Re: The Future of Australia
 

Quite agree. Its good to know there are good men left that are putting there children first, :thumbsup:

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Thanks. The problem with forums is people don't know the whole truth so guess and fill in the blanks, mostly incorrectly. I have 50% custardy and it works quite well, I never go more than 2 days without seeing or having him. He speaks very well and is very switched on and it takes a huge effort for him not to know whats going on in the background. He just knows he has two houses and to him that's normal. Both parents love him to bits.

I can't just up sticks and abandon him just to move to a country where I feel happier and more at home. What Luke seems to be suggesting is either give him up and come back into his life when he's 18 with the very occasional visit accross the other side of the planet, or fight for 100% custardy and take him away. The first is not an option and the second the courts would never allow.

My solution is to follow the ex around and try to create a better situation for myself in the process.

What any of this has to do with the future of Oz is beyond me, but maybe putting the record straight will stop some people making such stupid black and white statements like ' if your not happy just move back'

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Absolutely and I say **** 'em!

Pardon my French.

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Arkon I totally understand your predicament. I have 50/50 shared care with my ex and you are indeed correct that you would unlikely stand a chance in hell of winning a custody case to return to the UK with your son (I've checked this out with lawyers). There's no way I could leave my two to return to UK, no matter how much I wanted to return. So, for me, it's a case of make the best of it here in the meantime.

Don't listen to anyone else. You know the old saying "don't judge a man til you've walked a mile in his shoes". Keep your chin up! :)

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Dunno about you guys but my biggest worry for the future of Australia, or the Republic of Western Australia in particular, is that we're going to run out of water in our lifetime...

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Yes totally agree, thats where this resources boom should be spent, on fail proof water infrastructure. Whatever it takes, from a multitude of desalination plants through to massive dams, seas if you like, at source in the tropics and piped down to the main cities. The financial cost would be enormous, however the benefits would be limitless in their potential.

We would have to abolish the federal state system first to have any chance of this happening.

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Do you think anything close to this will happen? :eek:

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Now is the time, that Australia has close to enough money to be able to afford it. However we will probably end up with more State Funded desalination plants, which will be enough for the Cities needs at least.

Pity that, because a national approach, could green up many arid parts of this country.

Re: The Future of Australia
 

That would involve two insurmountable problems in Australian politics:

1. State governments working with Federal Government - unheard of!

2. State governments giving up the notion that their state is the most important and valuable one in Australia and working with other State governments to achieve a mutual goal - equally unheard of!

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Just heard a rumour on 3AW's rumour file, which carries something like a 75pct accuracy rating. Apparently the wettest part of Australia isn't the tropics like I assumed, but the Tasmanian highlands on the west coast, apparently there are talks between parties in Tasmania and the Dept of Enviornment in Victoria, to capture this water high up in the Tasmanian high country, and gravity feed it via 2.5 metre pipe line to a close point on the Southern part of Victorias water grid. Then feed it up to Eppalock, which feeds the rest of Victoria. This will free up the Murray to the extent that the Murray becomes solely for the use of the South Australians. If the 2.5 metre gravity feed is successful more pipe lines will be put in under power, which should solve all of Victorias water problems.


Hopefully there is some truth in this rumour... got to say it cheered me up.

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Good to see that some of your comments are accurate. Some of us did eventually see the empty Oz beer, beach, barbie & bollocks lifestyle for what it was and returned to good ol' blighty.

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Some of us like the beach, barbecues and beer and I like my own bollocks thank you very much. :lol:

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Each to his/her own mate but I cant say I have ever made a mistake in where I chose to live, thats really what makes life interesting isnt it. For most people who return I reckon it's the person that is the mistake for the country, not the country being a mistake for the person.
Without trying to sound harsh or insulting, it's my opinion that a survivor in every sense of the word is one who can readilly adapt to life anywhere. So you tried and failed I guess.

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Yes but you can't deny that for some people that just isn't enough and when you want or need more it's not here to be found.

Beaches soon bore, as do the BBQ's and the less said about my sweaty bollocks the better. I for one am certain my gin gan goolies would be forever gratefull if I was to return home.

Back to the future of Oz....Australia has a few massive stumbling blocks that prevent it from solving any major issue like water or energy. As previously mentioned the state vs federal thing and my state is best situation is very real and very much a problem. One I had no idea about before living here.

They are only capable as a nation of fixing huge problems with a sticking plaster kind of appoach. Federal gov needs far greater powers and the states need to be relegated to the role of councils IMHO. The country as a whole has more than enough water but needs a country wide plan to distribute it.

What Australia needs is Queen Victoria..

Re: The Future of Australia
 

Australia can do the big projects if it needs to, what about The Snowy Mountains Scheme?

"The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme is by far the largest engineering project ever undertaken in Australia. It is also one of the largest and most complex hydro-electric schemes in the world.

The system's construction is seen by many as a defining point in Australia's history, and an important symbol of Australia's identity as an independent, multicultural and resourceful country. "

http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov....s/snowyscheme/