Going back to Aus
 

I left Australia in 1988 to travel around Europe and the UK and ended up staying although this was not my original intention !. After eighteen years and now with a young family, I have decided its time to return to Australia for a number of reasons.
I hate anyone who whinges on about all the negatives of a country and therefore I will not do the same here, but... Life in the UK has changed a lot over these years, and whilst I love the character and lifestyle here I feel that the country is being sold out to extreme political correctness, mass immigration (mostly illegal, but who's counting) and penalties targeted at anyone capable of paying! It really feels like we are funding a changing landscape.
There are no nicer people than the English, generous, compassionate and humourous!! Sadly their views seem less and less important and the number of people I talk to sound so despondent about the future here. 5 million people emmigrating...why??
I loved living here, fantastic neighbours, beautiful countryside and everything on the doorstep. Now, I look at neighbourhoods terrorised by teenage rebellion, mass migration on a scale that even the government cannot quantify and an infrastructure that cannot cope under the strain.
Australia is very different from the UK, but the people do share a lot in common, hence I believe that is why it is such a popular destination. The impression I get from reading the messages on here is that whilst the life is totally different, everyone is excited about the challenge of a new life in Australia. I believe that ultimately the UK are losing a lot of very talented people and Australia will gain from those people moving there with a committment to achieving a better life. I am so impressed by the support and consideration that everyone shows to each other on this forum, something I think is quite impressive. Good luck to everyone making the move, I am also anxious about how things might have changed since I lived there last but I will continue to read the postings with interest and hope I will not get slated for the comments I made!!

Re: Going back to Aus
 

Good post.

A few leftist, PC members might try and convince you (and themselves) Oz has a problem with illegal immigrants on the same level, but other than that, can't see your remarks getting too much abuse mate.

K sent.

Re: Going back to Aus
 

Great post & just about sums up what i am sure a lot of us feel.

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This is just how we feel too..............good post……. hope all turns out well for you and yours :)

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Ive no idea what australia was like in 1988 :eek: but its a rapidly changing country too, we came back in 2000, massive changes in so many things in just that time, from house prices to PC mode, workplace reform to traffic and cost of living :eek: If you havent already done so, visit first.

Re: Going back to Aus
 

Great post. A few points:
Political correctness is as rampant here as it is in the UK.
3rd world immigration (legal & illegal) is nowhere near the level of the UK. UK has a problem with immigration but at least this new wave of Poles is not a Western hating, non assimilating, anti-woman Muslim wave.
5 million people may have left the UK but how many have gone back? 40% is a figure I've heard before.
Crime is on a par with the UK, some things better, some worse.
Australia is only slightly cheaper than the UK. Some things here are way more expensive than the UK, others way cheaper.
There are teenage w*nkers here but not as many as the UK.
There is an underclass here, just like the UK Chavs. It's about the same.
In some parts of Australia the infrastructure is also straining.
There are great opportunities here just as there are in the UK.

Good luck.

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Fair enough post mate, but it'll just give Brits emigrating to Oz from the U.K. further fuel to justify to themselves that their lives will be oh-so-much better for the move.

And then BANG, they find out their problems have followed them.

Best to make the move for the experience & philosophical reasons instead.

Anyway, all the best, what part of Oz you off to?

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Have you got British citizenship or have you just got UK settled status?

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EXACTLY....nail firmly hit on the head!

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Hey Hey it's Saturday, Warwick Capper, "W.A. Home of the America's Cup" numebr plates...

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Australia has loads of illegal immigrants and guess what? the vast majority are British or Yanks.

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Cheap houses......

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Real cheap, just did a search australia 1988 :D , Sydney house prices expected to fall by 50%, concerns on interest rates, ( oh so familiar) 20,000 aboriginals march in sydney, Paul hogan and croc dundee at the box office, and immigration calls for less Asians to be let into australia :eek: Plus Keating, Hawke and Howard mentioned. Google images brought up some mullet haircuts and purple suits.

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At least it's only 20% fall this time! So nothing new then really apart from the purple suits as we've still got plenty of mullets around.:)

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great post i agree totally

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Great post and that pretty much sums out how we feel too.

