Wessa

Genesis, i find your points good but your outlook does change from time to time eh. Just your present situation my friend.
I look at my present situation like this.. Im here at the moment working on a great project that could create a good future here for me as a Safety Advisor etc.. Now, when Karen and the kids get here in Aug we will go with the flow, no need to moan or complain about anything the NZ way of life rooles as thats NZ eh.. We did not come from a bad standard of living, yes, even a better one than we will have here in the way of money, holidays, luxuries etc.. We will "have a go" and see where it takes us. If it's not for everyone then we will go back to the UK, not my first choice but hey..I been to alot of places on this planet and No where is perfect unless you are absolutly minted of course. It's all about what you want to put up with... At least you can say you've done it..

I heard a Kiwi say the other day "Your a long time looking at your lid" so hey, There's no point in worrying about the what ifs..You won't change the way things go...

Just go with it and enjoy everyday.. Im sure there are far worst places to be living in and opionating about..

This country does have a future!. Your space is as bright/future friendly as you make it i rekcon..
My two cents worth..

Gary

Genesis

All good positive stuff above Gary but I was just opening up a debate about the viability of NZ long term in certain areas...and bringing to the fore negative issues that prevail in NZ.

Of course it has a future (until the rapture comes) but what quality of life will it offer over another destination, in this case Oz? It is just a discussion. This forum is here to help people those both here now and those thinking of coming. I don't have huge downer on NZ, I have had problems here after 6 odd years most people will go through ups and downs in that time.

Of course my outlook changes just like my 1st wife's outlook changed when she found a better model to leave me for!!!! Life is fluid, so are opinions, options, thoughts and comfort zones.

I listen to a huge amount of radio and intelligent commentators. Much I what I spout on this forum is from their mouths not mine. NZ is in a very tricky place just now. Again I heard it on the radio this morning..we are selling off the family silver here in NZ, borrowing our selves into poverty and we have an administration unable to smell the coffee.

Another point. Why do you think 25% of this country's population is absent? Because they can do better elsewhere. That does not mean you can't do well here, you can. Kate's career is flying. I have a mate doing a great woodwork course and I know many people here with really good jobs. I am simply being devil's advocate I guess. Food for thought. The good the bad and the ugly.

bourbon-biscuit

I don't really have a view about it, doesn't seem that inspiring but wants and needs for living are different than for a holiday, no? I like Cambridge for the 'easyness' factor too- we call is pleasantville for good reason!

I may need to be in PN for a couple of days later this year (uni related)- we should do coffee

I agree! Also, owning a batch kind of ties you to one place and I like new places.

Sounds like your dissatisfaction/ frustration stems from being a full time SAHP, which I empathise with entirely- I've done over a decade and though it's valuable work and I wouldn't undo my decision for the world, it hasn't been easy.

Genesis

Would be good to meet for coffee and a chin wag eh? Let me know nearer the time. Some of my frustrations I guess come from MY choice of lifestyle, some are genuinely about what is happening in my new country. I guess I pay much, much more attention to what is going on out there than I did in the UK.

I am MUCH more aware of what is happening in this country that what was happening in the UK.

Now about Hanover, sage advice indeed to move on.....and I do BUT its like every quarter now they drag up a load more shit on the debacle. It is hard for us to put it behind us when it keeps coming to the fore. The latest example being greedy ol' Hotchin and his Ponzi scheme. We have now also been invited to sue the trustees as we find out they patently did not do their job, we also discover about all the shite, shady dealing over the swapping shares for debt scheme with Allied Farmers. To be honest the more it all unravels the more irksome it becomes.

BTW I am making efforts to tweek my life by doing voluntary work and looking at college next year. And one day I WILL get out with my land yatchs!!

Charismatic

Interesting to see Oxfam talking about food prices likely almost doubling in less than 10 years. That could really play to our strengths as a net exporter of food with the potential to increase output.

Genesis

Yes I heard that, whilst it may be very good for a few people in NZ, globally and for little people like you and me it means household budget disaster.

