Australia - My honest opinions
Jan 12th 2010, 1:51 am
#64
Account Closed
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 546
Re: Australia - My honest opinions
to the original poster,good truthful post I felt exactly the same as you right from the start,yes oz is a white society and yes the attitudes are dire get out as soon as you can,I moved state and stayed over 4 years too long,I have been called a paki a coon and a black wog.Life is too short to live somewhere your not happy,take care z.
Copa the Alf Garnett routine is so last century.
Copa the Alf Garnett routine is so last century.
Jan 12th 2010, 1:53 am
#66
Jan4kids
Joined: Apr 2004
Location: Hertfordshire - Adelaide - now Gold Coast.
Posts: 1,156
Re: Australia - My honest opinions
I have been discussing these things with my wife and a couple of friends over the past few weeks and have decided to put them down in writing on here. I am prepared to take all the flack and criticisms that come my way, but remember they are only my opinions.
1) This is my biggest bugbear and the thing I think all people interested in coming to Australia should seriously consider. Everything has a cost, and every cost seems to be excessive. We have had to pay to have all of our utilities connected from phone line, broadband, electricity etc. I was gobsmacked when I was told by our electricity company that I could not give them a meter reading over the phone, they would send somebody out to read it and charge us $30. Our children will be starting school in a couple of weeks and as well as the 2 new uniforms we knew we would have to buy we also have to shell out $100 each to cover books etc. Perhaps we were spoilt in the UK as these were provided by the schools. Groceries, clothing, books, dvd's, cd's etc arer all hideously expensive here.
2) Lack of choice. In addition to, and probably causing the above, there is little choice when it comes to things like groceries, utilities etc. There are one or two massive companies (Woolworths, Coles etc) who have a monopoly and can afford to charge what they like and the suckers who live here are forced to pay it.
3) Go slow attitude. Even though you have to pay for everything, everything seems to be done at such a slow pace. Phone to get the phone line in your house activated, takes three weeks to send somebody to do a 10 minute job.
3) Drink. From what I have seen there is a massive drinking culture and problem here. Go to the Bayside area parks at the weekend or the Currumbin Rock Pools for a few hours on a Sunday afternoon and every other person will have a bottle of beer in their hand. I was on a train around 10pm on Friday late (so not too late) and I lost count of the number of drunk people on the train swearing and shouting the whole time. My wife was on a train Saturday night to be greeted with the sight of a young girl filling carrier bags with vomit whilst her friend took pictures of her!
4) Racism. Sorry but I think the Australian people are very racist. In the time I have been here I have seen things said on television and written in newspapers that we would never see and hear in the UK. Ok perhaps we have gone too far but I think the Australians have some way to go. Again on the train on Friday night a bunch of drunk teenagers were giving grief to the security guards (both asian) and calling them pakis. When one of the group told them this was a bit out of order they justified it by saying "we're aussies, this is Australia, this is what we do, if you don't like it, f%&k off!". This seems to be the common response here.
5) Weather. One of the big plusses for Australia. It is wonderful to be able to go out in the warm sun and not worry about wrapping the children up in layers etc, worry about getting rained on etc. However it very often becomes too hot and humid to go out anyway and the only thing you feel like doing is sitting in an air conditioned room. When you are out you can only spend limited time in the sun for fear of burning and are then scrabbling around looking for shade. The constant need to put sunscreen on also becomes a bit tiring after a while.
6) Wildlife. The varied and abundant wildlife is fantastic. However when you have fruit bats and crows scrambling about on your roof at 4am it isn't so wonderful. Checking your shoes and toilet seats for spiders is a pain, spraying insect repellant that doesn't work is a pain, getting bitten by mozzies and flies is a pain, having to be on guard that your dogs don't try and eat a cain toad as they will die is a pain etc etc!!!!
7) Others. I HATE having my bag looked in when I leave a shop and generally refuse to show them. It is as though everybody is considered a shoplifter and needs to prove otherwise. The place is stuck in a 1980's time warp. I haven't seen as many mullets since I last watched UK Gold! Poor infrastructure - I hate the fact that you can't use your debit card at lost of places such as train stations, food courts etc. Australian TV and radio is crap!!!! And why do they stop a film or programme every 10 minutes to put on a commercial, which are also annoying?
Anyway there you go a summary of my thoughts and opinions. Feel free to comment or discuss
1) This is my biggest bugbear and the thing I think all people interested in coming to Australia should seriously consider. Everything has a cost, and every cost seems to be excessive. We have had to pay to have all of our utilities connected from phone line, broadband, electricity etc. I was gobsmacked when I was told by our electricity company that I could not give them a meter reading over the phone, they would send somebody out to read it and charge us $30. Our children will be starting school in a couple of weeks and as well as the 2 new uniforms we knew we would have to buy we also have to shell out $100 each to cover books etc. Perhaps we were spoilt in the UK as these were provided by the schools. Groceries, clothing, books, dvd's, cd's etc arer all hideously expensive here.
