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For all the Poms In Oz who may be having to juggle both UK and Australian funds - an update on the UK outlook as the economy starts to get back on track: https://www.moneycorp.com/en-gb/news-hub/back-to-business-as-usual/

Hi, Has anyone successfully managed to secure a federal government job without pr. I applied for a job which said non-citizens only considered if no suitable applications are received from citizens. I've been offered the job as i was the best candidate but now they have to get approval to employ a non-citizen which is holding things up and making me nervous The government site seems quite clear it needs justification to be approved but otherwise it seems straight forward no more scary than uk employment law. So should i be worried? any experiences greatly appreciated.

Myself and my boyfriend are travelling to Australia in April, landing in Brisbane and have heard that the Australia government ask for a printout of your bank account balance to ensure you have enough money whilst there. Is this true? If so we have also set up a NAB bank account which we can transfer money too. Should we do a printout of our money in UK bank before transferring to Oz bank? Help

I have tried reading up on this as much as i could--but i understand there are many on here who can possibly explain a bit better and clarify a few queries! Here in the Uk there is a state pension and then you get any occupational pension if you've worked etc etc. What about in Oz land? I've seen that when you work you get to contribute to a super fund--which you can choose or you can even manage your own. But as I see it these super funds are private initiatives run by private companies. Now these are my queries-- 1. What if a person never worked or has worked only for a short while--what happens then? 2. Is there a government provision for pension for all above a certain age??? Would be glad if any one who knows anything about the Oz pension system can post what they know--because this could be helpful for those coming after me as well. Many thanks in advance!

on one issue at least http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15977291

Hi guys, A while back I remember reading a post which gave a link to a site with some tips on Government job applications - specifically how to answer the selection criteria. I have searched for this post and can't find it again. So if anyone knows where the post is, (it may have been by Quoll??) or who knows of a good site for this type of information or who can give some tips. I would be very grateful. Thanks:wubclub:

Woman suing the Australian government. Its on sky news ............. on its teletext section, so it must be correct. :mad: A woman visiting a remote area of Australia was staying in a hotel and she was having sex with her partner, or someone ............ could have been anyone, when ................ the light fitting fell down hitting her in the face, breaking her tooth slashing open her face, where she needed stitches and she is suing the government ............. surely any claim should be against the hotel and ................ Just how frantic were they going at it to bring the ceiling lights down.:laugh:

Well the numbers are sure racking up, they were predicted, but still they are shocking .............. .. .. . 14,000 Police officers jobs going. 15,000 TSB Bank jobs going. 16,000 police admin jobs going. 17,000 Army jobs going. Plus all the other reductions of jobs, in government, council, nursing, prisons, schools, etc ..................... But for the last two months apparently unemployment has been reduced:shocked::wub: Anyone thinking what i'm thinking ............... could the government be massaging the unemployment figures? I don't recall any major announcement of jobs created anywhere and to me ............ the figures don't add up.:no:

I am new in this forum and my family of 5 are moving to Melbourne in early Jan 2012 from Singapore. We have 3 kids ( 7yr old, 4 yr and an infant ) and we are looking for a relatively good (of course it's subjective) primary school near CASEY or MONASH which will offer Mandarin/Chinese as a LOTE program. I do not know if it is OK to start my child in term 2 as we need time to settle in with housing etc.... What are the benefits or not if we start our child later then earlier... Please give me your comments!!! Thanks in advance!

er Olly Grender Dan Hodges Christopher Montgo <!-- /.blog-header --><!-- ISI_LISTEN_START -->Archbishop of Canterbury: "no one voted" for the coalition's policies Posted by George Eaton - 08 June 2011 22:00 <!-- /.post-header -->Rowan Williams launches an outspoken attack on the government in a leader for the New Statesman. <!-- Generated by XStandard version 2.0.0.0 on 2011-06-09T08:53:57 --><IFRAME style="WIDTH: 110px; HEIGHT: 20px" class="twitter-share-button twitter-count-horizontal" title="Twitter For Websites: Tweet Button" src="http://platform0.twitter.com/widgets/tweet_button.html?_=1307610352705&count=horizontal&id=twitter_tweet_button_0&lang=en&original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newstatesman.com%2Fblogs%2Fthe-staggers%2F2011%2F06%2Frowan-williams-government&text=New%20Statesman%20-%20Archbishop%20of%20Canterbury%3A%20%22no%20one%20voted%22%20for%20the%20coalition's%20policies&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newstatesman.com%2Fblogs%2Fthe-staggers%2F2011%2F06%2Frowan-williams-government&via=georgeeaton" frameBorder=0 allowTransparency scrolling=no></IFRAME> <SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"><![CDATA[]]></SCRIPT>The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has launched a remarkable attack on the coalition government, warning that it is committing the country to "radical, long-term policies for which no one voted." In a leading article in tomorrow's New Statesman, which he has guest-edited, Williams writes that the "anxiety and anger" felt by voters is a result of the coalition's failure to expose its policies to "proper public argument". His political intervention is the most significant by a church figure since Faith In The City, an excoriating critique of the Thatcher government, was published in 1985 by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie. With specific reference to David Cameron's health and education reforms, Williams says that the government's approach has created a mixture of "bafflement and indignation" among the public. "With remarkable speed, we are being committed to radical, long-term policies for which no one voted," he writes. "At the very least, there is an understandable anxiety about what democracy means in such a context." Before the general election, Cameron famously promised to stop the "top-down reorganisations of the NHS" but later embarked on the biggest reforms to the health service since its creation. He has raised concerns about the coalitions dealings on Education, Health and Welfare reforms and he said there was indignation, due to the lack of a proper public argument on these issues. Should he, a representative of the church, be getting involved in things like this.

