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Hello, Next Tuesday (4th of January), I will land in Sydney, and as policy, I must get tested. Before was a PCR, but today they also allowed with RAT. Does anyone have any suggestion regarding a clinic close to the airport that performs that test valid for my arrival?

With less than a month to go until the U.S. Election, we look at what may be in store for the currency markets: www.moneycorp.com/en-au/news-hub/can-trump-win-again/

With many governments now relaxing their Covid guidelines on the International education sector, overseas students have started to return to their foreign campuses ~ https://www.moneycorp.com/en-au/news-hub/top-ten-budgeting-tips-for-international-students/

Tesco have just realeased their new International phone cards, they are an absolute bargain, we put £5 on one which gave us 250 minutes from UK to Australia (from a landline) thats only 2p per minute, and its only 10p per minute from a mobile phone. Thought people might want to pass this on to friends and family in the UK, so they have no excuse not calling to Australia :chatterbox:

A TAFE in Melbourne will commence February 2008 trades training in cabinet making, building and bricklaying (better in Melbourne than hot Sunshine Coast ) If anyone interested they should get in now, only accredited agents of this TAFE have been informed as of today More details will be available soon.

Hi you might like to check out the open day Thursday 17th May at Queensland Academies (Brisbane and Gold Coast) which specialise in the IB - the schools only take years 10,11,12. State schools but you have to take a test to get in and the students are highly motivated and engaged in the schools. Check this link out for more details http://qaci.eq.edu.au/index.php/upcoming-events/event/open-day

two free tickets to ireland/aus international at carrara gold coast on friday november 4 first to pm with address and i'll send. ends monday 31st to allow time to mail

Hi All, Just wanted to share the results of Transparency International Corruption Perception Index have been published for the year 2011. Australia on number 9 (not bad) & 6 out of top 10 countries are from Europe and only 1 from Asia & North America each. http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2011/results/#CountryResults I do not know the criteria that Transparency International uses to measure corruption and create the index but the current economic state of countries is also pretty much similar to the ranking in the Index. It seems to me the corruption Index is directly related to the economic condition of countries.

When my daughter finishes her vce if she decides to go to university would she be a domestic student or international student as i will be working in Melbourne on a 457 visa?

Hi all, Just to let you all know that I have found a good website which provides help with your english skills and maybe of some benefit towards the IELTS. The website is http://www.spellzone.com perksy

Hi Everyone, Well we are finally coming out to validate our visas in December, staying in Mandurah first then onto Scarborough (Seashells in both) 13th till 27th December. :jiggy: Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced Taxi Wagon to collect us from Perth International Airport and take us to Mandurah??? 4 passengers & 4 suitcases on 13th December 2011 at 3pm. I've booked our hire car from Bayswater Car Hire in Freo........a Corolla Sedan.......hope its big enough to carry us and our suitcases!!! What do you think? We will be in the Seashells Scarborough for Christmas, can anyone suggest somewhere nice to eat out on Christmas Day or would you do a BBQ on the beach? I'm so excited to be finally heading out to Perth but also a little scared.............so many big decisions will be made on this trip! Will we find a suburb we like? Will there be work for my roofer husband? Can we afford a house? Will my 16yr old fall in love with Perth and agree to come with us? But at least at the end of this trip we will finally know what direction our lives are going in instead of the limbo we've been in for the last 3yrs while we've been trying to secure our Visa. Fingers crossed by August 2012 we will be living in Perth. :biggrin: Thanks Little Lisa xxx

To say that I was thoroughly disappointed in the Rugby World Cup refereeing, is testament to the dubious 'quality' of the referees; in particular, the english ref, Wayne Barnes... http://www.google.com.au/search?q=wayne+barnes%2C+referee&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a International RU should be above reproach in its atitude to whom it picks for vital matches where national pride is so much on view. Yes, I am scathing on the poor performances of the referees today and NO, it is NOT sour grapes as regards Australia; they did not deserve to get to the semi finals on their current form. I mean to say, 15 blokes in the team and 8 "buff'eads" keeping on bargeing into 8 opposing "buff'eads". Don't they know that they have a very fast back row??? One bloke got to hold the ball once in 80 minutes...and made more yards in that one touch than the "Buff'eads" did in 40 minutes of grunt an' groan.:confused: Rant over..:wink: Thank Heavens we have rugby league, a far, far better game.:yes: Cheers, Bobj.

