Nige Butt

Got here yesterday, and it's everything we expected and more! Loving Sydney...

How does Adelaide stack up in comparison to Melbourne and Perth?

Continuing with online vetting forms for work. Trying to remember the dates of all foreign holidays in the last 10 years. What a treat.

Wow!

Anyone else out there think that UNITE haven't covered themselves in glory at Grangemouth? Just putting it out there...

You should get your HAP ID from DIAC shortly. You need this number in order to book your medicals at one of the approved clinics. I hadn't got my number after about 3 weeks, so emailed DIAC. Got the number and booked medical for the following week.

We're going to be in a similar position next month... my wife and me will be looking for opportunities to meet like-minded people. We don't have kids either!

Just seen on the news that the 1% is in addition to an annual increment. Is this true?

Cool, thanks Rupert!

Enjoy camping back here in UK, but wife not too keen on sharing campsites in Oz with BIG spiders. Is it a concern there?

They also weigh you, measure your height, a quick eyesight check (read the letter chart from across the room), and not forgetting the all-important wee-into-the-jar test...

Hey Matt, we did it ourselves. The process didn't seem too difficult, just a little time-consuming. In retrospect, I can't see how MA can justify the fees for simply uploading scanned documents onto a website. Perhaps it was simply that our case was simple, but for the price you pay, I'm glad we did it ourselves. It also means one less link in the chain.

Got the email last night - finally got approval of our 186's. I can't believe how quickly they were processed; application was only submitted on 1st August! We fly out to Sydney on the 28th Nov... To all those still waiting; keep the faith.

Hey Mark It's true. If you are in receipt of a military pension, then upon reaching age 55, it jumps as a result of becoming index-linked. Have a chat to a guy called Clive Herrald... I've heard some good things. http://www.globalpensiontransfers.com I'm looking to do the same with my pension when I come over there...

Not many blokes complaining. Somehow I don't think that if the role was reversed, and some surf dude was the focal point, there would be a storm of protest from enraged men...