GrandpaGrumble

Stanwell Park is leafy, on the beach, 70 minutes on the train to Central, and within your price bracket. Not many facilities though. Helensburgh, about 10 minutes drive inland, has more facilities and is also about 10 minutes closer by train but probably isn't as nice (though I don't really know the place). The trains are extremely slow and fairly cramped / uncomfortable, but not particularly crowded by UK standards except possibly at the very peak of the rush hour.

Thanks NicF, that's helpful. We were able to sit in the shade yesterday, and yes I could see the screen there, but it was so cold that we moved into the sun for the second innings! This was a kids' game that started at 8am. The box worked OK and it wasn't as windy as forecast, but I don't think that'll be a permanent solution. Not all the grounds will have shade. Yes, I've seen other scorers using an iPad and as you say they didn't seem to have as much trouble seeing the screen. I haven't got my head around the software we're supposed to be using, but it does run on the iPad. Maybe I should get round to learning it (currently using something I wrote myself which only runs on a PC). Or I know a couple of people who are into woodwork, another option might be to commission them to make a sturdier, collapsible version of the box. Gazebo is a good idea but wouldn't fit in the car.

In backyard trials, sticking the laptop inside a Big W cardboard box, on top of a portable table, worked well. Wearing a hat as per your hint also helps - thanks. Main concern for tomorrow is that it's going to be windy, which might be bad news for both of those strategies.

I've volunteered to be a scorer for the local cricket club this summer, which basically involves using a laptop out in the sun. For various reasons, using the old-fashioned scorebook isn't really going to be an option. First match was on Saturday. The scoring went OK (esp. as I'd never done it before) but I struggled to see the screen, even on max brightness and under my Bunnings umbrella - which wasn't particularly convenient anyway. Any tips about being able to see the screen better? Particular sunglasses? I've had a look at laptop sun shades but they get mixed reviews - though if/when the weather gets hot I guess I'll need some kind of shade to keep it cool as well as to see it.

As far as I'm aware that 200 day rule only applies to New Zealanders on the 444 visa, so you should be fine. Edit: And if I remember correctly, that was just for the stamp duty surcharge anyway. You'd still be able to buy a house, it would just be prohibitively expensive to do so. But, yes, that's what you were reading about, I think.

As far as I'm aware (which might not be very far) the only realistic option for NZ would be the Investor 2 visa, which is for "Experienced business people who have a minimum of NZD $3 million in available funds or assets", 3 million NZD currently being about 2.7 million AUD. Age limit 65. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/apply-for-a-visa/about-visa/investor-investor-2-resident-visa Considerably easier ('only' need $1 million NZ) if you've got an adult child living there, maybe something the OP and his son can think about for the long term?

A renewal, if the information in the following link is correct, and if the old passport was issued in 2006 or later, and the information on it is still up to date, and it just expired (i.e. wasn't cancelled): https://www.passports.gov.au/getting-passport-how-it-works/passport-renewal

I thought that if you satisfy the residence requirement for the 155 you don't usually need to provide any documentation, and the visa is normally granted on the same day that you apply? All the online documentation says under "Character documents" is "We will tell you if and when you need to get a police certificate", so I don't think you need to upload anything until they ask you to. Won't they have done the character checks when granting PR in the first place? https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/resident-return-visa-155-157#HowTo

I'm not an agent, but my understanding is that it's 730 days out of the last 5 years, and doesn't have to be a continuous 730 days. Full eligibility criteria are here: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/resident-return-visa-155-157#Eligibility

I agree with Marisa. If it was me I'd just wait until I could get the 5 year travel facility, given that you're not far off qualifying for it anyway. Also I'm assuming that "my existing initial 5 year visa" is shorthand for "the existing 5 year travel facility on my current permanent visa"? As far as I'm aware you can't get an RRV if you're on a temporary visa (unless, possibly, you've had a permanent visa in the past) ... though I don't completely understand the eligibility rules, which are complicated, and there might be exceptions.

As far as I know, if you've had PR in the past, it doesn't matter how long ago it was. Full list of eligibility criteria here: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/resident-return-visa-155-157#Eligibility You do have to demonstrate 'substantial ties to Australia that are of benefit to Australia'. I think that having a job offer is a big plus there, but I'd still definitely get an agent to help with putting together your case. Ideally you'd want to show ongoing ties. Processing times are currently given as about 3 months or less, which sounds about right. I don't know what, if any, options are available for you to come and start your job before the RRV is granted - that's another thing a good agent could advise on.

Thanks for the input everybody. We decided to opt out as we're not bothered about knowing our usage on an hourly basis and there doesn't seem to be any other particular benefit. We don't use much off peak electricity apart from the water heater, which is already on controlled load. I had a look at the Energy Made Easy website, but the information didn't seem very accurate. The cheapest AGL tariff it found was about $35 more than what we paid last quarter, and the cheapest over all suppliers was only $4 less, which is not worth the hassle of changing suppliers. Plus when I contacted AGL to discuss this they offered me another tariff, for the existing meter, which would work out around $30 per quarter less than the current one, so I'll probably just switch to that.

AGL want to replace our digital electric meter with a smart meter, but we can opt out if we want to. They say the tariff will change, but are being cagey about what the new tariff would be. Does anybody have an opinion about this? I'm inclined to opt out.

Since 19 February 2016 is more than 5 years ago, your current period of usual residency needs to have started before that date if you are to be eligible. However, that "usual" is another key word. You don't necessarily need to be resident in order to be usually resident. I'd have thought that a gap of nearly 4 years (Jan 2016 to Dec 2019) would be pushing it, but that's where a good migration agent would be able to advise.

Agreed. Best to have it done properly. JPs are easy to find, e.g. there's one at our local shopping mall five mornings a week who will witness things for free, probably something similar where the OP lives. JP in Australia isn't as big a deal as in the UK. Though the person at AusPost might well have been qualified to do it, the list of eligible people includes "permanent employee of the Australian Postal Corporation with 5 or more years of continuous service who is employed in an office supplying postal services to the public". https://www.ag.gov.au/legal-system/statutory-declarations/who-can-witness-your-statutory-declaration#list