My folks are on an Emirates flight out of Sydney to Dubai at 6am this weekend. Has anyone flown on this flight and if so, when do the check-in desks open? Silly question I know. The website says 2.5 hours before scheduled departure but I cannot imagine the desks being open at 3:30am. My thinking is coloured by an experience of getting a 6am flight out of Edinburgh with KLM once. We turned up at 4:30am as requested, but the check-in gals rocked up at 5am. (I know it is only half an hour extra in bed but it all helps!) Thanks.

Amnesty International says the Federal Government needs to be internationally shamed into addressing poverty among Indigenous Australians. Secretary-general Salil Shetty yesterday toured remote towns in the Northern Territory, including Utopian communities north-east of Alice Springs. He described the plight of locals as "devastating", saying people there are living in inhumane conditions that are almost third-world. "I've been to many places in bad shape in Africa, Asia and Latin America but what makes it stark here is when you remind yourself you're actually in one of the richest countries in the world," he said. "I can't believe I'm actually in one the richest countries in the world and you have people, Aboriginal communities here who are living in conditions which are really almost inhumane," he said. A two-bedroom house he saw had 15 people living in it - others had no toilets or showers. Some had been without electricity and water for months. Mr Shetty says the Federal Government is contravening its human rights obligations. He says the community has been stripped of funds that provide basic services, including running water, electricity, and hygiene services. "I think it's quite shocking that you can have this level of poverty and this level of lack of basic facilities in one of the richest countries in the world," he said. "Their housing ... is really not suitable for habitation. They have no power, they have no basic facilities, sanitation, toilets." Source: www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-09/amnesty-slams-indigenous-conditions/3403030

Two tests, international rules (AFL with a round ball !) October 28th Etihad Melbourne and Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast. Come on all you Irish members, come and have a lovely night out and watch a bit of BIFFO ! www.ticketmaster.com.au

Has anyone used this organisation for concessional fares and extra baggage allowance? Thanks Jane :cute:

When choosing a secondary school, how important is it that the school offers international baccalaureate? If my daughter wants to return to the UK to do Uni, will she be able to with the standard Oz qualification (SACE?), or will she experience difficulties gaining recognition for these?

Down to the last two with my shipping quotes - PSS (who I can find lots of info on) and 1st Move International (http://www.shipit.co.uk/) who I can't find mentioned anywhere on this forum! Normally this might make me a bit suspicious, but I have quizzed them very thoroughly, and they seem to have their act together and have been really helpful and full of info. Anyone had any personal experience of them? (I don't trust general internet reviews - know of too many 'trolls' from other companies who try to discredit each other ;-)) Please PM me with details only! Thanks StS

Hi PIO, Has anyone used PSS InternationalRemovals to move their house contents to Australia. Just I would like to know what you thought of their service. Weve had several companies around, there the cheapest so far. any information would be appreciated cheers, Troy

Hi if anyone wants their child to do the IB there are some great schools in Brisbane that specialise in it. This is the link to the Creative Industries one (for drama, music and art) but there is also maths, science and technology and another one on the gold coast. They only take years 10,11,12 - very small and v. focussed and they are state schools - not private. Started in 2007 so all very new and well equipped. Highly recommended http://qaci.eq.edu.au

Just another posting for events in Melbourne: the International Comedy Festival, some great acts if you can catch them. http://www.visitvictoria.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.0002F10B-EA1A-1A0C-A19680CF8F3C0000/

We have recieved several quotes for shipping our house contents to Sydney and by far EVL (european van lines) International seem the most competitive and very proffessional but I can't seem to find any reviews on them so if anyone has had a good or bad experiences please could you let me know it would be much appreciated! Thanks

