Why Australia will never become a first world country
Jan 30th 2012, 3:29 am
#16
has lost The Game
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Chippendale, Sydney
Posts: 8,735
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
Believe me I wasn't trying to start another UK v Oz shouting match, as the OP 
.
Had I experienced the same rudeness, inefficiencies and irresponsibilities in the UK or the US - or Nigeria, for that matter - I would have gone online in a local forum just the same.
But I didn't. Yes, we did have the odd engineer in the UK or the States turning up late, but nothing remotely as bad as here: as someone above said, it's as if it's unAustralian to act responsibly and professionally.
Who was the poster who was always complaining that nothing ever worked well - he had alpacas - and returned to the UK? I used to think he was exaggerating, but after eight years I can see he was the soul of reticence.
.Had I experienced the same rudeness, inefficiencies and irresponsibilities in the UK or the US - or Nigeria, for that matter - I would have gone online in a local forum just the same.
But I didn't. Yes, we did have the odd engineer in the UK or the States turning up late, but nothing remotely as bad as here: as someone above said, it's as if it's unAustralian to act responsibly and professionally.
Who was the poster who was always complaining that nothing ever worked well - he had alpacas - and returned to the UK? I used to think he was exaggerating, but after eight years I can see he was the soul of reticence.
You mean Arkon.
I used to enjoy his rants. And now I find that I am having the same ones
S
Jan 30th 2012, 3:58 am
#17
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 3,337
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
Thats service Australia. Its the same with the shops. Service is crap and the lentire experience depressing and thats not my words but those of the wife who used to love shopping and now cant be bothered.
I went to Myers just before Christmas to pick up some crackers and things and half the lights were off, the place was a mess, the lay out looked like it had been done by a bag of angry cats and there were no staff to be seen. Then these retailers cant understand why people go online to shop.
I went to Myers just before Christmas to pick up some crackers and things and half the lights were off, the place was a mess, the lay out looked like it had been done by a bag of angry cats and there were no staff to be seen. Then these retailers cant understand why people go online to shop.
Jan 30th 2012, 4:08 am
#19
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
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Jan 30th 2012, 4:37 am
#20
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,230
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
Its true - it'll never become a first world country with all those eucalyptus trees hanging about
Jan 30th 2012, 5:07 am
#21
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
to Sydney. 
I think he does spend a fair amount of time in the UK as well but last I heard he was in Sydney. I think the Alpacas were the least of his problems.
I think he does spend a fair amount of time in the UK as well but last I heard he was in Sydney. I think the Alpacas were the least of his problems.
Jan 30th 2012, 5:18 am
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,775
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
Hi wol mate as you know I built my own house so am well aware of trades never turning up, or quoting and then disappearing for ever.
I now lecture on owner building and I always say in order to get 3 quotes you need to ask 10 tradies to quote!
However I remember this being exactly the same when I lived in London, tradies never turning up, never returning calls, never coming back.
I think it's a global problem.
BB
I now lecture on owner building and I always say in order to get 3 quotes you need to ask 10 tradies to quote!
However I remember this being exactly the same when I lived in London, tradies never turning up, never returning calls, never coming back.
I think it's a global problem.
BB
Actually had generally very good experiences with nearly all.
But times were different. The economy was flat and work was far less available.
Even got a roof carpenter to climb up my palm tree (rather high one) and cut it right back for additional $70 on the bill. Wouldn't get it done for $500 these days.
Although I have had less use during recent years what I have had done in the majority of cases is shoddy work for high costs. Generally don't care as a flat out.
I see a very big change indeed.
Jan 30th 2012, 5:54 am
#23
Possum. Amiculum. Latrina
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Footloose
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Jan 30th 2012, 6:46 am
#24
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
Great troll thread Wol, but do you have a legitimate point to make or are you simply feeling hormonal?
From the OP I got: 'If Australia was a 1st world country I would have got someone to remove my gum trees.' This does not strike me as a compelling argument.
When the market allows tradies to pick and choose, they'll pick and choose. This was exactly my experience in the UK when I tried to get my bathroom done. Moral of the story: get quotes from 4 different guys in any nation with a robust trade sector, and you'll probably end up paying a 5th guy to do the job.
From the OP I got: 'If Australia was a 1st world country I would have got someone to remove my gum trees.' This does not strike me as a compelling argument.
When the market allows tradies to pick and choose, they'll pick and choose. This was exactly my experience in the UK when I tried to get my bathroom done. Moral of the story: get quotes from 4 different guys in any nation with a robust trade sector, and you'll probably end up paying a 5th guy to do the job.
Jan 31st 2012, 2:36 am
#26
Banned
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Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
Feb 5th 2012, 8:04 am
#27
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 90
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
I had to laugh when I read this.Whats your definition of a first world country ??
Australia, already is a first world country, and has been for a long time.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_World
Secondly, in Ireland, during the boom, you couldnt find a tradie anywhere as they were all working, they could each work 24 hours if they wanted to. I waited a month to get a leaking tap fixed.(i watched, and just did it myself next time)
That was as a result of the boom, it seems to me, that if there was no work about, the Aussie blokes would be killing themselves to chop your trees, but as they have more work then they need, they are just sitting on the job, waiting on things to slow down, or a spare day between the big jobs before they get back to you.
Is it right, fair, professional no.
But compared to Philippines, where I lived for 8 months, and is a proper third world country.... its would be done a little sooner(maybe weeks waiting, not months), take much longer, an extremely poor job, by someone who was not properly qualified or trained, and it would grow back after a while, so they would get more work from you. Also, the final bill would be about twice, or more what you were quoted, and you have to pay for their lunchs every day. It would be quoted about the same though, equivalent of about a months wages, but to you & me thats about $100.
Not the same as Australia.
On another note, things are different in different countries, its easier to adapt, then to hold onto "its not like that back home", you'll be happier in the long run.
Last edited by smidsy; Feb 5th 2012 at 8:16 am.
Feb 5th 2012, 8:10 am
#28
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 20,821
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
Hi wol mate as you know I built my own house so am well aware of trades never turning up, or quoting and then disappearing for ever.
I now lecture on owner building and I always say in order to get 3 quotes you need to ask 10 tradies to quote!
However I remember this being exactly the same when I lived in London, tradies never turning up, never returning calls, never coming back.
I think it's a global problem.
BB
I now lecture on owner building and I always say in order to get 3 quotes you need to ask 10 tradies to quote!
However I remember this being exactly the same when I lived in London, tradies never turning up, never returning calls, never coming back.
I think it's a global problem.
BB
Feb 5th 2012, 8:11 am
#29
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,188
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
Feb 5th 2012, 8:12 am
#30
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Why Australia will never become a first world country
Believe it or not I still owe a tradie in London 200 pounds, his failure to come back and finish the job meant he didn't get paid for the first part of it as our agreement was he got paid in full at the end of it, I rang him several times but gave up chasing in the end.
BB
BB
