What do you not like about living in OZ
 

hi was very interested with the post 'what do you love about living in oz' and people all asked why only positive comments.

so i took the time to register to add a thread to ask what people dont like about this place, thought it would only be fair!!!!! :rofl:

anyway look forward to your comments good and bad would be interesting if we share the same views!!! :thumbsup:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Welcome to BE :) Hope you're ready for some of the replies. :eek:

I have to go to work in 5 hours so don't really have long enough to answer the question at the moment though.....:sneaky:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

It's too hot (for Polly) ;)
It's too cold
It's too far away from Europe and Blighty (except for Moneypenny)
It's too expensive
It's too 70's
It's too big
It's too dull
It's too laid back
It's too monopolized
It's a nanny state

Not there yet, but looking forward to it. :rofl:


There, I've started the list for you Polly. :lol:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

It's bloody expensive...

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

paying too much tax

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

It is actually to small. Most of the population crammed into a few places around the edge. The places in Australia you would actually want to live in will be as congested as anywhere else and you are unlikely to get peace and quiet anywhere.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

The way other people as fortunate as me choose to live, and the way other people less fortunate than me have to live.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

:thumbup: That is one point people from the UK usually dont get. I've seen maps on here where someone will say ohh look, one aussie per 20 zquillion miles, all that space here I come.

Then they move to a mcmansion in melbourne or sydney:rofl:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Too expensive
Nanny state
Too many levels of government for such a small population
Radio is terrible and TV worse
Non existent public transport
Housing build quality poor
Laid back is the disguise for lazy
Third world broadband or when its good its really expensive

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Ads about stuff that tell you how 'world class' this is in OZ is when its actually a crap service/product.

Expensive and overpriced everything.

No competition in many things/markets.

The total obsession with watching large TV's.

The myth it is so sporty here, when the avg person is really lardy and the closest they get to sport is watching the large TV - previous post.

The myth about 'mateship" when there is a real backstabbing mentality here. Ask Rudd:lol:

The superior attitude of Australia in general, it is a bit brainwashy, often people dont question it, especially those who have never been overseas.

The yobbo element, some make chavs look almost classy :eek:

Summer in most bits of OZ its damn uncomfortable.

The social life, look a bbq is nice but every weekend for life is a bit unstimulating and many people dont do much more than that.

The way your neighbours 'outdoors lifestyle' means you hear their bloody noise 24/7.

How am I doing:lol: anybody about to rant read the thread title :p

The education system and lack of funding in it:(

Sugar in food products. Why is everything so sweet and BLAND.

Lack of jobs for young people 16 - 25.

The distance and cost to go anywhere.

The media, why do they put everywhere else down, eg. recently a article on Yorkshire produced a picture of coal factory stacks from about 1900:rolleyes: yep all of yorkshire is a really ugly area.

Traffic, look if you have to cram 22 million people into a few small areas, at least make the roads for them!!

I could be back later with some more:D

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

The $2 coins are too small and standard of driving around Brisbane is appalling.

That's about it.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I seemed to be able to condense much of that into :

For me, there is nothing better than finding the small collection of coins in my pocket which turn out to be small gold ones will cover a feed at lunchtime.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Everything is franchised for no appreciable reason other than buying into a US mentality over the issue.
Multilevel marketing businesses are alive and strong here and people buy into the concept willingly.
Property culture and the belief that your mcmansion should go up in value by at least 200% per year.
Having to use sub standard bathroom facilities located a million miles away from the restaurant you are eating in and taking the key with the large fob with you.
V8/V6/4 pot engines are clearly a measure of your manhood. The actual power output of the car itself is an alien concept.
Naff bread. Do you really need that much sugar in it ?
Stupidly high airfares compared to booking the otherway no matter what the exchange rate.
Dogs in the back of utes on rope.
Your outdoors entertaining involves 300 liters of Aeroguard and 10 mozzie coils.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

How clever / philosophical of you.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

It's too cold in winter.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

And to add to this: it's a rip off!!:frown:

Everything is over-hyped, over-the-top, over-priced and over-marked up!!! :thumbdown:


And for God's sake , don't come on the 457 visa...Unless you've negotiated a good LAFHA!!!!

