http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/ Poms In Oz forum for migrating to Australia - Discuss moving to Australia en Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:26:12 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/tangerinev3/misc/rss.jpg http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/ http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/suzy/1059-bit-confused-need-alittle-help.html Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:54:04 GMT HI THERE COULD SOME PLEASE HELP ME AND GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ..:chatterbox: MY OH JUST RECEIVED AN EMAIL AND HE MIGHT FALL UNDER THIS CATERGORY... HI THERE COULD SOME PLEASE HELP ME AND GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ..:chatterbox:
MY OH JUST RECEIVED AN EMAIL AND HE MIGHT FALL UNDER THIS CATERGORY
"BROADCAST TRANSMISSION OPERATOR " 399511 4992-17..:frown:.
BUT COULD ANYONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE JOB ENTAILS AND WHAT THE SALARY WOULD BE. :err:.
WE HAVE HAD A BIT OF A NIGHTMARE HAS OH HAS 20 MONTHS LEFT IN THE ARMY AND HAS NUMEROUS SKILLS, AND HE STILL IS LEARNING NEW JOBS AS PART OF HIS RESETTLEMENT.
ITS BEEN HARD TO FIND A JOB HE HAS CURRENTLY BE DOING FOR THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS :arghh:
THIS MIGHT BE OUR CARD TO GET US IN TO AUSTRALIA LETS HOPE SO ..
ANY REPLIES WOULD BE GRATEFULLY RECEIVED.. SUE X ]]> SUZY http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/suzy/1059-bit-confused-need-alittle-help.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/katty-b/1057-back-uk.html Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:41:36 GMT Unbelievable.... im now back in the UK same house i was in b4 i left for WA i came back september 2009 and i really don't know what to make of it :frown:. i have done my level 2 in health n social care and im going on now to hopefully doing a BA in social working.. so then when i go back to Aus i have something better behind me rather than working in a sweaty fish n chip shop. how did others feel when they got back after say 10 months? :arghh: ]]> katty b http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/katty-b/1057-back-uk.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/jocg/1055-ever-wondered.html Tue, 20 Jul 2010 07:18:41 GMT For all those of you who are on temporary visas and who live in NSW or Canberra for that matter and ever wondered what would happen if you couldn't pay your child's public school fees, well wonder no more.

Now I thought we'd had more than our fair share of crises and drama in the few short years we've been here, but what has played out over the past week or so takes the biscuit. We're on a 457 visa, living NSW and are obliged to pay $4500 for the privelidge of sending our child to public school here (not for the first time in my life am I grateful I only have the one child...). For the first two years, no problem, we had savings to cover it. Then last year in March we moved. In January before school resumed we put in motion our application for Permanent Residency. I watched the post and no letter and invoice for the school fees appeared. Hmmm, I thought, maybe that's due to our PR application gone in. Waited to see if the school said anything and no, nothing, nada. I was worried at the time as we had no money and knew we couldn't afford it if the bill came through. It didn't and I relaxed.

Two terms gone and then last week THE LETTER landed in our letter box. Due to unpaid fees my son would not be allowed back to school, his enrollment terminated. I was horrified! Ok, I know we should have paid but I honestly did not think they would kick him out of school!! I was cursing myself for not having saved the money to get medicals done and we'd be much further on in the PR process than this and cursing myself for perhaps not having queried at the start of the school year. Oh, well damage done. I called the DET with the view to offering a small amount and knowing as it's tax time we would be able to claim some back to pay towards it. But no go, they wanted at least $2500 upfront or there would be no more education for my child. I explained that there was no way we could afford it and I was told to complete a form to apply for an exemption. Now, this is the bit that riles me the most...........it clearly states on the exemption form that they DO NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION YOUR LIVING EXPENSES. On paper therefore my husbands wage and my meagre earnings look perfectly liveable. It's because of the cost of living that we can't frickin' afford to pay school fees!!! Even the pollies openly admit in the media that the cost of living has gone higher and no our earnings barely cover our cost of living. So that's a complete cop out if ever I heard one. Yeah right! Dangle a carrot then snatch it away. Stupid people, deny my child a place at school and I can no longer work and then there's even less chance of us being able to pay. As my child would say "aren't you the smart cookie".......the sarcastic gene runs deep in our family!

So with no reprieve we set about finding the funds. My husband has to beg on bended knee to cash in his holiday payment and his boss who loves to lord it over people makes him sweat it out because they don't normally allow cashing in of holiday entitlements and then in a bizarre and never before known in the history of this company's existence they offered to lend us the remainng amount to pay the fees!! So now I have to take back every bad word (and there have been a lot.....) I have ever thought or said about them and I am so grateful they have come to our rescue. With the knowledge that the funds would arrive in our account soon and that we could pay I rang the school. The school secretary asked what day did I expect to pay the fees. I said that I hoped by Thursay at the latest. You are soooooo not going to believe what she said......she told me "oh good, you see we really need him to be back by Friday because he's supposed to be playing in soccer match and we really need him on the team" WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT??? Are you frickin' serious woman????? I haven't slept for a week, I've cried at the callous way my child was denied a right to have an education because I couldn't pay for what is essentially a "free" service and all she can worry about is that he is back for Friday so they stand a chance of winning their match..................Only in Australia I swear would they value winning at sports over peoples personal crisis' and angst. There's a little devil on my shoulder whispering in my ear, "keep him out of school for the rest of the week" to scupper there precious chance at winning, but the angel in me has the upper hand, good old English teammanship so off to school he goes tomorrow.

