wisey26

Whoops! I thought we were talking about the lions rugby game yesterday. This thread is actually about cricket...ignore my previous post!

Er...wasn't it a great BRITISH performance ;-)

I almost forgot, no I didn't ship my TV from the UK. I sold it as I was offered quite a bit of money for it and i didn't have a job when I came over so I sold all non essentials to help get funds to sustain myself while looking for work. Sorry I don't know anything about the compatibility between UK and Aussie TV systems.

Depends on what you like and whether you will have a car or not. I just moved to Werribee after spending 5 months in furnished accomodation in Campbellfield north Melbourne. Point Cook is very beautiful, all the houses are new builds and very modern. I was originally going to move there, but the area is too new and has all the problems associated with that. For example internet access and quality is an issue in some of the houses as the area is not yet fully up to speed, though this is improving over time. The traffic coming out of Point Cook in rush hours can be horrendous. Public transport is also a nightmare as bus routes are not firmly established yet and so there are not enough bus routes, and you may have to walk for up to half an hour just to get to one. And it is not a great place for a single guy like me, there is little to do, nowhere really to go unless you go into the CBD etc. Great for families though. Werribee ticks all the boxes in my opinion. It is older and more established as a suburb so everything works and all the infrastructure is in place. Numerous well serviced bus routes, and I live 10 minutes walk from Werribee Plaza which is massive. It has a cinema, loads of restaurants and tons of shops, medical centre and even a nightclub and much much more. I also live a 5 minute walk from a large gym. There are two gyms in the Werribee area I have seen so far. Not as pretty overall as Point Cook, but there are nice areas in Werribee and you do get brand new houses if you look around, I have just moved into one. Prices for homes (rentals) in Werribee are also cheaper than in Point Cook...I am paying 250 dollars a week for mine which has 2 bedrooms, 2 lounge areas, a kitchen, a nice yard area, very good heating and cooling facilities, modern fixtures and fittings throughout the house, and is new. Werribee train station with express services to the city is 1 mile away, and there are numerous options to get there by bus or even to walk. Transport is generally less congested than Point Cook in rush hour too. Living where I am now I don't need a car which is great because i am saving for an expensive one. Personally if I were you and if you do not have a car I would try to locate close to Weribbee Plaza...within 1-2km of it. There are loads of homes advertised online near it and you can either use google or apple maps to measure the distance from the Plaza. If you have a car and want to live in an area that looks so pretty it would not be out of place on a postcard, go to Point Cook. I don't know much about Wyndham Vale so I can't advise you on that. Decent well located properties in Werribee are fiercely contested so make sure that you get your portfolio sorted out before coming over...bank statements, references from your current landlord, ed to) personal reference contact details (at least 2 that know you well whom you are not related to) payslips or work contract etc etc. There were 5-15 people applying for properties I was interested in Werribee. On the other hand you may have an easier time in Point Cook, I believe there is greater availability of homes there and there were not as many people at the viewings there as i experienced in Werribee. And when you see something you like, apply fast. Same day application. You can submit applications online so it should not be too much of an inconvenience. Furthermore Estate Agents here don't muck about, you normally have one or two days to accept their offer and pay a bond (deposit) once they have made or they move on to the next interested person. And if you see something you really love which is fiercely contested and can afford it, offer them up to 6 months rent in advance. I didn't do this personally but I know people who had 100% success rate in multiple homes they applied for using this method. Expect to wait at least a week before finding something as Estate Agents can only recommend people they like to Landlords, then wait for the landlord to review the applications then agree or disagree. Prepare a list of important questions to ask the agents (e.g. internet, heating, cable television, air conditioning etc ) when you view because here they are not like agents in the UK who actually try and sell you the place by by giving you lots of information about the property...here estate agents just stand around while all the people at the viewing walk around inspecting the home, then you pick an application form up on your way out. Just a few of many things you need to consider but I'll stop rambling as you may already know a lot of this stuff. I was completely useless as my ex girlfriend used to take care of this type of thing, so I was clueless about it all after we broke up. But get in touch if you have any other questions.

Thanks for the speedy response and all the tips, I will check them all out. Much appreciated.

Thanks, thats very helpful. I'm not fussed about how dry they are when they come out, there's lots of sun about I'll just hang them on the clothes line outside until they dry. I guess I will go cheap and cheerful on that front then. Good to hear there isn't much in terms of performance with respect to locating the freezer at the top or bottom, I was a bit concerned over a rumour I heard about vegetables in the bottom shelf of the fridge freezing if the freezer compartment is located at the bottom due to the lower fridge temperature in that location.

