Just wondering.......

**tracy123** · 24-03-2010, 11:38 PM

Would Australia still be expensive if the pound was back up to £2.50 to $1 AUD? Would Australia still be expensive if England’s housing market was still going strong?
Everyone seems to be waiting for Australia to go **** up, should we not be waiting for the UK to catch up, and for things to go back to normal?

**chris955** · 25-03-2010, 12:51 AM

Depends on what you consider to be normal, to me it's $2 to the pound which would close the gap of course. Yes if houses in the UK were still expensive it would look different and of course if houses here were cheaper.

**SO,DIZZY** · 25-03-2010, 12:59 AM

Yes and no..
yes because we still have a house to sell in the uk and at the moment it would not benifit us with the crap exchange rate to buy here...

And no because my husbands wages would still be crap here and worse than the uk..

and unless they start paying people enough to cover the cost of living in Australia then the housing market here will still go t***s up as well... the only thing that is driving the housing market here is immigrants coming in to Australia with big deposits for houses needing to borrow less and banks still lending to them.. that will end soon as there is less revenue from house sales in the uk being generated and less people willing to move there capital because of the exchange rate... and also the same as back home estate agents buying up anything with any equity in it and or renovation potential,, or just for the land,, so any moderately priced properties are not even hitting the market...

**chris955** · 25-03-2010, 01:05 AM

I think you are placing too much importance on immigrants from the UK in your statement 'that will end soon as there is less revenue from house sales in the uk being generated...'
To me one of the biggest issue with house prices seems to be investors pushing the prices up but certainly in some areas immigrants have played their part.

**SO,DIZZY** · 25-03-2010, 01:10 AM

Originally Posted by chris955

I think you are placing too much importance on immigrants from the UK in your statement 'that will end soon as there is less revenue from house sales in the uk being generated...'
To me one of the biggest issue with house prices seems to be investors pushing the prices up but certainly in some areas immigrants have played their part.

I was refering to the immigrants potential to borrow more because of there ability to produce larger deposits.. as the house prices in the uk boomed so did the equity in there house for a lot of people... a house is only worth what someone will pay for it and a lot of people will pay what they can borrow and not set any limits on there budget (as happened in the uk)for people with larger deposits there borrowing potential is more... and i think i covered investors when i mentioned agents...

**sh7t man no way** · 25-03-2010, 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by tracy123

Would Australia still be expensive if the pound was back up to £2.50 to $1 AUD? Would Australia still be expensive if England’s housing market was still going strong?
Everyone seems to be waiting for Australia to go **** up, should we not be waiting for the UK to catch up, and for things to go back to normal?

australias economy seems pretty strong at present mate--there was a blip when the stimulas packege run out,but i cant see the pound returning to £2 to $1 for some time yet--queensland have just announced a large gas progect in bunderberg worth 60 billion in exports to the chinese by 2015 when it is built--thats some welcome news on the employment front (8500 construction jobs) which is good news for fellow members of pio. also the mining industry is picking up again both in qld,and wa--lets hope with all this work that will be available soon, imma igration will get there fingers out of there a***s and give some members some welcome good news

now thats a positive post

**Bobj** · 25-03-2010, 04:00 AM

From ABC news:
Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson was in Beijing yesterday to witness the deal between British company BG Group and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation.
BG Group will supply 72 million tonnes of LNG over 20 years from its coal seam gas plant in central Queensland.
Gas will be piped from the Surat Basin to Curtis Island near Gladstone.
Mr Ferguson says the 20-year contract is the biggest in Australian history and will have huge benefits.
"The coal seam methane industry potentially means about $50 billion in investment over time, tens of billions in exports and tens of thousands of jobs," he said.
"From an energy and a resource point of view, Australia is very important to China's future economic development."
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says the project will create up to 9,500 jobs.
"There will be jobs in both construction and on an ongoing basis," she said.
************************************************** *****

Not Bundaberg, as Alan mentioned.

When I moved to Australia, the exchange rate was 17/6 to the Aus £

Cheers, Bobj.

**sh7t man no way** · 25-03-2010, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by Bobj

From ABC news:
Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson was in Beijing yesterday to witness the deal between British company BG Group and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation.
BG Group will supply 72 million tonnes of LNG over 20 years from its coal seam gas plant in central Queensland.
Gas will be piped from the Surat Basin to Curtis Island near Gladstone.
Mr Ferguson says the 20-year contract is the biggest in Australian history and will have huge benefits.
"The coal seam methane industry potentially means about $50 billion in investment over time, tens of billions in exports and tens of thousands of jobs," he said.
"From an energy and a resource point of view, Australia is very important to China's future economic development."
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says the project will create up to 9,500 jobs.
"There will be jobs in both construction and on an ongoing basis," she said.
************************************************** *****

Not Bundaberg, as Alan mentioned.

When I moved to Australia, the exchange rate was 17/6 to the Aus £

Cheers, Bobj.

thanks bobj

**theonetruechris** · 25-03-2010, 05:51 AM

Its staring to get a bit boring the whole rip off australia bit - I've heard it before somewhere else..... Yes it seems dear when you first get here (they keep picking your pockets) but you don't immediately see the cheaper / free stuff, Its a balance. Yes gbp is worth a bit less than before but think of those coming over with 'just the shirt on their backs' It can't be that expensive millions of people are living here.

**fleabo** · 25-03-2010, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by tracy123

Everyone seems to be waiting for Australia to go **** up, should we not be waiting for the UK to catch up, and for things to go back to normal?

I have no wish for Australia to go **** up. I would much rather be moving to a booming economy from a faltering economy than the other way around. If I had spare cash I would rather have it in $ then in £ at this moment in time.

The coal bed methane scheme is a prime example of why Australia will continue to grow. Energy and resources. Coal, gas, iron ore - and the desire to exploit it.