ranbysue

I don't know much about Australia other than the well established fact that it is extremely difficult to get into it as an immigrant (UK or other). However, you hardly ever hear of anyone returning home to the UK due to lack of money or lifestyle,indeed only the opposite to those lucky enough to get in, but yet there are many negative postings on this site about those who have tried and tested NZ and are returning home. What apart from the weather is the difference?

Thanks

Suze

livewire

Well, something that is in the news at the moment is the difference in the tax systems between the two countries. NZ workers are considered to be more heavily taxed than their Oz counterparts. The top rate of tax kicks in at around 60 grand which is very low in compared to some other countries.

There are more jobs across the Tasmin, better wages, better career opportunities, cheaper housing, good infrastructure (rail, roads, public transport systems, choice of telecommunications companies etc) and all the trappings that come with a major, developed country with a large poplulation that is able to meet the demands of the 21st century. To compare NZ to Oz is a bit like comparing Jersey to the UK . Oh, and there's the climate too I guess.

Depends what you want out of life as to whether you prefer Oz to NZ but a lot of Kiwis do live there.

annaerb

Hey Suze,

There are people that do return from OZ back to UK. I have read lots of posts, look at the thread returning to UK plus if you feel like reading all the other posts I'm sure you'll find plenty of others.

There are lots of Kiwis that do live in OZ and there are always the ones that come back home too like myself after living away for 10yrs. My Brother has been on the Gold Coast since he was 18 and won't come back to NZ now. I have friends and other family there that like it because of the weather and lifestyle.

hubbard

Interesting question.....

Disclaimer : What follows next is a very generic post and there will always be exceptions.

I think more people struggle in NZ in terms of reality versus expectations because:
Most people are migrating for a better climate (better for most equals mediteranean beach weather and minimal rain)
Most people want to maintain a similiar standard of living (materialistically) even if they say they don't!!!
Most people want access to similiar amounts and quality of consumer goods that they are used to in the UK, US, Canada.
Most people want access to similiar levels of infrastructure they are used to (public transport, internet providers, roads et)

They want all this coupled with:
Less traffic
Cheaper housing
Safer environment for kids
Laid back lifestyle with more time for family.

Having lived in NZ and Australia as a migrant and thus no patriotic loyalty to either, Australia definitely ticks more boxes on the 'average' migrants wish list and I think it is largely why Australia is a more popular migrant destination and FWIW perhaps why you seem to get more disillusioned posts on British Expats about living in NZ rather than OZ. That's not to say living in Australia is all roses by any means and there are still alot of returnees but most seem to return due to homesickness for family and UK whilst in NZ there seems to be more returnees due to money issues and dislike of NZ - again generic and casual observations.

Tooanfrom

Hubbard-very succinct and right on target.
I have been here in NZ for 25yrs--I really do wish that I had gone for Aussie.
Unfortunately NZ politicians seem to study what is wrong in other countries, and then say"We can make it work here".

There is a colossal "white flight", the PC crowd say "brain drain"--but whatever label you put on it, people are voting with their feet.

I know that I can jump the ditch at any time(at present that is) my problem is a missus that thinks Aussie is one big heaving mass of spiders in which she has got a PhD in phobias!

hubbard

I thought exactly this when we first moved here and was constantly checking my shoes before putting them on in case of spiders etc but in the 7 months we have been here I have seen one spider and no snakes. Arguably I do live in Sydney but I have a horse out in the country and ride regularly in the bush but still have not seen many creepy crawlies. There are some big cockroaches though - nasty!

mumomonty

Hi Hubbard, Love the disclaimer - wise!

Anyway, I've done it the other way around. Lived in Aus for about 4 years (central coast), didn't settle (more due to me than the place I think)
Back home to blighty and hubby wouldn't stay there. So worried was he that I'd freak again if he went to Oz he opted for NZ as it'd been an itch he wanted to scratch for a long time. Being Aus citizens we can live and work here without limits.
Originally he wanted to live in NZ but it was harder in the 80s and 90s to come to NZ as a PR which is what we always wanted to get. However, Aus was always my favourite on paper ..... just not in reality. Looking back, I'm just not adaptable!

I agree with what you've said. It is easy to conjure up an idea of how it will be when you are fed up with the crime, dark long winters, etc.

I compare the brain drain here to that of the one that was strong in the late 70s onwards in the UK when people used to go over to the US. Similarly, Aus is more 'american' than here.

