One of the biggest differences I have noticed between Aussie plugs and British ones is that British ones are designed to be taken apart and have a little screw in them for the purpose - but Aussie ones are not.
It goes without saying that dismantling a piece of hardware which was never supposed to be dismantled in the first place, is a project replete with potential disasters.

Not a good comparison there Vash. You show a retrofit U.K plug and a moulded aussie one. The U.K has for a while now been slowly changing to moulded unbreakable plugs just as Australia still sells retrofit plugs

The UK might be changing over, but retrofit is still the most common here. Back home, it seems that the reverse is true.

I've used nothing but retrofit plugs since coming to the UK; in Australia, I used nothing but moulded unbreakables.

Strange when we left three yrs ago all appliances had to be sold with a moulded unbreakable plug fitted. Has that changed again?

Still true for new appliances

The Aussie plug in your photo is from a new appliance. The ones you fit yourself have a rubber sleeve that you screw on from the back. The ones in the supermarket that are shallower and point the lead downwards or to the side to fit behind furniture are similar to UK designs with the screw between the pins for taking it apart.

<edited for clarity>

Where did you get the drugs you're smoking?

As far as I know, it has never been legal to rewire your own house. You could however smaller jobs, like moving a socket, or light fitting were ok. Now you have to be ceritified for any electrical work you do, even moving a socket! It's called a Part P and it came into effect late last year!
And as for commercial premises, you'd never get the work if you werent certified. Ever heard of the 16th Edition? Well it's a very large book full of all the electrical standards.

Your insurance would never cover you if the electrics were installed be a cowboy

I've known quite a few people who have just about re-wired a house in the past (UK). I am sure it used to be legal, or at least NOT illegal

Sensible ? debatable

Quite true if done a bit at a time over the course of a few yrs i.e as each room was redecorated it would be entirely possible to do a rewire. You'd just need a sparkie to connect the fuse board to the tails.

Aren't they the ones that we brought here and just cut the plug off altogether and stuck an Aussie plu on the end??

ermmm - allegedly

Over here in the UK, it is now law that to work on your own house you must have a ' part P' this is an exam you must sit to get it, then and only then are you allowed to do anything electrical in your own home, and that does mean changing a plug.

I recently past my !6th Edition. I install Air Conditioning and I have to install socket's, I can do this in offices, shops and even in my mums house, BUT I am still not allowed to change a plug in my own house, because I haven't got Part P. !!!!!!!!!!

No comment

When are you coming South next - we owe you beer and food.

There's barriers across the Bruce that stop us feral's from venturing to far south. Could be a while as I've got a fishing weekend next weekend and a fishing comp the one after.
I'll get back to you when I've consulted the oracle [soon as she's off the dunnie]

P.S
Just noticed bloody daughter has changed my avatar and sig this arvy

Tell me where the comp is and I'll kit up, sink a few full cylinders and keep filling your hook up. Might look a bit odd when they come up ready gutted mind you