MicheleW

Some people dislike Australia, and as an Australian I don't have an issue with that, it is how they feel, and we are all individuals. Like many others, it is the sweeping generalisations that annoy me, being called thick or uncultured merely because I was born in this country is offensive and as a result I have tended to block the repeat offenders.

When we were searching for our solar installers we went onto the Whirlpool forums and it was a mine of information. I am unsure what the situation is with feed in tariff in Victoria as we are in Qld, but I believe that you are still eligible for RECs as that is a federal scheme.

We are waiting on our next bill to see how much of a rebate we get after putting additional solar panels on the house. Our previous bill was $121, and that is with a 1kw solar system and a pool pump running 8 hours a day.

That seems pretty normal, we did our survey within the week of the offer and then moved in 4 weeks later. I believe my parents did their survey within 5 days for the place they bought.

The anti-discrimination laws that are going through parliament in Australia will also allow religious institutions to continue discriminating against LGBT and other groups. To build discrimination into an anti-discrimination bill just leaves me speechless.

We have an overflowing pool, a very waterlogged garden, and the rain hasn't stopped all day but we are very lucky that we have no flooding in the area. My heart really goes out to those that are being impacted by the rain, winds and flooding. :hug:

I managed to navigate to the TFN page, give this link a try: http://tinyurl.com/3gnxw57

So glad to hear that you are ok Love Shoes. :ssign19:

We joined a ship from the UK in San Francisco to get to Australia. P&O cruises do around the world tickets and you can get some really good deals. Given that you can also have as much luggage as will fit into your cabin (we had 8 suitcases) it can really save you money in the long run, as well as giving you an amazing holiday.

Not tablets, but we found the anti-nausea wristbands helped a lot.

Chances of getting a job in HR before you arrive are pretty slim, especially if you are not familiar with Australian Employment Law, and other relevant Australian legislation. Have a look at the AHRI (http://www.ahri.com.au) website and in particular look at the training courses offered by them. They do have some on-line courses and the prices aren't unreasonable and having those on your CV once you arrive will certainly help. Good luck.

I am guessing you are no longer in the UK. If you are indeed in Australia then check out gumtree, a lot of people are buying new bbqs at the moment so they are probably trying to get rid of their old one.

TBH you will very likely struggle to land a position when you aren't even in the country, especially if you aren't highly qualified. Employers have a lot more applicants at the moment and generally they don't like to take a risk on someone that may not be able to have a face to face interview or be available to start in a timely manner. You may just have to bite the bullet and make the move if you really want to make the move. Good luck in whatever you do.

If you have no Australian experience, have you been exposed to any Australian employment legislation? That would definitely go a long way in assisting with your job search. There are online courses available on the AHRI website if you would like to enrol in any. I do know that BHP were recently recruiting HR roles in their head office in Melbourne, but they don't generally advertise on Seek, you will have to go to their own website. Good luck with your job search.

$2000 a week certainly sounds doable. Taking out our mortgage our costs are $2500-$3000 per month, and this includes all bills, eating out, petrol etc. Admittedly we have no children and I would have no clue whatsoever to how much extra they would cost per month.

Definitely Summer. I love the sounds of the birds first thing in the morning, the heat, the smell of storms and then there are the magnificent storms themselves. I love the fact that you can dance around outside in the warm torrential rain and that 5 minutes after it all starts it could all be over. I do especially love the heat, it makes me feel alive.

We have just bought a Pandora Smart, which is a robotic cleaner and it does a great job. It has a 1.5 hour cycle, running directly from the mains with a self contained filter bag, very cheap to run and there is no stress on the pool pump. The one downside is that you do have to place it in the pool and remove it at the end of the cycle, but for us that is a small price to pay.

Strange indeed to be less than the UK selling price. The individual pudding and the mince pies in my local Coles are the same price as in the ad, so it is just the large pudding they are discounting. Maybe I just got lucky :biggrin:

It is strange how they are more expensive in Adelaide, I bought a couple for Christmas the other day and they were only $18 each.

The sky is definitely rumbling and lighting up around here in Chermside. Just waiting for the rain to start now.

I have my fingers crossed for family in PA, my 84y.o. nana is always on the go and is often out shovelling snow and clearing debris after a big storm. I am hoping that she is bundled up inside and isn't even tempted to go out this weather.

www.solargreen.net.au/solarair.php http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1725378 These are the articles and sites I am referencing, I am not technical by any stretch of the imagination so I could be misreading them, but they do seem to indicate up to 50% saving in ac running costs. ROI seems relatively long, but it seems to be interesting technology.

The way I read it, the solar aircon aren't on the roof but on the outside wall and only need a few hours a day direct sun to be able to run for most of the day. They are totally separate to your solar power which is attached to the grid.

Those prices are really high, we are getting a 4kw system for just over $7000 from a highly reputable installer.

I found a thread on the Whirlpool forums about solar aircon and there was some really good information that could help you make a decision. It certainly appears that the further north you live in Australia the more cost effective they are, so you are in luck.