in from British newspapers and broadcast organisations.

Even those with kids stay in the UK and privately educate them.

A lot will return to Australia but city of London salaries are addictive and can provide fantastic holidays around Europe.

BTW Bondi parking is free for residents and outsiders can get 2 hours free if they know where to look. The need for wealth is to pay for future childcare, family health insurance, space for kids to play etc etc. I like Bondi living a lot but I am not sure if a unit is the best place to bring up a family.

mozzie

It's a lot to do with the so-called classless society of Oz. One of the great things about the place is that salaries aren't as diverse as in Europe, and especially the UK. A skilled tradesman can earn virtually the same money as, say, a doctor or IT consultant.

The downside of that is that professionals can always make more money by moving to Europe. The UK has the largest disparity between rich and poor of any developed country, so if you want to get rich, that's the place to go (provided you can get a well-paid job of course).

Megalania

The reason that some can get more dosh for less effort outside Australia is that there is more demand for their services outside Australia.

The Australian economy is flatter with less demand for high falutin' fancy services - cheaper to buy that in (out-source it) when it is needed than to keep over paid and under employed specialists.

dotty

Climate. Plenty of people list that amongst their reasons. The fact the OZ climate is too extreme.

Find me a person not hating the weather once it gets over mid 30's. Whats Perth this week, high 30's, mid 30's plus humidity here. Kids playing outside, I dont think so! Summers only just begun, we have months of this to go yet.

Sure grey can get you down after a while, so hop on a plane 59 quid to Barcelona for a fortnight. But the UK generally does not have severe extremes, a bit of drizzle does not make you feel like hell on earth does it? 28 degrees at 8am with the windows fogged by humidity does tho, its draining.

Look at the thread on Moving back to the UK started by guitardoc. Most posters are lisiting climate there.

bondipom

Mega it is not for less effort. Working for city institutions means long hours. A cousin who works for a major investment bank has a camp bed in the office. The money is serious but burn out and early retirement are common. Normally they can afford the early retirement.

Megalania

Meant more $ / kilojoule. Have first hand experience of what you speak.