I prefer the winters in Oz and the summers in NZ.
The only thing I didn't like in Oz was paralysis ticks in my dog and snakes around my horses so in that respect NZ is a wonderful place for them but the UK is even better because of access the bridleways and footpaths. After about 5 years away I have come to terms with the fact that:

I can't walk my dog for miles like I used to and

I have to put the horse in the float to go and ride anywhere but
the scenery when I get there in Oz and here in NZ is wonderful and I feel like I'm dreaming sometimes! As I said to the guy whose horses I ride, it's quality not quantity here in that respect.
That is, in all ways but one!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cost Of Living. Yes it is true it is harder by about 20% to make ends meet here. I do feel like I'm back in the UK at times with the 'ripped off feeling' then I look at our little place that is finally coming straight (don't renovate - even if you earn a 100k a year - you'll be thinking can I go out for that meal? can I go to the movies? things I only questioned when I kept 2 horses and ran a 4wd in the UK! Holidays are not a thing easy to afford from here in NZ (or Aus but they have better deals there nowadays).

Re NZ, it still feels a bit like Oz did in the 80s here regarding choice so that got me used to a lot of things here but it's annoying a times to have only 2 choices of something you know that has 15 in Tescos!

I do not think this government is progressive enough. He-She Clark seems to sort of do it part time (govern) in between looking confused about what's going on if you ask me.

On the other hand the place is slowly growing on us. I visited 3 times before I came and felt like I did in Canada 'nice place, don't want to live here' but Oz still gets me excited at the prospect of a visit so go figure.

Funny thing here though, we've both found work easier to find within an easy commute (15 mins) and that can' tbe bad.

In Oz, main towns are spread out by hours and hours and each state can be like a different country.

Just my thoughts.Mumo.

ranbysue

Thanks for all the replies.

Here's someone's experience in April 2006

Someone I know has just gone out to Sydney as Head of Midwifery in one of the Hospitals there. Her husband was telling me that when he went to visit in April, before they make the final decision in August as to whether to stay or go to Oz, he told me a few things that he and his wife have found very strange about Ozzy folks.

His wife has been brought in, as have many health professionals from the UK to try to change the culture of workers at ground level. This chappie's wife has encountered much hostility regarding simple things such as health and safety issues which he said in the UK if not carried out would have you hauled over the coals, so to speak. She is finding it very difficult to encourage changes in practice and they seem very quick to tell her that if she doesn't like it then to go home!! However, those higher up the ladder keep telling her to keep going as these are the changes they want to make to their health service

He said he went to the bank to open a new account, he completed the application form and was told to leave it with them and come back the next day as they couldn't process it there and then. He duly returned the next day only to be told that they had never seen neither him or the form before and so was therefore given another one to comlete. He repeated the whole process again only to go in the next day and for them to yet repeat that they'd never seen him before and knew nothing of him form. This went on for 3 days and in the end he said he had to demand to see the manager to sort it out. He has since learnt that this is a regular occurance in OZ with lots of things. He also couldn't get his head round the lunch time closing not to mention hardly any late night opening as in the UK.

They are reconsidering at the moment and weighing up the pro's and cons. But there are still many CONS here in the UK.

Suze

bramptonbrian

Within about 6 months you'll be feeling just about the same as you do normally no matter where you live. The only difference is in aus you can sit out in the sun and grumble (and if the locals hear you they'll tell you to piss of back).

Lord Pom Percy

Yes OZ has more creey crawlies then NZ, but if you look at the statistics its nothing to worry about, only one person in the last 30 years has been killed by a spider bite in OZ, and around 2 0r 3 people killed a year by snake bites
compare that to 1,600 killed each year in car accidents in OZ.

Radio Ham

... and before someone starts on the sharks, remember more people are killed by coke machines and coconuts falling on them than are attacked by sharks. :scared:

Jude J

I have never been to Oz but have lived in NZ for almost 4 years. I dont know what people find to complain about all the time.
I had a family member here for a holiday a couple of years ago who did nothing but compare it to Spain and make ridiculous comments about it being boring. Yet in just over two weeks they did so many of the wonderful things on offer here. I think some people, particularly English people, just love to have something to moan about.

bramptonbrian

Perfectly true and if you can't think of anything to moan about, moan about somebody else moaning.

Andrew Cross

NZ isn't perfect. Neither is the UK thats why so many people leave. If you go on the 'Moving back to the UK' forum, you will see plenty of people who complain about Oz. Its up to you to decide if NZ is for you. Before I came out here I read a few negative posts on NZ, but I made my OWN mind up about whether it was right for me and my family. If you are going to go on the hear say of others then thats up to you. There are also a few positive things on this site about NZ believe it or not. Different horses for different courses as they say. It isn't the UK, if thats what people want then why are they moving to the other side of the world????

bramptonbrian

Running away from something, I recon. It's a small world though and that something will get ya sooner or later!! der der daaaa