Marisawright

Check the fly screens for holes, and train the kids to close the screen doors!

Scrutinise the garden and neighbouring areas for stagnant pools of water and get rid of them (sometimes it's something small like an empty flower pot down the back of the shed).

Buy those plug-in insect killers - I don't like the aerosol ones, I used the ones that you inserted a mat in. This one seems to be the latest version of that:

http://shop.coles.com.au/online/national/mortein-peaceful-nights-odourless-mozzie-zapper

I lived in a house with no fly screens for a while, and with one of those in the bedroom, I didn't get bitten once.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/02/08/3425834.htm

The big cockroaches are a fact of life in Sydney. They don't live in the house, they come in looking for moisture and warmth, so you'll never get rid of them completely. Best you can do is put down cockroach baits (always put them right up next to a wall) and replace them regularly- and use a long-lasting barrier spray around cracks in windows and doors where they may crawl in.

The small cockroaches do live in the house - if you see even one or two of those, you've got a problem and need to act fast or you'll have an infestation in no time. If they set up home in your washing machine, dishwasher or cooker you'll never get rid of them! An insect bomb is the best option, but the whole family and all pets need to be out of the house for several hours. If that doesn't work call out the professionals!

Buy the indoor Mortein insect control spray and put it high up near the back door....

 

Vitamin B regularly will also minimise mozzie bites.

It needs to be Vitamin B1 to be fully effective - not many chemists stock it in Sydney because it's not so well known there as it is up in the NT.

Sorry I don't understand why anyone would ship all this stuff.

 

Personally I would sell all my stuff in the UK, just bring myself over with a suitcase or two (save on shipping costs), then with the money I got from selling stuff and savings on shipping costs - buy the stuff I needed here.

 

 

I can understand it, having moved recently. Even given the problem of synchronising the arrival of the stuff and finding a place, it would've been SO much easier to just unpack my own stuff, than to have to schlep all over town - and an unfamiliar town especially - buying everything we needed. We're retired so at least we had the time to do it - but if you've got a couple trying to find work, look after kids, etc, I could imagine it would be even more of a hassle.

Also, there's the question of cost - we sold our old furniture but we got almost nothing for it. We saved on shipping too. But the cost to replace everything has been considerably more than the money we saved, even though we've just bought the basics.

Anyway, when there are kids involved I think you have to ship some of their stuff - toys if nothing else, and having some of their familiar furniture would help them settle in. Once you've decided to ship something, it's not that much more expensive to ship extra, and you may as well go the whole hog.

I think insurance is necessary. I just choose not to do it.

 

Try to keep myself as healthy as possible for now. When I am older I will probably take it out.

 

 

I'm not sure if you're planning to stay in Australia long-term - but if you are, you need to be aware that "waiting till you're older" can cost you a LOT of money. If you don't start paying health insurance when you're 30, when you try to take out a policy later, you'll be charged an extra loading.

My oh has never had private health insurance - he's now 60 and looked into getting a policy. He would be charged 66% extra on the premium!

Most health funds have a very basic cover that's really just for tax purposes and to avoid the loading - it doesn't cover very much.

. They would provide a besieging visa until you recieve your visa, dependent on the category (contributory or non). We are doing the same for our parent.

"A besieging visa" - LOL! That's kind of a Freudian slip as some people who've been through the process probably feel like that - because it's several years in limbo, not being able to access services etc. So I trust you've looked into all that before you decided to go with it.

"British style curry" :huh:

And here's me thinking curry was Indian.

I'm not a huge fan of Indian food (except tandoori, which I love), so I doubt I could tell the difference between British and Australian curries I'm afraid. Curious to know what's different - and how it differs from curry in India too!

daughterK, have you checked that your current agent is MARA registered? Though there are lawyers who really know their stuff on migration, there are some who think that just because they're lawyers, they can handle migration matters - but they are generally not as well informed as a MARA registered agent, who makes his/her entire living from migration.

As a mod you shouldn't be raising irrelevant issues.

Unless you consider this a problem in society.

If that is the greatest problem in our society we are doing very well.

I did NOT raise the issue - the OP made a comment about more opportunities for her daughter as well as social issues, and I thought that was worthy of comment. In my reply I simply mentioned performing arts as one of two examples of professions where there are fewer opportunities, not more. It was someone else who picked up on that example,presumably because they couldn't think of any other counter argument - but point taken, I should have taken that discussion off line.

Rather than delete other people's posts, I have moved that discussion to another thread.

Not if you get slugged by medicare surcharge.

That's partially true, but for some people, the Medicare surcharge is a lot less than the health insurance would cost. Each person has to do that calculation for themselves.

The Health Funds know this, which is why they all offer a very basic health cover which is designed purely to satisfy the tax man, not to give you adequate coverage:

http://www.hif.com.au/health-insurance/hospital-cover/make-a-tax-saving/default.aspx

Strange Bristolman thinks it is great that a snake kills rats and mice but doesn't like my cat doing the same thing.

