Blue Flu

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Indeed. Also exorbitantly expensive lol. 

There are places a little further inland still cheapish. I get French property report every month. If Brittany or Normandy was on the desired list far easier. 

11 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

I wear spf 50 on my face in Scotland! Every day even in winter! 

I wear a hat and nothing else, besides sunglasses. 

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

It’s just as expensive to hire a camper as it is to stay in hotels! In Scotland anyway. 

I was thinking buying like people I know in Germany have done. 

8 minutes ago, FirstWorldProblems said:

At risk of making the rather obvious and massive mistake of projecting a holiday experience onto real life........the idea of retiring in the South of France seems absolutely wonderful to me.   Nice apartment with a view.  Morning walk to the bakers for the most amazing bread in the world each day.   Bimbling around the shops and having lunch on the balcony before a dip in the pool etc.   

Plenty of nice places in France but obviously The South is special. A bonus close to the South of Europe. Odd how what you write can appear normal in time. 

7 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

I totally agree. We went to Fiji last winter and whilst it was nice to finally break the 'curse of covid', we were asking ourselves how is this that much different than being at home in Cairns?! New Zealand is probably the only destination within easy grasp of Australia where you get experience something radically different - geographically, if not culturally.

You could easily spend an entire decade just exploring France alone, there is so much to see and do there. I'd love to do the camper van thing but the wife loves her creature comforts too much these days!

Exactly my thinking. It always amazed me the advertising of beaches in a foreign country as a tourist attraction coming from Perth. 

There are some great camper vans, and very popular now in Europe with the high price to stay in hotels and the like. I've heard great reports vanning it in Ireland as well as Nordic World. 

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Am I really being told that Australia is hot and far away? Lol. Sorry, I know you mean well with this. We would of course take every precaution we could against sun damage, I realise it’s a very serious issue. Conversely, we have a problem with vitamin D deficiency here in Scotland. I take supplements daily. 

We love the sun. While skin cancer does pose an issue in Australia, one needs to keep in mind the many health properties derived from the sun. Good for lowering blood pressure, aches and pains, mental health, skin problems and a host of other things. 

Combine that with the sea , and a perfect tonic for good health. 

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Eh camper van is not my thing! I cannot rough it lol. Yes Brexit. Don’t start me. In Scotland we didn’t vote for it but got it anyway. As previously stated my husband is currently gathering paperwork to get his Irish passport by descent. Unfortunately my Irish is one generation too far back! 

There are some luxury campers these days so no great hardship. Brexit was indeed a sick joke. The vote of Scotland, lifted that nation to new heights in my respect. I imagine you will be okay if partner has EU passport. Mine does, but thought get own as can. 

36 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

It definitely is! We have booked for this year Cyprus in April, Porto in May (to escape the flag waving of coronation weekend, sorry!) Lanzarote in July. However, at our age we have ‘done’ much of Europe, a lot of it many times over. Often, we are mainly going on holiday to escape the weather here too. At this point it’s been a long winter, it’s mid-March and it was snowing yesterday lol. So our week in Cyprus can’t come quick enough. We enjoy being outside, swimming and water sports as a family. Our daughter is a fantastic swimmer (literally swam before she could walk). She is only 10 and is doing a Rookie lifeguard class. I think she would thrive in a better climate with the ability to do more of these things outdoors for more months of the year. I suppose Europe and the UK will always be here, if it is unbearable or doesn’t work out we can come back. 

That's what I thought with regards to returning to EU to live, Then what happened? Brexit. Clearly things don't stay the same and you may be surprised at the 'complications' that can result if in a few years, it is decided Australia is not the country to remain . A few are family disagreement/ fracturing of family / people moving on in UK and changed/ country changed and so on. But all the best anyway. 

You can of course replace Europe with Fiji/Vanuatu/ Bali/Thailand and so on. But they get 'old hat' after awhile.  I bet there is plenty in Europe still to be covered. Some great camping van destinations there. 

5 hours ago, Toots said:

Maybe Perth is particularly bad as far as the drug culture is concerned.  Either that or Blue Flu lives in an area rife with the manufacturing and selling of drugs and apparently nobody can do a thing about it which seems very strange to me.  There are drugs here too but same as anywhere else a certain type seem to be involved and the police hopefully are on top of it.  Certainly nothing like that going on in our neck of the woods.

It is a shocker . Quite probably the biggest methamphetamine manufacturing city in the world on a population basis and involvement. Clearly stated in stats as the biggest in Australia, with multi billion dollar' industry' as recorded from 2017. I would imagine, much bigger now. But I have stated all this before .

I will say things have got a little quieter recently with less drug traffic in my street.  