All 457s in NSW:

* Pay hiked rent if you want to live somewhere where it's clean

* Pay outrageous schooling fees which is per child $4,500 every year

* Classified as temporary visitor when it comes to schooling (so you hwavt o pay their fees) AND YET classified as a resident for TAX purposes so you pay the TAX!!!


AUSTRALIA, NSW ON 457 == TOTAL RIP OFF!!!


Someone is having a good laugh at your expenses and it aint you my 457er!:eek:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Read my bit if you're on 457...and then add JAD's comments too...

JAD, brilliant sum up :thumbup:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

lack of subtitles on DVD's when the English version has them! a population generally very un deaf aware and prejudiced!

the need to provide photo id for just about everything.

the lack of a refund in shops takes a while to get used to

The attitude that Dr knows best and should not be questioned!

oh and the $2 coin is too small :rofl:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I like that attitude, I may have to revise me judgment ... :thumbup:

The populace still drive too close, can't merge and are crap in the wet though. :D

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

How dare you ... For me, there is nothing better than finding the small collection of coins in my pocket which turn out to be small gold ones will cover a feed at lunchtime. :thumbup:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

the huge amount of salt they put in everything.:thumbdown:

the poor driving skills especially the b-dubs

the state of the roads and the cheap way they are repaired.....pot holes everywhere.....

heat and humidity in summer .....air con house to air con car -to air con shops and back again ......too hot for being out in the sun.

brown grass.....and dust dust dust.

dark by 18.00 and most in bed by 20.00.....not a house light on anywhere by 21.00.......

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

The flies

The lack of driving ability (I have come across fish with better driving skills)

The rip off that buying anything here is.

Match with the crap quality a lot of stuff is (furnishings and house builds)

The bogans (Bordering on Australians generally)

The corruption

The nanny state

The complete inability to provide any form of customer service

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Ha ha ha...


This is turning into a vent your anger thread for expats! :rofl:



(Though we love being here is still a mystery...:p)

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Guess what everybody? The UK is financially screwed for the next five years at least (almost 200 billion sterling in debt) there will be few jobs available and the standard of living will go down as people will have less money to spend. Oz mean time will start to catch up in terms of choice and lifestyle (it will take its time odviously, they've only just worked out what the moon is in Brisbane....) but you will start to see changes in shopping and in other areas as more consumers demand more choice so it is better in the longrun staying in oz.

With Driving standards in oz however that is an up hill struggle, this is the country that made MAD MAX!

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Merchant of doom & gloom, are ye?

never mind what Uk is going through or not, if China sneezes, you will get flu virus all over Aus economy!

A green gunge will descent from the great walls of China, anytime it's had a mild cold! :p

Uk is paying for all the greedy ppl who enjoyed the boom years, but are reluctant to contribute to the bad times...:thumbdown:

In terms of economy, Au is like an ant to an elephant that is UK.


Though I agree with you about the driving skills of the locals: it beggars belief some of their manoeuvres they carry out :lol:

Driving School in Au == Driving with blindfold and while sitting on a pin!! :rofl:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Disagree. Basic principals of supply and demand. 22 million people living in a country the size of the USA -v- 62 million on the size of a postage stamp. As a supplier of any service or product to the public which of those two models is the more attractive to trade in and position yourself in a market.

Your average Australian does not even realise how badly they are ripped off each day, comparative to living costs and retail costs of say the USA.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Nah he just has to post quickly in case the Mrs catches him on the computer.

:rofl:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Before I moved out here, I considered bringing my car from the UK (would have done as well but was on temp visa to begin with so couldn't). Part of the importation procedure would have been to "bring it up to Australian Standards"

It was a Peugeot 406 Estate with one of the lowest emission levels on record.

When I discussed this with my wife to be, an Aussie born lady and a fierce supporter of her country, she said that bringing the car up to standard would involve, "Slashing the back seat cloth, dinging one of the headlamps and puncturing the spare tyre."