Hello everyone. I have recently moved into a new unfurnished property in Melbourne, and I was wondering if I could get some help on a few things. I am looking for a TV as I did not ship mine in from the UK. I would like to upgrade to one with a 70 inch screen...does anyone know anywhere online or in OZ based shops where I can buy one for 2500 aussie dollars or less? I don't mind if it is refurbished/second hand. I am excluding gumtree as a source because buying expensive electronics on there is well dodgy. I saw a real cracker 70 inch telly for 1500 american dollars on Amazon USA, I thought all my Christmas's had come at once, but as I went through the process of buying it I was blocked from completing the purchase once Amazon realised I wanted it posted to an Aussie address. Question 2 = I am also looking for a washing machine, but i have no idea what to look for in one. I am a single man with no dependants who only does the wash once a week at most, usually once a fortnight. Does the spin speed matter? I have noticed that higher spin speed ones are more expensive...does that mean the clothes come out cleaner if the spin speed is higher? Is there any difference between a top loader and a front loader? Question 3 = I also happen to be looking for a fridge/freezer. How important is the star rating fridges get? Does a higher energy star award mean I will save more money on my electric bills? Is there any difference between having the freezer bit at the top or the bottom? Any help with any of these questions would be much appreciated. Cheers

St Kilda wins, hands down...much more reasonably priced than other areas in Melbourne, right by the beach, amazing laid back vibe, tons of places to eat and to go out, loads of young and interesting people and an amazing beach. I have not seen any place that beats it...check it out, you won't be disappointed.

I have just signed up with Telestra yesterday on a 500gb plan for 2 years. When I asked about the early termination fee during the first year, their sales rep told me it was 360 dollars, which seemed a little pricey but not outrageous so I signed up. I hope their sales rep wasn't telling me porkies. In light of this thread i'll need to scrutinise the paperwork when it comes through....

Well based on your occupation and experience you could potentially apply for a skilled independent visa - your profession is on the "shortage occupation list schedule 1". Which is fantastic news, as this is the best quality type of visa. I suspect your IELTS writing score would be an issue though unless you have a British passport and you are not interested in getting the extra points for your English skills. There are some true jedi masters on visa related issues in this forum who I am sure will be along to comment shortly, and as I have not yet attained this level of mastery I am going to stop here and let them inform you.

Jeepers! Well done! Was that in Brisbane or one of the smaller towns in Queensland? I previously believed your experience to be impossible, especially in Queensland as that is the state that tends to get the worst reputation for availablility of teaching jobs, but I guess it does happen. Amazing. contract

It may be cooler here, but wouldn't it be fun living in a city which is still open longer so you can go out after 5pm? :-)

Bill Gates is a great man and fantastic role model, much much more so than Steve Jobs or other billionaires who spend their money on football clubs or gold yachts etc. And he speaks a lot of sense. I'm originally from Zimbabwe which is where I did my schooling before moving to the UK. As a kid when I used to go to Zambia and Botswana on holidays I used to see evidence of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation all over the place, improving the lives of people....research centres, hospitals, cheap drugs, etc. And the money is channeled through and used much more efficiently than the likes of red nose day funds back in the UK etc etc where huge amounts get swallowed up in administration. Back in England I was speaking to a teacher from a school some time ago which had the massive fortune of Bill Gates visiting them. He was talking to the awestruck kids in the assembly. One of them said in a smartarse way something to the effect of how does he feel not being the richest man in the world anymore, as Carlos Sim is much richer than him. Bill simply smiled at the cheeky question and said that this did not matter at all to him. He went on to say that the reason he is not the richest in the world anymore is because for many many years he has donated huge sums of money to charities, his foundation and other philanthropy...considerably more than half his wealth has gone in this way. He went on to say that if he had not done these things, kept most of his money and had been purely focused on wealth acquisition, he would have considerably more wealth than Carlos Sim. I think you would have to be a pretty selfish and heartless person if you did not believe in government aid to countries which are experiencing great suffering. I am of course referring to Aid which is correctly used and monitored...not the "Aid" given to the likes of Robert Mugabe or other corrupt leaders which never ends up in the hands of people who need it the most. So I say...Good on ya Gillard !!

Pretty vague question, more specifics would be needed I think...how many of you are going? (Is it just you and your dog?) Do you want to include visa costs, and if so, which visa are you considering? Have you got work lined up when you arrive or will you be job hunting? If job hunting, what career are you in (certain jobs you'll need a lot more money as you are likely to find it very hard to get work.) Will you be staying with family or friends for free or will you be renting? For me, just on my own, I've spent around 8 000 pounds from the moment I began my application to actually arriving in OZ at my first rental bungalow with the first week paid up.

No it does not. No benefits for the first two years of permanent residency. But you do get free access to healthcare and schooling, which I guess is better than the 457 visa people who don't even get that.