2) Lack of choice. In addition to, and probably causing the above, there is little choice when it comes to things like groceries, utilities etc. There are one or two massive companies (Woolworths, Coles etc) who have a monopoly and can afford to charge what they like and the suckers who live here are forced to pay it.
3) Go slow attitude. Even though you have to pay for everything, everything seems to be done at such a slow pace. Phone to get the phone line in your house activated, takes three weeks to send somebody to do a 10 minute job.
3) Drink. From what I have seen there is a massive drinking culture and problem here. Go to the Bayside area parks at the weekend or the Currumbin Rock Pools for a few hours on a Sunday afternoon and every other person will have a bottle of beer in their hand. I was on a train around 10pm on Friday late (so not too late) and I lost count of the number of drunk people on the train swearing and shouting the whole time. My wife was on a train Saturday night to be greeted with the sight of a young girl filling carrier bags with vomit whilst her friend took pictures of her!
4) Racism. Sorry but I think the Australian people are very racist. In the time I have been here I have seen things said on television and written in newspapers that we would never see and hear in the UK. Ok perhaps we have gone too far but I think the Australians have some way to go. Again on the train on Friday night a bunch of drunk teenagers were giving grief to the security guards (both asian) and calling them pakis. When one of the group told them this was a bit out of order they justified it by saying "we're aussies, this is Australia, this is what we do, if you don't like it, f%&k off!". This seems to be the common response here.
5) Weather. One of the big plusses for Australia. It is wonderful to be able to go out in the warm sun and not worry about wrapping the children up in layers etc, worry about getting rained on etc. However it very often becomes too hot and humid to go out anyway and the only thing you feel like doing is sitting in an air conditioned room. When you are out you can only spend limited time in the sun for fear of burning and are then scrabbling around looking for shade. The constant need to put sunscreen on also becomes a bit tiring after a while.
6) Wildlife. The varied and abundant wildlife is fantastic. However when you have fruit bats and crows scrambling about on your roof at 4am it isn't so wonderful. Checking your shoes and toilet seats for spiders is a pain, spraying insect repellant that doesn't work is a pain, getting bitten by mozzies and flies is a pain, having to be on guard that your dogs don't try and eat a cain toad as they will die is a pain etc etc!!!!
7) Others. I HATE having my bag looked in when I leave a shop and generally refuse to show them. It is as though everybody is considered a shoplifter and needs to prove otherwise. The place is stuck in a 1980's time warp. I haven't seen as many mullets since I last watched UK Gold! Poor infrastructure - I hate the fact that you can't use your debit card at lost of places such as train stations, food courts etc. Australian TV and radio is crap!!!! And why do they stop a film or programme every 10 minutes to put on a commercial, which are also annoying?
Anyway there you go a summary of my thoughts and opinions. Feel free to comment or discuss
Without reading the other posts first:
If you had been paying attention on this forum you would have realised that you had been informed about all this.........over and over again. It's all correct though, your observations are spot on ...it's just your vantage point is wrong. Your looking at your surroundings as a U.K person.....Australia is a different Country therefore it is different.
Jan
Jan 12th 2010, 1:56 am
#70
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 111
Re: Australia - My honest opinions
[QUOTE=fish.01;8239946]
Tell me where in the original post I have directly compared things to the UK or even mentioned the UK? As said previously you can infer whatever you like into the original comments. Don't patronise me by sayin gthat I am homesick. The original points were just my observations of this country and its society.
I have been discussing these things with my wife and a couple of friends over the past few weeks and have decided to put them down in writing on here. I am prepared to take all the flack and criticisms that come my way, but remember they are only my opinions.
I'm gobsmacked that you're gobsmacked. Surely every country in the world doesn't connect electricity exactly the same as the UK?
It was just an example of what appears to be the general philosophy here, charge for everything you possibly can.
The choice is smaller but what do you expect moving to a smaller nation a long way from anywhere. Did you expect it to be like the USA? Next you'll go to NZ at laugh at their range Or maybe Fiji....no M&S there, that would be a right hoot!!!!
Hardly a small nation, surely it's on eof the most developed nations!
This could happen anywhere. How long have you lived here to make such a judgement? Other people report the opposite.
Just my opinion based on my experiences.
The bayside is traditionally one of the chav areas of Brisbane. Most outer area's were. Even though it is changing this is still where they live. I would not move to a chav area of a British city and then whinge about all the drunks, swearing and tracksuits
I cannot believe you give this as an example, somehow inferring you would only see that in chav areas here and not back home?????
Why not, this was a direct experience that I had so that's why I've mentioned it. You can infer what you want but I did not say anywhere on the post that you do not get these things in the UK. I just feel that this country is very racist, as is borne out by the fact that people feel calling somebody a name based on their ethnicity is not racist or offensive.
