pommie bastard

Sonme of the deluded on this forum go on about how great Australia is for Kids , maybe not all it seems ?



DESPITE the strong performance of the Australian economy over the past decade, employment has not grown enough to bring unemployment down to an acceptable level. And despite some growth in the employment rate of the working age population since 1980, the proportion of working age households that are jobless has also grown. About one in six children live in these jobless households.

In Hard Heads, Soft Hearts: A New Reform Agenda for Australia we argue that reducing the number of jobless households in Australia is our primary economic and social policy priority.

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Abbott says that "although Australians have learned to live with high unemployment during the past two decades, it remains our most daunting economic problem and our most pervasive social ill". Judith Sloan of the Productivity Commission points out that in the early 2000s, "one-quarter of all unemployed have been unemployed for one year or more".

Deputy Opposition Leader Jenny Macklin points out the link between location, education and employment. Children from households in poor postcodes with low levels of employment tend to have serious learning difficulties. It is becoming "more and more difficult for kids from education-poor postcodes to make a successful transition to work".

Andy_Hanrahan

PB, international man of misery does it again.

Of course there are the same problems in Oz as there are everywhere else, but I've wanted to take my kids to the park for the last five weekends and haven't been able to because of rain/snow/freezing cold etc. I don't think I'll be having that propblem this time next year!


Andy

captaincook

this may be breaking new ground for some modern parents but kids actually love the snow.

you can play snowballs, build snow men, sledge etc etc

gees i need to go back to england fast - my country needs me to show them how to have a good time in all climates !

denhim

you will have no problem building snowmen this morning here in darlington. woke up to 3 inches of it this morning. and i thought we had just got rid of it all.

Garland

I think it must be really hard if you are away from the U.K to apprechiate how hard it is to give your kids fresh-air, exercise and variety. I braved the elements and took mine to the park last week-end it ended up in tears as it was so, so bitter they could hardly touch the bars, it was muddy and the walk home was miserable for them..it was so cold it took their breath away. We take our kids swimming every week-end along with the other 50 families in the pool. All my kids activities are indoors and very structured, we choose these activities as its their only way of getting some proper exercise, they are very young but there won't be much change from this as they grow up.
At the start of our trips to Perth our kids couldn't bear having sand on their toes..by the end they begged to be buried to their necks in it!...they watched in awe kids their age diving into the waves being dragged back to shore...to see our kids confidence grow and start chasing waves and loving it was great. Kids love the freedom to play
How can you possibly critisize people who want to try and give their kids, what they see to be a healthier, longer, safer childhood?

Andy_Hanrahan

Point taken about the snow. The kids do love it. Maybe it's jus me that wants to go to the beach every weekend.

Are we agreed then, that PB should go chew on a funnelweb?

Jacqui

I braved the elements two weeks ago and took my kids to the park too. We weren't there very long...... the playground bars were too hot to touch, the slide was too hot to use, and I couldn't sit down because the wooden bench was too hot and there was no shade! The kids were just dripping with sweat and complained it was no fun in the heat. Maybe both countries would benefit from more indoor playgrounds?

denhim

Also why do you think the ozzies are so good at cricket and other outdoor sports. It won`t be long before they beat the Americans at the olympics, mainly due to the fact they can do all these activities all year round..

pommie bastard

You are in Winter has that sunk in , no way in Perth would you be down the beach in winter the rain and wind would soon put a stop to that,growing up in the UK I loved the snow we found loads of things to do you have grown soft as have the children of today.


Also why do you think the ozzies are so good at cricket and other outdoor sports. It won`t be long before they beat the Americans at the olympics, mainly due to the fact they can do all these activities all year round..

Yeah failed to make the Football World Cup even though its the biggest sport here also the Confed Cup ,lost to England 3 years running in the Rugby , rubbish at track and field in fact go past Cricket , swimming and Rugby League and they do very average.
Australia imports most of its best sports people you will find that most kids here spent as much time in front of a telly and computor as Kid in the UK.
Most of their Olympic medals came from the pool and minor sports they only had one gold in track in field I do not think the Yankies are worried the Sydney Olympics was the best they ever done , just made the top ten after spending 10s millions on support for their sports people and importing east europeans.
Even at the Commonwealth games if you add all the British countries medals together it totals more than Australia won , they are great in the pool , shooting and cycling past that very average.

Shiralee

Have to agree with you here Jacqui, my kids hate the heat. For most of the Summer we don't even attempt to go for a walk or to the park as it's just too draining and no pleasure. It was actually cool, windy and dull here in Perth on Sunday and I saw two entirely different children, it was a joy to be able to go for a walk and see them actually running in the wind with rosy cheeks as opposed to shuffling along soaked in sweat complaining about the sun. I find it laughable now that we actually moved from Melbourne to Perth for a beach lifestyle and I could count on one hand how many times we've actually been on it since we arrived in May, I think we used it more for bracing walks in the Winter than we've done in the Summer....too hot.

Andy_Hanrahan

First of all, no-one expects to go to the beach all year round, and yes we are in winter in the UK, but here you can't go to the beach in summer either. Ask anyone who lives here and they will tell how horrible it is to have crap weather all summer and then it just gets worse. PB, please tell me you're not trying to argue that the climate in the UK is preferable to Oz. If you think that, one year here and you will change your mind. I would rather be too hot any day.


Andy

Christian S

To Cold to go outside in the UK

To hot to go outside in OZ

Lived in both, back in the UK now after 2 years in OZ, I know which we prefur.....Me, the wife and our Children are very glad to be back home.....cold but 'o' so happy :-)

Christian

pommie bastard

By the sounds of it you have never had it hot try 2 weeks of over 36C its shite even the UV will burn your skin and eyes , if you have any sense you cover up or stay inside.
I lived in the UK for 34years and never worried about the weather , the British Summer Temps feel 10C warmer than here because we get stronger winds still mid 20c plus would do me, I prefer the British Summer rain or no rain.
If you look at the beaches here they are almost empty most of the year round if it gets above 38C they do fill out , theres more to life than laying on a beach towel.
We watch the British program Location , Location last night apart from the fact the skys where Blue and the Sun showing it face more remakable as it was in Sheffield , my wife just keep gushing about how green everything looked its a brown waste land here.

Dudley

Grew up near the sea - long, long bays of snow white coarse sand, deep blue sky and sea, two jetties for diving and fishing. Spent every summer saturday arvo on it holerin' and screamin'. Dig up some cockles for lunch or bait. Go prawning in the evening. Boil up a feed on the beach.

Now find it boring - rather a walk in tall timber.

Take the kids on a proper, long summer holiday in a remote beach location and they (or is it you) will probably get over it.

Andy_Hanrahan

PB, of course I have had it hot. Do you really think I would be dumb enough to consider moving to a place like Oz without having the foresight to be prepared for the heat. That's obviously what you did.

Come back and enjoy the rain. You're welcome to it. Oh, and I hope you are also prepared for the entire country descending into chaos because of two inches of snow.