Ozmanic

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I have been visiting this site for some time, and have noticed all the posters-with their rose colored glasses, and their "England is a sinking ship" attitude.
I am Australian born and bred and not of an English background-and I think the UK has a much greater future than Oz.
There are some fundamental things that many of these people fail to grasp.
For those returning to the UK- don't feel too bad about it.
If either of these countries were a sinking ship-it would be Oz.
The UK will be sailing on long after Australia's prosperity is a passing memory.

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Vash the Stampede

I'm speechless.

lawlaw

Interesting post, what reasons do you have for feeling this?

Ozmanic

Its a little philosophical but here goes.....I believe that traditions of succesful groups are a large part of why that group is succesful.
Traditions mean that people understand the basis of their success.
In the UK, sure there is a large body of Yobs that mouth off attitudes they think are "tough" and "Nationalistic"-that are in fact naive and stupid ,but there is also a very large body of people that understand what it means to be British and more importantly what being British doesnt mean.
These people "the elite" are firmly in charge and keep the ship from sinking.
In Oz, I fear, people dont have a firm grasp on the basis of their prosperity-therefore they are bound(deserve) to lose it.
As Oz, in practice, gets more progressive and liberal-and better for it, people are politically apathetic-and the ultra-conservative right is on the rise.
Australia is a new country,isolated with little tradition-it gains nothing from a rednecked isolationist or christian-fundamentalist attitude. It must be progressive to thrive economically. Yet queitly these people (the far-right) are making massive grounds.

Ozmanic

Secondly, I am not sure that quality of life is better in Oz.
I am not sure Australia is "easier" than the UK.
I think Oz has done a great job of marketing itself-but things might not be what they seem down under-some of you might end up rather bitter.
I was succesful in Oz-I am as Aussie as a white guy gets-and have no reason to be bitter with the place.
But....I suspect most Australians feel that "Australia is the best country in the world" because they never lived in Europe.
People might be reading the fact that so many Brits "hate" the UK, and so many Australians "love" Oz as objective "proof" that Oz is better-and their decision to go there is right.
firstly, many many Australians have cottoned on to what I am saying.
Their is a certain naive Australian attitude that you almost have to be Australian to understand-dont think that an optimistic attitude is proof that the place is better.
When you realise it isnt and blokes like me were right-then the real bitterness sets in.

Bordy

Well Ive been in Melbourne for 6 years now & No Way would I swap with you. You are welcome to the UK, Australia is home for me now & Ive never been happier.

bridiej

tonyk38

I don't quite agree with everything you say, but I think you raise some interesting points:

I am looking to emigrate to Aus in the reasonably near future. I've spent in total about 6 months there already in two visits, so have some idea of what to expect. Fortunately for me there are many pull factors and relatively few push factors as I love the UK too. I want to 'scratch that itch' because I'm not getting any younger and need a change. I can always come back to the UK if it doesn't work out.

I certainly agree that Aus can be very insular, and some Aussies do take constructive criticism as 'whinging', but since I'm not looking for an 'easier' lifestyle, just a different one, I think I'll be OK (I hope!)

Welcome to the forum, btw.

wargod

Whilst i agree in part - i think of more concern is the 'brain drain' effect that migration will have on the UK.

Australia is (rightly) picking and choosing the people it wants.

I am sure that the UK could fill the annual visa quota on its own.

Ozmanic

I didnt say Australian isnt for anyone-I realise that some people genuinely love the place.
I would argue that Brits that love Australia are the less sophisticated ones that dont see the bigger picture and the "greatness" of England.
Unfortunately England and the UK abounds with people that don't appreciate it.
I would swap my Oz passport for a UK one in a flash-to be honest.
I suspect some of these people are deluded in their dislike of the UK, and don't really understand what Australia is all about.
I am being the good samaritan here.
I am all for immigrants to Oz-believe me the more the merrier.(another example of where Australians are stupid-they think they can prosper with no people)
I might just save one person from grief.

bridiej

True!!

Amazulu

Seems to me that the UK is importing (probably too much) the skills it needs & will be ok. No one is irreplacable.

Ozmanic

I dont see how Australia satisfies this "itch"-it is amazingly more "anglo-saxon" than the UK itself.
Go half way across the world to experience "middle-England" at its most boring.

wargod

You've not met me - i am totally irreplacable

bridiej

and me!