Ranking - April 2011 This report provides you with the rank of Education cost of living indexes as at April 2011 for each of our 300 global locations. Education costs include creche / pre-school fees, high school / college fees, primary school fees, and tertiary study fees. The April 2011 education international cost of living rank is as follows: April 2011 Rank Country, City 1 Brazil, Sao Paulo 2 Brazil, Rio de Janeiro 3 Angola, Luanda 4 Brazil, Brasilia 5 Russia, Moscow 6 Singapore, Singapore 7 Bahamas, Nassau 8 Trinidad and Tobago, Port-of-Spain 9 Australia, Sydney 10 United Kingdom, London 11 Australia, Canberra 12 Vanuatu, Port Vila 13 USA, New York NY 14 Cote DIvoire, Abidjan 15 Russia, St. Petersburg 16 Australia, Melbourne 17 Gabon, Libreville 18 Liberia, Monrovia 19 Belgium, Brussels 20 Australia, Perth 21 Nigeria, Lagos 22 United Kingdom, Glasgow 23 Solomon Islands, Honiara 24 Bermuda, Hamilton 25 Congo Democratic Rep, Kinshasa 26 Australia, Brisbane 27 United Kingdom, Birmingham 28 Central African Republic, Bangui 29 United Kingdom, Leeds 30 Cuba, Havana 31 Jersey, Saint Helier 32 USA, Anchorage AK 33 Croatia, Zagreb 34 New Zealand, Auckland 35 New Caledonia, Noumea 36 Sierra Leone, Freetown 37 Saint Helena, Jamestown 38 Barbados, Bridgetown 39 Sao Tome and Principe, Sao Tome 40 USA, Boston Mass 41 South Africa, Johannesburg 42 Guernsey, St Peter Port 43 Australia, Adelaide 44 USA, Philadelphia Pa 45 United Kingdom, Belfast 46 Chad, NDjamena 47 USA, Seattle Wash 48 Falkland Islands, Stanley 49 Guam, Hagatna 50 Samoa, Apia 51 Saudi Arabia, Riyadh 52 USA, San Francisco Calif 53 South Africa, Pretoria 54 South Africa, Cape Town 55 USA, Chicago Ill 56 Uruguay, Montevideo 57 USA, San Jose Calif 58 Colombia, Bogota 59 South Africa, Durban 60 USA, Los Angeles Calif 61 Djibouti, Djibouti 62 Kiribati, South Tarawa 63 Congo, Brazzaville 64 USA, Washington DC 65 USA, San Diego Calif 66 Guyana, Georgetown 67 Iran, Tehran 68 USA, Portland Ore 69 Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou 70 Comores, Moroni 71 Lithuania, Vilnius 72 Estonia, Tallinn 73 USA, Miami Fla 74 Isle of Man, Douglas 75 Guinea, Conakry 76 USA, Baltimore Md 77 Afghanistan, Kabul 78 Zambia, Lusaka 79 Kazakhstan, Almaty 80 Serbia, Belgrade 81 USA, Denver Colo 82 Cameroon, Douala 83 USA, Atlanta GA 84 Saudi Arabia, Jeddah 85 Benin, Cotonou 86 USA, Milwaukee Wis 87 USA, St Louis MO 88 USA, Cleveland Ohio 89 USA, Phoenix Ariz 90 USA, Dallas Tex 91 Guinea-Bissau, Bissau 92 USA, Las Vegas Nev 93 Norway, Oslo 94 Malta, Velletta 95 Luxembourg, Luxembourg 96 Haiti, Port-au-Prince 97 Equatorial Guinea, Malabo 98 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Kingstown 99 USA, Detroit Mich 100 Cameroon, Yaounde 101 USA, Pittsburgh Penn 102 Georgia Republic of, Tbilisi 103 USA, San Antonio Tex 104 Portugal, Lisbon 105 Iraq, Baghdad 106 USA, Charlotte NC 107 Malawi, Lilongwe 108 Myanmar, Yangon 109 Senegal, Dakar 110 USA, Jacksonville Fla 111 Lesotho, Maseru 112 USA, Fort Worth Tex 113 Cape Verde, Praia 114 USA, Columbus Ohio 115 USA, Tampa Fla 116 USA, Houston Tex 117 Timor-Leste, Dili 118 France, Paris 119 USA, El Paso Tex 120 USA, Memphis Tenn 121 Togo, Lome 122 French Polynesia, Papeete 123 Guatemala, Guatemala City 124 Seychelles, Victoria 125 USA, Austin Tex 126 Kuwait, Kuwait City 127 Niger, Niamey 128 Germany, Munich 129 Moldova, Chisinau 130 Maldives, Male 131 Nepal, Kathmandu 132 Germany, Frankfurt 133 USA, Indianapolis Ind 134 Germany, Cologne 135 Dominica, Roseau 136 Germany, Bonn 137 Germany, Berlin 138 Germany, Hamburg 139 Mali, Bamako 140 Finland, Helsinki 141 Mauritius, Port Louis 142 Rwanda, Kigali 143 Cayman Islands, George Town 144 Belize, Belmopan 145 Iceland, Reykjavik 146 Japan, Tokyo 147 Burundi, Bujumbura 148 Algeria, Algiers 149 Romania, Bucharest 