akiralx

Geelong Eastern Beach Wilson's Promontory Mount Elephant.

Apart from food I just buy most things online from overseas. Looking forward to amazon.com.au starting up.

Like you I have no idea if that's true or not (my experiences suggest not) - but it is a good example of whataboutery. Racism in China or other countries is not really relevant to this thread which was about whether a Chinese immigrant would be likely to experience racism in Australia. 'Yes, possibly - but it would be much worse if you were a Nigerian going to live in Greenland' is not helpful.

Well, accents are a bit different, I would tend to agree. I was referring mainly to queries about racial origins, usually based on skin colour.

Pretty much yes - as 90% of the time such questions are posed by people who have 'issues' about nationalism and racial origins.

I believe an Aldi gin won some blind tasting test - and their equivalent of Baileys is good, not that I drink it....

Spells trouble for Turnbull, especially if he takes Christensen with him, which could take a few months...

If the council officer is 'compliance' then that implies he can force the landlord to carry out repairs. I would pursue that avenue as it sounds like you will get nowhere yourself.

You might get more for your budget in Geelong, 1 hour to Melbourne CBD on more comfortable trains.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/17/market-failure-private-health-insurance-only-worth-it-for-the-pregnant-the-rich-and-the-sick I like one comment: 'Imagine the government saying to you that you have to buy a car to relieve the public transport system and if you don't, you're taxed extra and every year you don't its going to get more expensive. Meanwhile you're already being taxed for the public transport...'

Not sure it's entirely fair to malign President Obama when none of us really know what he will be doing - though I'm pretty sure making astronomic amounts of money will not be his #1 priority. Former US presidents tend not to do it - from Eisenhower onwards I can only think of Bill Clinton who has been accused of cashing in with speaking engagements - and he would probably claim that much of that income goes to his foundation. I have read biographies of Eisenhower, Nixon, Kennedy and Johnston, and only LBJ had a really rapacious attitude to money, manipulating Federal broadcasting agencies to benefit his wife's radio stations.

When he returns his UK state pension will start to be index-linked again - though this increase will probably be deducted from his Aus pension, which as far as I know he will continue to receive (check with them).

I would recommend having a discussion before departure with your husband about what you will do if you do not settle after say 2-3 years and wish to return. And make an agreement. Mixed emotions are understandable, but bear in mind that moving to Aus is not necessarily permanent. I would hope that you are looking forward to it as well as having misgivings.

A 12 month driving ban is not a 12 month sentence.

The Brexit Prayer: Our Brexit, which sounds like heaven, hallowed be thy name. Our kingdom free; our will be dumb, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our Daily Mail. And forgive us our nationalism as we will blame those foreigners amongst us. And lead us not into free movement; but deliver us from Brussels. For thine is the story, the loony, and the glory, for ever and ever. Get over it.

The 'outdoor childhood' concept is a bit of a myth - as surveys show that people spend more time indoors in Aus compared to Europe owing to the heat... Like others I would advise the OP to carefully consider whether moving here would be beneficial if life and employment are good where he is. Sure he can move them all back - having spent a great deal of time and money in the meantime. I've never understood the 'if you have the chance to move to Aus, you'll regret not doing it as a missed opportunity' attitude. In many cases it does work out, but my view is that unless there is something clearly negative about your current life you should stay where you are - as life in Aus is anything but easy.

We are in a similar boat, me 50, OH 46, child-free and been in Melbourne for 7 years, we are happily employed (though I don't really value my job), own our own house, go on plenty of outings and enjoy the country but social interaction is rare, owing to our lack of friends here: she has a few, I have none. But our life here is pretty good, though we are no happier than when we lived in a northern UK city, where of course we had a wider circle of friends. I don't think we have seriously considered going back owing to the cost/upheaval and problems getting employment in the UK at my age. I am really planning our finances around retiring here. What sort of life the survivor will have when one of us dies does worry me though...

Not Hammond - Fox and/or Davis are more likely, they are dispensable whereas Theresa May really relies on Hammond's support.

Yes, but that is manufacturing for other countries, like Japan, Germany etc. Rolls Royce is just about the only serious British engineering manufacturer now? Things we make here are assembled from overseas parts anyway: JCB diggers used to be made from 99% British-made parts not that long ago, now it is 36% British-made.

Good news - that Parliament will vote on it as that will dilute any macho bargaining position nonsense. Apparently Liam Fox will lose his job by Christmas if he keeps posturing as he is now....

He is correct - people on lower incomes (especially benefits) will suffer disproportionately as they are often on fixed incomes unlikely to enjoy returns from increased exports that the weaker pound will lead to: British exports will be cheaper - but we don't manufacture anything any more...

Various government agencies are relocating to Geelong which is good for the city.

As long as he stops Australian-born citizens from moving there as well...

I'm not a great fan of that concept in a chain of restaurants, but as long as it is advertised as a halal-only branch I suppose it's OK. It's their business, they can serve what, and who, they like - a bit like a baker refusing to prepare and serve a cake celebrating a same sex wedding....

You are not contributing to any religion. If you buy a halal-certified product you are only paying the retailer, who in turn pays the manufacturer of the product when it buys the product wholesale. The manufacturer does pay a small fee to a halal certifier, but there is no evidence to suggest that this amount does anything other than defray the cost of establishing whether the product meets the definition of halal.