NickyNook

Surely you just need to wait until they do ratify the new UK/Aus trade deal? It's scheduled to happen sometime this year, I believe. As soon as it's done you can apply then. Should give you a bit of time to save up in the meantime.

You can only apply for a 309 if your partner is what is called 'an eligible NZ citizen'. This is not any New Zealander but one who was living in Australia on or prior to 26/2/2001. Does your partner fit that category? If not, then you have no choice but to go for the 461 visa.

I read about this earlier this week. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/28/return-of-the-ten-pound-pom-as-south-australia-moves-to-fill-post-pandemic-job-vacancies Limited to a few hundred people and you only get the 10 pound airfare if you also book a Trailfinders package at the same time.

That might work - not sure. I know that you don't have to be present in Australia on the date four years prior to your application - but I think you do need to be in possession of a valid visa. Whether the May 2018 eVisitor visa was classed as valid during June 2018, you'd need to investigate.

They only look at the four years immediately prior to your application date. Nothing that happened before that time has any bearing whatever. They say: 'We consider the amount of time you have lived in Australia in the last 4 years' and 'At the time you apply you must have been: living in Australia on a valid visa for the past 4 years'

We've spent a lot of time up there - most recently six months in late 2019. Lismore is currently almost destroyed by the latest floods, Ballina also suffered badly. To my mind Ballina is much the nicest of the three big towns. On the coast, good shops and facilities and an excellent road north to the Gold Coast which is just over an hour away. Lots of retirees, definitely not a poor area. Just to the north is the super-trendy Byron Shire. Very popular beach town, with extortionate housing costs in town and in the hills around. Absolutely stunning scenery in the area with a lot of old-style hippies living in the hills to the west. Has lots of excellent, huge general and farmers markets weekly in the various towns around. Inland areas are quite alternative, coastal more mainstream. Northern Rivers is well-known as the anti-vax capital of NSW. Ballina shire is a brilliant place to live if you don't want the big city thing (and can avoid flood-prone areas). People are friendly and there's plenty to do. Medical facilities are very good for a regional area. Proximity to the Gold Coast means that you're close to major shopping if that's what you need. Only downside is public transport is very lacking so you're reliant on your car.

Yes, Marrickville was always known as being a poor man’s Newtown. When I first came to Sydney over 40 years ago, it was predominately Greek and Lebanese. Vietnamese came later. Has a couple of fantastic Greek Cake shops in Illawarra Road along with loads of excellent Vietnamese greengrocers. It’s an interesting suburb much loved by foodies. You get more space for your money there -compared to other inner city suburbs like Surry Hills, Newtown etc yet it’s still close to them.

Wordle 272 2/6 🟩🟨🟨🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 I used the same starting word I always use.

Don't get confused between the NDIS and NDSS. Different things. NDIS covers payments for costs associated with disabilities. Once you get past pension age (65) you are not eligible for the NDIS. The NDSS is National Diabetes Services Scheme and is specifically and only for diabetes sufferers.

Diabetics can get subsidised supplies via the NDSS. Some items are free, some require a co-payment. https://www.ndss.com.au/products/

They were looking two years ago- probably not still looking..

Got it in 3 today. Not a stab in the dark - more an educated calculation. Wordle 251 3/6 🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Have they? I've not noticed that and I often go to multiple large malls in Sydney. It's certainly not the case near the Westfields in Bondi Junction, Chatswood, Hornsby, Hurstville or Miranda. Which suburbs are you referring to?

Oh right. I understand completely now why the Australian years are important. I’d hope that the ATO could help. Looks like you need a copy of your Tax Statements for the years you were here. Not too onerous for them to provide, hopefully. Good luck with it.

If you're claiming the State Pension now then you're what age? - 66? 67? If so, - assuming you worked in the UK for the remainder of your working life - then you probably have somewhere between 47 and 50 qualifying years on your NI record. I think they normally start counting from the age of 16 regardless whether you worked at that age. You only need 35 qualifying years to get a full pension so even if you've lost three potential years because you were living and working in Australia it shouldn't make any difference to the pension amount received. That's probably why DWP didn't need any Australian information - you'd easily reached the maximum period without it.