Sean K Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 We have heard so much about how nice it is in oz and how much better we will all be,...........Is there anything bad we should know, whats the negatives if any ?If i say bad in SA I bet there would be lots to talk about, now bad in AU ....there must be one thing ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good Witch Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 We have heard so much about how nice it is in oz and how much better we will all be,...........Is there anything bad we should know, whats the negatives if any ?If i say bad in SA I bet there would be lots to talk about, now bad in AU ....there must be one thing ???Hi Sean,Hmmm... I have been told by a relative that moved to Aus last year that Australia is very "regulated." I am sure that this is not really a "bad" thing though... Define 'bad' I guess...Another 'bad' thing is that Aus has serious water shortages... Hmmm... Gee, I can't think what else I have heard... Oh yes, a while ago someone told me that it is not a very 'spiritual' continent by comparison the spiritual Africa... But, I disagree... From what I can tell it is a country that tolerates and even encourages many spiritual views and paths, and (perhaps for this reason) won the bid for the next Parliament of World Religions (Melbourne 2009.) An event that I - for one – plan to attend!Sorry... I have tried really heard to give you all the 'negatives' that I've heard of, but I'm not doing so well in that department, am I..? LOL!!! I'm sure that we will all discover something or the other that is a little bit annoying or 'bad' for us... But, by comparison to what we have experienced here, I hardly think we will have much reason to complain...See ya' in Aus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joefromsa Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Hi GuysThis is my opinion and is based on the LSD trip we did earlier this year. It is also based on speaking to many Ozzies (genuine ones, not the SA ones, no disrespect intended)... Liquor shops are open til very late.Australian authorities are trying to reduce the trading hours...Drugs are a problem, they have many disposal bins everywhere for needles.Teenage pregnancies are a problem... one of the main causes or attractiions to this is AUS$5000.00 grant the Ozzie govn contributes to a new born child. They are thinking of increasing the age or reviewing the whole process.Ozzie kids tend to become very complacent and have a tendency to leave school early... (not in the day) before matriculating.Some areas are prone to burglaries... but you won't get killed for cell phone... this may happen when you are not at home... The plus side.... not enough space...Regards Joefromsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good Witch Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Hi GuysThis is my opinion and is based on the LSD trip we did earlier this year. It is also based on speaking to many Ozzies (genuine ones, not the SA ones, no disrespect intended)... Liquor shops are open til very late.Australian authorities are trying to reduce the trading hours...Drugs are a problem, they have many disposal bins everywhere for needles.Teenage pregnancies are a problem... one of the main causes or attractiions to this is AUS$5000.00 grant the Ozzie govn contributes to a new born child. They are thinking of increasing the age or reviewing the whole process.Ozzie kids tend to become very complacent and have a tendency to leave school early... (not in the day) before matriculating.Some areas are prone to burglaries... but you won't get killed for cell phone... this may happen when you are not at home... The plus side.... not enough space...Regards JoefromsaHi,Actually, now that you mention it, I too have heard about the drug and teenage pregnancy problems... But, as you correctly stated, there is just so much on the plus side..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean K Posted August 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Hi guysthanks I also heard that The Drugs were a prob and the preg, but is that it.... Say I was told the it is not correct, approved of, to correct your children by the rod or raising your voice?? But in the greater picture if that is it hey no worries mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joefromsa Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 See yah in Mellies... guys, best of luck... and no... we are still waiting for our visas... this sound like the clas of 2008... sub clas.. ^&$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choog Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Drugs are a problem in every country - no different in OZ.Look, you have many of the same problems, day-to-issues in Australia that every country has. Nothing really over the top or out of control in Australia.The Government does looks after its citizens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Are we there Yet? Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Aren't the syringe bins for diabetics? Or am I just naive? A negative is some of the teenagers behaviour.The are disrespectful and trash public property unnecessarily.Some aussies are very LOUD and feel the need to SHOUT across the shop at their kids.(but that is just a personal dislike of mine.)There is nothing that would warrant a relocation back to SA though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polly Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Most banks are closed on Saturdays. No late shopping: Shops (except Coles, etc.) close at 5:30. The drivers aren't so great. You get drive-through liqour stores. Take-aways are expensive and doesn't always taste so great. KFC ain't the KFC we know.If you want jewelery, it might be cheaper to fly back to SA and buy there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
