Re: press request
 

And you don't see any irony in going to Oz - a country renowned for its racist attitudes to its indigenous people and asylum seekers? In fact, in 99 and 2000, Oz was criticised by the U.N. for its racist policies.

UK is far from perfect, but having lived in both countries for many years, the average Brit appears to be far less racist than the average Aussie.

Incidentally, Yugoslavia is nothing like the UK. Y. has had many years of internal bitterness - especially between Serbs and Croats (check out what the Croats did during WWII)

Re: press request
 

Badge, me ol' mucker, you're confusing dogma with pedantry. 'Revising grammar' - and this email - are examples of pedantry.

'Badge's Laws' are examples of dogma.

Re: press request
 

Oli - good luck with the research.

Some of the comments already made bought back memories and reminders.
My case is one of push and pull - and a full 360 degree move.

I have been a wanderer most of my life - joined the British army at 17 travelled the world and left the forces at 27, kept a wandering around Europe, Canada and the US for a few years. Returned to London in the 80's and trained as a Registered Nurse.

Got married and we had a son. We had a flat in Shepherds Bush and lived from hand to mouth.

Birth of our son was a watershed moment - the wife made it clear we needed to set down roots and live like the rest of "civvy street". No more midnight runs London to Paris for a croissant, or a meal and rave at the latest eatery and dance Klub.

It was not a rational decision to migrate overnight - it jus "occurred" gradually - we went to Oman in the gulf states first, we thought we should "cash up" on tax free petro dollars before we migrated somewhere for good. We spent some time in Oman and started to research where we were going to migrate to on a permanent basis.

Our main "push" to leav UK was financial, we never seemed to have enough cash, we seemed to live on credit card debt and overdrafts. I was getting down and feeling less than as a result.

The second major push was "class" I just did not want to live in class war Britain any longer - I was at the bottom and I bloody hated it.

From Oman we did our research and we realised Australia fit our criteria - we had a relative who would sponsor us, Australian's spoke english, my quals were recognised and it was anti class and anti royal - it was for us !!

We migrated to Oz in 1991, settled in Perth. We rented straight away, I got a job within a week and so did the wife. We put our son in nursery and set out to work ourselves wealthy !!. Our cash reserve went on white goods, a car and a deposit on a humble house in the Northern suburbs.

We gradually changed our views and thoughts about staying in Australia by 1993 - we found the lifestyle of sun, bar b q and children centred life dull. I started to get annoyed with the school boy level of conversation and racist content when it came to global issues. I was bored.

I started looking around and took a job in the Middle east again, we have no regrets leaving Oz, It was a great experience - I would not discourage any body from trying it out. I doubt we would return - there is so many more things we can do with all the tax free cash we earn as expats.

We decided to return to UK last year for one reason only - private school education for our children ( we have three now ) . Schools in Oz are fine but Private school education in UK is a distinct advantage. We can finally afford a good house and my wife can pursue her own interest's and not worry about money.

The move to Oz got a lot of the wander lust out of my system, I learned a lot about myself migrating to Oz - and I guess I have softened out on the class war thing against the middle classes and opinions on royalty have changed as well.

Like others on this thread who have actually done the journey - it is true,
- the Cost of living in Oz is as high as in UK.
- Drug related problems and crime is endemic across Oz.
- Taxes are as high in Oz, and as sneakey as in UK.
- Salary is low - dollar to pound - compared to UK
- House prices inflation in Oz is as bad as UK - 5 X salary in main suburbs
- Ozzies are not snobs but they are very materialistic
- Brits will not automatically get to the top, Ozzies like to be first.
- Brits do not make up the majority.
- Oz TV is crap
- leaving is expensive !!
- Lazy Brits thinking the Oz welfare system will look after them once they get here are in for a big shock, Ozzies have a healthy and extreme prejudice of the "work shy "

odaat

Re: British Exodus
 

I think the proposed Title of the article kind of gives the game away really :rolleyes:

G

Re: British Exodus
 

Mike outside now. And no this not a consultancy this is me telling you what a pompous twat you are. Bloody hell I could drop you now and you wouldn't have time to work out how many punches to kicks ratio you'd get...or the likelihood of the opportunities you would get in your hospital bed after getting out of the comfort of your little office.

