Pollyana

re the mental health situation - I have heard Mcmercer talk about it, and read many posts by Grayling; I also have experience of watching a fit healthy man slowly decay through a mixture of alcohol and mental health problems. Every time he was admitted to the local mental health hospital, he would slip out late at night, buy the booze and just walk back in with it. 2 weeks later he would say "I'm fine now" and they would let him leave.
I don't know if this happens in the UK, but I know it did in Hobart. I did not expect to enter the room of an alcoholic depressive, and be knocked sideways by the wine fumes.
My dad had severe depression several years back and while his treatment was not fantastic, it was better than that my friend received 3 years ago over here.

wmoore

You should post more, you talk sense

wmoore

Same here. Not running from anything, don't think the UK is crap, pretty sure Oz isn't Utopia, just want to experience something else and I'm just pleased that (DIMIA-willing) I have the opportunity to do so. If I can't get away with life in Oz, hey-ho I'll come back to Britain with no regrets, or possibly go and experience life somewhere else.

kirsty&al

Hello,

This one got me thinking a bit. I have previously heard (but never verified) that approximately 25% of kiwis and up to 30% of Irish (ROI) live abroad so 1/20th didn't sound too bad. I then started wondering what the figures might be for the UK. I came across a couple of links quoting the FCO as saying (in 2002) that there are 15 million Britons living overseas, or approximately 20%.

See http://fpc.org.uk/articles/194 for more details - there are other links as well.
Yours astounded
Alistair

RReed

Sorry, but I agree with mcmercer. Mental health care in Queensland is the least funded in Australia, and Australia funding for mental health is crap. In fact they were talking about it today on the radio.
Rachel

jc_hoops

I so agree.......

worzel

I wasn't going to contribute to this thread as it is one of those sensitive ones I try not to get involved in but can't help myself.

Why are Brits so negative about their own country? Yes, there are problems, but many of them are due to the success of the country, especially the economy, making it TOO popular. We love to moan about how bad everything is but it is pretty good compared to most other countries. I think the British media is responsible for a lot of this attitude as it is easy to pick fault and find exceptions to the rule and this sells papers. (If you wonder why I want away - like a previous postee I am going to the adventure not to get away from anything).

But read the Aussie newspapers and they love saying how an Aussie actor / sportsperson etc is doing well in the outside world. Australia has some serious issues to deal with itself, in particular the infrastructure failing to keep up with the population expansion. Why can't Brits be more proud of what we have like the Aussies? The negativity rubs off on us all and brings us all down. If I am looking for one thing I am running away from then this is it.

jc_hoops

Not what I have found, got good Aus friends over here and in Aus.

As for the butt of the Aussie joke, you could say that about the Irish from an English prospective, just jokes at the end of the day ! I'm not sure, but the Irish might even have a few good ones about Scots, who knows !!

As for the "not liking the British", maybe it was something you was doing ?

hooperhome

I wasn't going to contribute either to this thread but anyway.....

I am not particularly negative about the UK but I cannot wait to leave. We have got it pretty good over here. But to have it pretty good we have to work all hours running our own business and to do that we seem to be missing out on our young family growing so quickly. We want to spend time with our children and I know that a new life down under will give us that. In some respect we will benefit from the soaring house prices and a business that has become a nightmare in that our sales of house and business will give us a head start when we reach Australia.

However there are some things that concern me:-

Up till a couple of years ago I would have also said that we live in one of the safest countries. However I now have my doubts. Who knows what is round the corner after we pallied up with America!

I also feel now that the lay-abouts in this country are the ones that are benefitting. In some cases I can understand why they don't want to do anything or succeed. You can get so much with family tax credit and child tax credit that there is not much incentive to contribute to society when they will just give it to you anyway. Sometimes it seems that the more successful you are the more you are penalised. In successful, I don't just mean financially but being an honest and up-standing member of the community. What I am trying to say is that this country is an easy ride for those that want it, only it's all the good people that are paying for it.

Am I alone in my thoughts....?

sackofspuds

Well put. As usual. As you say, Oz has over a hundred thousand skilled migrants yet in a recent study by Deutsche Bank looking forward to the year 2020, Australia dropped 8 places in terms of GDP per head; more than any other country.

Yes, there are some v. successful migrants. My landlord owns 2 properties in our street. We rent one that he bought in 2003 for £390,000 and he lives in another that's worth probably £350k. He owns a shop and rents the flat above it. He came here at age 12 illiterate in his native tongue, let alone English, apparently. His kids go to private school. His first wife died young so he remarried and has about 4 kids.

sackofspuds

"So long kids, have a nice life. Hopefully I'll be able to afford to visit you once every couple of years. Hope you can do the same. Sorry I won't be there for you, but I couldn't resist moving to Oz and buying a house for cash."

Call me sentimental, but I'd rather not be saying that to my kids in 10 or 15 years time. That's what I fear would occur if I went back to Oz.

jc_hoops

Got my vote....

worzel

I do know what you mean. But Australia has similar problems in my limited (2 months) experience and from what I have read.

Australians suffered the most from the Bali bombings. As a fellow member of the coalition that went into Iraq they are also a target. They also have a hotbed of anti-Western feeling close by in Indonesia etc.

Australians might know how to enjoy themselves at the weekends but they do have a long hours culture. I work for a multinational and regularly talk to the Sydney office in the small hours of the morning.

Australia has a top tax rate of 47% (I think) so the higher earners are supporting the safety net like they do in the UK.

Australia has its hoons like we have our chavs. Similar issues.

Australia has a growing problem of racial issues. The blacks (as they call them) are often drunk and violent.

What I am trying to say is that, yes, Britain has the problems you refer to, but Australia has similar problems too.

Soi Oz

A word to the wise.... leave attitudes like this at home if you want to get along with people in Oz. Aussies are pretty sensitive to comments like those. No history? Tell that to the original inhabitants. No culture? Of course there's bloody culture! It just doesn't revolve around old buildings, art galleries, dingy pubs or museums.....(i.e. it isn't the same culture you left) I've been hearing immigrants from the UK say stuff like that for 20 years and its wearing very thin. Strangely enough, I've never heard any Italian, Greek, Slav, Vietnamese, Chinese.... etc immigrants say the same.

If you're going to Oz with the attitude that you will build a better life and you have something to contribute to society then great, you will make a lot of friends. If you're immigrating so you can 'take' a better life then think twice. Australia isn't perfect, you need to work at life there too. Grrrr..

Now, calming down a little and changing the subject slightly... don't underestimate the effects of 'culture shock'. From personal experience, it really kicks in around the two year mark and can really get you down.

Soi Oz.

sackofspuds

Nope, you are not alone, most of the tabloid press are right with you.

There are just as many "bludgers" in Oz as in the UK.

The "tax credit" system is for people who work (and hence pay taxes). Not even the Victorians objected to helping the "working poor"; they were seen as worthy even then.

You complain about those who don't "contribute to society" but from what you've said, you have a successful business and have done well (like lots of us) through the good fortune of having your house explode in value. Personally, I don't count paying taxes as a great contribution to society. The teaching and medical professions are the ones who make the most contribution in my book.