What is wrong with Aus?

[Arleneg75]

I have to mention those bloody awful adverts where each person is trying to out shout the last.

Not sure if its just the Northern Territory television or do all the states have them?

HAPPY NEW YOU SALE!!!!

NO DEPOSIT, NO INTEREST for 500 DAYS!!!! etc etc.

drives me insane. Can't wait for DH to start working so we can afford PVR (or equivalent) to tape shows and forward these bloody ads.

[ZLeigh]

Hey AndreaL

I do understand that it isn't only a south african thing, maybe it only feels like we have it so bad here if you compare it with Australia. It sounds so perfect there, even with all the "bad" things. Most of it is all things you can learn to live with.

[Gizmo]

Yes - the adverts are awful - but every Aussie I have mentioned this to readily agrees with me.

Has anybody else noticed that the volume of the adverts is much louder than the television program? I find I constantly have to turn the volume down during ad breaks, then up again during the shows.

[Smartie]

Hi all, I hope I am not coz I am not in Oz yet (we wish!) but here goes anyway...

One of my daughters friends (16) just got back from Sydney (holiday with intention to look and see) and she said the public schools she went to see were SHOCKING. I know its all about location location location and I do not know which areas she went to see but the daughter also said that the teens are very different there. A little on the wild side compared to my daughter and her group of friends. Also these girls are currently in a private school in Durban so I gotta admit I am little worried about how my 15 yr old is going to adjust if we ever get there (Coz we certainly will not be able to afford private in Oz)

Its just an opinion but I think that we all know that if you want your children (high school in particular) to go to a public school you have to make sure you are in a "good" area.

I would ask any of the experienced people already living in Sydney on their opinion on this matter please as I am only repeating one persons opinion. We have also heard that some parts of the West can get a little rough, but again its just hear say and we are not there so cant pass judgement.

Edited January 20, 2009 by Smartie

[IslandStyle]

You need to be familiar with the place to know where things are - this makes it very user-unfriendly to new-comers and visitors.

Tom Tom? ;]

[SandgroperWA]

NEGATIEWE DINGE IN AUSTRALIA :

Ek is nou amper 11 jaar hier. Ek kan slegs 12 negatiewes in Australia opnoem. En ek het lank gedink …..

a. Slegs 4% Aussies gaan kerk toe. Slegs 9% Aussies trou. Almal woon saam as partners of De Facto’s. Tog is die Aussies behoudend en konserwatief, dink ek.

b. Die aanpassing hier, neem tot 1 jaar lank vir sommige Afrikaners. Dis ‘n ander kultuur, aksent, reels en prosedures.

c. Meeste Aussies (ek ook) wil in die stede of langs die kus woon. Niemand wil in die binneland woon nie.

d. Die Polisie hier is TE STRENG. Veral met padwette is hulle mislik en maak baie geld vir die regering uit motoriste.

e. Die Polisie hier is baie snobisties en onbehulpsaam (my eie opinie). Soms moet jy jou klagtes rig aan die kommissaris, voor jy hulp kry. Hulle gee darem aandag aan gewelds-misdade.

f. As jy hier moet leef met jou RANDE, kan dit gou opraak, want jy spandeer dan teen wisselkoers van 7 keer meer.

g. Die reels en regulasies in Australia (veral die red tape), pla soms. Dis nie so tydrowend soos in SA nie, maar jy loop jou altyd vas teen DIE WET. Die wet is ALLES hier .... Hier kan jy nie (soos in SA) ompaaie probeer volg nie. OF praktieser probeer werk nie. Jy loop jou vas teen DIE WET.

h. Hier is BAIE dwelms. Ek reken dat helfte van alle Aussies al eksperimenteer het met of dwelms of dagga. Kort-kort word tonne gevind (net die punt van die ysberg). Of soms vermoor dwelmhandelaars mekaar in Sydney of Melbourne. Ook sit Aussies oorsee in dodeselle, vir dwelmsmokkel daar.

i. SA-ners geniet dikwels topposisies in SA, soos Executives, Bestuurders en Lektore. Hier moet hulle ongelukkig tuimel in status en selfs as klerk oor begin. Hierdie status-verlies is traumaties en vernederend vir baie.

j. Alle SA-ners se status tuimel baie hier. Die Aussies is NIE snobisties of status-bewus NIE. Dus kry die tipiese “Mevrou Dominees†hier BAIE swaar, in terme van status- en identiteit-verlies.

