garyjames

Hi, I am a UK expat who has been living in Darwin, Australia since March 2010. I am presently looking at investing in property in the UK and am requiring an accountant to help me with this endeavour. In short, I am looking for a recommendation from a member of this forum for a UK tax accountant with the following credentials: - Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation - Has worked for HMRC before - Has worked for 1 of the Big 4 Accounting firms - Specialises in helping UK Expats in Australia invest in UK property - Currently has UK Expat clients in Australia who have invested in UK property - Understands how to set up a Company/Investment company properly to minimise tax Kind Regards, Gary

Hi, I am a UK expat who has been living in Darwin, Australia since March 2010. I am presently looking at investing in property in the UK and am requiring an accountant to help me with this endeavour. In short, I am looking for a recommendation from a member of this forum for a UK tax accountant with the following credentials: - Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation - Has worked for HMRC before - Has worked for 1 of the Big 4 Accounting firms - Specialises in helping UK Expats in Australia invest in UK property - Currently has UK Expat clients in Australia who have invested in UK property - Understands how to set up a Company/Investment company properly to minimise tax Kind Regards, Gary

Hi, I am a UK expat who has been living in Darwin, Australia since March 2010. I am presently looking at investing in property in the UK and am requiring an accountant to help me with this endeavour. In short, I am looking for a recommendation from a member of this forum for a UK tax accountant with the following credentials: Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation Has worked for HMRC before Has worked for 1 of the Big 4 Accounting firms Specialises in helping UK Expats in Australia invest in UK property Currently has UK Expat clients in Australia who have invested in UK property Understands how to set up a Company/Investment company properly to minimise tax Kind Regards, Gary

Hi all, I am hoping someone here has had a similar experience and can recommend a solution. In short, I found out today by my folks in the UK that Barclays Bank have closed my Uk Barclays Bank account. There was over 2,000 pounds sterling in my account when I left the UK in January 2010. How can they do that??? And where has my 2,000+ pounds gone??? I haven't had any problems with my HSBC or Halifax account so why Barclays??? How can I get my money??? I am currently in Australia and have been here since March 2010. Very much hoping somebody here can give me some advice. Kind Regards, Gary

Hi Bob, Thanks for replying to my post. Much appreciated and all points well noted. Kind Regards, Gary

Hi all, If you had to grade and rank each suburb in Toowoomba, which suburbs would be at the top and which at the bottom of the hierarchy? As an aside - and I probably risk getting absolutely roasted by forum members for stating this - but I want to avoid living near public housing. All advise will be much appreciated. Kind Regards, Gary

Hi Tina2, Thank you for the reply. Much appreciated and all points well noted. I came across Wagners while doing a bit of job searching online a few weeks ago and they seem to have a few interesting openings. How about the Queensland State Government in Toowoomba? The NT Government has a very open entry level program, which is how I managed to find a job so quickly in the NT. Do you know if the Queensland Government has a similar system in Toowoomba? Kind Regards, Gary

Hi BestyBlue, Thank you for your reply. Much appreciated and all points well noted. As per the reply to CalNGary a few minutes ago, I have a range of skills and work experiences. I have a 1st class degree too. From reading your reply, it sounds like having a degree is valued in Toowoomba. Can I ask what lines of work are offering the most interview opportunities for your partner? Kind Regards, Gary

Hi CalNGary Thanks for the reply and well noted. I have a range of skills and experiences. I am a bookkeeper, corporate finance adviser and former employee of H&R Block. I am currently working in property and have been for the past 4 and a half years for the NT Government. I also work at the weekends for a hotel doing 16 hours of Night Auditing work. When I was younger, and after I graduated, I became a fully qualified teacher and am recognised as such in Australia (but I don't want to do that line of work). Other things I have done: did 3 years in the infantry (army reserves), worked in manufacturing with china for 4 years, services with India for 3 years, and sold used vehicles for 4 years. Education wise I have first class degree in Business Studies from a UK University. I have been accepted to enter the CPA Program here in Australia but am not sure whether to proceed with that. So I have done a range of things and am able to do a range of different jobs. I have recently booked a flight to Brisbane for the 1st week of December, and will be spending 4 days in Toowoomba during the trip. Kind Regards, Gary

Hi, I have been living in Darwin since March 2010, but am now considering moving interstate. I have researched quite a few places, including visiting a few places. At present I am seriously considering Toowoomba in Queensland. I have started researching Toowoomba but am looking for advice on the current job market there? Is it easy to find a job in Toowoomba? And if so, where are good places to find employment? I have done a search on here for past posts on Toowoomba but didn't find anything current on the job market. Hoping some folk on here can tell me their views on this. All advice will be very much appreciated. Kind Regards, Gary