Can we have some examples of the television and newspaper comments please?
[B]No[ because I haven't kept a scrap book of them./B]
I'm assuming you just lived through a winter that did not rain for months, was cloud free and 20c+ when you walked outside.....how ungrateful
Do the "fruit bats and crows" do that every night do they?
Yes they do, every morning.
Guarding your dog from cane toads must keep you busy
Of course 1980's, everybody was a shoplifter then!!!!
"comment or discuss ".... ok then ...TBO I found it to be a bit of a "not like the UK, blah, blah, not like the UK, blah, blah, not like the UK" style of rant with the occasional valid point. You sound like you are in the homesick phase and missing the security of familiar surroundings....travelling means adapting to difference.
I'm gobsmacked that you're gobsmacked. Surely every country in the world doesn't connect electricity exactly the same as the UK?
It was just an example of what appears to be the general philosophy here, charge for everything you possibly can.
The choice is smaller but what do you expect moving to a smaller nation a long way from anywhere. Did you expect it to be like the USA? Next you'll go to NZ at laugh at their range
Or maybe Fiji....no M&S there, that would be a right hoot!!!!Hardly a small nation, surely it's on eof the most developed nations!
This could happen anywhere. How long have you lived here to make such a judgement? Other people report the opposite.
Just my opinion based on my experiences.
The bayside is traditionally one of the chav areas of Brisbane. Most outer area's were. Even though it is changing this is still where they live. I would not move to a chav area of a British city and then whinge about all the drunks, swearing and tracksuits
I cannot believe you give this as an example, somehow inferring you would only see that in chav areas here and not back home?????
Why not, this was a direct experience that I had so that's why I've mentioned it. You can infer what you want but I did not say anywhere on the post that you do not get these things in the UK. I just feel that this country is very racist, as is borne out by the fact that people feel calling somebody a name based on their ethnicity is not racist or offensive.
Can we have some examples of the television and newspaper comments please?
[B]No[ because I haven't kept a scrap book of them./B]
I'm assuming you just lived through a winter that did not rain for months, was cloud free and 20c+ when you walked outside.....how ungrateful
Do the "fruit bats and crows" do that every night do they?
Yes they do, every morning.
Guarding your dog from cane toads must keep you busy
Of course 1980's, everybody was a shoplifter then!!!!
"comment or discuss ".... ok then
...TBO I found it to be a bit of a "not like the UK, blah, blah, not like the UK, blah, blah, not like the UK" style of rant with the occasional valid point. You sound like you are in the homesick phase and missing the security of familiar surroundings....travelling means adapting to difference.
Jan 12th 2010, 1:57 am
#72
Banned
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,733
Re: Australia - My honest opinions
[QUOTE=chrissystevo;8240074]
Tell me where in the original post I have directly compared things to the UK or even mentioned the UK? As said previously you can infer whatever you like into the original comments. Don't patronise me by sayin gthat I am homesick. The original points were just my observations of this country and its society.
I'm not homesick and I like living in Australia. I would also agree with a lot of the comments you made.
Some people on here just get offended easily.
Tell me where in the original post I have directly compared things to the UK or even mentioned the UK? As said previously you can infer whatever you like into the original comments. Don't patronise me by sayin gthat I am homesick. The original points were just my observations of this country and its society.
Some people on here just get offended easily.
Jan 12th 2010, 1:59 am
#73
Account Open
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 4,298
Re: Australia - My honest opinions
Without reading the other posts first:
If you had been paying attention on this forum you would have realised that you had been informed about all this.........over and over again. It's all correct though, your observations are spot on ...it's just your vantage point is wrong. Your looking at your surroundings as a U.K person.....Australia is a different Country therefore it is different.
Jan
If you had been paying attention on this forum you would have realised that you had been informed about all this.........over and over again. It's all correct though, your observations are spot on ...it's just your vantage point is wrong. Your looking at your surroundings as a U.K person.....Australia is a different Country therefore it is different.
Jan
Why does this happen ? Simple. During the flight, the high altitude resulted in a "mind scramble", and now he can only see the good things in the UK and the bad things in Australia.
Inevitably this condition worsens up until the point that a person decides that they need to return to the UK. Frequently the mind-scramble effect will be reversed on the way home.... the individual steps off the plane, steps in a pile of dog dirt, gets stuck in a traffic jam, then wonders what has he done? This results in the creation of the "ping pong pom".
Jan 12th 2010, 2:00 am
#74
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,039
Re: Australia - My honest opinions
Tell me where in the original post I have directly compared things to the UK or even mentioned the UK? As said previously you can infer whatever you like into the original comments. Don't patronise me by sayin gthat I am homesick. The original points were just my observations of this country and its society.
Last edited by fish.01; Jan 12th 2010 at 2:06 am.