We have all seen the results of house prices ballooning and doubling in such a short time span...more bad, bad news I am afraid.

I appreciate with inflation at around 3% p/a would mean food would probably go up by 50ish% over the next decade BUT they are forecasting it going up at over twice the rate of our inflation. Bad, bad, bad.

Catchafire

Personally I think there is going to be a fundamental shift in the world we live in and for our children over the next few decades.

Changes in economics....America is heading for a big crash, their ruthless model of Capitalism is unsustainable and that is going to have huge ramifications for the western world.

Food supply, we are sooooo inefficient in the western world, supermarkets have driven food supply to suit their business needs, there is an amazing amount of waste. The world can feed itself, but again we have to change the way we do things

Climate change...we have to do something globally and the powers that be have their head stuck in the sand. (glad Germany has taken a stand now)

New Zealand is going to be a life boat in these turbulent times, climate change here will be less intense. People have space to grow and produce food on a community level.

Melissa and I are already planning to buy a rural section as soon as we can. We will not quite be heading towards the "good life", but with no pension at the moment and we are now in our 40's. Buy a section, plant a low maintenance crop (cider apples and nut trees), build a house on it when we can, rent out our current house. We have to plan for our retirement and our children's future.

And it will be that essence of self reliance and interaction with the community that will provide our kids valuable lessons on how the world can be, because it will their generation that will have to rise up to the challenges over the next 10-30 years.

Right I am off to screw my customers for more money, then I will hug a tree when I get home.

jmh

I'm thinking along similar lines Catchafire. My theory is that NZ may not have the infrastructure that countries like the UK has, but that could mean than the fall out will be easier to deal with for those who are resourceful. I know a few people looking into sustainable lifestyles. Interesting times.

Might be a topic for a new thread, Does capitalism have a future?

Genesis

With respect to climate change did you know May was 2degrees higher than ever before? We too will see extreme weather events. The only good thing about NZ in relation to most other western countries is its isolation. When it all goes off we will get less of the fallout.

Have you considered screwing the tree and hugging the customers? Just a thought.

Catchafire

Tried that once.....But I forgot to check for possums. Spent a week with my fruits in a bag of ice.

Charismatic

I don't think there will be much of a crunch from oil or food, prices will outplace supply and over time we will adapt to the changes (by building nuclear power stations etc).

Unless ITER works in which case all bets are off. Europe will become the most powerful and advanced economy.

Catchafire

Article in the Herald today.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=10729577

"The Australian economy crashed to its biggest quarterly contraction in two decades in the three months to March under the weight of floods and cyclones.

The Bureau of Statistics said yesterday that national gross domestic product had fallen by 1.2 per cent, steeper even than the fall during the worst of the global financial crisis."

Charismatic

They'll be OK, not sure if the Welsh bird will make the cut next time though.

scrubbedexpat094

Hope not, her accent really grates on my nerves

waikatoguy

Hi guys,
I'm not an expat or anything. 50 yo born and bred in Hamilton. But hope you don't mind if I make a comment on this thread, which I found interesting.
If I may reassure Genesis, that ever since I was born, New Zealand has been going down the gurgler, according to media reports and discussions. I remember back in about 1980, some Australian TV station came over here for a story. They interviewed people that were saying NZ is history and they showed pictures of those ball of hay things rolling through the centre of a town, like in those ghost towns in old westerns.

So ... what's happened since that dire documentary of 1980? Population has increased by about 50%, with help from some of you guys immigrating here, our dollar has increased in value, our quality of life has improved ... and so on.

Don't worry about dire predictions of doom. It's not going to happen. They've always been there. We're a small country and sometimes tend to have an inferiority complex. Some of us, like myself, realise its paradise here. Believe me. In Hamilton, for example, things are booming economically. Many of those going to Oz are the unemployed and disaffected who are being replaced by better qualified and more positive people from the UK (mainly) plus Asia and South Africa. And also, many return, when they get the Australian adventure reality check. We're set up well for the future here. Water, remoteness from world problems, greenness ... we can't fail.