scuffythetugboat

I've flown on these aircraft and the interiors remind me of the well worn and broken decor of most of the old planes at Duxford air museum. Obviously the maintenance of them would be up to date but I wasn't filled with confidence on my flights.

What I'm saying is this is how the system works.

I'd like to tell you about what I don't like about the Australian health system. I was told recently by a specialist that I needed an operation and that I had no choice as I would eventually die if the procedure wasn't performed. I was given a quote for private treatment and also put on the public hospital waiting list. The public hospital wrote to me and said that I was a category 3 patient, the lowest of priorities. The category is chosen by the specialist. The waiting time is around 11 months, by which time I would probably be dead. I contacted the private hospital that the specialist works in to find out the cost of the required one nights stay and was informed that $4600 was the price. Added to this is the cost of the operation itself. I am not happy about being bullied into being treated in the private system, and it's not the first time a member of my family has been forced into private treatment.

The cost of healthcare is scary, and as you get older, it gets scarier. Frightening in fact.

I agree with Quoll that age discrimination would be a major hurdle and if you couple that with having no Australian work experience, you would really struggle. If you are both employed in the UK l would recommend staying where you are.

You will have to pay for your hearing aids in Australia unless you are on a pension. If you only need hearing aids and don't require lots of visits to a specialist and operations then you will probably won't be a burden on Medicare so I can't see it being a problem. Get the aids from the NHS ( don't tell them that you may be departing) as they will last a few years and will save you a bit of money.

The 10 year rule is correct plus you have to be in Australia when you claim it. It may be portable but there are rules and restrictions. You would be better off asking Centrelink as it can be complicated.

My brother, who is single, was informed that should he pass away intestate then all his assets would be taken by the government. He found this out around 10 years ago and maybe the law has changed since but he now has an up to date will so that everything he has worked for does not go into the governments bottomless pit of taxation.

Just as a by the way, these two were in the news in 2009 when they announced that they were selling all 700 of their properties so they can retire. We watched the story on Southeast News at the time and my good wife remarked that the husband would be able to afford buy a pair of trousers that would reach his shoes. Must have changed their mind.

Isn't there a minimum wage in Australia that has to be paid by law?

paycalculator is very accurate. I put in my gross earnings for this week and the nett pay was within a few cents.

Not the way I read it. You clearly state the the Liberal party did not introduce the 457 visa when it did back in John Howards reign. The current Liberal government has a member that was the Minister for Employment under Howard and he was Tony Abbott.

I get upset when someone on a 457 visa, who has the same skills as myself, is kept on while I get laid off. It doesn't seem right that a citizen of a country comes second to a person on a temporary work visa.

The 457 visa was introduced in 1996 by John Howard.

My experience of the 457 system is this. Where I worked they won a big contract then they employed some local workers and then brought over some 457 workers from the UK to make the numbers up. The 457 workers were on a 2 year contract. The locals were employed as permanent workers. Everyone had the same skills and we were all paid the same rate. A year later things went quiet and supervision decided that they wanted the locals laid off first. Fortunately, for the locals, the HR department said that the 457 workers must go first and they did. A 457 visa is a temporary one. If people want to migrate they should apply for a PR visa. If they want to come over on a temporary visa then be prepared for it to be exactly that.

I don't suppose you are renting through the non amateurs in Willetton (not allowed to name names)?

Slow down, slow down. You seem to be looking too far ahead. Get out here and get a feel of the place first. Everything else will come in time. As for most immigrants coming to the country with bags of money, it's not the case with all of the recent arrivals I know.

You have probably looked at it already, Bechtel are hiring now for Gladstone LNG's. A mate of mine is FIFO from Newcastle as a pipefitter on the project. It will depend on your experience I suppose but it would be worth investigating.

Go. You can always return but you may not want to.

South Perth has the NBN and it's good for transport.

So much for the laid back lifestyle then. Where did it go?

Are they right with their calculations or are you correct? Get your accountant to check it out as well, if you used one. If you do owe them the money I doubt that they would pursue you aggressively while you are out of the country but the debt and the interest they add to it will not go away. I was told of someone who left Australia owing the ATO money and was told that he will not be able to enter Australia if the money was not repaid first. Rule number one in my house is never upset the ATO.

As with all things to do with insurance you can put what you like on the form and pay the premium, it's only when you want to make a claim or someone else claims against you that the small print is looked at.