what don't you like about Aus?

[Bronwyn&Co]

I don't care much for the clothing lines. Im no fashionista but I loved the trendy and hip clothing lines from Truworths. I have tried to shop for work clothes today and I really tried, from cheap at Target to expensive at Myer and I could not find any blouses or shirts that I liked. The colours to my eye are old and bland. I wish someone could open a Truworths!

Yeah the clothes are beyond lelik! Especially in Harris Scarfe. Seriously, who is responsible for their purchasing? Good Lord!!!

[RYLC]

Crisplet? Are you in Canberra?

No Toitjie. I'm in Adelaide (previously Brisbane).

[shannonc4]

Now that we are here, I can contribute to this conversation

Sydney's water sucks! It has a terrible taste

[HansaPlease]

Yeah the clothes are beyond lelik! Especially in Harris Scarfe. Seriously, who is responsible for their purchasing? Good Lord!!!

If I'm not mistaken, Harris Scarfe is a bit of a discount outlet - I think their buyers just buy whatever comes up at a cheap price. I'd be interested to actually know how they operate, but that's my feeling based on what I've seen in their ranges.

[Johnno]

I don't care much for the clothing lines. Im no fashionista but I loved the trendy and hip clothing lines from Truworths. I have tried to shop for work clothes today and I really tried, from cheap at Target to expensive at Myer and I could not find any blouses or shirts that I liked. The colours to my eye are old and bland. I wish someone could open a Truworths!

Toitjie,you looking at the wrong shops, there's plenty fashionable woman's clothing....

lol I got the 2 chocolates option today. Got 2 Mars bars and saved 8 cents a liter. worked out that the choclates cost me 55 cents extra. Although by saying I got the chocolates, I mean my kids got them and every time we drive past the petrol station my kids ask if I need fuel.

LOL, I've never done the sums, I just do not like being forced in to buying things I don't want or need. But yes, I've often considered the chocs and even been guilty of falling to the temptation.

[Bronwyn&Co]

No Toitjie. I'm in Adelaide (previously Brisbane).

Crisplet I was just wondering how long you've been in Adelaide & if you prefer it there? We did the opposite move, Adl to Bne

[Johnno]

On the subject of hooning. It would seem that I'm really not the most unlucky bloke in the whole of Australia. Here entire streets in certain neigbourhoods are getting together to fight this issue.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/video/watch/23455810/war-on-hoons/

[RYLC]

Crisplet I was just wondering how long you've been in Adelaide & if you prefer it there? We did the opposite move, Adl to Bne

Hi Bronwyn

I liked Brisbane well enough at first because it is very similar to Durban and I had lived there for 10 years. I would complain about the heat every year but it was only when I had my boys that the heat became an issue. The youngest wasn't allowed in the sun for his first year of life (medical issue) and the eldest would burn his feet on the concrete every time we went outside. They found the heat unbearable and we spent so much time inside that we may as well have lived in the UK. Having grown up in the Natal Midlands I also really missed having seasons with Autumn leaves etc.

We weren't planning on moving but the in laws moved to Goolwa because it is the same lattitude as Knysna where they are from and as oldies they couldn't cope with the heat of Brisbane. Since we have the only grandchildren we decided to move to Adelaide. It really is the best kept secret in Australia (and also maybe Canberra). We just love it and feel so at home. Of all the cities in Australia that we have lived in, this one feels most like Natal midlands to us. It can get hot but very rarely for more than a couple of days and because there is no humidity the heat doesn't follow you inside and make your eye balls sweat like it does in Brisbane.

Also the community support in Adelaide compared to Brisbane is AWESOME!! When we got here I had to book my eldest into childcare in preparation for kindy which started a year earlier than Queensland at the time. The childcare had a Community Development Officer employed there whose sole job was to help families integrate into the community. She kept ringing to ask if there was anything she could do for me and I kept saying that I couldn't think of anything but was just gobsmacked that she even asked! We didn't find this sort of assistance in Brisbane (and believe me I looked). The best I could find was play group which was very cliquey - I tried quite a few in my time and would drive home in tears each week. In contrast, here in Adelaide I was included in a way I never experienced in Brisbane. Lots of oldies volunteer in the community here too and that seems to make all the difference. They have the time to chat.