The moral of the story is "if you don't/can't/won't pay your child/children get kicked out of school" simple as. Now I know the terms and conditions of the visa. But I can't help asking. Since when did Australia become a 3rd world country where only the rich can afford to send their children to free public school? Do people realise that under article 28 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Australia it clearly states the ; all children (and they class all children as being under 18) HAVE to have and education (it's compolsary), that it should be easyily accessible (important in rural and remote areas) and that if should be FREE. I know that as temp visa holders we have no rights, but it's like we don't exist but thank you very much for your taxes anyway, that we have no voting rights and can claim no benefits. I still can't help feeling cheated though. It's also planted that first little evil thought germ in my head. Do I really want to be part of an industrialized, first world country that would deny a child a basic human right, that is to an education? Suddenly the glint has gone off for me, the dream is slightly tarnished and I'm looking around and noticing things that wouldn't have ever bothered me before. I start to think now what if you take away the weather and the beaches, what's left? We are worse off here than we were in the UK. We "live" in a tiny 2 bed apartment (I know it's tiny cos when I hoover I don't have to lift the hoover plug from the one socket) which is all we can afford and we are paying in rent 21/2 times what our mortgage was on our old beautiful 4 bed house We worked it out that what we are earning between us here in real monetary terms (nothing to do with the exchange rate as it bears no reflection on the true cost of living here) that in equivalent terms we'd be earning about £22000pa in the UK. We are worse off, not better off. That tiny little thought germ also made me think if I could afford it we'd be on that big shiny metal bird and out of here asap................sad, very sad. No we are more than determined to see it out. We came here for many reasons and most of those are still relevant today. We won't be beaten, it's not in our nature. Can't help being disappointed and it has left a nasty taste in our mouths, with good reason, but this journey is not over yet. Like I said to my husband, surely this is the last bad thing that can happen. It truly can't get any worse, can it? Things can only get better, right?

Sitting here and waiting for that door knock. You know the one that happens during an election campaign? Someone is going to wish they hadn't bothered trying to canvass us for a vote (not that we can anyway!!) because they are going to get short shrift and and more than just a piece of my mind!!! A word of warning Mr Abbott because I believe we come under your constituency..... ]]> JoCG http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/jocg/1055-ever-wondered.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1054-regional-development-urban-planning-immigration-population-growth.html Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:35:22 GMT *Regional Development, Urban Planning, Immigration and Population Growth... Regional Development, Urban Planning, Immigration and Population Growth

Don’t push migrants out of cities: Henry. FORCING immigrants into regional areas to ease population congestion in big cities would be a bad policy step, Ken Henry has warned. In a qualified nod to a Big Australia, the Treasury secretary yesterday told a Melbourne conference that high immigration was closely linked to strong economic growth, and because skilled immigrants tended to take jobs Australians couldn’t do or didn’t want, it would be unwise to interfere with the status quo. Dr Henry said while an additional 10.5 million people were projected to be living in Australia’s capital cities by 2056, using immigration policy to engineer decentralisation was not the right path….

… “If the skilled immigrants are coming into Australia to fill jobs not being filled by Australians, there’s a limit to which one should seek to interfere and push skilled immigrants to places where the jobs might not be. I don’t think that I’d be starting with immigration to intervene in the geographic distribution.”


Better solution is paring down state powers, stopping state capitals taking resources, investment, employment and immigrants, then developing regional government, with better transport, infrastructure and complementary internet based communication.

Migration to the cities emerges as one of world’s great challenges. AS the world marches towards urbanisation, governments face the great challenge of housing millions of their citizens in cities. AS the world marches towards urbanisation, governments, particularly in Asia, face the great challenge of housing millions of their citizens in cities.


Wide brown land could be as pleasant as Italy. THE maths of a bigger country of up to 100 million people adds up. In matters of availability of raw materials, wealth of mineral resources, simple topography and absence of weather and tectonic hazards, Australia compares favourably with the US.



Given the progress in engineering and technology anticipated in the decades ahead (especially the “manufacturing” of water), our continent could surely sustain more than 100 million people. The challenge is unlikely to be the physical carrying capacity of our land or the 2per cent annual increase in demand on our resources, including energy….


..That leaves immigration. By the middle of the century, there will be global competition for young families and skilled labour as key economies struggle with falling populations of workers and ageing demographics.

Size does matter when it comes to city services. IN March, I was involved as an advisory panel member to the Queensland government’s growth summit. During this event, I outlined the case for a bigger Australia to an audience that was, for the most part, genuinely interested in what I had to say.


The feedback was that no one had previously spelled out why managed growth was good for the nation and the people. I was speaking with a senior property executive when I mentioned my disappointment that there was not a culture of open support for a bigger Australia among business leaders. I thought the case would be enhanced if the business community was more inclined to talk about the benefits of managed growth… He agreed but added: “The problem is that if we do come out and publicly support the big Australia issue we’ll just be accused of having vested interests.”