Hello all, Just like to say a big thank you for all that contribute to this board. I have been a member only recently but have been reading with interest for some time. I should fill you in with some background information. I am a 35 years old and a Software Tester with 6 years of experience in the field. I have recently just sent off an application for ACS assessment about 2 weeks ago now and am waiting to hear back from them to get my bachelors degree and experience certified. It was my initial plan to go to Melbourne, Australia under State Nomination but looking on their website tonight I see they have reached their quota. I don't know too much about Sydney nominations but have seen the form here: http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/6275/Form_1_SS_176.pdf and information regarding the process here: Skilled sponsored migration - Industry & Investment NSW: Business in NSW My question is, is it possible to apply for the nomination BEFORE getting the ACS skills assessment back? Would greatly appreciate your thoughts. Skilled (Migrant) Sponsored Visa Subclass 176/886 Request for NSW Government Nomination

I know its been going on for quite a while now, but.............. just why is it right for the government to grab our hard worked for and hard paid for houses, if we should end up in a home, due to old age and illness. The wifes parents who are 72, want to sign their home over to the wife and her two sisters and apparently if you do it 7 years before they end up in a home, the council can't do anything about it............. or so they thought. My niece is a solicitor and she says the councils are closing this loophole by still grabbing the houses to pay for care and that the only way round it is to ensure the house IS signed over legally and that they then pay rent to live there and the rent they pay, has to be declared for tax. DOES anyone know the true legalities of this? To me its sordid and disgusting that old people should have their houses grabbed off them to pay for care, when they want to leave it to their children. :no::mad:

Iam getting really fed up, think we have been overlooked by DIAC. So long in this process now really think is all worth it, lost so much money & life time on this. :arghh: We started this WHOLE process 4 years ago, years 4 years. My husband is an electrician applying under the 176 visa. He has done loads of hoop jumping, certifying forms, letters, certificates, prove funds, doing IELTS (even though born & bred Londoners) passed, Vettassess ( had to wait for the ozzies to come over to test him at a location) passed, even though told this & passed still can`t work as electrician in Oz but can complete an TRA out there (another £500). Loads of Money spent. Finally got QLD SS. Agents got application ready finally for sumission to DIAC in August 2009 THEN Oz Government had a skills list shake up so was put in limbo as Agent said wait for new list out Next year April (2010), Government said applications can be sent on & after 1st July 2010 our`s went 17th July 2010. Now February 2011, I have been reading these forums & we are seeing people who have submitted applications AFTER our submission getting CO & approval. We was also led to believe (as well as see on the new skills list) we were a CAT. 2, however my husband spoke to one of the ex employees of our agent today & she says we are a CAT 3). Our agent say OZ Government is not processing applications in order just taking from top of the pile, hense people after getting cc`s. He also said he could get us over in 3 months under a 4?? visa but that would cost another £3000, no way, not chucking good money after bad & due to government cock ups & delays. Annoying thing is with what is going on in OZ you think they would move on the QLD SS trade list for rebuilding, also Iam a newly qualified nurse so I could be utilised. We really feel fed up, as from July 2011 my son (who we have kept in full time education for 2 extra years now for this process) is out of college, age 20 years. So game over for us anyway when we get to that time. Would have to pay for the course after July 2011. We are not loaded with money!!!! This whole process is REALLY UNFAIR. It is making me think whether I want to live in a country where the Government is unorganised & this unfair to people. Sooooooooooo fed up & out of pocket. Any ideas greatly appreciated.

After gettins SS from WA, I've started filling out DIAC on-line application form but right in the beginning there if a question which State/Territory government agency has nominated me. In the email from WA informing me about getting SS, there is: "Skilled Migration Western Australia. Department of Training and Workforce Development". But in the DIAC form, there in nothing like that. The closest name is "WA - South West Development Commission". But I doubt that it means the same. Any tips on what I should fill in there please?