Wilful misunderstanding. No one is talking about rats and mice and you know it!

Pretty comprehensive! I've not taken out health insurance which I keep meaning to do. I just pay cash or bulk bill.

 

Spent 10 000 on ops last year but over the six years I've been back premiums would have been that??

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It may be too late to do it now. My oh has never had health insurance either - has saved him a fortune in his lifetime, I'm sure! However he has needed a couple of ops recently - his cataracts, and plastic surgery for a skin cancer scar - so he started to think he might need it now he's older.

The provider won't charge you extra for your age - but you will have to pay a Loading, which is an extra 30% of the premium, because you didn't take out health insurance when you were younger.

He's decided just to start a "health fund" of his own by putting money aside.

Most people take out health insurance because the health insurance industry has done a great job of scaring people into it.

Are drugs/alcohol /domestic violence. etc less of a problem in the UK than Australia?

 

Maybe all those problems ARE more of a problem in Australia, though I don't think so. Those problems are the same everywhere "in my opinion" so I shall have to do some research.

Not really - all you need to do is stop and read people's posts properly before you respond. You were just berating others for making exaggerated statements on another thread - now you're doing the same!

There is NOT ONE person on this thread who is saying that crime is worse in Australia. They are saying what you are saying - that problems are the same everywhere. They are just giving examples of problems in Australia, to enable the OP to judge compared to her experience in the UK.

Leave them rolled up and don't worry about them. As Bungo says, they are looking for large items, they won't worry about little stuff - I wouldn't bother declaring it if it were me.

The problem as I see it with the Extras part of the health cover (we are with NIB, we were with BUPA both the same rules) is that although we are entitled to $300 per year each for spectacles, to get that $300 you have to spend $500, ie out of pocket by $200. Even if you buy a pair of glasses say for $300 you will be out of pocket by $120. I'm talking about varifocals and decent quality lenses. I followed up an advert by Specsavers who offering varifocals at $99, when I went in to the store the assistant said that yes they were available at that price but were the most basic lenses, with no coating or glare reduction.

I would love to know of an Extra provider which would allow me to claim $300 per year without out of pocket expenses. Anybody know one???.

Mike

There are a couple of funds that will give you a pair of "free specs" with your extras cover - but that will usually just cover plain lenses with no anti-glare, anti-scratch, or any other fancy features. If you want more than that, it's back to paying the excess.

I'm like you - I can't be bothered carrying distance glasses, reading glasses and sunglasses, so I have one pair, which is varifocal with transition lenses. As you say, you see these ads in Specsavers for cheap spectacles, but when you go in, you find it's for cheap frames with NO extras, and by the time you've added everything in, it's $500.

lol, hope it does not worsen at a rate that outstrips my healthcare, but I'm using reading glasses only, so I do notice my first glasses (if i can find em!) are not that great for reading anymore

You don't need prescription lenses for reading. Reading glasses are just, basically, magnifiers - the ones in the chemist are every bit as good as the ones from an opticians (and I ws told that by an optician!).

Not total rubbish surely. 23 million people plus 4 million in NZ provides a market of sorts. The huge clubs here in NSW guarantee work with all their shows and bands, and if there was no work.

Of course there is not "no work", what a silly thing to say! I am not saying there is "no work", I am saying there is LESS work! Blimey!

Can't say I agree with your comment "its a very wet city". But when it rains it often buckets down torrential like.

The first time I saw Sydney rain, I thought it was a monsoon!

I did think that working day jobs was the lot of actors everywhere, even in Hollywood?

 

I can understand that someone would do a uni course here then head overseas for further specialised study and / or more work opportunities.

Yes, but remember if someone has left the UK then returns to do further study, they'll have to pay fees as a foreign student which are far far higher than they'd pay as a UK resident. So it's possible their dream could be put out of reach.

But as the various creative fields expand here, wouldnt that lead to more opportunities?

 

What kind of standard is NIDA here in Sydney for instance? What courses would you HAVE to leave Australia to do?

 

I understand the distances involved but shows, plays, concerts and opera still go on. International stars and acts still tour and they would not come off it wasn't profitable.

Sure, but not nearly as many as you'll find in the UK and Europe - because it's only financially possible for the most famous ones. How often can I say this - I'm not talking about quality, I'm talking about V-A-R-I-E-T-Y. There is a smaller audience therefore fewer shows, therefore less work.

Congratulations and good luck! I've just posted on another thread - Australians love to hate Canberra but I really like it. I've worked on projects there quite a lot. I love the fact that people actually stop work and go out to eat lunch in a cafe with friends, instead of grabbing a sandwich and eating at their desk - then get up and go home at 5.30. I like the fact that summer evenings are cool, so you get a chance to cool down after a sweltering hot day. I like the fact that the heat is dry unlike sticky humid Sydney. It's only a couple of hours to the beach or the wonderful Snowy Mountains. I hope you enjoy it!