…In a free and democratic society, everyone has the right to say whatever they think on any subject, let alone a matter of public interest. The anti-growth lobby’s rejoinder of “vested interests” is in fact an attempt to shut down any opposing argument. And most shocking is the fact that, in some quarters, this strategy seems to be working…


…If bigger cities and bigger economies have nothing positive to offer, why are there 500,000 New Zealanders in Australia but only 60,000 Australians in New Zealand? Surely all those Kiwis would be far better off living the high life in their green and pleasant and moderately populated land. And yet they are over here in record numbers. Why? Because they want to participate in a bigger, stronger economy with a greater range of job opportunities and life experiences.


There are are genuine environmentalists who are anti growth, no surprise, but these arguments are used by politicians to make up for policy failures in the past, e.g. Bob Carr, or those who oppose immigration and prefer a white Australia, e.g. Bob Birrell, through conflation of these related issues, which aided by the media alarm people. Meanwhile both sides of politics are in a race to the bottom appealing to or appeasing perceived anti immigration, anti refugee and racist sentiment via opinion polls and or bogans (personally I think it is more the middle class white media) masquerading as anti political correctness, i.e. unable to lead but following Australia’s base negative instincts. ]]> connaust http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1054-regional-development-urban-planning-immigration-population-growth.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/lcys2460/1052-shipping-stage-ahhh-progress.html Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:20:26 GMT A year since I last updated you blog but phew what a year its been. My road to Aus has been somewhat of a long one. Having taken my house off the... A year since I last updated you blog but phew what a year its been.

My road to Aus has been somewhat of a long one. Having taken my house off the market last September to give it a break from marketing after insulting offers and/or lack of interest, the new year arrived and I decided to re-decorate the whole house.

This was somewhat of a task, that I took on alone (he’s not into painting!) so every wall, door, skirting etc has been painted and glossed by me and all in about 3 months. I have to say I don’t want to see another pot of paint for some time!

House then went back on the market with a refreshed look and wow, found a buyer in 2 weeks. Not only that but cash buyers, so just them and us. They are in rented accommodation and tied in for a while so we agreed, quick exchange and delayed completion by 2 months. All seems too good to be true!

We’ve now exchanged… a little delayed as their solicitor went on honeymoon without handing over to a colleague but all signed and nearly a done deal. Can’t believe that practically 3 years since first putting the house on the market that its finally happening. Feel like pinching myself to make sure its real and not a dream!

The day we exchanged we booked the flights – all booked to fly on 2 September and literally on a countdown. Champagne was consumed, notice given in to work (at long last!) – that certainly was a good one.

Then shipping. Topical as today I’m sat here on the laptop as the guys are packing all my stuff. Feeling quite bored as can’t really help and just trying to stay out their way. A great feeling though, that for once, I’m not packing everything!

The journey to today though has been a little hectic. I’d already got quotes from when we were first due to go a few years ago, I’d done the research. I got a few guys out to update the quote and one company come back with a different view on shipping times. I’d told all of them that I wanted my furniture to arrive in Brisbane roughly within a week of me arriving. They all said I had over a month apart from one company – they showed me all the shipping schedules and sure enough I’d left it all a bit late and had to make a decision there and then – they could fit me in for packing in 5 days!

So, price agreed, and faced with 5 days to get house ready for packing. I’m not a horder by nature and had already started clearing out some stuff I just didn’t want to keep but all of a sudden its like, everything needs super cleaning and be dirt free and dismantling and sorting between keeping in UK as here for another 8 weeks or ship out to Aus. Me being me, everything was labelled and sorted but feel very exhausted after 5 non stop full on days.

As for Australia, I think its all sinking in slowly…. I’m excited for sure but I’m not convinced its sunk in. When does it all feel real?
]]> lcys2460 http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/lcys2460/1052-shipping-stage-ahhh-progress.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1049-australian-population-growth-sustainability-immigration-skill-shortages.html Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:56:45 GMT * Australian Population Growth, Sustainability, Immigration and Skill Shortages... Australian Population Growth, Sustainability, Immigration and Skill Shortages


Leaders at odds on growth. The ACT must populate or stagnate, according to Chief Minister Jon Stanhope who has signalled his opposition to any attempt to cut skilled migration to Australia.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard distanced herself yesterday from the idea of a ''big Australia'' of 30 to 40 million people favoured by her ousted predecessor Kevin Rudd, but Mr Stanhope said he wanted the ACT to grow by up to 140,000, or more than one third of its present population.


Immigration policies expected to change as high-growth target goes. SUSTAINABLE Population Minister Tony Burke says the government will adjust immigration policies so populated regions are not stretched. But the policies would ensure skills shortages were filled.

After Julia Gillard declared at the weekend she did not want a "Big Australia", the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group and the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry all warned that growth was needed to support the economy and offset the ageing of the population. Demographers said if the new Prime Minister did not want to reach Treasury's forecast 36 million people, she would have to cut immigration.


