ABCDiamond

I think he ended up responding to the number of people who say that UK incomes and assets are much higher than in Australia, and therefore they should have more when they get here, but I think the whole thing has going off centre, due to the lack of High paid UK'ers responding

BadgeIsBack

I think entertainment, eating out, getting in to things, just doing things with families are cheaper.
Or you can do things that don't cost.

I think that groceries (in particular), books, white goods and electronics are more expensive.

BadgeIsBack

I notice this a fair bit. The highest paid UK'ers do seem to suffer in Australia, I think for middle income earners its all a bit of a muchness. I'm actually better off here, but that's because I've gone from a 2bed flat to a house, and a low paid job in London to a wellpaid job in Brisbane.

As always, its the extremes that skew everything.

Amazulu

I was an above average (but not high in my opinion) earner in the UK & I am definitely a high earner here (if you go by what people post on this newsgroup). Tax here is a killer of me, but it is getting better. In July the tax bands are changing which will help a fair bit & the government is making noises about reducing taxes further. It would probably be a disaster for me if Labour get in at the next election. Labour has f**cked up the UK & would do the same here (just look at NZ). I am entitled to some benefits, but not much. This is better than the UK where I got nothing apart from child benefit. Benefits are not an issue for me. I knew tax was higher here so there is no shock there. It was a lifestyle choice coming here. Tax policy in this country is a train wreck that really needs sorting out. Governments here are drunk on high taxes, 40% of people take more out of the tax system than they put in. Something has got to change.

NickyP

I have heard a few things about tax xhangin in 2006, how are the bands changing do you know? We are in the higher band at the moment and it hits us hard, but then we expected it to so no surprises there.
Nicky.

ABCDiamond

For 2005/2006 the basic tax rates are:

zero % on the first $6,000
15% on the next $15,600 (ie: between $6,001 and $21,600)
30% on the next $41,400 (ie: between $21,601 and $63,000)
42% on the next $32,000 (ie: between $63,000 and $95,000)
47% above that (ie: on the balance above $95,000)


For 2006/2007 the basic tax rates are expected to be:

zero % on the first $6,000
15% on the next $15,600 (ie: between $6,001 and $21,600)
30% on the next $48,400 (ie: between $21,601 and $70,000)
42% on the next $55,000 (ie: between $70,001 and $125,000)
47% above that (ie: on the balance above $125,000)

NickyP

Thanks for that it keeps us in the 42% band but at least we will have some breathing room there rather than worrying if Ian's money increases (we can live in hope )
Nicky

steve99

Definitely the top end of the market in the UK is a lot higher than top end over here, sure there are specific roles/sectors/locations etc here that pay very well, but at a more generic top end its a lot different.
There were always roles in the South East/London etc paying 75 GBP plus where as you dont regularily see roles here at $170K plus.

Personally we are probably earning roughly 2/3rds of what we earnt in the UK, yes we had a pretty good deposit to put down when we came, we could of bought a house with no mortgage but then we wouldnt of been living somewhere that would of made a huge difference to our lifestyle. We didnt want to move around the world to still have to drive 45 mins each way to work in the city, unless your going to live in a pretty average area or greatly reduce the size of your property, or be prepared to still travel that distance your not going to get anything within a 15min commute of Perth for under about 1/2 Mill.
If you want to add a decent suburb in or maybe a proximity to the coast or river than you can add another 1/4 mill on straight away.

Dont get me wrong im very happy with what we've got here, we earn less money and could always do with more, but then who couldnt

NKSK version 2

[QUOTE=Amazulu ]Labour has f**cked up the UK & would do the same here (just look at NZ). QUOTE]

Think you'll find it's a very different Labour. I can't imagine the labour government in the UK tolerating the kind of problems which the Labour govt in WA puts up with from the unions.

Maybe in the 1970s but not now. For me Labour in the UK is a million times better than the Labour party here. I would vote for them in the UK - here I'll vote Liberal. (If or when I get the chance!)

Amazulu

[QUOTE=NKSK version 2] Agreed. Australia has prospered under Howard, why change it? I just feel that the new IR changes (that I agree with but think they don't go far enough) might put labour in at the next election. This would be a disaster for Australia. The unions are far too powerful as it is & have too much influence. The main reason that tradies have to jump through hoops when they get here is because of strong unions who want to keep 'jobs for the boys'. I don't think Howard has the stomach to really break them although this country really needs him too. Thatcher he ain't.

NKSK version 2

[QUOTE=Amazulu] It's also not just unions - Labour's weakness is also the Liberals with regard to professionals and corporations. I think that it's very weak government which is ultimately responsible for consumers paying over the odds for most things.
I was reading in today's Australian about doctors charging way over the odds for certain procedures. One of the reasons for this is the power of the medical colleges (i.e. the medical association) which controls the supply of doctors and corporations which increasingly control hospitals.
The government has been unable to crack that nut apparently and it seems it is unable to do so.
Why is a critical service such as health allowed to be controlled by a self-interested group?

goldcoastblue

after reading all this, its ended up in politics,

out of all of this, will it tell me what is the best bait, when I go to Main Beach tonight to do some surf fishing!!!!

the tide is around 6.30pm high

also tell me what constellations are out there, nah guess not.....


makes you think how lucky we really are.....doesnt it.

diddy

Try a couple of British Expats.

Buzzy--Bee

Thank you Hevs, that is very reassuring. Still haven't decided Melbourne / Brisbane yet, but in the end it will all come down to jobs...........

Cheers

Buzzy

NickyP

Once you take out super payments we are taking home approx 70K for a family of 6 and are having to pay rent and hopefully a mortgage soon enough. Without a mortgage you would be fine on that with a smaller family as well. I wouldn't worry at all with those sorts of figures, we aren't struggling but have to think about large expenditures until I am earning.
People here tell us that Brisbane is cheaper to live in than here.
Good luck.
Nicky