k. Australia is ongelukkig deel van die Vlugtelingprogram van die VVO. Ongelukkig MOET ons elke jaar ‘n sekere getal vlugtelinge inneem. Die Asians pas baie goed hier aan. Ongelukkig is hier vanaf Julie 2005 nou 10 000 Noord-Afrika swartes in die hele land ingevat. Hulle vestig almal in die stede. Ons sal outomaties nog baie probleme van hulle ervaar vorentoe. Hulle sal ons oor 50 jaar uit-teel en oorvat met getalle. Die goeie nuus is : hulle is tans nog bitter min teenoor die 20 miljoen witmense hier.

l. Australia het ongelukkig nou al honderdduisende Asiate. Meeste is Chinese en Indiers. Die goeie nuus is dat een derde van hulle toeriste is, een derde is studente en een derde woon hier. Die slegte nuus is dat hulle oor 20 jaar ‘n groot faktor gaan wees hier.

Coert,

Sounds like you want to like in Utopia of a " boere staat"!!!!

1) I reckon that the same amount of South Africans attend church.....

2) Settling in takes 1000 days.....

3) All I can say is Thank the Lord that the laws are strict, that is why this country is governable and that we can live like law abiding citizens

4) SA has a huge drug problem as well ,the Nigerian connection has made sure of that..if fact drugs are a world wide problem. Most SouthAfricas have

experimented with "dagga" , perhaps they just dont admit to it. Have you seen how many SAFFERS are in prison at the Bangkok Hilkton and Bali, Australia and most recently in the UK.......for drug smuggeling!!!

5) All I can say is Helleluhja, that the Mevrou Doctors are being taken down a peg or 2 and being show what the real world is all about. And those peopel in Executive positions....they are small fish in a big pond here.....work your way to the top ...just be prepared and realise you cant walk into the same job and have the same position

6) Most first world countries have a refugee program, Australia get less than 3 % of those refugees. Me personally I dont want my kids growing up with the hes rejudices that I had to grow up with. because I am white does not make me any better that an Asian/Indian or Black....I dont want a Eugene Terblances boere staat.

SG

[Happy2Bhere]

Ok dit gaan nou baie weird klink maar al wat ek mis is Fruit & Veg City!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Al wat ek nie van Aus hou nie is die Asian Invasion......

[Arleneg75]

SandGroperWA - agree with you.

I'm not White and it disturbs me to hear South africans talking about Australia having too many Asians or Blacks.

Australia is not a utopia for Whites only.

I love the fact that they are so accepting of people from all countries including South Africa.

[Stix]

k. Australia is ongelukkig deel van die Vlugtelingprogram van die VVO. Ongelukkig MOET ons elke jaar ‘n sekere getal vlugtelinge inneem. Die Asians pas baie goed hier aan. Ongelukkig is hier vanaf Julie 2005 nou 10 000 Noord-Afrika swartes in die hele land ingevat. Hulle vestig almal in die stede. Ons sal outomaties nog baie probleme van hulle ervaar vorentoe. Hulle sal ons oor 50 jaar uit-teel en oorvat met getalle. Die goeie nuus is : hulle is tans nog bitter min teenoor die 20 miljoen witmense hier.

l. Australia het ongelukkig nou al honderdduisende Asiate. Meeste is Chinese en Indiers. Die goeie nuus is dat een derde van hulle toeriste is, een derde is studente en een derde woon hier. Die slegte nuus is dat hulle oor 20 jaar ‘n groot faktor gaan wees hier.

This is one thing that bothers me, Saffers moving to Australia and then thinking they can just blatantly be racist.

[Omzig]

There is only one thing that annoys me about Australia, well, Perth to be specific - the long cycle period of the traffic lights.

Everything else that has been mentioned by someone here (less reliance on religion, cultural diversity, strong policing, law and order, strong currency, living by the sea, the realignment of mevrou dominees, etc...) gives it the green light for me.

[Stix]

Long periods waiting for red traffic light - YES, very irritating, but luckily you get a loooong green light after that.

[Mara]

Sorry guys, I have just checked this email an YES I absolutely agree....with Sandgroper, Arlene and Stix.

If you wish to live in Australia, you need to adjust to what your new environment offers, a decent life to one and all, regardless of race, creed, or colour.

So, for those of you that dislike other races, that is your right and your opinion, BUT SaAustralia is not the place to air those views, go and read the rules that you agreed to when you signed up to become a member of this website.

