But it is very true though...and ironic that the posters most active in pointing out the crap in Britain live in countries which are very similar or worse.

Perhaps because they recognise it where they currently live makes it easier to see where they came from. Who knows.

Which countries were you thinking of? And is that the housing cycle or another factor you're thinking of?

See post #203 where I raised a point for discussion but the response made it clear that the poster was not interested In discussion but simply in having a go at a previous poster.

I've seen that but that wasn't what I asked - not sure what the relevance is

Ok the cost of houses in Australia....the state of the public health system in Australia and America......crime in any country.....I could come up with lots more...what are you looking for

Something to debate other than the standard line of 'same everywhere'

I do get that houses cost more in the major cities in Australia than in rural UK but a better comparison would be rural Australia to rural UK, and in which case Australian houses may be cheaper but the proximity to services would be vastly increased

And again, comparing cost of city houses in both countries I'm not convinced that the UK would be cheaper in all scenarios but there would be many variables to consider. Personally, Slough to Adelaide and I would say Adelaide is cheaper for the most part - renting or buying, but the same wouldn't necessarily be true if the move was Slough to Sydney

Crime where I am in Adelaide would appear on the surface to be considerably lower than where I was in Slough, but then I live in a better suburb than I was living in Slough because housing costs are cheaper.

I can't comment on health services since the only visit I've had to make is to a dentist. I do pay for private medical here, which was part of my employee benefits in the UK so can't comment on costs. The only experience I've had of US health services was a number of years ago, and they were very quick but it was an emergency situation. That said, a similar emergency situation was also treated quickly in the UK too. In two different emergency situations though the young spark was sent home and both could have cost him his life - the first was picked up by the family GP, and the second I took him back to A&E and he had an emergency operation so swings and roundabouts.

I know all that is anecdotal evidence but it is how we form our opinions to a great extent.

So why was post #203 not relevant

Because although your comments in that post touched on differing house prices, you were responding to a poster who made a specific observation of another members situation, not yours and not the state of things in general.

It is an open forum.....the issue of rural housing costs was under discussion but if I respond with a relevant post it is somehow wrong.

Perhaps you could send me a copy of your version of the forum rules because I haven't got a clue what you are on about

.....and in your previous post you referred to your own situation several times.....so why can't I do the same?

Or are you just looking for an argument?

Where have I said there was anything wrong with your post, or against forum rules

Maybe I responded hastily to your reference to post #203 but saying I see something as irrelevant certainly doesn't imply you broke any forum rules.

I was being sarcastic.

So I will just carry on as usual.

Tell me......how does simply posting a link to a bad news story constitute discussion?

That seems to happen a fair bit.....perhaps I should start posting negative stories about Australia on the Barbie......I wonder what sort of responses that would generate

It doesn't and if you want to post a link in the Barbie that's your choice. There's a few been posted in the Barbie recently, and I'm sure they'll be more again. I think that a lot of stories tend to be of the bad news variety - unless it's sport and that usually causes it's own arguments

Been there and got the T shirt

You were obviously not around in the days when the forum could get really lively

No I don't think so - I'm not so sure I would have appreciated it

Try reading back over some old threads.....quite amusing a lot of them.