Playing politics on population. JULIA Gillard's rejection of Kevin Rudd's "Big Australia" goes dangerously close to cornering her into a low-growth economy. The momentum from the strongest population growth since the 1960s was one of the chief reasons Australia sailed through the global financial crisis.

Australia has plenty of room for 40 million people if we manage it properly, whatever the new Prime Minister says. We need more immigrants, not just to fill labour shortages in the resource states but also to satisfy the demands of a richer-growth economy pumped up by the mining boom's bounty.

But Gillard is being driven by the politics of rising traffic congestion in Sydney and our other big cities, the pressure for higher urban housing density and double-digit price inflation for household electricity, gas and water. Gillard's early rhetorical move on population, aimed directly at Labor's western Sydney heartland, reveals its role in Rudd's demise.


West desperate for workers, say business. WESTERN Australia's peak business body has warned Julia Gillard the state is desperate for workers and migration has to increase. WA Chamber of Commerce & Industry chief executive James Pearson said unlike parts of the eastern states, where there were issues of overcrowding and congestion, West Australian employers needed workers.

"In Western Australia, we are desperate for workers, we need almost half a million over the next decade," he said. "We have to get a lot of them from overseas . . . if we don't get them, then the WA economy will not grow to full potential and that means that the rest of the country will not have the benefit of extra investment and, ultimately, the extra jobs for Australians in the eastern states as well as WA."


AIEC. ]]> connaust http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1049-australian-population-growth-sustainability-immigration-skill-shortages.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1048-australian-immigration-population-related-news.html Fri, 04 Jun 2010 05:30:24 GMT * Australian Population, demography, ageing, retirement, immigration, tax and services... Australian Population, demography, ageing, retirement, immigration, tax and services

Capping and culling the migration queue. Legislation before parliament will give the immigration minister new power to “terminate” certain classes of visa application, reports Peter Mares.

Australian Education News SOL Immigration changes, enrolments and commencements down, finances in danger....

New Tourism Australia Ad

New television video advertisement from Tourism Australia for the "There's Nothing like Australia" campaign... Watch the new Tourism Australia ad.

AIEC. ]]> connaust http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1048-australian-immigration-population-related-news.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/biffo/1044-where-am-i-now.html Tue, 04 May 2010 22:01:47 GMT It has not been easy, but we have been in Oz now for just over three months. This is a brief review of how we have got to where we are now. I have... It has not been easy, but we have been in Oz now for just over three months. This is a brief review of how we have got to where we are now. I have used rounded figures for costs - the real costs could be more.

Having had several difficulties with the visa application agency, my skilled visa application was approved 23 months after we first spoke to the agency to get the ball rolling. Most of the effort appeared to be me filling out forms and contacting the agency to push them along. Essentially, for 2500 gbp, the agency provided me with a document validation service and a limited advice service with respect to which visa to apply for. The 're-location' service which I paid 900 gbp for did not do anything at all other than fail to respond to my emails. If I did this again, I would use the free interview to understand which visa and then do everything else myself (virtually what happened anyway) saving 3400 gpb.

We booked our flights after comparing prices over a few days. This deliberation cost us another 200 gpb as the flight prices increased under our noses. We still managed to get the flights for 2 adults and a child at 1950 gbp for the end of January. Apparently, according to a travel agent, flight booking systems monitor interest in flights not just purchases. By repeatedly checking your prices, you can make it seem as though there is a lot of people looking for these flights and the airlines will increase their fares accordingly due to supply and demand being in their favour.:jimlad:

Aiming to live on the Gold Coast, we booked holiday accommodation on the beach. Breakers North provide self catering apartments at a reasonable price (if you look around for a deal) and are right on the beach just south of Surfers Paradise. At $1000 for 10 nights, we didn't expect much from Aussie holiday accommodation and we weren't disappointed. Our previous experience of the Gold Coast has led us to believe that the normal priced places have seen better days (probably about 20-30yrs ago) but are generally roomy and well located.

We found a 6mth rental in Pacific Pines within a few days and placed our $2200 bond with two weeks rent in advance ($550 per week) and moved into the unfurnished house after 9 days of being in Oz. Trips to Harvey Normans discount shop in Blundell and Ikea at Logan Saw us through with a washing machine, fridge, mattresses and basic kitchenware for about $3000 all in. The house is on the expensive side, but has a pool and allows pets. You can get nice homes in the area for $400 per week if you don't want a pool though the quality is very wide ranging. We wanted to feel as though we have made the right move by at least adding a pool to the quality of life we had in the UK.

With money running low, the pressure was on to get a job. I contacted many agencies and had face to face interviews with several, including those I had spoken with whilst still in the UK. I had to really push them to get interviews in the IT market but this paid off and I secured a job after two weeks. I started work in Brissy 3.5 weeks after landing in Oz - but this is not the norm. Apparently you can expect to be looking for 1-2 months in the IT trade before getting something.

Our daughter started primary school before I started work and she has not looked back since. She has never liked school too much and this has not changed but she says that she prefers school in Oz.