Hi all, I just want to say thanks to PomsinOz for helping me be able to become an Australian citizen. Without the help of this forum I don't think I would have been able to achieve this goal. I received my Australian passport on Wednesday this week. Here is my full timeline for those interested: Jul 13, 07-Booked IELTS test for September 8, 2007. Jul 31, 07-Posted Skills Assessment Application Form to Teaching Australia Sep 8, 07-Sat IELTS test Sep 23, 07-Received IELTS test result (Listening 8.5, Reading 8.0, Writing 9.0, Speaking 9.0; Overall Band Score 8.5) Dec 6, 07-Positive Skills Assessment Certificate Received Jun 30, 08-Applied for NT State Sponsorship July 14, 08-Granted NT State Sponsorship Aug 19, 08-Applied for PR under 176 SS visa May 8, 09-Granted PR Mar 7, 10-Arrived in Darwin, Australia Mar 7,14-Applied for Australian Citizenship online Mar 31,14-Citizenship test and interview appointment Mar 31,14-Citizenship Application Approved (visible online) Apr 3,14-Citizenship Approval letter received May 26, 14-Citizenship Ceremony May 28, 14-Received Australian passport Kind Regards, Gary

Hi Cez, Thanks for the reply to my post. Much appreciated. From my understanding, when I book a flight online (eg. with Jetstar), I have to put in my passport number (and possibly the nationality of the passport). So, to follow your solution, let's say I was to put my Oz passport details in the Jetstar website when making the online booking (eg. Australian passport number 12345678). I then land in Singapore, but I pull out my UK passport (eg. UK passport number 87654321) at the Customs Area. Would not the Singapore authorities have on their system that a person from Australia (ie. me) on such and such an Australian passport number (eg. 12345678) on such and such Jetstar flight is scheduled to arrive into Singapore? If so, then wouldn't the Singapore authorities be alarmed and/or confused and/or angry that I haven't shown my Oz passport, but a UK passport which they have no records of? I think your solution could work, providing the Singapore authorities don't communicate with Jetstar about who is arriving and what their passport details are. Do you know if the communicate such information? Kind Regards, Gary

Hi Pom Queen, Thanks for the reply. Basically, it is so that I am treated as a local person (ie. British person) with all the rights that that entails, when I arrive in the UK. And to avoid being treated as a foreigner (ie. an Ozzie) with all the questions and visa issues that that entails if I was to arrive in the UK on an Ozzie passport. I also want the option to be able to stay in the UK for a reasonable period of time without having to mess around with visa paperwork - which may happen if I was to arrive as an Ozzie on an Ozzie passport. Kind Regards, Gary

Hi all, I am a UK citizen applying for Oz citizenship next week. I am looking at possibly visiting the UK sometime in 2015 and am confused about how to leave & return to Oz on an Oz passport but be able to enter & leave the UK on my UK passport. What I am struggling to figure out is, in what country should one change from their Oz to their UK passport and then back to their Oz passport? And how to make sure airlines get the relevant passport details for the relevant flights, including making sure the relevant immigration authorities correctly know your whereabouts. For instance, lets say I fly from Darwin to Singapore on an Oz passport. The Singapore authorities then record on their immigration system that I have arrived on say, Oz passport number 12345678, on say January 1st, 2015. I then leave Singapore on say January 2nd, 2015 (for a flight to the UK) on my UK passport, say UK passport number 87654321. I see 2 problems with this: 1. Upon departure on January 2nd, 2015 the Singapore immigration officials may grill me extensively on why I don't have a stamp in my UK passport showing when I arrived into Singapore. They may also be angry that my UK passport isn't even showing up on their system. Could they assume that I have sneaked into Singapore illegally? 2. The 2nd fear I have is that if I ever return to Singapore on my Oz passport (12345678) I may be arrested for overstaying my welcome (because there would be no evidence on their system that I departed Singapore after my visit on 1st January, 2015 as I departed Singapore on my UK passport) - which may result in a fine and a lengthy stay in a Singapore jail? I am looking for the best way to solve this problem. Hope somebody can advize. Kind Regards, Gary

Hi, I have been working in the housing/property sector for almost 4 years in Darwin so have quite a good knowledge of each of the suburbs in Darwin so my advice may be of some use. I would recommend the following 2 areas: 1. Darwin CBD (the closer to the Parliament end of the city the better). 2. Cullen Bay (which has a very nice marina, but avoid the restaurant area as it can get noisy in the evenings) Bay View is also nice but I wouldn't recommend it as there are lots of mosquitos there due to the mangroves and people there can get badly bitten. I wouldn't recommend houses at all in any suburb in Darwin - because of the flies, mosquitos and insects. I would recommend apartments only (preferably from level 6 and upwards) as mosquitos and flies and insects often don't enjoy being at such heights. Being close to the sea is also good as it can give you natural breezes from the sea. The above two areas recommended are close to the sea. Hope the above helps. Kind Regards, Gary