May I suggest you would most likely not be aware of what is going down in your neck of the woods. I had no idea, of the extent, until informed by a neighbour,  it is everywhere on my street , it gradually built up, and impossible not to be aware after vigilance has been called to attention. We are highly attractive to Eastern States people due to the high economic returns. 

The sad thing is the massive impact on country WA. 

Our neighbourhood , being close to Asia also makes us very vulnerable to criminal exploitation. There is a silence and denial around the subject , but plenty are aware of what's going down. 

5 hours ago, Ausvisitor said:

Not seen any indication of a drug culture in Sydney at all, or Melbourne.

Some pockets as there always will be, but it's no where near the US or UK.

I think maybe @Blue Flu needs to move to a better locality if they are seeing this level of drug culture as it certainly isn't the norm

The best localities are full of the manufacture of methamphetamine in Perth. I can't name a suburb not in its grip.  Believe me I would have thought seriously of moving there.  Interestingly, I met up with another  concerned person in the suburb of Burler last week. End of the line. Plenty of Poms. Full of drugs as well. 

Come now, Sydney has major problems with drugs. A tabloid done a headline report on the Sydney drug scene a few months ago. Actually long established. Why deny it? 

On 10/03/2023 at 11:43, Bulya said:

It was fantastic then, different now.  Got lost last time I drive up there in the dark it’s changed so much..

I agree it has changed almost beyond belief. The ruthlessness that became all too evident in London during the eighties and ninties, that in fact drove me out, is in full swing in OZ now. Greed and self interest now prominent,

I'm shocked how the drug cartels hold such sway and few seem to care. Drug making has become mainstream and see it several times a day in very middle class localities. Like I say, no interest from those who could make a difference. It is everywhere in WA anyway and even picked up by tourists after a few days arrive at the conclusion we have a serios drug problem or as a younger European that stayed with us recently, that Perth is full of crack heads. A certain ethnic group heavily involved. 

Sad thing being of course is that the present situation is enticing those from other places to WA which must result in less than desirable circumstances further down the road. 

On 08/03/2023 at 18:36, pinkpom said:

Having a bit of an existential crisis here - please be kind!

I lived in Australia several years ago. Loved it, great quality of life, financially better off, found the healthcare system great, lived by the beach in both WA and Sydney and just generally fell in love with Australia.

Had to return to the UK for various reasons which I won’t go in to here but they are no longer an issue. I have never felt settled in the UK and now want to return, but have picked up a partner and had a baby along the way. I still have a PR visa. I’m aware OH and baby will need a visa and have spoken to migration professionals regarding this. 

I’ve recently had a research trip back to Oz, to Queensland and Sydney, to see where we would want to move back to (have some family/friend support in both places). I’ve been horrified by how much costs have risen without it seems a corresponding rise in salaries.

I’m in healthcare (nurse) and partner is corporate. I’m aware he may well not earn the salary in Oz he earns in the UK but mine will be higher. Essentially we will be financially no better off really and certainly the Australian dream of the house by the beach is pretty much out of reach. Healthcare seems to be going the same way as the UK eg crap and difficult to access, it’s crowded in Sydney and Queensland would be difficult in other ways - namely employment prospects for OH.

I don’t really know what I’m asking for here. Reassurance that it’s still an amazing way of life and definitely worth the move, really. 
 

Anyone moved recently with success stories? There certainly still seems to be people trying - why and what’s made you do it? 
 

Sorry about the long post!!

I'd suggest if working mainstream the quality of life has deteriorated over several years. Life is not more relaxed in Australia , we have about the same crime stats, high rate of drugs, a lot of mental health issues that has increasingly become recognized, ambulance ramping, nurses protesting, same with teachers and police.  indeed we have among the highest priced housing and costs in the world. 

But I know most only want reassurance so won't say too much, except I think it more a country for people outside of UK /EU these days. Better placed in some cases for those from the neighbourhood, due to a range of reasons, that don't necessarily apply to UK. 

I would not count on 

11 hours ago, Bulya said:

One of only two places I’d live in Australia.  Oh it it was never awful and depressed and I was there in the mid 70’s. 

So not quite Gods Own Country as you often like to recite then? Just two small parts worthy of living considerations in Australia. (not that I disagree) But Newcastle did have a reputation back in the day. 

7 hours ago, Skani said:

Robodebt has been investigated and criticised  by Guardian Australia and the Saturday Paper continually since its inception.  It's not difficult to find articles from early 2017 - that's 6 years ago for those up the back - describing it as a "debacle" and "scandal" soon after it was announced to the public in December 2016.

The problem in Australia is that the media is dominated by News Corp which was a propaganda tool for the Liberal coalition and complicit in supporting its appalling behaviour.  Unfortunately, the other large media organisation, the Nine Entertainment/Fairfax outfit, was equally as fawning.   