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great post . some people are making points that oz has its problems too.the answer to that is yes but not on the same scale as the u.k.as most of us on this forum has noticed they dont just open the doors to everyone.We all need to have something to offer.and yes they too let in cheep labour.But they monitor it .not like the u.k were immigrants have the right to just decided they will go to the u.k for work and next week there here .Take blackpool now renamed little Poland,dont get me wrong they are good at there jobs.But the u.k is just too small to cope, the bubble will go up one day.So yes the answer is the u.k has changed and not for the better.

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Everytime we speak to rellies in the UK, its always doom and gloom, We are so happy we came to Australia, our 16yrs here has been really happy

Sheila and Fred

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I wondered where abouts in the UK you were from to make you feel this way? I lived in central London and in the part I lived between 1999 and 2004 it was cosmopolitan, educated and rather expensive! In the flat we lived in central London before (near Tottenham Court Road) there were indeed racial problem between youngsters on a nearby housing estate who seemed to think they could attribute all of their misfortune to white folk being racist without realising they were racist themselves. We were pleased to move. But even in the heart of London I never felt "over run" with immigrants. In Australia we are surrounded by immigrants. Let's face it if you are white you are hardly a native Australian. In London residents from overseas, were usually hard working and pleasant. Many were from the old Soviet bloc countries. Our child care help was Brazillian. Not only were our children loved and looked after but they even learned how to dance a mean salsa. We still keep in touch. I also feel sad and a bit afraid when I read of people referring to "political correctness" Usually they are referring to things like the recognition of gay couples or it being illegal to discriminate against someone on the grounds of race or calling someone a wog. In other words anything that is progressive and aims at enhancing respect for all people is sneered at. How sad. How cynical. Personally I like what I see happening in the UK and I am not keen on racism and intolerance which often passes for being "British" or "Pro Australian". So if you, like me come and live in this beautiful is country - even if it is somewhat backward socially, remember you are an immigrant and the real Australians are black fellas. Before anyone accuses me of being "leftist" or asks the usual, "why did you come to Australia if the UK is so great" my answer is simple: sunshine and an English speaking population as I am hopeless at languages. I guess we can lable anyone we don not happen to agree with "leftist" or "facists" but it does not really allow for serious though and consideration. What ever you decided good luck and I hope you will not be let down (too much).

Re: Going back to Aus
 

Nice reply.

Also worth noting (as i have mentioned before), for all those who dont think Aus has many immigrants...

My census forms which i received a few days ago say that 1 in 5 (thats 20% folks) of all people in Aus were born overseas. Thats ALOT of immigrants.

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I arrived in UK Feb 1965. As many of us did at that time, I came over to travel the UK and Europe. I'm flying back on 28 October. Nearly 42 years later
Bloody long holiday! Now joing two of my british born chilldren now living in Brisbane and leaving one in the UK. In the future will be spending summer hols in the UK rather than the other way round.

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You get my vote!

Scotty.

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How long did you spend in Australia?

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Thank you for all the replies...
Sadly I arrived here with quite an impresive mullet! ( Wasn't stopped at immigration ) And will be returning with a lot less hair and greyer!
We are planning to move to Samford, Qld so welcome any thoughts from people living there! I grew up in Geelong, Vic but decided to return to Qld for a number of reasons. House prices being one of them, Brisbane itself the other.
Putting important issues to one side....like houses, jobs, schools etc,
Is it possible to find a decent Curry and a pint of bitter in Brisbane?? :beer:

Re: Going back to Aus
 

we much prefer Geelong to Brisbane! To be fair we only visited for a few days earlier this year, but for us there was too much congestion. We loved Maroochydore, Mooloolaba (sp?) caloundra etc. but now we are back in the UK we miss popping to Geelong from Colac for a bit of shopping.

Good luck.

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Great post mate, sums it up for us as well!

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We are in the same boat. I've been here since 1991, after 15 years will head back to Perth also with young family. Sometimes excited about new life, sometimes so nervous I feel ill. Today I bought the latest edition of 'Australia & New Zealand' magazine in WH Smith which has got me all excited again. Looking forward to November and the big move back. :)

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I am still a Cats supporter...and loved being close to Torquay and Queenscliff and is not far from Melbourne which was good too. So was not easy decision, just hope its the right one! Why did you come back??