didl Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Hello!For many of the things mentioned before I would agree to disagree. Drugs, teenage pregrancy etc.. I belive they are present but no more or less than other countries. Actually I find there are systems which deal with the problem and it is not hiden under the carpet.Things I find to be a problem:Ozone holes and other environmental related problemsExpencive airplane tickets and distance to travel( due to country being so far from destinations I am interested in to fly to )Different time zone ( logical isn't it??)Big cities and long distances to cover if you choose to live in major citiesdidl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g26130 Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 no mampoer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy2Bhere Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 (edited) Well we have only been here just over 2 weeks and I have not find one thing that I can say is REALY negative ..... well not worth relocating back to SA for.It is a police state. The Law REALY gets inforced here. NO speeding are tolerated. We saw a hoon being pulled off the road on Saturday by a unmarked police car. Things are not that expensive. We bought a car, opened bank accoutns and credit cards, bought mobile phones and internet accounts and joined the medical aid all in one Shopping Centre in one Saturday morning. Nobody saying eh.... I do not know how that works I can not help you hold the line..... Me and the geyser (hubby) sometimes that look at each other in amazement and know that this is a 1st world country. I love Australia!!!!!!!! Edited August 29, 2008 by TrudieD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marlene Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 We have heard so much about how nice it is in oz and how much better we will all be,...........Is there anything bad we should know, whats the negatives if any ?If i say bad in SA I bet there would be lots to talk about, now bad in AU ....there must be one thing ???I think it will depend on your reason fro moving and where you are coming from, as well as what you are used to.For us moving from AKL, NZ to Griffith, AUS without residency:NZ, medicals for children under 6 are free, hospitals are free. Electricity and phones are heaps cheaper. Rubbish removals etc were better in AKL, but that might just be because we moved from a city to a town.Initially it would probably be a negative experience getting used to different brand names and not knowing where to go in case of emergency, but you get used to that and learn your way.Just move with an open mind and ready to experience life in AUS to the fullest and you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 no mampoerSorry don't agree with this one. Go to your local brewshop buy a still (To "purify" water). Add some turbo yeast to sugar water in your fermenter. "Purify" the concation add your favourite ester (whiskey, rum etc also from the brewshop) and away you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 I still discipline my children. In public or not. I've been told you can smack as long as it's on the bum and with your hand. I have had some funny looks whilst moaning at my kids, but I've also had a few "Good on ye's" from other Moms. I refuse to allow my kids to become like some of the children here. That is the one thing I battle with, is the rudness and total disrespect for adult/teacher/whoever. It is not uncommon to hear a child of 9 or 10 cursing and swearing often at his/her parents. Bullying is also a problem in a lot of the schools. My daughters come home wide eyed often from school after witnessing some kid being knocked around. My one daughter (8) got punched in the face at school. The child did get suspended thank goodness. My 3 year old son has was pushed off his bike and went flying the other day in the park, by a kid not much older than him. The mother hardly blinked an eye and sweetly told him "that wasn't nice". I've also had a 4 year old telling me to #%#% off and the father chuckled. Hmmmmmm........whack! I have attended sports days at 2 different schools and it has been chaos! The kids run riot. No orderly marching onto the field like the schools in SA and then sitting in your designated colour house and staying there till your next race. Have realised just how "old school" we still were in SA, even if we felt that the discipline had slackend off since we were at school.On the whole the lack of discipline is the only real problem I'm battling with at the moment. It's not all kids, but seems to be a large % of them. We've lived in 2 different places, so I can't even say it's only where we live. We just try our best to enforce our rules and standards on our children and make them understand that we don't tolerate such behaviour in our home.Candice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 This question has been asked so many times, and each time I've responded, I basically had the same little list, but I've realised that with time, the list does change (as we adjust and settle into life & reality in Australia) and I have now upgraded from the crazy shopping trolleys to the disrespectful young people of Australia (which I blame on poor parenting!! ). Many a Sunday morning I have to clean up the nature strip in front of my house from take-away containers & half eaten hamburgers chucked out of a car window in the early morning hours. Last week hubby & daughter, while walking the dog, were thrown with raw eggs from a passing car hoon (he even turned around and drove past them again to enjoy the moment!!). I have witnessed school kids in school uniform doing graffiti on a property notice board and when I confronted them, they ran away! Another morning, while walking the dog a car hoon raced past me and burnt the tires to show off (and scare the poor dog almost out of it's collar!!) A few weeks ago I was driving behind a van transporting school kids when the one kid chucked rubbish out the window (purposefully aimed to land on my car), and when I waved my finger at them, another kid held an orange out the window and gave me the middle finger!!!! These were primary school kids!!! Forget the shopping trolleys, THIS really gets me!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taegan Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 RiekieSounds to me that you need to phone the 'dob in a hoon number' - I don't know what it is in Sydney, but its 131 444 in Perth (know it off by heart from the ads - who says advertising doesn't work?) I must say that I have never had to use it and I have only seen a hoon once in the 9 months that we have been here and he was a pretty 'calm' one - just a kid showing off doing donuts on a newly built road. That's just being a teenager in my book and I don't get upset about that - if it was outside my window every night, I'm sure I would not be so accepting. However, what you have experienced is another story all together, you need to get the authorities involved to sort these punks out! You don't need to live with that and shouldn't have to put up with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Thanks Teagan, I found the number for NSW!! 1800 333 0001st strike: 3 day confiscation2nd strike: 3 months confiscation3rd strike: Confiscated for good.I'm a parent of a teenager & young adult myself and I understand what they get up to in the name of fun, but it is nothing like what's been going on in suburbia recently! It's as if there's a sudden wave of these things! Not nice.