Hi everyone, My husband and I are moving from London to the Sunshine Coast (thinking Mooloolaba or nearby, can't wait!!) in June. We both currently work as managers in local government in London (me in housing and he in business improvement) and while I'm keen to get a similar job in Oz, he is really after the seachange and wants to be a postie (currently has L plates on his motorbike over here but is keen to get full licence asap). We would be really grateful for any advice about how difficult or easy it might be to get work in these fields on the Sunny Coast, and what kind of pay could be generally expected? I am Australian citizen but from Melbourne and have been living on London for 7 years so have no idea about what to expect! OH is UK citizen on a subclass 100 visa and wants to try something different after 25 years with the same employer in London. Thanks so much, and thanks in general for this great forum, it has been so much help for us in planning our move!

Holiday Closure 2010/2011 Friday 24 December Monday 27 December Tuesday 28 December Wednesday 29 December Friday 31 December Monday 3 January Tuesday 4 January Above notice is for Australian Passports Office but I assume it would be valid for majority of the Government departments in Australia.

Hi, If you are employed by the Australian Govt do you pay tax? Thanks for your inputs

Hi, Does anyone know whether you can apply for government jobs while applying for a Visa? Do they do employer sponsorship themselves or do you have to wait until you are actually in Aus. My reason for asking is that there are at least 4 jobs in my field being advertised at the moment and I'd love to be able to apply.

As we all know the government is HAVING to make cuts, I agree totally that this is the only way to go, cuts are inevitable, I may not agree with some of them but cuts at the end of the day are needed, BUT, (sorry Dom:wubclub::wink:). How about this for an equation. I am not getting on my high horse about wars etc, but I will say this. At present the Iraq/Afghanistan wars/conflicts have cost this country somewhere between 16 BILLION and 23 BILLION pounds, the costs are rising every day, and these figures do not take into account the salaries of the service personal involved. As I said, I am not going to get involved in the debate about the rights and wrongs of either wars, suffice to say NO MATTER what we and the USA do Iraq and Afghanistan will return to the tribal warfare that has been part of their historic since time began. Again, I'm not having a go at TRIBAL wars, that is the way these countries operate, they have done for thousands of years and they will continue to do so in the future no matter what we say or do. It doesn't matter what your views are on the war, at the end of the day the war was based on purely speculative 'information' and once again we as a country decided that OUR way of life should be inflicted on yet another country. Any excuse and reason can be put forward but IMO the war is and was based on the need to show the 'locals' that as a western nation we have the god given right to inflict our culture on them. Not for one second am I having a go at the service personal, I admire them greatly and are indeed my real heroes and icons. But at this time, when the country is up sh7t creek without a paddle it would do us all to remember that the cost of the wars are indeed massive and ongoing. Our debt could be cleared with one easy sweep if some numptie(s) sitting in Whitehall had the worries and concerns of its population been at the forefront of their minds. Another rant, I'm sorry. Over the weekend The X Factor received over 148,000 complaints because some wannabe was voted out of the show. Do you know how many complaints were made to ITV news when one of our soldiers deaths was relegated to sixth on the news, I will tell you, a mere 128. The world and its people have gone mad folks, and I am no longer sure I want to be part of it. Cheers Tony:mad:

Government has already been Finalized. Now everybody is looking for the next step to have Immigration minister and approved SMP ASAP, as it was projected if Labor will come in to parliament SMP will be approved quickly. Let hope to have it in few months otherwise its same wait wait wait wait wait and wait. Lets put our information whatever we have when we will be expecting minister to approved SMP.

I have posted several queries on here re moving pensions to Oz and am still gathering information. After searching several threads on here I came across a thread which talked about the possibility of a government final salary index-linked pension being frozen at the level it is when you move to Australia. Unfortunately, I can't find this thread again. Does anyone know anything about this? I do understand that the State Pension is frozen and there are no cost of living increases. However, I work for a local college of Further Education and have a small final salary, index-linked local government pension and am concerned that this might be frozen with no index-linking if left in the UK. I do intend to take proper advice, but just another consideration.

