Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
Sep 7th 2009, 10:57 pm
#136
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Location: Melbourne
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Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
The EU legislates a minimum of 20 days annual leave. I'm not sure if it is still the case but the UK had a special opt out which allowed it to include public holidays in that number - so for most people 12 annual leave + 8 public holidays was the legal minimum. Fairly certain the EU was going after that opt out though - not sure if it still exists.
Sep 7th 2009, 11:01 pm
#138
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Posts: 14,188
Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
I worked for a big nasty American software company in the UK. They allowed us to take up to 7 weeks annual leave + public holidays each year as part of a flexible benefits package.
The EU legislates a minimum of 20 days annual leave. I'm not sure if it is still the case but the UK had a special opt out which allowed it to include public holidays in that number - so for most people 12 annual leave + 8 public holidays was the legal minimum. Fairly certain the EU was going after that opt out though - not sure if it still exists.
The EU legislates a minimum of 20 days annual leave. I'm not sure if it is still the case but the UK had a special opt out which allowed it to include public holidays in that number - so for most people 12 annual leave + 8 public holidays was the legal minimum. Fairly certain the EU was going after that opt out though - not sure if it still exists.
Sep 7th 2009, 11:36 pm
#139
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Joined: Oct 2005
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Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
I dare say it's as big a media invention as the British 'stiff upper lip'. Honestly, it's all a crock of shit - people are people. I've lived in the UK, the USA and Australia (natch) and you get the same kinds of people everywhere - the stressed, the bored, the relaxed ... etc etc.
Some British people wouldn't know a stiff upper lip if they knew it. Many spend all their time doing quite the reverse and crumbling in a heap on the floor when Mark and Sparks runs out of ready-meals.
Happy to ruminate about the Dunkirk spirit, talk about British invention, but won't necessarily hold it up themselves, or be in the running for a Nobel prize.
Sep 10th 2009, 5:11 pm
#140
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Location: Perth
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Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...329502555.html
Australians on average work 1855 hours a year, or 38.6 hours a week if you assume they work 48 weeks a year.
US workers are second, averaging 1835 hours a year,
followed by Japan (1821) and
New Zealand (1817).
Finland (1730) led the table in Western Europe,
followed by the much-maligned British workers, who put in 1708 hours a year - three hours a week less than Australians.
However, it does depend on what you read.... the above is the Australian Media take on it.
Let's look at a a British view:
http://www.cipd.co.uk/news/_articles...-in-europe.htm
05 September 2008
Full-time employees in the UK put in 41.4 hours per week, which is 1 hour and 24 minutes more than the EU average, according to the report published by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions.
In 2002,
Average Annual work hours (source: OECD (2004), "OECD in Figures"
Australia 1,823.6 annual working hours per working person = 37.99 hrs per week over 48 weeks
UK 1,707.0 annual working hours per working person = 35.56 hrs per week over 48 weeks
The issue does get confusing, depending on what you read.
Australians on average work 1855 hours a year, or 38.6 hours a week if you assume they work 48 weeks a year.
US workers are second, averaging 1835 hours a year,
followed by Japan (1821) and
New Zealand (1817).
Finland (1730) led the table in Western Europe,
followed by the much-maligned British workers, who put in 1708 hours a year - three hours a week less than Australians.
However, it does depend on what you read.... the above is the Australian Media take on it.
Let's look at a a British view:
http://www.cipd.co.uk/news/_articles...-in-europe.htm
05 September 2008
Full-time employees in the UK put in 41.4 hours per week, which is 1 hour and 24 minutes more than the EU average, according to the report published by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions.
In 2002,
Average Annual work hours (source: OECD (2004), "OECD in Figures"
Australia 1,823.6 annual working hours per working person = 37.99 hrs per week over 48 weeks
UK 1,707.0 annual working hours per working person = 35.56 hrs per week over 48 weeks
The issue does get confusing, depending on what you read.
But my main comment would be excess hours does not mean a better product in any shape or form. Quality being a rather rare commodity here and service often quite dismal.
Sep 10th 2009, 5:18 pm
#141
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Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Epsom
Posts: 1,705
Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
Some British people wouldn't know a stiff upper lip if they knew it. Many spend all their time doing quite the reverse and crumbling in a heap on the floor when Mark and Sparks runs out of ready-meals.
Happy to ruminate about the Dunkirk spirit, talk about British invention, but won't necessarily hold it up themselves, or be in the running for a Nobel prize.
Happy to ruminate about the Dunkirk spirit, talk about British invention, but won't necessarily hold it up themselves, or be in the running for a Nobel prize.
Sep 10th 2009, 5:34 pm
#142
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,566
Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
The more I hear about this "laid back Ozzie' bollocks the more I think that its a mindset and doesnt reflect work, finances or the economy at all. Sometimes the gullibility of Brits amazes me.
Its highway robbery with a visa instead of a revolver....or a musket if you will.
Its highway robbery with a visa instead of a revolver....or a musket if you will.