Having said all that, I don't dislike Brisbane - it's just that Adelaide has given us what we needed at the stage we are at in the life cycle right now. I love how accessible everything is and we have more of a life here than we did in Brisbane because we find the humidity too much.

Edited to add: We spent 7 years in Brisbane and have been in Adelaide for 7 years too.

So which one do you prefer?

Edited May 12, 2014 by Crisplet

[Mikej]

On the subject of hooning. It would seem that I'm really not the most unlucky bloke in the whole of Australia. Here entire streets in certain neigbourhoods are getting together to fight this issue.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/video/watch/23455810/war-on-hoons/

The definition of an obsessive fanatic has two parts:

they will never accept they are wrong and they will never allow a change in topic.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Mikej

[Johnno]

The definition of an obsessive fanatic has two parts:

they will never accept they are wrong and they will never allow a change in topic.

Mikej since you're a self styled expert, what's the definition for someone who ignores reality, does not follow news reports and simply denies that anything can be or is wrong?

edit: PS! If you cannot contribute anything to the thread,why do you even bother? The thread is clearly about things you do not like about Aus, not denying the obvious things that you do not want to believe happens!

PS! Have they caught that bloke who sexually assaulted the women walking on the beach in Albany a few weeks ago?

Edited May 13, 2014 by Johnno

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Ostrich?

[Johnno]

Ostrich?

Thanks HadEnoughof Juju but I'm trying to see if Mikej can figure this one out

[Bronwyn&Co]

Hi Bronwyn

I liked Brisbane well enough at first because it is very similar to Durban and I had lived there for 10 years. I would complain about the heat every year but it was only when I had my boys that the heat became an issue. The youngest wasn't allowed in the sun for his first year of life (medical issue) and the eldest would burn his feet on the concrete every time we went outside. They found the heat unbearable and we spent so much time inside that we may as well have lived in the UK. Having grown up in the Natal Midlands I also really missed having seasons with Autumn leaves etc.

We weren't planning on moving but the in laws moved to Goolwa because it is the same lattitude as Knysna where they are from and as oldies they couldn't cope with the heat of Brisbane. Since we have the only grandchildren we decided to move to Adelaide. It really is the best kept secret in Australia (and also maybe Canberra). We just love it and feel so at home. Of all the cities in Australia that we have lived in, this one feels most like Natal midlands to us. It can get hot but very rarely for more than a couple of days and because there is no humidity the heat doesn't follow you inside and make your eye balls sweat like it does in Brisbane.

Also the community support in Adelaide compared to Brisbane is AWESOME!! When we got here I had to book my eldest into childcare in preparation for kindy which started a year earlier than Queensland at the time. The childcare had a Community Development Officer employed there whose sole job was to help families integrate into the community. She kept ringing to ask if there was anything she could do for me and I kept saying that I couldn't think of anything but was just gobsmacked that she even asked! We didn't find this sort of assistance in Brisbane (and believe me I looked). The best I could find was play group which was very cliquey - I tried quite a few in my time and would drive home in tears each week. In contrast, here in Adelaide I was included in a way I never experienced in Brisbane. Lots of oldies volunteer in the community here too and that seems to make all the difference. They have the time to chat.

Having said all that, I don't dislike Brisbane - it's just that Adelaide has given us what we needed at the stage we are at in the life cycle right now. I love how accessible everything is and we have more of a life here than we did in Brisbane because we find the humidity too much.

Edited to add: We spent 7 years in Brisbane and have been in Adelaide for 7 years too.

So which one do you prefer?

Hey Crisplet - Well I hear you about the Bne humidity. I did underestimate it. But on balance I handle heat a lot better than cold. My kids, not so much.

I prefer Brisbane, but now that we've had a few years away from Adl I can appreciate it's good points a bit more.

I think the restaurants are much better in Adelaide. I loved the Fringe, we had good friends in Adl. I just felt really claustrophibic & started to dislike the place. The city is way too small for me (note- I cried about moving to Pretoria once, I'm a big-city girl). I felt like I was literally hemmed in by mountains & sea - to get out you have to fly. I swear every day I lived in a panic attack. All the old people drove me mad too, sorry!

