Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

We know they are not poor but i just cant hold them in the same regard as people whom own property in proper money? After al its like a game of monopoly over here.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

My piles bleed for them. ;)

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Interesting use of the word piles there...a pile also being a big country house.....:D

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I knew that. :unsure:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I thought you might have done....but for those who aren't as subtle as you and I...?

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I didnt really but Ive written it down for future reference.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Bloody whingers

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Apart from health issues, which nobody can predict, about the worst thing that can happen to this family is financial, as far as I can see.

Hence the reason we are trying to clear our one and only biggest debt (the home loan) as quickly as possible.

Of course, you need to be in a position to do this but we ain't exactly on megabucks. It does help that we bought 4 years ago but I do think most of the strife the so called 'battlers' (horrible term) get into is self-inflicted.

The rest of the country's problems? Meh, just like anywhere else ...

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Queensland the least European?, I never knew that..blimey I nearly dropped me banjo :lol:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

50c coin too big (why does it need to be so enormous?!).
I miss popping over to Europe for the weekend.
Infomercials (no I STILL don't want an ab circle pro or one of those 'amazing' ladders).

Ummm, that's about all I can think of! I love living here

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

The fact the ALP runs the country. Thats it.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

For me I would be happy if the more extreme politicians disappeared from the scene. Would make Australia a better place.

Wish it was just the centre left ALP vs centre left Liberal/Nationals (plus the greens etc in the senate) and all the fruit cakes like Tony Abbott/Mark Latham slunk away to deal with their anger mgt and control issues. Well over the asylum seeker beat ups and other nastiness that they try and pass off as good policy.

Not that many other places would be any better in this regard I guess....

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

It's been said before but I'll say it again-- bogans! At times it appears the national percentage is at the 75% mark.

Fervent nationalism.

Feels like I am living in a time-warp of sorts.

Barely disguised xenophobia toward anyone who isn't a white, born and bred Aussie.

Bloody expensive bananas. :eek:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

So, all you have to do is to avoid being amongst a group of tattooed thugs driving vintage Holdens down on a beach listening to Pauline Hanson speak at an Australia Day rally when the only food available is of the yellow and bent variety.

Easy done :thumbup:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Ah, dear Pauline. She did and still does appeal to that undercurrent of fear of a country overrun by *gulp* immigrants. Once I was told I was lucky to be here and I should be grateful I was white. :blink:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

If we had The Daily Mail then all bets would be off ... :ohmy:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I think most of Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp tabloids are the equivalent. :D

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

If you leave the TV off 7, 9 and 10 you can solve just about most of this in one fell swoop. And choose your friends and your work...It's not hard..

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Julia giving me 7k back in tax refund this year.....

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

The standard of driving, of which there is no standard! Even the elderly drive like hoons!!!
Being corrected with my english. HELLO I ACTUALLY WAS BORN IN UK and was taught to speak the queens english!
Being told to go back to UK when I mention I miss my family.
The government, every prime minister who gets voted in cos they make promises never delivers so then some other ass is voted in cos of the promises they make and OMG they don't deliver either WHAT A SURPRISE!!
Lack of competition which means we get ripped off from buying small items to purchasing flights! I mean how can a loaf of bread be over $4.00!!!
But aside from all that I love living here and would never consider going back to the UK to live.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

No mail on a saturday
Abysmal TV
Shocking driving standards
The price of housing, groceries and clothes
Not being able to hop on a plane for a cheap holiday in europe
Not being able to hop on a plane for a cheap holiday in australia

BUT lots of sun. Sea and beautiful women!

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

That's the one thing I'm actually grateful for!!!

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Plenty of cats eyes in my part of QLD :confused: Lots of country roads don't have them but then they don't in the UK either. However most of the things people seem to not like are the same in the UK so I guess they're just trying to find negative things in order to post on the thread. ;)

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I don't like Channel 10 asking for my opinion on the election when all I want to do is have a leisurely stroll into work.

So if the opinion "I have a soul, therefore I cannot vote for Abbott but the alternatives aren't that great either" is aired then you'll know who it is ;)

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I dont like all sections of the society, right from school going girl to a professional, using the F* word. They do it everywhere in buses, trains, workplaces and religious places. :(

I am certain it offends all the asian people where this word is considered as a taboo and consequences of public usage are 'severe'.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Well if you don't like it you should just...... nah, couldn't bring myself to do it. ;)

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

:lol: :sneaky:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

The driving is pretty bad! Aussie's in general are warm and friendly people but get them behind a wheel and they seem to forget about manners! It is amazing really!

Everything is Australian made, made in Australia...what about the global market?!

The arrogant, unrelenting belief that Oz is the best place in the world. The Aussie's tell me this a lot. Most who say this have never seen Europe or outside of Oz.

The Winter's are a bit too cold in Victoria for me...

Been here 16 months now and these are the only things that have irritated me but other than that Australia is a wonderful experience :thumbsup:

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Goto Kmart and tell me what is Aussie made there. China powers it:huh:

In general, I think 'Made in Australia' goods are plummeting because of high costs. Thats why lot of graffiti and advertisements that request people to buy made in Australia goods.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

The flights to anywhere are far too expensive from Australia. I travel a lot for work and my UK based company are constantly complaining about how, for the cost of flying them to Sydney, they can barely get me to Singapore!