So there you are then.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Its a long way to go on holiday to other countries.

The people/culture is a bit backward. The general attiudes here these days are similar to those of a mid-sized town in the Uk in the 80s (and thats in Sydney - gawd knows how backward it is in the 'burbs)

Other than that its pretty good.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I don't like the fact that Brisbane, Sydney and Perth are part of Australia and therefore people who ask the sort of questions the OP asked assume that the same answers apply to Melbourne.

:rofl:

BB

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

whats a b-dub?????

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Agree with the school fees rip off in NSW, definately not agree with rental hikes at all, rent is same whether you are temp/perm/citizen or howling fool!
LAFHA is totally required, suprised its not a 'given' as a tax incentive, lucky for me I have it!!!
If you don't have LAFHA and you are eligible for it then sort it out, its easy to set up and your company, whatever excuse they give, doesn't suffer for it. They shoudl see it as a recruitment and retention initiative. Do your homework, ATO website has all the info the individual/company needs to set it up.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Yup these are good. I will add that I get sick of having to wait for months on end after the rest of the world has had their shiny new technology/gadgets/gizmos only for them to arrive here out of date and usually at exchange rate + 2-3 hundred dollars.


S

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Here you go :thumbup: A Mini Road Train.


http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pi...r_b_double.jpg

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

True.

True again.

So very true - in Perth, there's an oligopoly between Coles and Woolsworth and they price whatever they want

Around 25% of kids are overweight or obese. Obesity in adults is only just outmatched by the US.

The mate thing is overrated.

I cannot go outside in the open air during summer. And winter is even worse.

True. In Perth, everywhere is closed at 5PM!! The only exception is Friday. Even on Saturday, it closes at 5PM. Big village someone said and it's true.

Oh man, this - everything is way too sweet.

I was astonished at this. In most suburbs, you have to have a car to go buy groceries or anything. Want to get some cash from the atm? Drive for 5min.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Having jsut come back from the annual visit to the Relies in the UK most of the niggling things seem minor. Thinsg i do miss or dislike by living in Perth are:

Long summer nights
Amazon.co.uk
country pubs
no historic anything
Insulation or lack of it (it feels bloody freezing)
long way from anywhere
Little Chef.. (just kidding :D)
BBC news 24 without adverts
a decent lawn
tax on buying second hand cars


However the benfits or things i like outweigh these so reckon we are happy with the move. Disagree about the congestion bit, having spent a good part of my time in the UK parked on the M25 or passing miles upon miles of cones with no obvious work being done, the small amount of traffic we get here is bliss. I find the customer service similar to the UK and while Telstra broadband is abysmal the otehr providers seem fine. Also what has happended to radio 1, it was utter crap.

Cheers

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I think what benefits you have failed to mention, which are probably the BIGGEST weights in favour of Aus are:


Tadaa:....... In number 1 : The weather!

In number 2: Clean beaches!

In number 3: Landscape & Fauna!


Note: Beaches is not part of landscape as it's enjoyed on it's own.


As you can see, what we really like here is everything bar the ppl, the economy, the politics & the driving!!! :thumbup:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

lmfao!!! That'll be right!!!!:thumbsup:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Racism almost everywhere you look.

The arrogance of the average Australian.

The poor level of education which no doubt sometimes leads to the above.

In Queensland specifically how eeryting seems to shut down at 7pm on weekdays and Saturdays, early afternoon on Sundays.

The appaling TV, unless you want to watch US crime programmes (SVU, Criminal Minds,NCS Miami NY LA etc).

Blatant prduct placement and over advertising - films interuppted every 5 minutes for 10 minutes worth of adverts.

The fact that the country is stuck in the 1970's.

The price of most things - very expensive.

The height of summer is too hot.

The idiot drivers - Think it's clever to doughnuts on resodential streets or to drive up your backside on a motorway.

The fact that they check your bags when you leave a store.

The shocking level of customer service.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

:D

Although I'm willing to bet the vast majority of people here would be moaning about those exact same subjects if they were still in the UK :p