We picked our cats up after they had spent 30 days in Sydney quarantine at a cost of $2000 for the kennel/vet fees and 2000 gbp for the flights. This completed our faamily unit. ]]> biffo http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/biffo/1044-where-am-i-now.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1043-property-bubble-students-sol-new-tourism-campaign.html Sun, 02 May 2010 01:21:53 GMT Australia's housing bubble would defy worldwide trends and all historical evidence if it did not burst, a US investment fund has said. Jeremy Grantham, co-founder of Boston-based GMO, said Australian home prices continued to rise because the Reserve Bank's rapid interest rate cuts during the financial crisis “protected” the nation's housing bubble. “But if they (home prices in Australia and the UK) don't go back to ... the old trend line multiple of family income, which should drive house prices, it will be the first time in history that such a bubble is not broken,” Mr Grantham said in a recent interview with the Financial Times.“Now we have to see what happens when interest rates rise.”


Australian Overseas Student Numbers Fall AUSTRALIA'S $18 billion-a-year foreign students business is under pressure, with applications from its biggest market, China, forecast to plunge by as much as half for some universities and colleges. The country's second-biggest export sector after resources is quickly losing market share to the US and Britain due to soaring costs and uncertain government policies, a situation that could trigger further closures by local tertiary institutions. "There is certainly a degree of panic about Australia in the market here, and I am not sure if Australian institutions understand that," said Thomas Wang, the manager of Australian education at education agent China Star in Beijing. "Some universities are expecting a fall of 20 to 30 per cent. "I think that's quite optimistic -- I think there will be a fall of 50 per cent for some universities."


Australian immigration Delay New SOL Skilled Occupation List Update on announcement of New Skilled Occupations List. The Government is considering the report from Skills Australia containing their Skilled Occupation List. An announcement and publication of the new Skilled Occupation List for Migration purposes will be made in May.


Previous blog "Skills Australia Draft SOL Skilled Occupation List".


Tourism Australia Nothing Like Australia Nothing Like Australia website sees 8,000 contributions in less than two weeks and McEvoy calls for industry support. Tourism Australia’s new website for its There’s Nothing Like Australia campaign has seen 8,000 contributions from Australians and TA boss Andrew McEvoy is now calling on the tourism industry to get involved. In a column written exclusively for Thumbrella, McEvoy said half of the entries so far submitted have come from the states of New South Wales and Queensland with coastal and nature based activities the most popular experiences. ]]> connaust http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1043-property-bubble-students-sol-new-tourism-campaign.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/claireandluke/1042-tales-travelling-oz.html Mon, 26 Apr 2010 06:45:51 GMT _*Diary of travelling around Oz*_ A couple of poms users suggested writing a blog as our journey and experiences maybe of interest and use to some... Diary of travelling around Oz

A couple of poms users suggested writing a blog as our journey and experiences maybe of interest and use to some people on here.
Ill introduce us and fill u in... claire 32 and luke 31 been together for 5 years.. Done quite a lot of backpacking/travelling together.Applied for 175 skilled visa back in June 2007 recieved visa in Jan 2009 (dont ask!). Had numerous car boots rented out flat worldly posessions =fit in 4 medium size boxes stored at parents! thats enough of that or u wont want to read on:err: ..

August 2009
Flew to Dubai for one week stopover did the tourist bus and saw all the sights couldnt go in anything as all too expensive not a place to visit on a backpackers budget! very hot and they had Ramadam on (a thing I overlooked..) which means u can only eat at night so all the restaurants and coffee bars closed.
One week in Dubai then on to Perth WA.
Arrived in Perth 7th sept
Stayed in a Northbridge Hostel for 2 nights to get bearings of the place. Surprised how small Perth City and where are all the people!!! We are used to the Birmingham crowdswhen we visit a city! Moved into a shared flat on Hay st just outside the city centre. The day after the rain started and I mean RAIN! It poured,bucketed and hammered it down for the next 20 odd days,not the best start when u have packed vests tops and bikinis! We spent the days hanging around the flat and popping into city (think lots of coffees in indoor shopping centre) We had already decided to get campervan before we left the UK so busy trekking down the ideal van.
Mid sept rain all gone and brought a campervan from Quokka free ads paper. Fed up of the weather which is still cold so road trip up North
RUN TO THE SUN!!!
God Australia is big trekked all the way up to Exmouth taking in
CORAL BAY- think on a red dirt road blazing sun hardly any traffic just the odd car and wicked campervan oh and dont forget all the dead roos hit by road trains :sad: out of nowhere left turn 12 kms Coral Bay , rock up to a beautiful oasis and a buzzing little town. plenty of camping and caravan space , fab beach snorkling swimming. white sands and turquoise waters
Kalbarri- A cute little beach holiday town where alot of WA people go on holiday.
Carnarvon- Where the desert meets the sea and most of WA s fruit and veg is grown we stayed in the banana plantation area.
Exmouth-small town where summer tempratures reach 55 deg plus and emus wonder around the town and the caravan site! we stayed at big 4 an awesome site still the best we have stayed on.went on a whale watching tour highly recommeded we saw about 8 whales slapping the sea and jumping.
Nigerloo Reef- well worth taking in when up north. snorkling is amazing just like u see on tv live coral and loads of beautiful fish even Nemo! you pay for a park pass and its just $7 per night to camp right on the beach. its amazing and you can get a beach all to yourself.
Geraldton-industrial town with a war memorial def worth a look.