150 China, Beijing 151 Netherlands, Amsterdam 152 Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre 153 China, Macao 154 Swaziland, Mbabane 155 Liechtenstein, Vaduz 156 Botswana, Gaborone 157 Armenia, Yerevan 158 Nicaragua, Managua 159 Switzerland, Geneva 160 Sweden, Stockholm 161 Tonga, NukuAlofa 162 Latvia, Riga 163 Martinique, Fort-de-France 164 Switzerland, Zurich 165 Marshall Islands, Majuro 166 Tuvalu, Funafuti 167 France, Lyon 168 Puerto Rico, San Juan 169 Korea Democratic Republic of, Pyongyang 170 Honduras, Tegucigalpa 171 Zimbabwe, Harare 172 Somalia, Mogadishu 173 Saint Lucia, Castries 174 El Salvador, San Salvador 175 Tajikistan, Dushanbe 176 Mauritania, Nouakchott 177 Saint Kitts and Nevis, Basseterre 178 Indonesia, Jakarta 179 France, Marseille 180 Italy, Milan 181 Ukraine, Kiev 182 Monaco, Monaco 183 Cook Islands, Avarua 184 Italy, Rome 185 India, Mumbai 186 Paraguay, Asuncion 187 Gambia, Banjul 188 Libya, Tripoli 189 Korea Republic of, Seoul 190 Ghana, Accra 191 San Marino, San Marino 192 Ethiopia, Addis Ababa 193 Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek 194 Thailand, Bangkok 195 India, New Delhi 196 Eritrea, Asmara 197 India, Chennai 198 Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Johns 199 China, Shenzhen 200 Austria, Vienna 201 India, Hyderabad 202 India, Calcutta 203 China, Wuhan 204 Greenland, Nuuk 205 Vatican City, Vatican City 206 Hungary, Budapest 207 Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan 208 Greece, Athens 209 Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 210 Canada, Toronto 211 Macedonia, Skopje 212 China, Dalian 213 Japan, Osaka 214 China, Shanghai 215 Kosovo, Pristina 216 India, Bangalore 217 Canada, Vancouver 218 Bhutan, Thimphu 219 Micronesia, Palikir 220 Turkmenistan, Ashgabat 221 Albania, Tirana 222 Canada, Calgary 223 French Guiana, Cayenne 224 Namibia, Windhoek 225 Poland, Warsaw 226 Japan, Nagoya 227 Uzbekistan, Tashkent 228 Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan 229 China, Guangzhou 230 Canada, Montreal 231 China, Tianjin 232 Israel, Jerusalem 233 Japan, Yokohama 234 Tunisia, Tunis 235 Grenada, Saint Georges 236 Denmark, Copenhagen 237 Belarus, Minsk 238 Canada, Ottawa 239 Mexico, Mexico City 240 Andorra, Andorra la Vella 241 Sri Lanka, Colombo 242 Cambodia, Phnom Penh 243 Azerbaijan, Baku 244 Montenegro, Podgorica 245 Qatar, Doha 246 Vietnam, Hanoi 247 Nauru, Yaren 248 Pakistan, Lahore 249 Turkey, Istanbul 250 Bahrain, Manama 251 Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City 252 Pakistan, Islamabad 253 Spain, Madrid 254 Bulgaria, Sofia 255 China, Hong Kong 256 Tanzania, Dar es Salaam 257 Pakistan, Karachi 258 Chile, Santiago 259 United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi 260 Spain, Barcelona 261 Uganda, Kampala 262 United Arab Emirates, Dubai 263 Slovakia, Bratislava 264 Kenya, Nairobi 265 Turkey, Ankara 266 Palestinian Territories, West Bank 267 Argentina, Buenos Aires 268 Venezuela, Caracas 269 Jamaica, Kingston 270 Bolivia, La Paz 271 Gibraltar, Gibraltar 272 Syria, Damascus 273 Laos, Vientiane 274 Morocco, Rabat 275 Cyprus, Nicosia 276 Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby 277 Yemen, Sanaa 278 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo 279 Taiwan, Taipei 280 Oman, Muscat 281 Philippines, Manila 282 Madagascar, Antananarivo 283 Ecuador, Quito 284 Sudan, Khartoum 285 Bangladesh, Dhaka 286 Czech Republic, Prague 287 Peru, Lima 288 Ireland, Dublin 289 Jordan, Amman 290 Mozambique, Maputo 291 Palau, Melekeok 292 Egypt, Cairo 293 Costa Rica, San Jose 294 Lebanon, Beirut 295 Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 296 Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo 297 Panama, Panama City 298 Slovenia, Ljubljana 299 Fiji, Suva 300 Suriname, Paramaribo