Sep 10th 2009, 5:36 pm
#143
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,733
Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
The more I hear about this "laid back Ozzie' bollocks the more I think that its a mindset and doesnt reflect work, finances or the economy at all. Sometimes the gullibility of Brits amazes me.
Its highway robbery with a visa instead of a revolver....or a musket if you will.
Its highway robbery with a visa instead of a revolver....or a musket if you will.
Still haven't found one though.
Sep 10th 2009, 5:39 pm
#145
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Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
Sep 10th 2009, 5:44 pm
#146
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Posts: 648
Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
A number of members of my wife's family, especially her father and grandfather, were quite happy to suggest that we would be able to buy a fairly enormous house without too much trouble at all in Australia.
Not true. Just actually, totally incorrect. I imagine buying a larger property easily would be more feasible in a more remote area but, for crying out loud, who actually wants to live in the middle of nowhere...in Australia?!
I mean, Australia feels like the middle of nowhere everywhere other than the heart of the cities, so I imagine living in the country some place would be comparable to living on the moon.
The utter conviction so many Aussies have that their country is this cheap, working man's paradise is plain bizarre, borderline insanity. Sure, the UK looks expensive to them due to the exchange rate when they go over there on holiday (though that has changed a little bit lately) but they completely forget that it is different when you live there and are earning pounds.
I wish people in Australia would shut up about this ''cheapness'' thing because it's getting more and more ridiculous with every year that goes by.
Sep 10th 2009, 5:48 pm
#147
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Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
Too many Australians (and some expats) have failed to adjust themselves mentally to 2009.
They are still living in 1979. When Australia, probably, was quite cheap.
Wake up. Times have changed. There is no such thing as ''cheap'' anymore. No big plots of land in good locations going for ''peanuts'' where you can build a lovely big house for little more than ''peanuts''.
But Australians and many expats here love nothing better than to love Australia and so maintaining the attitude that Australia is this great, blue-collar heaven on earth is a big part of that. The fact that they have got it badly wrong and that they are working on statistics and facts and figures from thirty odd years ago doesn't even enter their heads.
They are still living in 1979. When Australia, probably, was quite cheap.
Wake up. Times have changed. There is no such thing as ''cheap'' anymore. No big plots of land in good locations going for ''peanuts'' where you can build a lovely big house for little more than ''peanuts''.
But Australians and many expats here love nothing better than to love Australia and so maintaining the attitude that Australia is this great, blue-collar heaven on earth is a big part of that. The fact that they have got it badly wrong and that they are working on statistics and facts and figures from thirty odd years ago doesn't even enter their heads.
Last edited by willamos; Sep 10th 2009 at 5:51 pm.
Sep 10th 2009, 5:52 pm
#148
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,566
Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
Too many Australians (and some expats) have failed to adjust themselves mentally to 2009.
They are still living in 1979. When Australia, probably, was quite cheap.
Wake up. Times have changed. There is no such thing as ''cheap'' anymore. No big plots of land in good locations going for ''peanuts'' where you can build a lovely big house for little more than ''peanuts''.
But Australians and many expats here love nothing better than to love Australia and so maintaining the attitude that Australia is this great, blue-collar heaven on earth is a big part of that.
They are still living in 1979. When Australia, probably, was quite cheap.
Wake up. Times have changed. There is no such thing as ''cheap'' anymore. No big plots of land in good locations going for ''peanuts'' where you can build a lovely big house for little more than ''peanuts''.
But Australians and many expats here love nothing better than to love Australia and so maintaining the attitude that Australia is this great, blue-collar heaven on earth is a big part of that.
Australias politicians have been using the old 'battler' spin for a long time until KRudd, that is.
Sep 10th 2009, 5:56 pm
#149
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Posts: 648
Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
If it isn't, why the need to be a ''battler'' at all?!
Sep 10th 2009, 5:58 pm
#150
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,784
Re: Laid back Ozzie - is it a myth?
Too many Australians (and some expats) have failed to adjust themselves mentally to 2009.
They are still living in 1979. When Australia, probably, was quite cheap.
Wake up. Times have changed. There is no such thing as ''cheap'' anymore. No big plots of land in good locations going for ''peanuts'' where you can build a lovely big house for little more than ''peanuts''.
But Australians and many expats here love nothing better than to love Australia and so maintaining the attitude that Australia is this great, blue-collar heaven on earth is a big part of that. The fact that they have got it badly wrong and that they are working on statistics and facts and figures from thirty odd years ago doesn't even enter their heads.
They are still living in 1979. When Australia, probably, was quite cheap.
Wake up. Times have changed. There is no such thing as ''cheap'' anymore. No big plots of land in good locations going for ''peanuts'' where you can build a lovely big house for little more than ''peanuts''.
But Australians and many expats here love nothing better than to love Australia and so maintaining the attitude that Australia is this great, blue-collar heaven on earth is a big part of that. The fact that they have got it badly wrong and that they are working on statistics and facts and figures from thirty odd years ago doesn't even enter their heads.