We arrived back in Perth the end of october, already decided to sell the campervan high maintainence and slow think 60km per hour driving long roads with everyone overtaking u.
We moved into a house with 6 Kiwis (yes its a big shared house!) in stirling suberb.
sold the camper and brought a Ford Falcon Station Wagon, tent everything for cooking and camping. got work and saved up for next road trip Bali.

Bali 16th Feb-3rd March

Trip to bali chilling out enjoying some cheap beer and meals out!
Flew into Kuta which is a bit of a mine field crazy streets packed with tourists , mopeds, bargain hunters , surfers p**s heads and market stalls with people trying VERY hard t sell u anything and everything. Beware most stuff is fake and poor quality but we did get some great dvds :policeman: ........
We hired a driver super cheap and the thing to do. You have to get out of Kuta to see the real Bali . Small villages rice terraces and the countryside.
Ubud is a fantasic place very quiet compared to Kuta alot of yoga meditation types but some lovely cafes and eating places. There is an amazing 6km road filled with all the wood carvers, stone masons and any craft item u can imagine. some amazing wood carvings and huge stone buddas.
Back in Perth one week break then off on the road again.
During this time we have experienced so many different things. we hve been happy excited,sad, homesick I have been very homesick at times found it hard to ajust to being in Oz.
]]> claireandluke http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/claireandluke/1042-tales-travelling-oz.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1040-australian-news-racism-tourism-competition-jobs-sol-property-bubble-population.html Mon, 19 Apr 2010 04:49:55 GMT * Australian News Immigration, SOL, Study, Racism, Tourism Marketing, Economy, Property, Population... Australian News Immigration, SOL, Study, Racism, Tourism Marketing, Economy, Property, Population




Warning on racist gig. A WHITE supremacist festival scheduled for the Gold Coast today could signal the rise of neo-Nazi groups similar to those in the US and Europe, an expert warns. Sydney University sociologist Alec Pemberton said the festival marked a new development in Australia and warned against ignoring race-hate groups.


There's nothing like Australia tourism competition. It’s easy. Just upload a photo of your favourite Aussie holiday moment and describe your picture in 25 words or less, beginning with the words: There's nothing like .....



CEOs tip strong expansion and jobs growth. CORPORATE Australia is preparing to back the economic recovery by pressing ahead with major expansion projects that will boost workforces in some cases by 10 per cent or more. The overall mood is still tempered by caution because of seismic events such as the Greek debt crisis, and local concerns about interest rate hikes and any premature withdrawal of fiscal stimulus.



Clarius Skills Index. National skills crisis set to re-emerge as Clarius Skills Index reports further increase in demand. Australia’s move towards yet another national skills shortage has been confirmed in the latest Clarius Skills Index, with demand for skilled labour reporting a significant upswing. In the March quarter, 15 of the 20 skilled occupations measured in the Index reported an increase in demand with eight of those skilled categories showing demand exceeding the available labour. The eight categories are Building and Engineering and Computer Professionals, Building and Engineering and Chefs in the Associate Professionals category and Metal, Automotive, Wood and Hairdressers in the Tradespersons categories, which all scored above 100 in the Index.


Interesting that the draft or proposed SOL Skilled occupation List for 457 temoporary workers and skilled immigrants is not going to include chefs and hairdressers?


In 1955, $7000 bought a house. Now, it's not even a deposit on a dream.



The impossible dream.


Timely warning of a housing asset bubble fuelled by younger generation's increasing debt and minimal deposits, while real wages have fallen over past decades. Further, ways to increase supply and soften demand include neither regional development (which should be the issue of the day) nor removal of tax benefits. The latter gives an inequitible advantage to investors, cashed up baby boomers and retirees, but politicians are terrified of upsetting this now dominant "oldie" demographic and their wealth? Is this the real issue of Australia, "oldies" who were nurtured by John Howard with attitudes about identity, population, migration, property, superannuation, health and benefits?


Don't panic but plan for population. Australia can deal with far more people, as long as we get the infrastructure right AUSTRALIA is the 18th most urbanised of the world's 204 countries, according to UN statistics. Although China may continue to be the locomotive for the world economy -- and the turbocharger for Australia's -- for the foreseeable future, it is heroic to assume that its growth will continue uninterrupted for 40 years and at present high resources prices.


More an issue of incompetent Australian goverment administration and planning in Australia, including infrastructure, yet continued population and economic growth attributable to China and Asian economies is not a given in future.



Endeavour Scholarship & Research Awards for international applicants. Through the Endeavour Awards, the Australian Government provides opportunities for high achieving international students, researchers and professionals to undertake short or long term study, research and professional development in Australia in a broad range of disciplines.


AIEC ]]> connaust http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1040-australian-news-racism-tourism-competition-jobs-sol-property-bubble-population.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/jocg/1039-good-bad-downright-ugly.html Fri, 16 Apr 2010 09:03:11 GMT I know it's been a looooooooong time since I wrote anything and to be honest I just don't seem to have found the time.