I am not sure what you mean by that DMJG. I can say to that is if enthusiasm about ofsted, micheal gove and the work they were doing, for example were criteria for employment then you'd find most schools in England without class teachers or headteachers. Have a look on the education section of the BBC for example in which teaching unions and the headteaching union express their huge dismay and diasapproval of how things are done by ofsted and Michael Gove. and the ever increasing govt initiatives and policies causing huge levels of stress. Or you could look at the Telegraph of 14 August 2009 which states 40% of newly qualified teachers leave the profession within 6 months. Over 5 years it goes to over 60%. A quick look on TES jobs alone and you'll see 400 jobs advertised in the UK...of which 100 are in my subject area. I have been in this industry for 7 years, and quite good and successful in my job otherwise i would not have beaten 60 applicants for the job I got in my school here in Melbourne but there is a limit to what one person can do if they want a work life balance, or if they want to avoid being ill from stress. If I did everything going I would be another statistic amongst those leaving the profession on account of stress. I don't expect you to understand what I am on about because I suspect you don't have experience in the classroom but a simple trawl online and you'll find lots of evidence supporting what I am saying here, and I can post links if you don't believe me.

You make a very good point DMJG. I know it is true in my case. Back in England, I had a permanent job as a teacher, I did my job and i did it well, but I, like many teachers, loved a good moan in the staffroom about bad students, senior management, OFSTED, workload, stress, etc. I was also reluctant to do a lot of work over and above what my contract stipulated which would impede on my private time and weekends. But over here, as I will be on a work contract in a private school when I begin teaching next month, I am going to be volunteering to run every initiative going, never moan, be enthusiastic about everything, be first in school and last out, and treat every day like its a job interview because I want them to extend the contract or, if they can't do so, then offer me an outstanding reference or word of mouth referral to make the next job easier to obtain. And yet to them it may appear 'these Brits work bloody hard' and yet the reality is as you put it - nothing to fall back on and fear of job security which is driving me.

Homewardbound588 my point was that they are prepared to go that extra mile and offer payment to people or organisations they believe will get them a job. In this example yes these people got defrauded so maybe it was not the best example but it does illustrate the principle i was referring to. In the ones I read it was literally advertising via word of mouth that they would pay 1 to 2 thousand dollars to anyone who would get them a job in mining. I have never come across this idea or concept in the UK and to me that shows a better work ethic and attitude than someone who prefers to sit at home on the dole and not bother applying for jobs even when they are available.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu6dFpWEdfo Homewardbound588 and Dave53 I have not seen it literally in terms of knowing poeple personally offering money for work, but I have read about it in the papers and seen news reports on the telly about it here. I have tried to see if I can dig some out as "evidence" which I noticed is quite a popular requirement on PIO but I can't find the specific reports I read. However the link above to a news report will show you that it does happen. The context in it is Kiwi workers, but I have read about Aussies doing the same. Blossom79 I haven't heard of the plasma bonus issues, but I haven't been In OZ very long yet, I'm still learning :-) But it certainly sounds like it's not an issue generally (Being Aussie or Brit) when seeking employment or in terms of work ethic, which is good!

I just found it interesting that, in the UK, many people are quite happy to live off the dole and not bother looking for work. I am sure people reading this are aware of what I am talking about, if not I'd be happy to post links. In a small way I can't blame them because the benefits system there works in such a way that many families would lose out financially by finding employment, so they don't bother. Articles about "scrounging" families like this or about employers who were unable to find unskilled staff in high unemployment areas were in the papers almost every month. And yet over here I was astonished to learn in the press, and also from posts by members on here...about desperate unemployed Aussies and Kiwis offering MONEY to anyone who can help them find work...sums in the thousands. I've never come across that in the UK. Furthermore I read the papers here regularly and I have not read anything about Aussie scroungers so far. Is this a sign of a better attitude to work perhaps by Australians?

I was wondering if anyone on here has ever felt that they lost out on work opportunities because they were British. I ask because back in the UK I had an Aussie mate who owned his own successful business in the building industry. He informally told me over beers that he tried to avoid employing British people whenever possible because Aussie and Kiwi workers worked much harder and were more reliable. Furthermore when doing casual work of door to door sales of Energy earlier in the year, I was encouraged by my managers to state as part of my pitch at the door that our company was Australian with headquarters in Melbourne unlike other Energy companies, and many potential customers seemed to like this. Does such an attitude extend to the workplace when recruiting, or is it only about whether you have the skills for the job on paper when applying?