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I'm originally from South Africa, although have spent most of my life in the UK. Never got around to applying for citizenship and when I did (from Aus) we fell foul of the residence requirement. So, we're back for as short a time as possible to get my British citizenship just incase we ever had to come back for some reason. Getting any sense out of the Home Office is impossible though so we could be here as long as 3 years. :( JAJ....please can you go and work for them so at least they will have one person there who actually knows what they're talking about.

When we were making the plans we weren't too concerned about coming back thinking it would be great to be surrounded by familiar people and places. The trouble is so much has changed in just 3 years.....or maybe we changed. The pace of life over here is just too hectic for us now, we struggle to keep up. Things were very laid back in Colac as you can probably imagine. Also, here in Swindon the children just seem to grow up so quickly....we loved that in our small town in Australia the children were still allowed and encouraged to enjoy childhood.

The UK and Europe has so much to offer in terms of culture and history but for me Australia wins hands down in offering us the sort of lifestyle that is conducive to raising a happy and healthy family.

yeah.....Go Cats!

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Excellent point about children being allowed to enjoy their childhood, and perhaps one of the main reasons we are moving! I do hope you sort out the residency problem, but as the Home Office is "not fit for purpose" I should imagine its going to be a lengthy and painful experience! Good luck !!

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Go Cattas!!!!!

(I'm from Leopold)

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If you have broken the 3 year continuity of residence requirement then you will have to wait another three years, sorry.

The residence requirements are outlined in this pdf document (from the Home Office Nationality Instructions):
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/doc...xb?view=Binary

The law is set down in the British Nationality Act 1981 and the Home Office has to follow the will of Parliament in that respect.

And to any other Australians in the UK contemplating leaving - if you haven't got your British citizenship before doing so, it will generally be too late to change your mind once back in Australia.

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We have just returned after 14 years in the UK so in a similar position.

Just a couple of interesting facts for you - over 50% of repats leave Australia again with 2 years of returning! There are over 1 million Aussies aged between 18-35 abroad - many who never have any intention of returning here. Reasons cited include lack of professional/travel/cultural opportunities.

The Australia you are returning to is not the Australia you left behind and if there were things that p***ed you off then, they will not have gone away - they will only have got worse. Do not put your head in the sand and think otherwise. Be prepared to accept that your o/s experience, work and other, may count for nothing.

Good luck!

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Thanks for that link JAJ. half the problem for me is that all this started before I knew much about the internet and therefore sought advice from Home Office staff rather than the guidelines which are available to all on the net. Now I know better!

I am clutching at straws for a couple of loopholes that might mean I can apply next year: the first is....how can you have 900 days abscence (which they have discretion to allow) in 5 years without spending a couple of years of that out of the country? In the past 11 years I have still had less than 900 days abscence - it's just that all mine are more recent.

Also, from those notes you provided the link for.....it says that physical prescence in the UK is enough, you do not need to have been ordinarily resident. I guess I'm probably hoping too much but, but, but......

OK...finished hi-jacking your thread now okletsgo!

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Aren't you married to a British citizen? If so then a 3 year residence requirement applies, not 5.

The 3 year requirement works as:

- physically in the UK on the exact day 3 years prior to the application being made; and
- outside the UK for no more than 270 days in that 3 years; and
- outside the UK for no more than 90 days in the 12 months preceding application

It's up to you to prove you meet these requirements, and you need to hold Indefinite Leave to Remain or equivalent on the application date.

The 270 and 90 day requirements may be increased to 300 and 100 days with little formality on a discretionary basis.

Only in exceptional cases can the 270 day threshold be increased beyond 300 days. The 90 day requirement can be increased up to 180 days if it is clear the applicant is settled in the United Kingdom

It's a lot easier to sort out British citizenship before making the decision to leave, it's amazing how many Australians in the UK don't even seem to think about it.

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yes, I am married to a Brit. I was hoping I could be assessed independantly of that though. Do you not think this will be possible? I would have been physically present in the country 5 years previously but not 3.

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There is no statutory bar on a person married to a British citizen applying under the 5 year requirement, rather than the 3 year requirement. You would have to be clear about this in your application, it's the kind of thing that can confuse case-workers.

But do read the Home Office guidelines carefully on excess absences, if you have been away in Australia a few years you will probably struggle even under the 5 year rule.

Also be aware that those applying under the 5 year rule must normally intend to stay resident in the United Kingdom, although people can and do change their minds later on.