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nats123 Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 (edited) I must say the trolleys are frsutrating hehe but I am with you on this rude behavious of teens!We suspect that someone at school is bullying my daughter - she does not want to say anything but we will get to the bottom of it and sort it out for sure!We are from SA and we dont take behavious like that!!!!!!!!Nats Edited August 29, 2008 by Nats123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordy Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 (edited) The hoons are definitely a huge negative. We fairly close to the town centre and most Friday and Saturday nights we hear the tires spinning doing burnouts. We are starting to sleep through it now though.The kids and teens here are as said above - undisciplined and rude.Also the amount of people with tatoos and piercings is unbelievable.Again not a negative but it is difficult to show respect in addressing people. Everyone is on a first name basis. In RSA when a company phoned you they would greet you by Mr. XYZ, but here it is simply your firstname. IF you have been raised to use 'Mam' 'Oom' and 'Tannie' (or equal terms of respect), it is hard to adapt.The amount of homeless people is an eyeopener. Especially when jobs are freely available and Centrelink giving away free money.Traffic lights stay red forever. Holy Moly you can sit at a robot for ages here.Another negative is the fact that some (actually many) people do absolutely nothing with their lawns and gardens. They make Malcolm in the middle's house look like the botanical gardens. Edited August 29, 2008 by Jordy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 They make Malcolm in the middle's house look like the botanical gardens. True!... (Though it does not bother me...) They seem to like the natural bush look... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelvdBerg Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 I have been here for 2 months and here is my honest opinion of the negatives so far.1) Don't always think that service is better in Oz. Some companies (optus) are also absolutely terribly inefficient and not everyone here can speak the best english either.2) Kids...quite liberal, cheeky and lacking of a 'goeie pakslae' when they were the right age. I've never really had a problem with kids in my life before but I have seen some kids here that makes me cherish the way I was brought up. It's not their fault though but rather the parent's3) Idiots with mp3 players that have their volume up so high that their earphones's trembling can be measured on the richter scale. This is maybe just me but I've on more than one occasion asked a guy/girl to turn down their music as I don't want to hear their music. Luckily I look like a bit of a ruffian to have had any arguments..I cannot think of anything else really...If I had to list the positive things so far, it would outshine the negatives.CheersM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean K Posted August 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Thanks so much guys and gals,It looks like most feel the kids side is bad and the bully aspect is also a prob, would somebody explain a hoon???? My son (14) grade 8 has had to stand and take alot of abuse and pushing by gangs in the school, and we are from TOTI aaaahhhhh, Now days the black guys rule the school, a fight broke out on friday past and spread to about 20 or so people, sounds like the movies. A friend at another school tells how there are sexual assaults happening on the bus rides home and we shoiuld rather fetch our kids, a girl at another school tells how in front of the teachers on a sports bus returning from KZN trials this black guy came and felt her up. Nothing happened. Fighting has become a big part of schools and our kids cant fight back. My ones school did a wepons search but advised all the people before hand, nice, my son tells me most GANG people put knives and stuff in the pockets. Oh and drugs, nice kids her are drinking in school and smoking weed in the toilet. Toilet must be french for passion, Sex in the girls T is common durning lunch ...........Ish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MannyT Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 We have heard so much about how nice it is in oz and how much better we will all be,...........Is there anything bad we should know, whats the negatives if any ?If i say bad in SA I bet there would be lots to talk about, now bad in AU ....there must be one thing ???Sorry Sean but in my opinion it is all relative and in relative terms Australia is a great country to live in. I have more of a problem with the attitude of some immigrants. People that have chosen to emigrate to Australia and then have the audacity to insult their hosts and the host country.Enjoy!Manny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preacher Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Most banks are closed on Saturdays. No late shopping: Shops (except Coles, etc.) close at 5:30. The drivers aren't so great. You get drive-through liqour stores. Take-aways are expensive and doesn't always taste so great. KFC ain't the KFC we know.If you want jewelery, it might be cheaper to fly back to SA and buy there...Diamonds in Australia are cheaper if I am not mistaken? Australian diamonds are not subject to De Beers pricing controls from what I understand. They told de Beers to jump. I stand to be corrected though. I have not bought anything in Aus yetPlease note that the trading hours are a problem in perth. Not the east coast as far as I am aware. To be honest, you cant blame the people for shutting shop at 5:30. I figure they want to get home to their families too. Its not like there are millions of unemployed people to do the odd hour jobsTake aways offer more choice I thought. Foood courts offer a mix of asian and indian foods along with burgers and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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