Hi everyone - Just trying to get our shipping organised. I've had a quote from 1st Move International and it all seems a little too good to be true... 39 days shipping time, shrinkwrap packing, all fees at the other end prepaid for etc. My only concern is that they use an agent at the other end, who I obviously am putting blind trust in! Anyone had any experiences with them or Planetwide (the ships they put it on, I think!) that may help me make a decision? Much appreciated!! Leah:biggrin:

I would like to bring to members attention that we have had a bad experience with DHL and a recent parcel delivery, followed by a somewhat lack lustre customer service response. My parents sent out a parcel full of UK goodies/books for a course and it cost a small fortune to send, having previously had a good service from DHL we used them again. Everything went really smoothly at the UK end and within 3 days the parcel had landed at Melbourne airport, my Dad was tracking the parcel so we eagerly awaited the knock on the door sometime soon. We gave allowances for the Easter/ANZAC public holiday and expected the parcel around Thursday/Friday last week. I was actually home all day Thursday and Friday and was disappointed that nothing arrived. I phoned my parents at the weekend to see where it was and the website stated that they had attempted delivery on the Thursday - noone knocked on the door (unless they knocked like a mouse because I was sitting in the front room at the 'alleged' delivery time), the courier used also did not leave a card. I called the DHL depot in Melbourne only to be told that the parcel was at our local Post Office (as they use a third party courier aka Australia Post to deliver here). I complained that as I did not have the shipping details or a card stating an attempted deliver how was I to know where it was? I received a pathetic excuse back from them stating it was all the third parties fault, I will be pursueing this one further!! My Dad has complained at the UK area and received a message back that they have to use couriers in "remote" areas of the world - Melbourne suburbs???? Never thought we had moved to the Outback back according to DHL thats where we are apparently. Anyway my Dad will also be pursueing this one further!! So if any of you lovely POM's out there know of a decent, reliable courier service that doesn't use Australia Post that would be great - I need a reliable source for my chocolate supplies in the future!!! Incidentally on the very same day we had a deliver from Amazon (via Australia Post) just dumped outside the door without so much as a knock!! Anyone else using DHL beware of the Australian end because they don't deliver. £77 for a parcel and we had to collect it from the Post Office - so not impressed!!!:arghh: Cheers Karen