Sad news in August, my father in law passed away after a brief but very brave battle with cancer. This has to be the worst thing about being so far away from "home". My husband knew how ill he was from reports from family members knew how downhill he went and how fast. He made the concious decision not to go back to see his Dad, he wanted to remeber him as he used to be, healthy and strong. His Dad was so very supportive of that and had told him not to waste his money. When he passed it was a shock how expensive it was to get a last minute flight back and to cut a long story short he didn't get back for the funeral. I think he has copped a lot of flack from his mother who is the worlds biggest drama queen, over it and not for the first time I'm glad I don't live "just round the corner" from her because I wouldn't be able to be civil. The poor guy has enough guilt of his own without his mum piling on the agony...

This brings me onto work. I didn't seek employment when we first moved here, my aim was to settle everyone in and I was studying anyway and focused on that. It took me over a year to find a part time job!!! Day after day, resume after resume was sent and no joy. Trust me I wasn't picky either. I applied to all te=he supermarkets and stores like Kmart, Target and even the servos (oooh get me using the local lingo!!) only to be met with a deafening stony silence..........Nothing, not a peep. Not being able to afford the airfare home for the funeral was a tipping point. I started walking into stores and asking if there were any vacancies. Just to say I have oodles of customer service experience having worked for Boots, Tescos, Nationwide BS so that was the kind of thing I was hoping for. Still nothing. So I signed up to a volunteer programme in the hope that it might look good on my resume and give me an insight into working in Oz. The minute I started volunteering working 2 hours a week in a special needs unit at a local school wouldn't you know it, I got two job offers. One in a care home and one for a famous chain of sandwich shops. They both offered the same rate of pay (very low but hey, a job is a job right and we needed the money!) so I took the one in the sandwich shop thinking for that money it wasn't worth the responsibillity of taking care of people when I could happily make sandwiches and serve people. BIG MISTAKE. I was taken on part time. Or so I thought only to find 6 months down the line my contract has been manipulated behind my back and marked as casual. I have no rights. I can be sacked without reason at any time. I won't get holiday or at least paid holiday. I don't get sick pay but if I am off sick I stilll have to go see a doctor, pay $50 for a cert out of my own pocket. I have no regular hours and they use and abuse me at their own will. I don't have a leg to stand on because to look at my contract it looks as if I've signed for the casual position so I can't take them up on it. I don't get any extra money for working on a public holiday so I refuse to do them. They keep scheduling me for meetings for which we don't get paid for attending. My boss is an arrogant little ass who scrimps on everything, the store is understaffed, we have to work damn hard just to keep our chins above water, the place is filthy (put it this way I won't eat ANYTHING from there), he's paying me incorrectly as I should get extra loading on my wages for being a casual and he makes us put less than the company recommends on the sandwiches to save money. I am desperately looking for a new job but once again having no luck and I cannot just walk away as we need the money (still got school fees to pay as we are on a 457 visa). Rest assured though that once I do I will be reporting him and his so called business to the Fair Work Ombudsman and he deserves everything that is due to come his way. I'm furious with him and also with myself for getting in this situation. I'm furious too that this would never happen in the UK, way too many rules and regulations there that protect workers but here it just seems to be a free for all and nothing gets done to improve working conditions, grrrrrrrr!!!

The ugly has got to be having had a stalker! If it's going to happen to anyone it's going to be me for sure!!! Yep a mad psycopath who worked with my husband became the biggest bane in our lives. Turns out she was infatuated with my husband and she wormed her way into the family in order to get close to him. She would turn up out of the blue on our doorstep and stay well beyond her welcome. Kept getting weird unwanted gifts and when I told her where to go the abuse started. Emails, through Facebook, phone calls, relentless it was, at all hours of day and night. She used to call and say she could see us then she'd drive past when we were out walking or shopping. Bloody scary stuff and talk about being paranoid. In the end we were just discussing taking an AVO out on her when it turns out she was doing exactly the same to 5 other guys from work who all got together and confronted her, and to this date we haven't heard so much as a peep from her for 9 months. Keeping my fingers crossed because if ever there was a candidate for bunny boiling, well she'd be it. At this stage I think any normal sane person would have their bags packed and running for the hills. Is this what life in Australia is like? Seriously, we didn't sign up for this.....

But, and it's a big but! We love it here. Our child is so settled in school and the difference in him is amazing. He is so confident, relaxed and happy we only have to look at him for any affirmation that we've done the right thing. He is involved in so many sports teams at school, he's got a lovely group of friends and academically he's coping and keeping up and confident in his own work. All complete opposites of how he was in the UK. Us to, we're more relaxed (well even with all the dramas we've had!) and have adapted well to our new country so much so our application for PR has gone in. We love where we are living at the moment. We're starting to get a nice network of friends.We love the outdoors and the weather that allows us to enjoy it. We love the lifestyle. We love the space. We love planning where to go next. This is the good! This is what we came searching for! So, right, bring it on! Whatever Oz wants to throw at us next, just bring it on! We're ready for ya.........:jiggy: ]]> JoCG http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/jocg/1039-good-bad-downright-ugly.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/petals/1038-autumn-here-winter-not-far-away.html Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:17:57 GMT Autum is well and truly here now and the days are usually warm and the nights cooler and its a very nice time of the year. Good time to get out... Autum is well and truly here now and the days are usually warm and the nights cooler and its a very nice time of the year. Good time to get out and about the flies seem to disappear however the mossies tend to rear their heads and be a nuisance in the evenings.

