Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

Chaps

Has anyone ever actioned one post that lists the key differences between Aus and the UK for newcomers to the site and those who are looking to move and investigating possibilities. I know there are many options but it might be good to have one post, made as a sticky, that keeps one continuous list. It probably needs some parameters assigned to it to keep it fairly consistent, but I would think this would be good.

Coming from someone who has lived in both countries recently, and indeed is looking to move back to Aus again, I think it gives a netter impression from these people to post than someone who moved out to Aus 10 years ago and has little knowledge of current prices in the UK. Thus those recent movers are actually in the best position.

Items I was thinking of, without necessarily meaning to get it started, were...

Choice - far more choice in the majority of items in the UK than Aus, including supermarket foods, cars, utilities etc

Tax - Higher rate of tax payable in Aus is 47% compared to 40% in the UK, but VAT/GST is 10% compared to 17.5% in the UK

Superannuation (Aus version of pension) - this should be on top of your salary rather than included and is a government requirement

PAYE - you need to complete a tax return every year in Aus, again something most in the UK do not worry about

Sport (mainly football) - for those, like me, who will miss their doe of televised football, you get a far greater choice of matches because of your location (outside of the UK) BUT you need to be ready to watch live matches in the early hours of the morning - and that can hurt!

These are the type of things I was thinking about...

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

not a bad idea, however it will degenerate into an oz /uk bashathon. why can't people accept they are different countries offering different things?

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

Oh let me start . . . please sir!

One heap big; one heap small.

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

But where's the fun in that?

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

ok:D on top of my salary, ute and leave loading, we get $ 1000 a month paid into a social fund for all the guys to go fishing, indy, cricket or whatever. we have a christmas all expenses paid bowling night for all staff and us office lot are being taken to cirque de soleil and dinner. the boss lays beers on for the boys the last friday of the month.
in the uk i got a frozen chicken for an xmas bonus:)

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

. . . and you were lucky . . .

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

i had to queue for it. tightfisted barstewards

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

Ok - now I see why one has not worked in the past...

The two places are very different although many seem to think their light at the end of the tunnel gets turned on when they step off the plane in an Australian airport. It might have been good to provide some realities - well, that was my thinking but...

I'll get my coat!

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

. . . and you tell the young uns today and they won't believe ya!

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

i had to get up 2 hours before i woke, cup of poison for breakfast.......:)

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

no, hang in there, some sense will prevail above the rhetoric and hyperbole that will ensue:ohmy:

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

Why thank you... we shall see!

Just an idea, that's all...

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

one very basic difference is that there is no "red amber" phase on the traffic lights before they change to green - it took me a while to notice, I kept thinking I must have been day-dreaming and missed it!! :D or is this just a QLD thing?

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

yeah! took me a while. i never get tooted here, whereas in the uk, within a millisecond of the light change, some deadhead would be doing the masterblaster :mad:

Re: Basic differences between Aus and the UK
 

Oh that is so funny! Here in NSW we stop on green and go on red! We won't go into the roundabouts! :rofl: