Jaybay

Hi All, For people who might be wondering what food prices are like over here... I’ve put together a basic shopping list on some items available at Coles supermarket. (For those who don’t know, Coles and Woolworths are the main contenders here. Think Tesco/Sainsburys, but WITHOUT all the clothing and home-ware) The prices I have quoted are EXCLUDING any specials. There ARE always weekly specials, and if you’re a thrifty shopper, it can be well worth the savings. These prices were as of today (28/11/2013) in the northern suburbs of Perth, WA. 2 litres of milk $2 (shop brand) Bread starting from $1, up to $4 or $5, depending. The really cheap stuff is awful, so average around $3 for a half decent loaf 1kg block cheddar cheese $7 Chicken breast fillets $15.50/kg Chicken drumsticks $7.99/kg 8 x skinny pork sausages $5 Pork loin chops $18/kg 500g Beef mince $6 Lamb leg steaks $28.99/kg Lamb chops $9/kg Beef t-bone steak $19.99/kg Barramundi fish fillet $18/kg Salmon $40/kg (I had to read that twice, but that’s what it says in the catalogue!) Pink lady apples $5/kg Bananas $3.80/kg (currently in season. Out of season, can be anything to £10/kg – or more) Grapes $9.98/kg Watermelon 85c-$1 per kg Potatoes $3.98/kg Brown onions $5.98/kg 1kg carrots $1.50 Tomoatoes (loose) $2.90/kg 3 litre fruit juice $4.75 2 litre Pepsi max $2.95 2 litre Coke (all varieties) $4.22 Tea bags (Bushells) x 100 $6.40 Coffee – shop brand 200g $7.04 Moconna 200g $18.98 Sugar 1kg $1.63 Heinz baby food jar $1.27 ea Ella’s Kitchen food sachet $1.99 ea Nappy pull-ups (28 pack) $16.99 Tin of baby formula average around $25/tin Pack of 80 x wet wipes (shop brand) $3 24 x toilet rolls (shop brand) $10.80 Fairy dishwasher tablets x 24 $15.18 24 x bottles 345ml Toohey's beers $40 24 x bottles 330ml Heineken beers $48 Jack Daniels 700ml $42 Smirnoff 1 litre $46 Hope this has helped a bit... Not sure how these prices would stack up against UK prices these days? From Catherine :biggrin:

Thanks to everyone who replied. Much appreciated. I will pass on the info and see if this sheds any light on the visa options for them. Cheers, Jay

Hi All, I am asking these questions on behalf of a mate. (NB* I don't know anything about the 457 visa. Are there different kinds of 457 visas with different rules?? I am just asking on behalf of someone in a tricky situation) He and his family have been in WA for nearly 2 years (Sep'13 will be 2 yrs) My mate is the visa holder, 457, and has been with his company from day 1. They are reaching the 2 year mark now, and are ready to apply for PR, but this where the problem comes in: The company that has sponsored the visa is going to pay 50% of the PR lodgement costs, and Greg is going to pay the other 50% (I think that is the ratio, anyway) After the PR is granted, he wants to leave his company and find another job in the same profession, but he's unsure if he's legally obliged to stay with the company for a FURTHER 2 years?? I could understand that he WOULD be obliged to stay on longer if the company had paid for the family's airfare, removal, container expenses etc, but the company did NOT. They paid for all of that themselves. If he's willing to Re-PAY the company however much they contribute to the PR visa application, can he buy his way out of his obligation to the company? Or IS THERE even an obligation to stay on for another 2 years? I don't know what his options are at the moment - I just know that his company is royally taking the p*ss by having massive target expectations, and paying him a pittance, and he's miserably unhappy there. I don't think he'd be able to stick out another 2 years with that crowd, but what else can he do? Are there other visas he can apply for now that he's already in Oz? Would there be obligations specific to each 457 visa, or is it a general rule for all 457 visa holders? Is there smallprint for each individual? Another factor to take into account, is that he is a South African passport holder. I'm not sure if it matters or not?? Any info or advice will be massively appreciated. Thanks. Jay

