brits1

My oldest son had just finished a asignment on obesity and his research as on Australia (his teacher wanted them to do countries outside Aus) and his research showed that 1 in 3 children were obese and 70% of Adults were obese.....our sons are really sporty they play football (soccer) swim and anything else with a round ball but the do have a Mac's my motto is "everything (legal) in moderation"....
Jackie

Wendy

They want to move because the grass is always greener but like everyone on here, for some it is and others it's not

SeaninOzalready

Such a true statement. I have been lucky to have experienced living and working in 8 countries well before I turn 30. The truth is that the majority of Aussies do come back (or at least plan to at some stage). I have mates who were in London with me all living it up in their twenties/ early thirties on really great money and super bonuses. These folk are slowly coming back to Oz for a more relaxed life and now they are able to afford the house by the beach that they have always wanted. Often they will do what I have and have the UK investment property and then come back to Oz for their dream house with a pool etc and to raise their kids.

True that some will hang on abit longer- personally I think those that do the best in England are from Melbourne or tassie as the weather can be similar (in the winter anyway).

young people from all countries will always hanker to travel. It is so much easier these days.I don't think it is primarily an Aussie thing. One just needs to look around Coogee or Bondi and it is like little Ireland or Little Britain. heaps of these young people have no desire to go back- they are living it up (some on a paltry 35k a year) and living in houseshares. They are doing any jobs that will offer them 457 visas so that they can stay here.

I think I remember reading some time ago in the British press that after the census, over 1 million young people were missing. The headline of the Sun was ' On holiday in Ibiza'. I think they should have checked Bondi for that one.

Young people can also afford to travel and start again easier as they have no ties. I have been lucky in that my folks have always encouraged me to see the world and experience new things- as they say 'By law of averages they will die before me, so I should be happy whilst I am still young'.

Who is to say that I don't move on in time to the Far east or the States and who is to say that the young folks being referred to in this thread don't do the same..

ezzie

..."they are living it up (some on a paltry 35k a year)"

Paltry? I wouldn't mind earning that right now! I thought that was around the basic wage of Oz.

SeaninOzalready

I thought it was around 55k.. Must have gone up after 05

Wages in Australia
Wage Facts
Full-time earnings in Australia were A$53,200 per annum in 2005. (According to the Bureau of Statistics.)

If overtime and bonuses are included, earnings were A$55,700 per annum.

The average male wage in Australia is $55,800 per annum

The average female wage in Australia is A$47,600 per annum.

St.Georges Girl

5k tax eh, that's approx a sixth of what he pays here at the moment, sounds like a dream.

My sons girlfriend has been waiting for him to finish uni' as she wants to go to England with him. We were hoping the relationship might fizzle out, as he had always intended going back to stay with family and then travelling around Europe for awhile with one of his cousins. Now he is doing what she wants him to do for the sake of peace. He has said that he needs abit of space and with her, he's not going to get it, so we feel that they'll be problems down the track if he marries her because he gives in to her wants all the time. Anyway, that's another story.

I just hope you make the right decision for you and your family Mike, it's not going to be easy I know that.

I know there are more malls than there were when we first came over, but don't you find they are all the same? I hate shopping with a passion, so I rarely go now unless I need something. Most of my clothes I buy online from eBay UK, Next and the like. Have you taken you family on a Captain Cook wine tasting cruise? Have you done the Swan Valley Tour or the Chittering Valley drive?

OzSheila

This may well have been the case in the past but figures now suggest that alot of Aussies who come back end up extrememly dissatisfied and disgruntled. In fact 50% of repats leave again within 2 years and 75% within 10 years. If you are a professional who has enjoyed a successful career in London or New York working for/with large multinational organisations you may well find moving back to Sydney or Melbourne leaves alot to be desired.

St.Georges Girl

I think with kids leaving high school, it's more because they want to see some of the world and not because they think it'll be better somewhere else. All my sons friends who have left to travel have taken a year out, not to move away permanently, although some might decide to do that later in life. I do know of a number of kids from British families who have gone back to see their roots and ended up staying. The daughter of a good friend of mine went home last January with the intent on staying for 6 months. She's now working for M & S and studying retail management in college there. Her mum is pleased for her, but now feels the family has been split up and misses her daughter like mad. Another friends 3 children went back to stay with their father after their separation, have now been there for 4 years and say they will never come back here. One was only 14! The eldest, who is 23, has bought an apartment in the Docklands with his girlfriend and just loves it.

It's a chance you take when you migrate to anywhere in the world with children. I know you have personal experience of this with your son Wendy. It must be so hard for you.

Nu-Shooz

Very low.

brits1

I could give the "tour speech" yes done that with and without visitors so many times....they are lovely to do and see but it does become same old same old...and I know that's the truth the world over but at least you have more options at home and maybe over East.
Jackie
ps yes the Malls have the same shops, same prices, same goods so I also hate shopping.....but I still venture out....I have to...I would go mad!!!!

brits1

You need a lot more to survive than you did 10 years ago....then $50,000 was a very good wage...now it's a joke.....everything seems to go up here accept for wages!!!!
Jackie

SeaninOzalready

Yes mate- agreed, but it is about the same as the UK national average of 22000 Quid. I agree on either of these two wages you are not going to do very much. You would have to earn at least 35-37k in sterling in either place to be doing anything really (saving etc).

The average salary in the UK (according to ONS) is approx. 22K. A Gross salary of £21,900, less tax of £3400 and NIC of £1837, gives a monthly net of £1388

robclaridge

......which is about the same as most peoples wages that I know of in Oz? Strange? I thought we earnt a little less for comparible jobs n the UK.i (thoughts anyone?) Also remember... Out of the UK wage you then take out NI for your pension. At least here in OZ its normally whatever you earn PLUS superannuation on top. Besides, Lets not keep up with the joneses shall we? Its not what you earn its how you spend it... A good friend of mine who owns a very successful business here in Oz (ex pom) earns around 230,000 and is always broke. His misses spends money like water! I earn less then half that and we have great fun and do everything we want to in life- and still have money in the bank, a luxury I never used to have!

St.Georges Girl

I honestly don't see how you compare? For a start, income tax deductions are alot more here, then not only do you have to pay a medicare levy at the end of the year, you have to pay when you visit the doc's too. Prescriptions have gone through the roof in the last 10 years, you pay FID, tax on used cars and the list goes on. You just cannot compare like for like.

My OH does charge less per hour here than his counterparts back home, but he works much longer hours and never takes a holiday. He is a workaholic, unfortunately, but he says he has to do the hours he puts in to bring home enough. I disagree, but that's another story. He also pays his super from what he earns and so do I. We also have Ambulance cover and a small private health insurance for our needs which we wouldn't need back home. To even try to compare to my mind is just pointless.

isleofmanmike

Great points St Georges Girl......All these extra taxes and things you have to pay for mounts up over the year.Dont forget that also there is no Guarantee in Australia for a state pension....you only get a pension if you dont have private income and because super is compulsory there not many people in future will get one...unless you haven't worked. My mum is better of over in Aus because she has no other income and has no private super but my brother in law who has a senior job at Alcoa and earns very good money wont get any state help after working for 40+ years at retirement....because his superan, which he has to pay into will put him over the threshold....