This year we have had a bit more rain so the gardens are looking relieved as drought has definitely taken its toll on our lovely Melbourne gardens. People just give up doing them, its so sole destroying with water restrictions.

The water restrictions have just been relaxed so people will get back into it and I think gardening and having a garden makes us happy.

We have just been up to Yarrawonga to stay at my son's place, he stayed down here as my daughter had her 30th birthday and we did not want to be around. Gosh there was a time I thought she would not see 30 but she is. Just wish she could get a good job now. Having years of illness has not helped. What will be will be.

We are off to the uk fortg of winter so will not have much to say about it this year. I will kiss the tarmac when I get back though, we do like visiting but we also like coming home. ]]> Petals http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/petals/1038-autumn-here-winter-not-far-away.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1037-australia-news-population-property-tourism-migration.html Sun, 04 Apr 2010 10:53:18 GMT THE federal government will consider slashing Australia's annual migration intake to help tackle concerns about traffic congestion, housing, hospitals, water and the environment. Just months after declaring himself in favour of a ''big Australia'', Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday warned of ''legitimate concerns'' with population growth and appointed Agriculture Minister Tony Burke as Australia's first Population Minister. Mr Burke has been given a year to develop the country's first population plan, including a review of immigration levels.


Really? Or is it acknowledging that "population" has become euphemism for out of control migration from Asia? Is also being used in the debate about property prices in Australia.....


Beware, it's the negative-gearer right next door. As we desperately seek that hidden explanation for higher property values - foreign investors supposedly picking up bargains .... According to the latest tax office statistics released on March 23 (and thanks to reader Vince Mahon for some useful data mining here) a stunning one in 10 taxpayers already uses negative gearing.

Moreover, the ''negative-gearer next door'' is claiming more tax deductions every year. The figures reveal the amount claimed - $8 billion-plus a year - has been growing at an annualised clip of 40 per cent.


But there is evidence that Australia does want people to come to Australia.....


The backpacking industry has been encouraged to leverage Tourism Australia’s ‘There’s nothing like Australia’ marketing campaign after managing director Andrew McEvoy unveiled the new strategy in Sydney this morning. A competition will launch on April 15 encouraging members of the public to share their experiences of Australia by uploading photographs of their favourite places along with 25 words of explanation starting with the phrase “There’s nothing like…”


New draft SOL Skilled Occupation List due out 30 April from DIAC.


AIEC QUEST. ]]> connaust http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1037-australia-news-population-property-tourism-migration.html http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1036-australian-news-tourism-property-employment-mining-jobs-economy-tafe-training.html Sun, 28 Mar 2010 03:55:00 GMT Tourism and holiday sector treading water as dollar keeps overseas tourists at bay... Tourism and holiday sector treading water as dollar keeps overseas tourists at bay.

House Prices Increases from Debt and Investors.... Average buyers can't compete with rich, tax-subsidised investors. SYDNEY'S Sunday Telegraph was breathless with joy. ''IT'LL BE WORTH DOUBLE'', its headline screamed..... But it won't happen. Melbourne house prices have trebled since 1997, not because our incomes trebled, but because we paid those prices by a massive increase in debt. In the 20 years to January 2010, household debt to the banks grew 10 times over........

City life style to lure workers to Pilbara COLIN Barnett has conceded Western Australia and Queensland are on a collision course in the hunt for scarce skilled workers as the nation's resources sector heats up....the West Australian Premier unveiled a bold plan yesterday for the private sector to build twin towers of apartments in the dusty Pilbara town of Karratha, Mr Barnett said it was crucial that workers had access to comfortable, modern accommodation if they were to be attracted to live and work there. ..

Mining Job WA the truth. Anyone either living in WA or migrating to WA will have heard someone say 'You want to get yourself into the mines, tons of money in that.' There is tons of money to be earned but it's not easy to get into and there are plenty of people willing to "take" your money in order to help you.


Argus warns of complacency in dangerous times...wants to talk about what's ahead for BHP Billiton specifically and for Australia generally.. The overwhelming view......The overwhelming view that emerges is that we have entered dangerous territory, that our good fortune is being challenged by national indolence and that our success in the midst of global crisis has created an inappropriate sense of entitlement. We are, in sort, resting on our laurels, a problem to which Australia has been prone since the 1850s.

Our political classes and some among our business elite, seem to believe we have gone far enough, seem to be expressing a national sense of satisfaction that is both dangerous and delusional.

Skills Training and TAFE Fees. Victorian PREMIER John Brumby’s grand plan to combat the skills crisis by getting more people to obtain higher TAFE qualifications has been dealt a blow, with several institutes reporting a slump in enrolments and some students not applying because of higher government fees.

AIEC ]]> connaust http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/blogs/connaust/1036-australian-news-tourism-property-employment-mining-jobs-economy-tafe-training.html