The name of the company I worked for was called "THE SMART GROUP." They are are nearly always looking for people, due to the nature of the job plus the fact that 80 percent of their field staff are WHV travellers on stopovers in Melbourne or a few months who end up travelling elsewhere. and they tend to advertise on gumtree. It is a good gig for casual work...and you'll meet some great Aussies on the door. I've been invited in for lunches, barbecue parties (nothing like knocking a door when there is a full on party at the house in the middle of summer, and practically getting pulled in the house by tipsy people to have a bite to eat and something to drink.) dinners etc...and accepted most of the invites as it was fun meeting new nice people. Plus walking around in the sun is great, you are spot on. Furthermore the company throw staff parties in the city with a bar tab so you don't pay for drinks and you get to meet and chat with all these cool travellers every day and make new friends from countries you may not even have heard of. The smart group are not the only ones who do it, most of the energy companies have similar gigs. (Origin, Alinta etc) i am told some even offer a higher base rate. If you keep you eye on gumtree jobs for Melbourne regularly you'll find these businesses recruiting. And if for some reason you don't see them advertising, pop into their offices in Richmond or give them a phone call and ask when they are next recruiting.

I doubt it Newjez. The problem is many parents are so excited and proud of their kids getting accepted into a university…very often at my former school this child is the first person in the family in generations, or ever, to go to university. Because of this, they are happy to accept any decision the student makes on study choices, without being critical about the choice made on account of job prospects at the end. Many parents don’t appreciate that acceptance to university in general in the UK is no big deal nowadays and that below average ability students can easily get accepted to a university. And many students naturally choose the subjects they enjoy most, like photography etc. I saw this time and time again in my former school. Those who are concerned about debt don’t tend to go to uni at all, but those that choose to go don’t give debt much thought when it comes to making degree choices. And what I thought was even worse is the fact that some of those that made good A level subject choices are were prone to making stupid university choices. It particularly used to upset me when I had students who achieved A or B grades in Maths, a Science and other strong subjects making such decisions, and at times even turning down offers from institutions like Oxford, Cambridge, Bath University and others to study at much less reputable universities and make ill-advised degree choices. Didn’t happen all the time, but it did happen sometimes. That was my experience in a grammar school in Chatham Kent, where the socio demographic class of the people living there tended to be around the bottom half of the scale. All I can say is that although I wish them luck, I am glad my taxes did not fund courses like this. I see them as paying money for the opportunity to be on the dole because they can’t get a job working for National Geographic as a photographer for example. I’ve been accused in the past of being elitist for having this point of view, but I see it as being pragmatic. Choices at university in my opinion should be made on 50% what you enjoy and 50% job prospects at the end, rather than 100% on what you enjoy. If I made my choices like some students do, I would be looking for work as a bed tester (i.e. being paid to sleep on a new bed every day and give a feedback about the comfort level while I was sleeping in that bed…yeah it is actually a job!) or a chocolate taster.

Homewardbound588 can you honestly tell me that after reading Red Rose's post for example that you fail to see doom and gloom? That post says more than 'its getting tougher out there" it is pure doom and gloom. Flybyknight says he was "half heartedly" searching for work for 6 months and was unsuccessful - is it therefore fair to pass judgement on a job market on that basis? There are some great posts in this thread like the ones by VERYSTORMY which...to me at least...seem much more realistic about the "tough market" but there is also a lot of doom and gloom type posts too. I am also in agreement with VERYSTORMY about the lack of quality education students are flocking to, especially in the UK. At my grammar school where I taught for 7 years in the UK before coming to OZ, year after year A level classes in 'sexy trendy' subjects like "media studies" and "film studies" ( subjects many Russell group universities do not respect, let alone employers) were packed to the rafters with students. Class sizes averaging 30-32 to a class. All watching films and writing and discussing them in lessons. And yet in physics, maths, languages, chemistry and english teachers were lucky to get even half those numbers. On the BBC last week there was an article about a new degree course in "Heavy Metal" that's proving to be quite popular. Petals, could you see the usefulness of such a degree? These hugely popular subjects are not viewed seriously by employers, and then graduates wonder why they are unemployed. James Dyson repeatedly complained year after year in the press that he had to recruit many. staff from overseas because there were not enough skilled scientists and engineers in the UK. If it is the same here it's no wonder many graduates can't get work.

I think it is also important in the interests of balance and accuracy to note that it is not ALL bad. In secondary school teaching for example Maths, French and other languages teachers generally don't have problems finding work quickly, though it is bad for almost everyone else in the profession. There is also tons of work available for chefs all over Australia. In IT although I respect what others have said in this forum about how tough is, I also regularly read in the newspapers about managers in this industry complaining of shortages of staff, and if anyone doubts this I can post links confirming this. Mining I know little about, but there is so much conflicting information in the media about it...some papers say Gina is handing out 457's like they are freebies because she can't find the skills here in OZ, others (most) say the industry is finished, and I am inclined to believe the latter. The moral of my story is if anyone reading this thread is totally put off coming here by all this doom and gloom I urge you to look into your specific circumstances am talk to people who know about your specific profession...while its good to know of the pitfalls outlined here, you may be pleasantly surprised by the truth.