You couldn't resist could you? You've gone all quiet after your humiliation but no, you could't resist it could you..maybe I should be flattered.....Jesus :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

As I made it quite clear in my 2nd post - I said everyone likes a bit of sun now and again. Do I need to qualify it? Full stop. OK, OK so I made a mistake; perhaps I was talking from a non VICTORIAN viewpoint?

If you such a bloody pedant why didn't you see my 2nd post. EVEN MELBOURNE GETS GREY SKIES - WE SHOULD KNOW...heck I even made a fairly analytical effort to explain the weather here in Melbourne - and you still don't get it. I thought you theorists were so good at that.

[Bloody hell people jump down you throat don't they?]

In any case, the sun comes out in a Melbourne winter more so than a UK one, and it won't be long before you will be enjoying your version...quite a bit colder now I think - now go back to your little office...

BM

rant over.

Re: British Exodus
 

PROVE your a melburnian :D do as all the others have done moved to QLD for the sun.

:D

Re: press request
 

Who said you pedantly correcting grammar was you also being dogmatic. Same sentence, perhaps different clauses?

But agreed - the pedantry you invented and have made your style....???!!!

my laws; it's called taking the piss mate. Also, if anything, my 'laws' are based on common sense and years of experience and as you know my experiences are not confined to a uni or an office so I feel I am qualified to say this. The number of times I tell clients things and they're like "we never thought of that" or, colleagues say "that's a point.."

You can't win mate, I'm too strong for you - and you know it. Let me see the well rounded article now...show me you're a person...

:D

Re: British Exodus
 

very good.. heck can the last person here turn out the lights? :rolleyes:

Should we; after all its all drugs up there, is it not...

cheers..

lol

Re: British Exodus
 

Hmm, sun....oh yes thats the yellow thing that appears in the sky between thunder storms, and if you live in a QLD house where you are allowed to open the curtains, you can occasionally get a peek of it :p

Re: British Exodus
 

Wow, I must have moved to a different Australia, the one described here on this thread must be where I get to go at night time :zzz:
Just going to look back at some of my old posts to see if I believed in that dream world place and if so when I stopped :confused:
PS what bloody exodus population is increasing!

Re: British Exodus
 

Were planning to come to queensland, and yes, the weather is a major factor and the fact we can actually have an outdoor life. As opposed to the uk where you plan something and then it pisses down and the winter seems to go on for ever and the kids get fed up with staying in day after day.
We are under no elusions that oz will have the same problems as over here, but what a difference it makes just to be able to say, ok were not well off over here but youd wouldnt change it for 'sunny' old swindon for the world.Just being able to have active outdoor lives and see the ocean, all things swindon seriously lacks!! :eek:

Re: British Exodus
 

This seems to be the most argumentative thread I have been part of.
To Everybody:"Please stop jumping down everyones throats." There, now next time you are all getting sent to your rooms for time out. I value everyones comments so lets just start ignoring snarky comments.

Re: British Exodus
 

have to say; despite liking a bit of sun (sigh), I am in no way a sun baker. But I know many people do love the particular outdoors opportunities here (the caveat is that life is not perfect)and have every justification to come here to see for themselves.

BM

Re: British Exodus
 

Whaddya want its all here, mulls the go tho, grows like a weed half the populations supposed to be on it.

Funny story tho, last time down in vic visiting the rellies, airport bus to catch famous jetstar flight (dont be late we close checkin and dont let you on). 2 minutes into the bus were surrounded by lights sirens action, several police vans cars swoop like some movie shoot and a drug raid starts on some game arcade, bus is stuck in middle of it not going anywhere, lebbo bus driver cracks us up telling everyone its the asians, chinese guy who sounds just like steve irwin joins in bagging the asians, meanwhile wife and I notice not one asian is being arrested :D

Try telling Jetstar your late because youve been caught in a ethnic drug raid :D

Re: British Exodus
 

OK, I'm odd, but I would! I'd rather be in Swindon! Went to school there and having had e-mails from a couple of people there recently I'd love to go back for a while.......mind you, not sure I'd want to live there for good again :D