Drumbeat

11 minutes ago, Ken said:

It's taxable in Australia if you are a citizen or permanent resident. Note that a lump sum pension paid to an Australian should be taxed only in Australia, but an uncrystallised lump sum is taxed in the UK and the AFE (Applicable Fund Earnings) is taxed in Australia. The AFE is the growth in the fund since you became an Australian resident. The value when you moved to Australia is tax free in these circumstance. This is important because if it is taken as a pension the only part that is tax free is the UPP (Undeducted Purchase Price) which is purely the pension contributions you made (not those made by your employer or the growth before you moved to Australia) - and then only if the ATO has agreed to that figure.

You should be able to claim tax paid in the UK as an offset under the terms of the double taxation treaty in which case the total amount of tax you have to pay would be the same (other than any FX differences) whether you reclaim the UK tax paid from HMRC or from the ATO (as a tax offset). However if the ATO restrict this offset on the grounds that part of it relates to the tax free portion you might get less that way so I'd reclaim it from HMRC just to be sure (I'm not certain of the ATO view of this so I'm probably being overly cautious).

Thank you, the lump sum is only 2300 pounds so hadn't really thought about the tax implications.

28 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

The British and Australian tax offices talk to each other now so I think that would be a very bad idea. Big fines when found out including interest if they take a while to notice 

All I want to do is pay the least amount of tax needed

I have received a very small lump sum pension from a company I worked for as a school leaver in the UK. Tax has been deducted from this and as I have no other UK income I am unsure whether to try and claim this back? Or will I then pay higher tax on it in Australia?

Any advice is appreciated.

2 hours ago, Parley said:

That is a long way from $130,000.

Well I'd be on around $100, 000 with shift penalties working full-time, my former colleagues earn more than that in more senior roles.

42 minutes ago, Paul1Perth said:

My wife was a senior sister on a neuro ward in her early 20's, she did her midwifery after that, after years of shiftwork she went back to uni, did the health visitors course/degree and worked as a health visitor for a few years before we emigrated.

Went back into nursing and shiftwork to get us by when we came here. Eventually moved into the Child development centre, close as you get here to health visiting and now works 2 days a week in an oncology clinic.

She's run wards and clinics but never been on more than about $50 an hour. 

Not saying she shouldn't have been paid more, as far as I'm concerned nurses have never got enough. 

I'm an Engineer and I've been on more money nearly all my working life. Not saying that's right BTW, she's just as qualified and a lot more dedicated than I ever was.

It was the same in our house, husband worked in the resources industry so always earned much more than me. I could have earned more if I'd moved into a more of a Management role but was never interested. 

The development of the SRN Level roles and Nurse Practitioners has opened more opportunities in Nursing, thank heavens.

6 minutes ago, Parley said:

https://au.indeed.com/career/nurse/salaries/Victoria

That site quotes an average, it would be more meaningful if examples were provided. If I was still nursing I’d expect to be earning more than $75,000 FTE  especially with shift penalties.

2 hours ago, Parley said:

I found it hard to believe a nurse would be on $130K. Victoria will be broke if they all get that.

My daughter is a nurse. I don't think she is making that sort of money. If she is I'll have to ask her for a loan 

Why?? Nurses are professionals, many have 20 - 30 years of experience with a Masters degree and a massive amount of responsibility. Would you have said the same if she was an engineer?

36 minutes ago, Johndoe said:

Not to my knowledge at least not back to the mining boom levels but like you, I could be wrong as I have only anecdotal evidence of a few families that were close to negative equity when they moved to Brizzy after 6yrs in Perth

Perth prices are definitely rising and houses are selling quickly. We have sold 2 properties in the last month, both had offers on them 3 days after the first home open.

You could look at living in the Perth Hills rather than one of the city suburbs. We have half an acre and live opposite National Park land so there's a much more open feel and it's a nice community. It takes us around 40 mins to drive into the city in peak hour traffic or many people take the train.