From what I've seen so far, everyone gets 20 days earned leave and that's it.

 

Is it the same for absolutely everyone, due to "Fair Work" regulations, or does it depend on what "award" you're on?

 

Back in the UK I got 35 days annual leave (although I was always too busy to take it all), but 20 seems pretty mean.

I have worked in many different jobs in Australia including management, and have never had more than 20 days leave. I imagine some senior management could negotiate a personal deal to get extra but it's definitely not usual to do so.

Also quite a few companies now have a policy that if you don't take the leave within a certain time, you lose it.

Mind you, Americans tell me the Australian leave allowance is generous compared to the US.

We are applying for a 189 Visa so we can effectively choose a location where to live versus being nominated by a state. We are both accountants (yawn) and are moving for a better life for our daughter, but also to get us away from the long hours and pressure that we endure in London... We still want to work, but not in such pressured jobs and jobs where we can enjoy a good work life balance versus work work balance.

 

We've already been to Australia and have visited Sydney, Melbourne and Perth and while we like Sydney it is out of our budget and are looking at Melbourne, Perth and possibly Adelaide.

 

...We want to live in a nice family orientated area where we can enjoy more of an outside lifestyle versus here in the UK and feel safe at home.

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In the corporate world in Sydney and Melbourne, people work longer hours and have shorter holidays than anywhere in the UK, plus most have a very long commute on top of that. From my observations (when working on projects interstate), offices in Perth, Canberra and Adelaide are more reasonable and people actually get to leave the office before 6 o'clock - but of course, there are fewer jobs around.

As you say, choosing a location is very personal and depends a lot on your lifestyle.

I'm used to living in Sydney so I find Perth too quiet, and it's expensive to go anywhere else in Australia. If you're into the arts, you'll find you see fewer major shows/operas/ballets/concerts because the cost to transport productions to Perth is prohibitive.

I like Adelaide, it is an elegant, cultured city with all the amenities but still manages to have a small town feel about it - but a friend who moved there found it hard to break into social circles. Her comment was it was "too clique-y". By coincidence, I saw someone posting exactly the same comment here just a few weeks ago.

You don't mention Canberra, which I like very much. Australians love to hate Canberra, but it is the safest of all the cities by far. It's dominated by professionals because most of the work is in white collar jobs, mainly in government. Because it is so full of bureaucrats and bean-counters, some assume it's boring, but I find they often have hidden depths! It's easier to make friends because so much of the population is from outside Canberra, meaning they don't have a long-established group of friends already (but of course they are also more likely to leave!). No beach of course, and it's freezing in winter. But Bateman's Bay is only two hours' drive away, and it's close enough to Sydney to visit for shows.

We are probably like many other people that are planning to move to Australia are lured by the better lifestyle, weather, jobs and many more. But I wonder how many feel that the problems that we experience in society, unemployment, drugs, crime are as prevalent in Australia as they are UK and are these countered by the positives of moving to Australia?

 

Australia is a first-world country, of course you will encounter the same problems in society when you move!

Unemployment is somewhat worse in Australia than the UK because the economy is now in a downturn, and likely to be so for a while. That inevitably leads to drugs and crime problems - but based on my experience (having recently moved from Oz to England) certainly no worse than the UK. Also, like the UK, it varies a lot from one area to the next - live in a more affluent area and you'll have few problems.

As for your daughter's future being better in Oz, it depends. Australia has a small population, so there isn't such a wide variety of educational or job opportunities as there is in the UK, with more "niche" occupations poorly catered for. For instance, if your daughter wanted to become,say, an interpreter, there is only one course available in Australia and very few jobs compared to Europe. It's also almost impossible to make a full-time living in any of the creative industries. You don't say what age she is but if she's old enough to have some idea of a career direction, it would be worth looking into what opportunities are like in her field.

You can drive on your Australian licence for a year, and then you have to send it in to exchange it for a British one. There is no option to keep the Australian one.

Glad to hear it's all fallen into place.

No not loaded, we just chose to use our holidays visiting family and friends that we left behind and miss, we have also been very lucky that our house has had a revolving door since we arrived of everyone coming to visit us - its like we never left sometimes!!! Also we had committed to attend some family get togethers before we moved so knew we were going back for weddings etc... I don't like the flight either but its a small sacrifice :-)

I think most people are thinking, "I wish", but maybe you are just more frugal in other ways, and have a more flexible employer. I used to go home every two years because (a) the flights are so expensive and (b) I couldn't get a block of three or four weeks off every year. We used to have weekends away or visit friends in Queensland for other holidays, but certainly couldn't afford any other "proper" holidays in between. And that was just the two of us, both working professionals, no kids!