Having taking inspiration from libbysmum, I thought that I would set up a thread................. Will the smp's be released or never materialise??? :wacko:Esp if a new gov gets in! Please vote a simple yes or no! We can do it for the existing gov, and a new gov, and therefore we can see what us PIO peeps think! Joy joy happy happy........ well we have to do something to numb our brains apart from drink alchol!:biglaugh: ok...... Existing gov - Yes New gov - No

Some point to be noted from the news article... 1.Mr Abbott said he would not cut the employer-nominated categories – because business needed to continue to grow – or the family reunion program. 2.The planned cuts will focus on family and student visa programs, while skilled migration would largely be quarantined. 3.Mr Abbott said the Coalition would keep skilled migration numbers up, but would crack down on "dubious educational and family-reunion applicants". 4.he Coalition would begin a White Paper on immigration if they win office to set out a detailed plan for enacting the cuts to immigration programs, and release a discussion paper by the end of the year on the topic. Although Mr Morrison would not detail where the cuts would be made, he indicated that family and student visa programs were the bulk of the remaining visa classes that were not protected under the Coalition's new policy. Read more on this story here.... Libs would slash foreign student intake | The Daily Telegraph I do not know whether Coalition is really serious about these immigration reforms. If this is true then I would expect Coalition would be far better than Evan's. I But on the other hand If these are just election stunts to attract voters then I am afraid after election things will change.

This thread has come about mainly because I was having a chat with a couple of friends from PIO ref 'Help For Heroes'. You know the group of people who in their stupidity thought the government of the day, would appreciate their sacrifice and hard work. Where to have thoughts of possibly laying down their lives in protection of queen and country would actually mean something. Its not just this government either, generations of governments have treated those that are willing to make the ultimate with utter disdain and contempt. Where they send them into a war zone without the correct equipment, where they refuse to give them a pay rise, and when they arrive home in coffins or body bags are treated no better than 'ordinary' people. Successive governments have sat in their ivory towers and pontificated that they 'truly' care, they say that they feel the pain and anguish that the grieving families feel, absolute bullocks. At the end of the day it is equivalent to out of sight out of mind. Never mind that a young soldier has just had his brains blown apart a bomb, never mind that his/her mates are injured beyond recognition, never mind that lucky ones (and I use that word with discretion) that come home horribly injured will have to suffer the consequences and actions of their 'job'. No just so long as those in power have a secure pension, go to The Ivy, and secure their latest directorship on the board of a multi national company. Those in power can pontificate and profuse to care as much as they want, when in reality they are no better than scum who at the end of the day could not give a flying you know what about the brave men and women of our armed forces. So, lets take away the 'governments' responsibility to look after these men and women, instead rip from their so called grasp the gauntlet of care and compassion and take control for ourselves. Heres the idea. I know that in these troubled times we are to a degree finding the economic situation very, very difficult, BUT. The figures are somewhat blurred but in reality there are approximately forty one million adults in this country, some with jobs, some with none, BUT. If for one month there was a day when we ALL gave £2.50 a week for a month this is what would happen. Lets face it £2.50 times 4 only equates to a tenner, thats a pint less a week down our local pub, a magazine less a week about 'celebrities' the amount of a tenner is of little consequence to most of us. And besides that it is only ONCE a year. So the figures stack up like this: £2.50 a week = £10 a month = times this figure by 40 million and the grand total comes to: FOUR HUNDRED MILLION POUNDS. That is one HUGE amount of money. So in essence for the price of a beer a week, couple pints of milk, a few newspapers a month we could raise in one foul swoop the figure stated, and SHOW the government that whilst they purport to care, lead, etc, we can turn around and say, 'Look, the power is no longer yours to use on quangos, self appreciation, love in's, meals at Westminster, we as a people have done the RIGHT thing and looked after those that have enabled YOU as politicians to abuse and neglect our real HEROES. Only problem is trying to organise these days once a week for a month. Surely we can all see the sentiment behind this. The ONE thing not to forget is simply this. That the ONLY reason we are able to lives the lives we presently have is because many millions people in the past, in the present and in the future will continue to lay down their lives in the hope that we as a country can remain safe and secure in the knowledge that if it were not for these brave men and women we would not exist as we presently do. It matters not if you agree with wars etc, those that fight in our name deserve the respect and admiration of us all. So if we could just get this month rolling there would be far more hospitals for our injured soldiers, after care, equipment, families looked after etc. It just need the will of the people to take control from those numbties in Parliament and show them that we are no longer going to be led by the nose by incompetents and fools. Jesus wept that figure of four hundred million pounds would benefit us ALL, surely once a year for a period of one month and one day a week we could raise this, surely there is a way. Lets show those in power (insert laugh here) that the people of this country really do care and will tolerate no more the behavior and actions of those that pontificate to lead us, no more are we going to sit back and let the travesty of power corrupt the very essence of Great Britain. Cheers Tony

Go Matilda - Your Gateway to Australia - News Due to the forthcoming federal election in Australia, the Victorian Government State Migration Plan will be implemented no earlier than 1 September 2010. Once the plan is implemented, the new sponsorship eligibility list for skilled migrants and full details will be made available on our website: LiveInVictoria.vic.gov.au. Only occupations included on Victoria’s skilled sponsorship eligibility list will be considered for nomination. Note that applications for business visa sponsorship are still being accepted. Best regards.