The allure of Australia

[Flyingpony]

I'm interested in hearing about the pro and cons of moving to Australia. There are a lot of kiwi's over there and it appears safe to assume that the majority are not coming back to NZ. So, this begs the question.

What are the pro and con's of moving to Australia over staying put in NZ?

Here is my list at the moment:

The Pros

• Free doctor visits & good medical system
• Cheaper food & petrol
• Pay approximately the same amount of income tax
• Lower GST rate
• Higher wages by some 33% over NZ
• More job opportunities
• AU Government has $2k subsidy for getting LPG installed in your cage, plus others for solar hot water heating, etc
• It's warmer
• It's still quite close and easy to visit family/friends in NZ (vs England is)
• So many places to visit

The Cons

• I'd have sell everything (would have to even if moving to Wellington/Hamilton/Auckland, so this is a mute point)

So which cities are good and which to avoid. Sydney looks like one to avoid, so that leaves Brisbane, Melbourne & Perth.

Let the comments and recommendations flow.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I agree: every time I go over there I want to move there. I like Melbourne over Seeeeeedney, and really enjoy the Sunshine Coast (but dont like the Gold Coast...way too trashy)

downsides: big city living. (i.e. its harder to get out of the city to do stuff)

all the bad-ass creepy crawlies that live in the underbrush. only relevant if you want to go camping, mountainbiking, walking or whatever.

(cue steve irwin joke)

lots of australians are total dickwads (then again so are a lot of kiwis, but that Ocker "Culture" is really grating).

Go for it.

[The Pastor]

Isnt this enough incetive for anyone to move out of nz?
http://www.1xx.co.nz/pics/colin-hele...e-1xx-05-1.jpg

[gamgee]

The Pros

• Pay approximately the same amount of income tax

and another 10% of your income goes to compulsory retirement fun, which you can't claim back if you leave

cars and motorbikes are a shitload more expensive

the beaches are 100 times more crowded

you have to put up with their accent and them ripping you out for being a sheep shagger (it gets annoying after the 100th time on the first day...)

The woman don't look like a cross between a pitbull and a bush pig thats not so much a dig at kiwi chick as a warning to sort your shit out, your letting the team down

[TLDV8]

It might depend on what you are looking for lifestyle wise.

Imho..Sydney if you like big cities and the nightlife....Melbourne..Great city,more cultured for want of a better word..... Adelaide,nice place also but a little isolated like Perth.....Brisbane,great if you are looking for a more relaxed lifestyle in a sunny climate......Darwin,what can i say,the cultural mixing pot of Australia (Where i am headed) and the end of the trail...A vast country with great people on the whole,like anywhere it is what you make of it...Do not believe everything you read,it is not all big pay and low tax's...If you are prepared to contribute you will be fine...One thing newbies will find compared to NZ which i feel is taken for granted by many is the vastness when you get out of the main centres.It can be somewhat overwhelming first time.

[Finn]

3 of my close friends have moved themselves and their families over to Aus over the past 4 years. 1 to Syd, 1 to Gold Coast and 1 to Brisbane.

All of them said they are generally much happier now and wish they'd done it earlier. Their reasons are typically similar;

1) It's a more vibrant country with a lot going for it.
2) Less negativity
3) Financially better off
4) Quality & standard of living improvements
5) Better education for their kids
6) Much better weather
7) No Helen Clark
8) No maori's (that was a comment from one friend but he isn't racist cause he married a sooty and she's lovely)

A few hundred thousand kiwi's have left NZ for Australia. While it's not good for us, they feel they certainly made the right decision.

[LilSel]

PRO
The Australian sports commission do lots for their athletes.
(thats a pro IMO anyway lol)

[Blackbird]

Overall, I like both the Aussies and Australia apart from agreeing that every damned insect and animal is trying to kill you. I think I'd be equally at home in Oz (Well, Melbourne or the Sunshine Coast) or NZ.

The one thing that really bothers me from reading various science journals that come across my desk is environmental issues, particularly the increasing scarcity of pure water in the major centres. Perth is chewing up ground water reserves at a very serious rate and part of the Eastern seaboard isn't far behind. The Murray River is just a shadow of its former self as well as a lot of other major water sources. Probably ok for the next decade but after that, who knows?

It seems to be a popular pastime to bag your own country and whilst nowhere is perfect, I'm extremely proud to call myself a Kiwi, even if I did "only" come here 31 years ago from the UK. However, I'd encourage anyone to travel and get the most out of what the world has to offer them at any given time in their lives.

[The_Dover]

Are there any twisties?

[Big Dave]

Places are what you make them.

The climate is better - the motorcycling is not as good.
Some of the systems in OZ are better - health eg - small business tax laws are a pathetic maze and better here.

Socially there is virtually no difference. The pronunciation of 2 vowels and a slightly more direct manner. That's it.

Wide and brown or green and lush.

I've done better in NZ. My knees want to retire to the gold coast when the time comes.

[The_Dover]

My knees want to retire to the gold coast when the time comes.

Thicker shagpile huh?

[Paul in NZ]

Thicker shagpile huh?

Nah! Taller sheep

[marty]

they call 'em camels over there

[Big Dave]

Nah! Taller sheep

I haven't been here that long.

They are a bit fucked from football as a kid and a very long basketball career as an adult.
A cold wet change in the weather and they ache. Gold coast is 18 to 28 - 360 days of the year.

[Big Dave]

one thing that emigrating has taught me is to value other cultures - and my own - a lot more.
There are plenty of subtle trans tasman differences too - but ultimately, folks is folks.