I know that but was thinking of reaction if in UK. Thank goodness we have The Guardian Australia and on line media like Crickey. 

5 hours ago, Parley said:

Well i have several times, so that is untrue.

It is certainly true to the person experiencing it. You cannot deny another's truth, just say your experience differs. 

5 hours ago, Parley said:

Guardian and Saturday Paper are both extremely left wing so obviously they criticise everything a Liberal government does.

 

Just thank goodness a section of the media, regardless of its left leaning stance took up the issue. We have an awful paper in WA, that sees no wrong with ALP in this state. A total disgrace. 

19 hours ago, Bulya said:

Just like the U.K

Some similarities but not exactly the same. UK media far more inclined to call out misbehaviour. Would Robodebt have not been taken to task by The Guardian and Mirror for example? Disquiet here was again swept under the carpet for far too long.  

On 03/03/2023 at 04:08, Bulya said:

Business all around the world want young, fit staff.  Those rotting on JobSeeker here are anything but. Every day I read and watch what’s going on at the Robodebt Royal Commission.  Sadly being ignored by most of the media. 

What they want is compliant workers, often from countries paying a pittance to Australian earnings. The Robodebt affair put on display the total disregard of vulnerable people against the machine of government. It is even admitted that it was known it did not add up  by those in charge.  Another case of the silence being deafening. Another Royal Commission where the likelihood of little being achieved most likely outcome. 

The media is compliant in so much going on in this country. (so much is ignored and swept under the rug.) 

11 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

You might be surprised. There has been a very sharp veer towards the politically correct in the UK. You have to be very careful of what you say. 

Same in Australia. 

On 28/02/2023 at 18:50, Bulya said:

Actually they haven’t, and that’s why they’re screaming for an increase in job focused migration. 

Quite disgusting in fact how they don't respect experience in this country, but prefer compliant new incomers, often regardless of ability to do the job at hand. 

7 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

May be true for some, but when I was looking for work in my mid-fifties, recruitment consultants told me, straight out, that they would struggle to place me because I was too old.  As you know, employers aren't allowed to say they won't hire older workers, so they never put anything in writing to the recruitment agencies, but a lot of companies would tell the consultants 'off the record' not to bother sending anyone over 50.

I was advised to cut at least my first ten years of work experience from my resume and not to put the year I got my qualifications, so they wouldn't be able to tell my age from my resume. Then, of course, make sure I looked as young and fresh as possible for the interview. 

That's why I was shocked to be offered jobs in the UK when I was there, even though I was in my sixties by then.  Didn't seem to be as much of an issue there.

Less in UK than here was my observation. Australia has always been ageist. Sort of California style youth worship type culture. Plenty more oldsters in UK though to be fair. But still hear complaints from there around the matter. 

On 28/02/2023 at 18:48, Bulya said:

243,326 over 50’s on JobSeeker, majority of whom are highly educated and qualified.  Even though the Coalition govt introduced a $10k bribe to business to hire them, it failed miserably.  Australian business want young, fit, ‘pale skinned’ employees.  I could provide a lot more information but that will do for starters. 

I agree with most of the above but see little evidence of a 'pale skinned' preference in the areas I'm familiar. In fact quite the contrary. 

On 28/02/2023 at 06:18, Cheery Thistle said:

There is a 2 year wait to just get on to the foreign birth register, then you have to go through the citizenship application process. It’s not as straightforward as just getting a passport unfortunately. Brexit has meant that lots of people want the Irish passport/citizenship to get access to the EU. 

I know that is the official line but when looked it up recently it appeared to be on average around four months. But as I'm going down that route, I will be taking a much closer interest. 

Never been to Lanzarote, but will consider other alternatives to coming to Australia in these times.  

As for language teachers, I know a lady with perfect teaching skills in Italian and French and done German at university (but has not taught it) and can only get several hours a week teaching at adult education classes. She is in her sixties and still has a mortgage. 

On 26/02/2023 at 07:48, InnerVoice said:

Lots of greedy folks here (Australians are heavily influenced by America), but then there's probably as much in the UK these days - Brits are just a bit less vulgar in displaying it.

Brit's probably don't have in such numbers, the ability to earn the money that is possible to be made here either legally or illegally. Especially the latter. 

On 25/02/2023 at 16:34, Lavers said:

 You will get it everywhere you go these days but I do find it a lot better in Adelaide compared to where I was in the UK.

Apprentices at 17 would go out and get a Mercedes A class as there 1st car, couldn’t settle for a banger.

At the end of it all though I personally couldn’t care what other people think anyway, I walk my own path and that’s it.

I find big changes here in Perth anyway with conspicuous consumption. A lot of youth have considerable money. Many drive cars in teen years we would never have afforded nor probably desired. 

I imagine they consider themselves 'doing their own thing' as well.