MTB & G

Fortunately for us we live just around the corner to Kaiser Drive. Seeing a very large proportion of the street over the top with xmas decorations is a must....if one likes that sort of thing, and as most people are big kids at heart it has to be seen at least once.

If anyone can make it on xmas eve, then Kaiser Drive in Windaroo is a must, take a beer or two with you and mind out of the way of santa in the evening. For the kids it's great, for the adults it's a must!

Jase, I work infrequently for a print firm south of Brisbane. I can only give you a small insight into what is happening in the print in this area. There are a number of traditional printers in the wide Brisbane area who actually produce the printed products on the premises. Add to this a number of large multi-national print chains that produce digital items on site but send the "press" work away to the central hubs interstate. Add to this a variety of new start ups in the garage 'here today and possibly gone tomorrow' small one manned operations who have a big photo copier in the garage but outsource most of there work. The latter one man business tend to under cut most of the others to try to establish themselves, the trouble is it is unsustainable, the small business customer is getting rock bottom prices and switch loyalties from one printer to another. The larger companies remain loyal until the print buyer moves on. It is relatively easy for newly qualified graphic artist to set themselves up as a 'printer' but to maintain the momentum in the long run is difficult. If you have a graphic design qualification it would 'probably' be easier to maintain a sustainable wage working for one of the established companies. A good designer is hard to come by and hard to keep. The company I work for has been looking for one since before xmas! Just recently one of the few multi-million dollar trade printers in Brisbane went bust. At the moment there is just enough work to go around, hardly anybody is spending money on printed advertising. Most of the work comes from stationary and NCR reordering. With the advances in computers and printers, Who wants a piece of printed paper in the office? I hope this has shed a little light on the situation. its not all dome and gloom but working for a company that needs an in-house graphic designer or working for a printer is probably your best bet at the moment. Cheers M

Hi Tallywag, Thanks for getting back to me. Unfortunately the job was copleated a few weeks ago. Its good to know that there are some tradies out there, especially with a campervan! Martyn

Hi all, I'm in need of a carpet fitter south of Brisbane. If there are any fitters out there locally give me a PM if you would like a days work. Cheers Martyn

Have a good trip, see you soon

Hi guys, I'm looking for a qualified sparks on the Gold Coast to give me a quote for a job that I need doing now. 1, possibly 2 days work. If anybodies interesed give me a PM ASAP please Its always good to have a few reliable traddies contact numbers in hand anyway! Cheers Martyn

Mine would be 1. Archimedes of Syracuse 2. Eleanor of Aquitaine 3. Sarah Churchill the 1st Duchess of Marlborough 4. Charles Darwin 5. Winston Churchill 6. Peter Ustinov To wait on the table Stephen Fry, Lee Evans To take the coats Caligula

John, The trouble with mails and text is that one can only convey characters on screen, when I replied it was ment in a most light hearted way and no offence was taken or inferred. perhaps the use of a smiley would have put the text in the right tone!! :laugh: No I've not heard from M&K since returning to the uk. A bit of one upmanship for you, as Tracey worked for a solicitor in the uk, we had all our certs done for nothing!!:tongue: Cheers M

NUMPTY!!! and theres me thinking you forgot what I told you! Tax rebate....I was pleasently supprised when the pay cheque was blank apart from about $300 each month. Your tax code is set at a level at the begining of each fiscal year (barring updates and changes). As you will only be working for 83% of that year your tax code would need to be recalculated, in essence you have paid to much tax in the 1st 10 months so they give it back each month!! unfortunatly you will only get a small amount back, but still a rebate. If i'm wrong on this assumption (I have been known to get the odd thing wrong) I'm sure there is someone out there who could put you straight on this matter, and you could call me Numbty again! Cheers M

John, I was at Millwall at the time, 2 days after the career break was granted I was over here. I am now a print sales rep for Go2Print in Underwood. (Excellent quality and lower prices serving all parts of oz) :biggrin: I would have joined the brigade over here but alas things kept breaking and falling off me! The career break is an open door should anything go wrong. If you choose the break don’t resign until the very last day, even if things are going well for you. If you plan it so that you leave ½ way through the fiscal year, they even give you a tax rebate each month in your pay packet, so keep your UK bank account open! Cheers M

Hi John Don’t forget that you will still have to apply for the career break; they may not let you have one. Mine was granted when I was on lite duties. Working your plan could fall down if you are unlucky enough not to be granted the leave. Can you talk to personnel to see the feasibility of a FF on full duties being granted a career break? cheers M

Hi Nic & Ste Sounds good to us, we are just over the hill! What time and where. We have 2 girls, 12 & 14 is it ok to bring them too? Cheers M

Can we have a directory of all the poms coming over with what trades they have, and in what area they live. I know there is a thread for trades both looking and advertising, but a simple list by categories would be easier than searching the thread. I have ‘searched’ for trades but again the whole thread has to be looked at to find what one is looking for! I’m sure if we all had work done by those who need the work, not only would we be helping each other out, but also maybe making friends along the way! martyn

Seff My post in this link was 1 year ago. In that time I have found that kitchen referb' is big business, so much so that there are countless firms in an area from Surfers to Brissie, ranging from small to large firms, all established in one way or another. Whilst I still like the idea of kitchen refurb' there are just to many firms out there. For now I have taken the easy option and have been working as a print sales rep for my brother-in-law since last year. I come across lots of kitchen referb' firms in the Underwood/springwood area alone. Sorry but for now I can't help you, but it is always good to know who can do what 'trade' and in what areas they live. I have used a couple of poms on my house so far and will do again if need be. Good luck when you come over. Perhaps PIO could provide a section for trades to advertise their services so the rest of us can give the opportunity of work to those who are struggling a bit.