Also, luxury car tax makes me want to weep...

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Of course, something doesn't have to be exclusive to Australia to be on topic, but that's the implication.

Many things I confess to not recognisng, like driving standards which I think are the same or just different flavours of it. Eg. Fast screaming chavs vs slower weaving hoons...partly down to different rules concerning overtaking in the inside lane. On the M25 people scream past dangerously when there is no other 'option' for them, and might clip close in the inside eventually; in Australia the equivalent weave by default...

.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I'm tempted to say "all of the above" but that will only attract flames <g>.

Just back from a month in Europe, and am suffering from total culture shock.

From clean, efficient, ontime and courteous rail services in Holland, for example, we spend three hours getting from Sydney airport to Bowral (100 Km): the first train as usual cold, filthy, scratched windows hardly transparent, chewing gum and stains all over the seats, McDonalds bags between the seats, graffiti on the walls. The second with something horribly wrong with the bogies: screeching so loud that you couldn't converse up to 30Kph and then vibration like a pneumatic drill above 40 - plus all the above.

Come for the weather and the space - frankly there's nothing else unless you are escaping from a sink estate in the UK.

But, Heh! Australia's the best country in the world - every other checkout lady tells me that so it must be true...

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

It also surprises parts of English society who are rather sheltered....who then plop themselves in the thick of it too...

Now now! :p

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Wol - there's no point in comparing Holland to NSW CountryLink.....me old china. The train is a different commodity in Straya.

I see where you are coming from, and would also add - come for that which you know you can get, solve or address, and get on your own terms - which I admit might take a lot of luck.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

OK. Got a few mins spare. Not just a comparison.

I also find the train a bit of a peeve at times in Melbourne - explanation for those who aren't living in Melbourne, and particularly in the SE who deserve to know the facts: It's a good line, very few cancellations in the 4 years I have been using it. I get a seat, I get a few options as to where I can get off (and on). It is nowhere near as unreliable as other lines, but it's a rougher line particularly in the middle section. Point 1 - there is variation in the lines - don't let the tabloid free rag they distribute fool you otherwise. It's also dirt cheap. $50 a week. Star value, quite frankly, almost verging on too cheap.

The principle problem I have is the detritus of society that travel on it. They are safe, mostly law-abiding people - just a bit ordinary, and dull, that's all.

This is only anything to do with Melbourne due to demographics, not in any way its fault or some sort of character flaw in the Australian.

People in Melbourne drive to work or they get the tram. The train is for plebs or those people who live at the ends of the line who see it as being a convenience (like I do) - which is becoming the norm as there is more and more development out SE. (It's interesting that a few key stations still set a standard for demographics - whilst stations next to them are in rapid decline).
I'm told there was traditionally a stigma to catching the train.

When I lived in London, the train was a viable commuting tool for all sections of society. Like in Melbourne, when I moved to a rougher area of London it was very noticeable that the demograpics headed south. When I get on the Alamein line in Melbourne - the one line that attracts a tram-style patronage - it's also noticeable.

Point 2 for prospective people - things work differently in some places in Australia.

Point 3 for prospective people - there are explanations for negative experiences which should (infact) not come as a surprise.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Very true.

But again: Mrs Wol went up to t'smoke (Sydney) last month. First train had hardened vomit on one door, blood smears down the other side (plus the usual filth). Second one had a girl overdosed on the floor screaming all the way.

You ain't seen nuffing until you've experienced the NSW train system. But you can't blame the operators really when there are so many ferals destroying the trains 24/7: it's part of life in the area.

(Just responding to the thread title, not whingeing.)

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

Just wanted to add that it might have declined. I used to travel down south from the NSW Central Coast to Sydney and it was a pleasure. I'm a big fan of the double deckers. (Right old spotter eh!)

But it's not really the country train if that makes sense...I do remember going to Dubbo in a more northerly direction 8 years ago and it was OK - just country folk.

Melbourne's suburban trains are just like the ones in London perhaps 5 years ago -to look at. And they are a bore just because they're that - suburban.
Demographics - nothing more.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I reckon the trains in both Melbourne & Sydney are like mobile dustbins...far more so than those in London ever were. Other than that I can't knock the service in Sydney though...virtually no need to check schedules for about 17-18 hours a day as there is always a train soon and generally on time (just my experience City <> Chatswood).

Brisbane on the other hand had clean trains but miss one...and wait half an hour for the next.

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

I rate the trains in Sydney more so than Melbourne. I would not consider any of them mobile dustbins and considering there are no bins [on Melbourne trains], it's a miracle they are not worse. And yes, they are fairly frequent. During rushhour they are very 20mins or so, in one tight spot c. 5pm every 5-10mins. Better than London for the same 'journey' [my journey].

Re: What do you not like about living in OZ
 

:ohmy::sneaky:

That's so ture. When the trains are on time they are great, but if they cancel one (all too frequent) or you miss one :thumbdown: