Excellent thread. I'm in agreement with everything you've said. I too hope to be back in the UK in 2-3 years after 34 years of living in Brisbane.

You are leaving at the right time as things (due to the massive floods) are only going to get worse here. How is the Government going to find the expediture to replace the massive infrastructure etc. in Queensland & Victoria ? You can bet it will be financed by us tax payers and yes they will be very creative in the way they structure and justify all the extra costs.

I wish you all the best for you and your family.

So what other way can it be financed except by the tax payers ? The government has no money except that which it collects from the tax payers. Just hope that it doesn't use the Gordon Brown method of jiggery pokery, slight of hand accounting called PFI in the UK. That way will cost you far more.

I have no objection to my taxes paying for schools, hospitals, benefits for the marginalized in society etc. but have problems with incompetent politicians wasting my taxes on numerous projects (& a war) that are destined to fail from the start.

Whereas, I acknowledge the flood was a freak of nature there has also been inept planning ( or lack of it ) to protect the flood plain of Brisbane by Governments over many years, for which we are now paying a very heavy price.

You are right about the planning - but the issue is still economic like keeping the UK moving during the snow falls - yes it is possible to plan and prepare for these things - but the cost of those preparations would be enormous and would be at the expense of schools, hospitals and so on - and that would not work - would it?

Couldn't have put it better. These are our thoughts too - each to his own I guess but having lived in 3 countries and visited over 40 I know what I prefer...

I agree with the above sentiment. Some places have no rain! And Tanzania has no winter! Winter is my favourite season I don't know why I movedto Africa. It'll be nice to experience cold weather again, huddled with a cup of tea and a decent book by the fire...

After 12 years in Brisbane, I'm once again considering returning (often considered it, never had the balls to try - I'm so daunted by logistics)

I'm going back for a xmas holiday this year (Dec2011-Jan2012) and I'm seriously wondering about whether to try and do some job hunting...

Anyone got any idea whether mid-December to mid-January is a viable time to hunt for IT Project Management positions in UK? (It a hopeless time of year to search for work in QLD - but I cant remember whether job hunting was so seasonal in UK!)

Try this website www.w4mp.org. It has quite a few IT positions. And it's January now, presumable the seasons will be the same next year...