Tom28

One of our directors is like that. He said to me "we've given the poms a good battering" at the end of the ashes series. I said mate, you're from Wolverhampton! Even the aussies at work to be fair said they had no respect for him. Tosser...

Explaining myself badly. All our staff are on total fixed compensation packages (tfc) worded in the contracts so if super guarantee increases the cost to the business only goes up if we actually increase the staff packages not because the super percent changes

Ah I see why we are seeing this differently I think. So all our staff contracts have their pay rates stated inclusive of super. So if super guarantee changes we would not see an increase in staffing costs, we would be merely adjusting the percentages of that number as to what went to super and what went to employee as taxable gross. The award rises I think we can definitely agree is a cost.... I'm just looking forward to the day when all the states have the same pay rates

Ok Chris. So what are you going to do when super increases to 12 percent mandatory? Are you going to increase all your staffs packages or are you going to just contribute more from the same pot, that pot being their existing package, to their super fund. We as a business will not see additional cost as a result of an increase in the super guarantee it is the employee who will lose out in the short term but gain more super. Can you not understand what I am saying?

Ha I am not mistaken, you are looking at it from a different view to me and you can't see it that's all

I employ 100 people but never mind that. What I'm talking about is a question of perspective. When we offer people jobs We offer them a package based on market rate primarily which comes from supply and demand, adjusted up or down for experience. From this package we deduct the super element and pay it over to their chosen fund. So the way I look at it the cost to the business is the same whether super exists or not. If/when super guarantee changes to 12 percent we would adjust the proportion of that package we wouldn't pay them any more hence we do not view it as a cost. On the other hand as an employee I certainly felt it was a cost to me as I was seeing part of my package withheld and paid over to a super fund rather than the full package being paid to me now.

It is not a cost to the business, the employer is merely withholding part of the employee's pay and paying it over. If there was no super guarantee all our staff would be taking home more money, and that's precisely why I am a consultant, as I prefer not to be arbitrarily forced to hand over part of my earnings

Your first point is a given, I mean if we're even discussing it we can assume the person is already in aus and therefore it is mandatory. Also the full 9.25 percent comes from the EMPLOYEE the employer contributes diddly squat. It does benefit people who are rubbish with money though and ensures at least some sort of war chest for them to retire on. Just irks me because I'm not crap with money and I could have made better use of it now

Don't really agree with that. Yes the returns are very competitive when compared to most traditional investments but at the end of the day it's mandatory, people should have the right to choose what to do with their money

Hahaha this one! If they aren't Australians their opinions aren't as valid. 9 out of 10 Australians would recommend these wonderful beef sausages to a friend...Made by Australians, for Australians..

Haha or his pot den, but you're probably right I didn't realise he'd made a joke of that, we've all been telling that one since we got here! Going does imply travelling or movement of some sort. I somebody asked me how I "went" the other day. So all derivatives of "go" appear to be acceptable

I've only got PR, don't think I can get my super back unless I relinquish it (or it expires, as PR here isn't permanent...) plus they hammer you for tax on it, but still I would rather have it and use it while I'm young enough to do something with it. Yeah no point burning bridges in your situation, dual citizenship the world's your oyster. Well at least aus, nz, Europe!

No I haven't, to be honest it's only another month and I'm only due a few hundred dollars back. I can wait. It's the super I'm more keen on clawing off them :yes:

Hi Lou, I'm leaving on 2 weeks and just going to use my last payslip to do my tax return, the end of year summary will just say taxable income and tax deducted. Which you can get from your year to date figures. Yes your tax residency status will be unchanged for all that income. With luck you'll get a bit of a refund if you haven't worked the full financial year as you will have been taxed as though you have. Definitely keep the bank account open as they use it to ID you for the tax return and also much easier for them to refund you

No, but I used to love the daily telegraph fantasy football. Being actual football

Tried to keep this short to prevent feeling bitter about my soon to be ex-home..ahem... AFL - Just what is this exactly. Not a real sport, men prancing around in boxer shorts jumping to catch a rugby ball. Nobody else plays this sport for a reason... The general lack of intelligence and decent conversation The macho culture (if I hear "do you even lift" one more time...) Being asked how I'm going. Firstly because it doesn't make sense and secondly because the people asking don't actually care anyway so why are they asking me. Hearing "good on ya" at random intervals and without warning. How jumped up and left wing all the students are, and how they protest about everything and it's always where I'm going. How despite knowing nothing about the real world they preach their communist doctrine at every opportunity How stupid their PM is (although it is amusing too) How slow the internet is (a 10 megabit connection is heralded as a success in central Melbourne) How expensive clothes are and how they are 3 seasons behind but not discounted How the Indian food is absolutely terrible The closed social groups (sorry, family and school friends only) The ridiculously hot summers and especially the 30 degree nights; the fact that in winter you're warmer outside than in due to the poor build quality of the houses Cashed up bogans - a scary prospect The incredibly poor communication from banks, energy providers, telstra, etc. Onus always on the customer to fix the inevitable problems The backward work practices, obsession with legislating anything & everything, having to work more hours due to being "the only one with a brain" Being a totally irrelevant country in world affairs, yet very little actual news on tv A current affair Anything like my kitchen rules, the block, the voice and how it's constantly rammed down everyone's throat as if it's somehow real life or important in any way. The dramatic music The TV in general is appalling, the breaks every 5 minutes in formula 1 Having to use all your annual leave just to fly home and have a decent conversation. Being miles away from the states and europe Being forced to put money into super funds Having to constantly make new friends as most of them will leave eventually & the stress it causes Being bored or stressed out constantly What the hell is a capsicum? Stop changing all our words Mother's day is not in May The complete lack of history or culture (laneway bars are nice, but not culture) The fact that a bloke wearing ball busting skinny jeans, with a ZZ top beard riding a single spoke bicycle is immune to ridicule somehow riles me Ok that'll do, quite therapeutic actually :yes:

Great thread, not sure I dare reply, might take up two pages. *goes off to write a list*

Agree with Rupert comment above. I've been here 2.5 years and have very similar feelings to the OP re superficial friendships, no sense of meaning, feeling like life isn't going anywhere, feeling like I've lost myself somewhere along the way and need to get my mojo back! Been weighing up a return on off since I got here, decided enough is enough and ever since I booked my flight I've been having a great time as I know it's gonna be over soon! You're definitely not alone and nothing to fear for heading back. All the best

The opening post did make me laugh, clearly from a very anti Australia viewpoint but that's what happens when your heart's not in it anymore. Things start to annoy you more and irrelevant points mount up to something else. Have to say I agree with a fair few of them though, albeit only to a point. There are definitely a lot of ignorant people here, who think oz is the centre of the world and have never left

If I hear "you're mad" from anyone I immediately discount their opinion, it is usually someone who has never left their home town, moans about how "lucky" I am (luck has nothing to do with it) and how crap England is, yet does nothing about it....

Check both signed contracts and check if the terms imply that the newer one supercedes the older one. Verbal agreement won't get you very far and the 457 is irrelevant.

Found myself nodding along to so much of that. I can't stand the aussies summer. Too long, too hot, no ozone layer, far too humid at night. Would rather appreciate the nice days as they come and go on a couple of holidays a year. Actual holidays, not just working your arse off to fund overheads, in 35 degrees.

Ah, that last bit is so true. Looking out at the beautiful view. By yourself. How many times can you do that before the view becomes irrelevant

Good luck, I wouldn't be surprised it it was more to ship back, aussies do like to charge the earth for things

It'll be pissing it down in Jan, and very very windy!