Mike@Bonbeach

Harpodom I didn't say refugee ping pong appealed to me, so don't assume it. What is this solution the international community is supposed to come up with??????. Sharing the burden of refugees? Please explain how that would work and who would organise it. Again, another answer without really a solution.

There are a number of people on here that are shooting down every reason for turning back the boats, yet I don't recall seeing them come up with a solution to the problem except to say each time that people are heartless (or worse). So if you disagree with turning back the boats, what would be your solution to the worldwide refugee problem?, and keep it practical, not pie in the sky wishful thinking.

Why??

Ellie I'm married to one from a big family, and I don't know one of them or other Scottish friends who voted for independence. Besides which Cameron has an absolute majority, and there certainly wont be another referendum on independence for many years to come.

Regardless of the number of SNP members in parliament, the majority of Scots voted against independence just a few months ago, so I can't see them having much effect in Whitehall to make any substantial difference to any future lesgislation. Mike

What a really helpful reply that was.!!!!!!!

I think the thing to do when driving (Australia and UK), is to anticipate and to expect the unexpected. Don't pull out until it really is safe, regardless if someone behind you is beeping their horn. Tailgating , in my mind, is one of the worst aspects of driving in both countries. Trucks on the major roads in Australia seem to be the worst offenders,(not all, of course), but I always back off and let them get on with it, rather than speed up, after all the police seem to be happier booking car drivers than truckies. You'll always catch them up anyway on the next incline, and then have to go through it all again on the next downhill/flat section. Turning right across 4 lane freeways isn't usually a problem as there normally is a slip road off the outside lane and as long as you indicate in plenty of time you should be OK. Mike

Also be aware that the CPV is only valid for 5 years from activation, so make sure you are back in Australia before then. Mike

Hi We attended our ceremony last night in Kingston (SE Melbourne), and there were 187 with about 7 no-shows. Very well done it was too. Aussies Mike and Connie

Hi Fisher1 You certainly don't pay tax on the UK pensions to the UK Government but it is treated as income in Australia and so is liable for tax. I have 2 reasonable UK pensions and both are included in my tax assessment. Once we have been here 10 years we will be able to claim senior Australian offset which hopefully will mean we won't be liable for any tax. Mike

Hi Tonester I don't think there is anything like Married Couple Pension. I believe everyone is assessed as individuals. Certainly my wife and I have individual UK O.A.Pensions and they are both different depending on the years contributed. You could always email UK Gov Services. Good Luck Mike You could try here tvp.internationalqueries@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Even before any replacement of Abbott,(even if it happens) already the newspapers are starting to attack the possible candidates. A's too left wing, B's too right wing, no one understands/listens to the people, she doesn't want to be a Julia Gillard etc,etc. You can bet your last dollar that if there is a change of leadership the poor unfortunate will still be unable to get things through the senate, and Australia will still continue along, getting deeper in debt.

I'm amazed how fickle the electors of Australia are. How soon they seem to forget the problems of earlier governments. i can't speak for Queensland but here in Victoria you had the MYKI debacle, North/South pipeline which apparently has not delivered a drop of water. The desalination plant which again has not delivered a drop of water but has left a legacy of millions of $s interest daily and maintenance costs for years to come. Yet after one term in opposition the ALP are voted back in again. The national ALP with their deconstruction of Australian border control resulting in thousands of " immigrants" costing billions to look after, and the loss of hundreds of "asylum seekers" at sea. The pink batts saga with scores of homes going up in flame and the sad deaths of four fitters. The halls for schools which very few wanted or needed. and apparently cost more to build than any normal tendering process. My great worry is that in just over two weeks after we become citizens we will then have to make up our minds who to vote for. Mike

It bugs me that the 'Extras' cover you for a certain amount, for example Opticals (glasses), up to $300 in my case, so I go off to specsavers or wherever, order a pair of glasses, multifocal, scratch resistant etc,etc comes to $299 thinking thats it nothing to pay, but no I am asked to pay something like $120 because the Healthcare scheme will only pay 60% of the cost, so for me to get the full $300 they offer I would have to spend about $500 on a pair of glasses and still be expected to pay the gap of $200 or so. It's the same with physio,you only get back a certain percentage. Why dont the health companies allow you to claim the full whack, Then if you have to go for further treatment you pay yourself the full price. Mike

Here in Melbourne (Kingston) we had the letter saying we had been approved for the ceremony and the letter advising us of the date of the ceremony delivered within 3 days of each other. The ceremony is planned for 19th Feb. Time line. Applied 13th November 2014 Approval letter 21 Jan 2015 Cermony invitation letter 23 Jan 2015 Ceremony date 19th Feb 2015 This time line might give you hope of a quick resolution to your problem. Mike

We've just been told that we have been accepted for Citizenship and the ceremony will be on 19th February. We only applied in early November, pity we missed the Australia Day ceremonies, that would have been special. As far as what to wear, if the Premier of Victoria can go around to various openings and ceremonies in jeans and open shirt then that might be good enough for me, although with my sense of decorum it may not be jeans. Mike and Connie. Seems 19th February is the Chinese and Vietnamese New Year.

Both my private and government pensions are paid direct into my Australian bank account. All I did was provide my Aussie bank codes to the providers, had no need for a UK bank account. Mike

Haven't been to many places but we certainly enjoyed Coolangatta (twice) and also loved Trinity Beach just north of Cairns. Noosa and Port Douglas not so much. Mike and Connie

Hi PKB We applied on line and supporting documents handed in at the Melbourne office on 20 November 2014, I rang the Citizenship office today just to check that they had received all the documents needed which they confirmed they had received them. She suggested that if we haven't heard from anyone in a months time then to call again. We are hoping to go back to the UK for a holiday in June/July so we're keeping our fingers crossed that it comes soon. (we are not required to take the citizenship test). Mike

Unless it has changed since we arrived, there is also a 2 year waiting for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Care card. This is the card which gets you reduced prescription charges, and a quarterly payment of $235 each to help towards other things like telelphone and internet. Mike

I blame global warming. Mike

I have used EUTHYMOL toothpaste for over 50 years now, and find it is not sold here in Australia, If old friends come out they are always asked to bring some with them. My son's FIL works in the UK and visits his family quite frequently so he always brings me some. Also GERMOLENE and ANTHISAN are two products we couldn't find or anything remotely like them. Clothes are the only other thing I would bring back. We went back 3 years ago, travelled out with suitcases inside suitcases and loaded up on clothes and shoes, mind you it was about $1.45/GBP at the time. Mike

From memory we paid around $75,000 fro our visas, including $14,000 AOS paid for by my son, and we are no burden to the Aussie taxpayer, in fact we contribute to the ATO with the tax we pay on our UK pensions. Mike

Managed to get through to the Citizenship dept, told me that it takes between 6 to 9 months to process an application, they couldn't tell me whether they had received our docs but they probably had. Mike