There are plenty of schools, both public and private. Some areas to look at are: Darlington,  Greenmount, Boya, Glen Forrest, Mahogany Creek, Gooseberry Hill, Kalamunda, Lesmurdie. A little further out are Mundaring, Parkerville and Stoneville. 

Don't be put off my Perth's urban sprawl, there are still areas where you can keep chickens and have a garden full of birds and native wildlife.

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

I get the impression his wife chose that area to be near family, and she's too much of a selfish b*** to consider that it might not suit her husband.

That's such a shame, I wouldn't be happy living down there either. But my brother-in-law has lived there for years (not in one of the new areas though).

7 hours ago, bug family said:

Yes i understand how that reads Marisa, but in my experience along with my own suburb and having visited a number of suburbs of Perth, they do seem to be carbon copies of each other with very little to do in the evening and even the day time apart from a few shops not a lot else, even Paul mentions such suburbs exist. I vaguely know the area where Paul lives and agree that there is more available around his area, however this is over a 100 km away from where I am which is a bit to far to just nip out to (not saying that is anyone else's fault though).

I mentioned the 24hr availability of shopping back home and pubs and restaurants (and lots more besides) as a comparison to one small part of the difference between what is available here in Australia and back home. I am afraid the point is slightly misunderstood by maryrose02......I am not interested in a random 24 hr IGA shop some 100 k's away, I was trying to get across that something as mediocre as shopping counts as the only source of socialising / entertainment in some suburbs, but even this closes down early in the evenings leaving nothing for entertainment other than television and scratching your mosquito bites  

But you choose to live down there (I'm guessing you're around Mandurah), you can't blame Australia for your choice of suburb! Take a trip out to Kalamunda one day, that's an amazingly active community.

18 hours ago, Chortlepuss said:

If your wife works in aged care as a nurse she may be able to salary sacrifice around $18k (this can be used to pay mortgage etc) My daughter has two part time jobs as a nurse - she gets approx $18k each job tax free in addition to her tax free allowance so she is quids in! 

It's unusual to be able to salary sacrifice so much, working for WA Health the amount is $9000. NGO's usually have a higher limit.

Qantas have today announced 'a further suspension of scheduled international flights until the end of October 2021 due to the ongoing Coronavirus situation.'

33 minutes ago, armada said:

Thanks Drumbeat  I sent my CV and an expression of interest to them yesterday as they are actively recruiting midwives for regional WA. However, I'm not sure how desperate they are to consider recruiting from offshore. I thought someone on the inside might be able to give a little more insight into this...

Up until 3 weeks ago I could have sent you some contacts but I've just taken early retirement so don't have access to the address book anymore.

44 minutes ago, armada said:

Do you think your SIL might have any contacts at the hospital who I could speak to about work opportunities? 

I've posted a link to the WA Country Health Service careers site http://www.wacountry.health.wa.gov.au/index.php?id=nursing

17 minutes ago, Paul1Perth said:

 

Some houses in the hills are better prepared than others, with big firebreaks round them. The cost to maintain that would be enough to put me off. I like a drive out to the hills though, wineries, breweries, fruit farms. Just a nice change now and then.

You're assuming they are all massive properties. Our block is half an acre, my neighbours have quarter acres - not that expensive to maintain.

7 hours ago, OzinEire said:

I've seen these areas being recommended on different groups. Are they fire prone areas? 

Yes, the hills area is at risk of bush fires. We live directly opposite a National Park but the Shire burns off regularly in the area plus residents are required to maintain their properties. The local volunteer bush fire brigade are excellent too.

25 minutes ago, Bound4Tassie said:

My husband has been told there’s a job in Perth for him if he wants it. I don’t think we’ll seriously consider the move ( currently in Tassie) as although I love Perth/WA in general, I don’t think I could stand the summer heat in Perth.

But if he had a job in Midland what areas would /could you live that aren’t scummy and the commute isn’t ridiculous? 
i just want to look at houses really to convince myself that there’s no point considering the upheaval!