Thanks all! Correct forms have been downloaded - for FREE. Now to book the appointment at Aus Post. Thanks for the head-up on passport size photos. Cheers. Jay

Hi All, My 5yr old is due for a new passport in a couple months time. Can anyone tell me the best way to go about applying for one? I see there are "kits" that can be downloaded online. Are they any good? How much should I expect to pay? It's for a UK passport renewal, and needs to include the current visa (PR) information. I am in Perth, WA Thanks a bunch. Jay

Verystormy Thanks for the heads-up. I will look into both websites you suggested. You never know... Regards, Jay

Home Loan Experts Thanks very much for taking the time to respond - much apprecited. I believe there is an open day this weekend at Alkimos, with some of the builders, so we might just pop along and see what they have to say. Thanks again! Regards, Jay

Thanks fourcorners, I will def check out the 2 sites you suggested. Just thankful that I already have a job, and not still battling to get in somewhere. I have heard that a lot of times its a case of WHO you know, rather than WHAT you know, with regards to getting a foot in the door with the mines. But maybe I'm wrong :biggrin: Thanks again. Jaybay

Hi all, I'm pretty new on this site, so forgive me if I'm repeating anything previously posted. I am an "A" Grade licenced electrician, living in Perth. I have been here for 18 months, but been working in a different field, off the tools since my arrival. I'm trying to find out if there's any work for regular sparkies on the mines, though?? I think I'm classed as an electrical mechanic over here. (Applied on visa as General Electrician) If there IS work for electricians, can anyone tell me which websites to look at, which agencies to register with, or anything that may help? I "accidentally" gave my email address to a crowd called "Mining Australia"and they have been hounding me to sign up with them for assistance to find a job. They want about $200 for the privilege, and still don't guarantee to actually find you a position, it's more like a helping hand to point you in the right direction. I might sound like a scrooge, but I'm not paying anyone anything unless someone else can verify that they are legit and have helped anyone else?? I regulary look on SEEK, but all mining jobs seem to want previous mining experience. How many people arriving in Aus have previously worked on a mine????? Did you need to do any special courses to get into that sector? Any tips or helpful info would be brilliant! Thanks in advance. From Jaybay

Thanks, cshowell. It's great to get a feel of what other prospective buyers are dealing with, and also what previous folks have experienced. Thanks for replying. Regards, Jaybay

Maruska & moirclan Thanks for your replies and advice, much appreciated. We are actually on the border of Butler ourselves at the moment, so have a pretty good idea of what an up and coming new suburb could look like. With regards to all the hidden extras, thanks for telling me about the extra charges for EACH change made at a later date! I never knew about that, so defo something to keep in mind... I'm hoping one or two more people might reply on this post with their own experiences, good or bad, and we can start weighting up a few things. One thing I DID forget to ask was: Can I buy a piece of land on a development, and NOT build straight away? Is there a time frame that the building has to be complete, or is it something that can be delayed for a year or two.....? Do you by any idea? Cheers, jay

Hi all, My family and I arrived in Perth in Sep2011, so have been here around 18 months. We are renting at the moment, NOR and pay $430/ week for a reasonable 4x2 house. Our aim is to purchase a property, but we really have no clue which direction to go in.:wacko: I reckon our budget would be around the $400k mark, and I know that to get a decent house in a decent area, we wouldn't get much for our $$$$. So: the question is... Do we try find an established property that might need some work? OR With all the development going on around Alkimos/Shorehaven/Yanchep, is it better to try get a house and land package? I have seen some places advertising house and land $375k. my wife would prefer to buy established, as the older houses usually have more land/garden, compared to the new builds that are practically semi-detached, they are so close to each other. My concern with this, is that all the money will be spent on the repayments, and there will be nothing left over to do any possible renovations or cosmetic work. Whereas Buying and building...you can set it all up right from the start exactly how you'd want it. Or so I believe. Its all just doing my head in! If anyone out there has done a house and land package, please can you share your views on doing it this way? Any hidden costs? Was it what you were hoping for? Were you happy with the finished product? Any advice or info will be hugely appreciated. thanks in advance, Jay