I have sent Coert a PM!

[lemoen]

Ok dit gaan nou baie weird klink maar al wat ek mis is Fruit & Veg City!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Al wat ek nie van Aus hou nie is die Asian Invasion......

Ek kan dit nie glo nie, die asiers waarmee ek handel en wandel is hardwerkend, en die sout van die aarde....watse tipe mens is jy? Gaan eerder terug, asb...

[SandgroperWA]

Ok dit gaan nou baie weird klink maar al wat ek mis is Fruit & Veg City!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Al wat ek nie van Aus hou nie is die Asian Invasion......

Trudie

You have some of the best fresh produce markets in the whole of Australia in Melbourne, you should not have a problem with fruit and veg.

The quality is far superior here than you would ever find at Fruit and Veg.

Me, personally I think that the Asian as just absolute hard working citizens, and if they want to grow my veggies and fruit....I am only to happy for them to be doing it. Simply because they dont sponge of the system......they are not dole bludgers.

If fact they are called power packs......extremely hard work people.

[polly]

The most awesome fresh fruit and veg are at the Victoria Market. It is really worth popping in there on Saturday. It feels alike a real farmers market with vendors shouting out prices, etc. I love the feeling in there.

[ZLeigh]

Hubby and I have both worked on cruise ships, you learn to work with different cultures and people.

To be honest, I have never in my life seen any work harder than Filipinos. We can not compare with them. They have it very bad in their country, and they leave their entire family at home for 6-8 months and only have a 2month holiday in which to see them. They do that because of the exchange rate.

I understand that maybe some people don't like certain cultures, fro whatever reason. I don't like americans, because they are lazy and load and obnoxious, but one of my best friends is american.

We get so much racism going both sides in south africa, and I admit to being guilty of it myself. But I want to live somewhere where rasism is not an issue, for me or towards me. That will be my own personal utopia.

[lemoen]

Al wat ek nie van Aus hou nie is die Asian Invasion......

My wife is of Chinese heritage, even though she has never set foot in China. She is highly educated, and extremely hardworking. A comment like that of Trudie is highly offensive, and is very hurtful. It borders on racism.

Edited January 21, 2009 by fires

[JacquesV]

Hillbilly is a term referring to people who dwell in remote, rural, mountainous areas of the United States, primarily Appalachia and the Ozarks. Due to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory, and so is usually offensive to those Americans of Ozarkan and Appalachian heritage. However, the term is also used in celebration of their culture by mountain people themselves. Such co-opting and neutralizing use is almost exclusively reserved for Appalachian people themselves.

The term bogan (pronounced /ˈboʊgən/, rhyming with slogan) is Australian and New Zealand English slang, usually pejorative or self-deprecating, for a person who is, or is perceived to be, of a lower-class background. According to the stereotype, the speech and mannerisms of "bogans" indicate, poor education, cheap clothing and uncultured upbringing. 'Bogans' usually reside in economically disadvantaged suburbs (often outer metropolitan) or rural areas[1].

The term is a close regional equivalent to the English term Chav or Pikey, Scottish term Ned, Irish term Scanger or Spide and the North American terms White Trash and Hillbilly.

Again sourced at wikepedia

Or in SA terms: "He's from Danville" or "lekka tapit"

[ZLeigh]

haha, of "kommin"!

[AReyeP]

I hear some people in earlier posts referring to Australia's "stone age technology". This puzzles me! I've been living in SA for almost 3 years and I have to wonder, where in blazes is Aus behind SA in technology? I work in Sandton which is supposed to be the business centre, so I expect technology here would be as good as anywhere else in SA ... maybe the potholes and non working traffic lights have clouded my vision As far as computer/communications technology is concerned, I recall Aus being streets ahead - internet wise for example I used to get 40 gig a month for less than I pay here for a lousy 3 gig. My sister in Melbourne now has ADSL2 and pays less than I do.

Anyway, back on topic. The main problem with Aus? Some have already mentioned it, and I reckon it's poor discipline of youth. I notice the same's starting to happen over here in SA now that this "revolutionary" ANC government has let everything slip into chaos. The article I paste below is from the Melbourne Herald Sun - it was written after an assault against a very well known and well respected Aussie Rules icon. I think it sums up our worst problems to a tee.