You could consider the hills, Darlington, Glen Forrest, Gooseberry Hill, Kalamunda. I love living in the hills but we're planning to move to Tassie later this year hopefully . Otherwise there is Guildford, Mount Lawley is a little further but some beautiful properties there. Midland isn't the most upmarket area but it does have a lot of facilities, including a newly opened enormous Bunnings .

1 hour ago, Lavers said:

All the UK is bothered about is the economy and the NHS not getting overrun. Which is stupid because the way they have handled it has probably been a bigger blow to the economy than if they had shut the borders.

The money they are dishing out to people is ridiculous, the big payments being given to self employed even though alot of them are still managing to work.

We came to Aus Jun2019 and so glad that we made the move and my kids are able to get an education and free to get out and about.

Everyone's circumstances are different but there is no way that I would even contemplate moving to the UK at this time.

 

Didn't you just relocate to Australia in 2020 (not 2019)?

2 hours ago, Bulya said:

Perth can be boring.  Why not move East where there’s a lot more variety and things to do?

Life's only as boring as you make it.

3 minutes ago, Tulip1 said:

I visit family in the area you are talking about (Suburbs near Hillarys) and one of the things I always struggle with is the restaurants closing early.  You can be out all day doing whatever and it would be lovely to get back, relax a bit,  grab a shower and head out for an evening meal about 7.30/8 ish. No chance, you have to go about 6, 7 is really pushing it and no hanging around for a few hours having drinks and a good chat. They’re waiting about to close up by 8 ish. I’m not moaning, just pointing out something I find strange. There must be many out at work all day that would like to come home and go for an evening meal with a partner. I assume they’d have to leg it home from the office and rush out quickly. It’s just the way it is I guess, I assume people just don't do much in the evenings and go to bed really early.  

I must eat out at different areas because I never book a table earlier than 7.30. We’re definitely not early to bed people although we mostly go out at weekends.

On 18/12/2020 at 08:25, MARYROSE02 said:

PS, I was thinking about how my days unfold and today, so far, 1025, I woke horribly early again at 5 am, and after a bit of reading I went out for a walk about 630 for an hour, hour and a half, and then had breakfast with my brother in the cafe below our unit.

Now, it's 1030 and I'm mucking about on the computer, wasting time on PIO when I should be studying, and around 1 pm we will go down for coffee and I might walk around the block, then it's about time for our arvo siestas, in my case to make up for waking early. Then it is time to shower and go out for dinner, pub, maybe another walk along the beach. And the day is over! And I've still not done my Japanese lesson!

MaryRose, when I read your posts I always feel you are someone at peace with yourself 

On 05/12/2020 at 04:20, Lavers said:

Theres 1 big advantage in Aus which makes up for your shorter annual leave, and that is your long service leave(if you make it).

Did 22 years at my company in the UK and got no extra benefits.

I took mine last year, it was great. I know lots of people in Perth who take it, if you work for WA Health you take it with you when you move jobs (or to other Government departments). The other option we have is to purchase extra leave which many people do.

20 minutes ago, ali said:

Have to disagree - we're not beach goers and wouldn't buy near the beach (if I had a few million it would be a place overlooking the river).  We also don't live in a sterile new suburb - i think you're making a lot of generalizations and assumptions.  I don't think you can speak for everyone about their migration journey, certainly what you've written isn't our experience.

I agree with you Ali, I've lived in a few suburbs over the last 30 years, none of them sterile!

We moved to the Hills 10 years ago and love it, like you our preference would be river over beachside.

11 minutes ago, Toots said:

Prices have risen quite a bit here since we arrived nearly 7 years ago.  People we know are building a house in a very nice street (behind us) here in Devonport.  In the meantime the house they currently live in is for sale.  Just put on the market last week.  I was quite shocked at the asking price of $1.4 million.    They are building their new house just a bit further along the street.  This is the house they are selling.

https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-devonport-134789358

The average house price in Devonport is $310,000.  The cost of living is much the same as the mainland.

Wow, that is expensive. I believe it is on the best street in Devonport? We think we'll probably buy something while we build, as I have a horror of cold houses and we'd like something with a passive solar design.