One good example of this is the childcare allowance. This is many times more generous than the British one, and directly affects living standards for parents and children. Fact. My wife's two sisters in Britain cannot afford to have more than one child because of the poor childcare, but have both said they would have two or three kids under the Australian allowance. Fact.

OK, fair enough I can tell you are set in your ways. As I say just be careful of making an opinion a fact
Im happy where I am and you are happy where you are so there is really no reason to disagree

Can't perception affect reality though? For example, I have several friends who won't go into their town center on a Friday or Saturday night for a perceived fear that they would encounter trouble from drunken youths. Therefore, because their perceived fear causes them not to go into town they are never going to end up as a statistic that would affect the results of reality.

You are determined to turn our opinions into some kind of binary debate. No, I am not happy where I am. My concern is that I would be unhappy in Britain but for different reasons. The issue I have is I must choose between two different sets of problems. Wages are higher in Australia, tax is lower, childcare payments are massively higher, and property is (slightly) cheaper. Great. But what is the point of a materially superior existence when your entire family lives 16,000 kms away?

The difference in our arguments seems to be that you are almost exclusively biased in favour of Britain, saying practically nothing in favour of Australia at all and glossing over countless obvious issues in Britain, whereas I have clearly praised and criticised both countries, as is evident from all of my posts.

Yes. I have finally traced my brother after 42 years, he lives close to London, but will not go there 'because of the terrorists'.

A 'two can play thing' eh?

We are certainly proving one thing: there is indeed no reality only perception!

The cup half full/half empty thing is an ongoing working model. I do it as well.

What I don't like is to have it dressed up as something else, when espousing one view and subtly denigrating another.

...............just a hint; this lays false the statement that you only 'look at facts'. You cannot possibly know this for a 'fact', even if you come up with statistics to support your point of view. We can all come up with stats to support our pov.

Look Zen, each to his own. What I object to is that you deny what is so blatantly obvious in your posts. The highlighted statement is testimony to it!

I have to be honest. I really would like to write some blistering opinions about Australia, but what is the point? For starters it's bloody impolite, and besides many are happy and settled here.

Above all else, I would never want to dampen the hopes and dreams of those who plan to settle here, because they may well make a happy and enduring home in Australia.

Have you? It never feels like that.

I must admit I feel the same, any praise directed at this country always seems to be tinged with a proviso.

I find it very strange that a woman would make a decision on how many children to have based solely on the amount of child benefit they would get. Maybe it's just me?

And secondly is it really that vastly different? I get £135 a month in the UK for 2 kids, how much would I get in Oz?

If I'm honest Chris955, and I haven't commented on this before, I feel the same about your posts. Very happy you and your family are in your own piece of paradise, that's a huge achievement on all levels and something most of us others can only strive for (I hope to be saying the same one day!). However, it does seem to me reading over your many threads that the same could be said about your posts on Australia. You do post positively, but always twinged with a little deep sourness about Australia. But guess what, you're completely allowed that opinion. As is Zen, as are all of us.

However many threads you folk write, I don't think you and Zen will ever convince each other of the opposite! It's natural to feel a sense to stick up for the place we're in (if we're happy there of course).

You asked above how people could have completely different experiences than you (on levels of service, happiness of people etc..) and that is because they do. Because we're all different and we all do have different experiences. Simples! I personally think service levels are much better in Oz, and that's just my personal experience speaking. You have found the opposite, due to your personal experience.

I'm not looking to get into debate so I'll leave it at one comment, just an observation really.

Courses for horses I guess, we're happy where we're happy....let's all be happy we're all happy !

Yes a bit of an odd comment, most friends have 2 or more kids and one have 5 kids. I dont think Zen meant child benefit but the amount of childcare they have to pay. Its strange when you see the number of people complaining about the cost.
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politi...319-2gdlo.html

I can't help it if the facts lead me to your proviso thing. As I say, my desire is to return, for family reasons, but I am very cautious because Australia has a very high standard of living in most categories. It turns out this measures poorly against family.

I'm not sure of the exact amount but it's considerably more than that. I'd like to know this woman you're talking about, who's making a decision on country of birth based solely on childcare though. What's her name?