Traditional values being stomped on

John Hamilton

January 03, 2009 12:00am

[PhillipJ]

Coert,

Sounds like you want to like in Utopia of a " boere staat"!!!!

1) I reckon that the same amount of South Africans attend church.....

2) Settling in takes 1000 days.....

3) All I can say is Thank the Lord that the laws are strict, that is why this country is governable and that we can live like law abiding citizens

4) SA has a huge drug problem as well ,the Nigerian connection has made sure of that..if fact drugs are a world wide problem. Most SouthAfricas have

experimented with "dagga" , perhaps they just dont admit to it. Have you seen how many SAFFERS are in prison at the Bangkok Hilkton and Bali, Australia and most recently in the UK.......for drug smuggeling!!!

5) All I can say is Helleluhja, that the Mevrou Doctors are being taken down a peg or 2 and being show what the real world is all about. And those peopel in Executive positions....they are small fish in a big pond here.....work your way to the top ...just be prepared and realise you cant walk into the same job and have the same position

6) Most first world countries have a refugee program, Australia get less than 3 % of those refugees. Me personally I dont want my kids growing up with the hes rejudices that I had to grow up with. because I am white does not make me any better that an Asian/Indian or Black....I dont want a Eugene Terblances boere staat.

SG

Hi Sandgroper

Could not agree more!!

I also think SA has a much bigger problem with drugs. I don't mean this to become a debate but hear things from family and the regular police raids on schools (even upper class schools).

I read this morning that a WHOLE SAA crew has been arrested in London for drugs!!

Read the story at http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,2831...5014090,00.html

PhillipJ

[Cyberdeth]

You know. I find it ironic that people in their current situation of living in fear, and knowing that Australia is a better place, still has to ask "What's wrong with Australia". Guys I'm going to put it bluntly.

1. No country is perfect.

2 You are leaving your country for a better life.

3. If you ask this question, then obviously you aren't prepared to change for a better life.

4. You are so used to a country where rules, regulations and laws are merely rules to break and actually thinking of going to another country where you have to actually live by the rules, regulations and laws are there for your benefit and where everybody lives by those rules because they know they will have a better life if they do!!!

5. If in Rome do as the Romans.

6. You are too used to not trusting people, I'm one of them. I don't trust anything or anyone but in a different country, as in Australia, they live by a trust system. They trust that you won't make any trouble, thus there are no trouble.

7. Too many other things to mention.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that no country is perfect, every country has their problems, but are you willing to sacrifice freedom and trust for death ? Is problems like grafiti, bad service, the occasional death really that big a deal that it would scare you off from living in a country where you don't have burglar bars in front of your windows, you don't have electric fencing or even a fence!!!, or actually have to stand in an organised queue to wait for service!!!

My 2c, you can crucify me for these comments. Do as you will, but rather look in the positives of the country, not the negatives. At the end of the day, even though I was born in this country, I love this country, the problem is, this country doesn't want me here and for that reason, I think the positives of a western country outway the negatives.

That's all I'm saying. You have the right to disagree. I will not stop you.

[zorba]

When have you last seen a youngster give up a seat on a train or tram for a senior?

Hi, this caught my eye...

Last year we were travelling on a bus in Perth, it was around lunch time and the bus was pretty full.

My teen son stood up for a lady as she got on the bus and offered for her to sit down. Well, blow me down if she didn't turn on him and say "do I look cripple or something?"

He was SO embarassed as everyone turned to look. But let me tell you, I was the PROUDEST Mom in the world!

There ARE still lots of young people with manners, and we need to encourage them to maintain this good behaviour and take responsibility for those within our own social circles.

I personally have no qualms in correcting rude/naughty children if they misbehave or forget their manners in my home (if the parents don't bother to discipline them). My space, my rules!

[Emille]

Whats wrong in Australia are the following (my opinion);

- the medical system is far worse than our private system in SA (I have to wait 6 months to see a specialist in Rockhampton- and I have private health!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

- Telstra is just as bad, or worse than Telkom - I hear Centrelink is also useless

- A lot of people are 'common'

- its expensive and you earn relatively little (on average)

- the distances (if you dont have a access to an airport)

- for immigrants- being far from their family in SA

- for immigrants, having to leave your animals in SA or bring them over for a fortune and 7 months quarantine

- having to start over in your job

But the positives are much much more

[Happy2Bhere]

mense vra vrae en soek eerlike antwoorde... maar sjoe mense is darem sensitief....