Brisbane, at least we can drive to the GC or Noosa, or fly to Vanuatu or Fiji or Singapore.

I know it's also a bit small, but at least we have options less than 7 hrs drive away...

Also I got sick of bumping into the same faces every weekend in Adelaide's 2 malls. Seriously. Geez. I was dying, tbh.

I think the whole move was a massive culture shock for me & I blamed all the 'strangeness' on Adl when in fact it was the whole country was 'different'. Now I think Adl is very Australian & Bne a bit more worldly, but it's probably just me getting used to things (almost 4 yrs in each).

Different strokes for different folks I guess

[RYLC]

Hi Bronwyn

Yes I agree about the culture shock. Isn' it funny how the cities are too small for you because of your preferences and they can be too big for me because I grew up in a really small town.

I sometimes wish we had some more labels under our profile pic to say which visa we came on, whether we are small town or city etc because now that I'm starting to get to know people's stories on here, their replies have a context that I can take into account.

For instance those who came on a 457 and are Afrikaans coming from a small Afrikaans community will have a completely different take on a situation to somebody who came on PR via some other international expat work situation and is English speaking. The more I read, the more I realise that context is everything

[Bronwyn&Co]

True. We came on a business visa and it took almost 5 years from application, to get PR. Over 6 years for Citizenship

[Johnno]

Anti social behaviour driven by drunken louts is another thing that I do not like about Australia. The impact that this type of behaviour is having on society is highlighted by a survey carried out by law firm Slater and Gordon. Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/slater-and-gordon-finds-drunken-violence-scares-australians-away-from-precincts/story-fnhocxo3-1226922426369

[Jill]

Don't like the fact that you have to pay for finger prints, or police clearance. I had to get a police check for working with the Elderly, just a name check, $51...ridiculous..what do our taxes pay for?

[Johnno]

Don't like the fact that you have to pay for finger prints, or police clearance. I had to get a police check for working with the Elderly, just a name check, $51...ridiculous..what do our taxes pay for?

this is what our taxes pay for...

[Bronwyn&Co]

Wow! I think that dad is not too sharp, and I feel sorry for the kids. They don't have any role models (although they seem happy). Those girls will probably have a few babies now, to increase their benefits If any one of us was born into that family, we'd probably be exactly the same.

[Johnno]

Wow! I think that dad is not too sharp, and I feel sorry for the kids. They don't have any role models (although they seem happy). Those girls will probably have a few babies now, to increase their benefits If any one of us was born into that family, we'd probably be exactly the same.

Unfortunately whilst social benefits keep getting handed out to the likes of these families, it's an endless cycle and a downward spiral, a self perpetuating culture of entitlement one generation after the next...the government must provide! When government stands up to curbing the billions of dollars being handed out to these people, the public want to keel haul the Prime Minister. I feel sorry for Tony Abbott, he's doing a thankless and very unpopular yet VERY necessary job with this budget!

[AndreaL]

Unfortunately whilst social benefits keep getting handed out to the likes of these families, it's an endless cycle and a downward spiral, a self perpetuating culture of entitlement one generation after the next...the government must provide! When government stands up to curbing the billions of dollars being handed out to these people, the public want to keel haul the Prime Minister. I feel sorry for Tony Abbott, he's doing a thankless and very unpopular yet VERY necessary job with this budget!

Have you ever been unemployed here? Let me tell you, money isn't just handed out, and when you do eventually get money, it isn't very much. Today I have to phone report to Centrelink, I'll let you know how that goes, and next week I have to go to an employment services meeting where we will formulate my job seeker plan, sign a contract and I will have to prove what efforts I am making at looking for a job, whilst trying to study and prepare for exams, look after a sick hubby and pay the bills etc.

I know there are entire bludging families, but taking benefits away will not help, and in poor socio-economic areas like those people live in, will just proliferate crime and drug usage.

I work(volunteer) with people like that, some of them have very little education and have no financial management skills, many can't cook, having grown up on takeaways..................a lot of it is to do with education and empowerment.

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to see someone get back on her feet, find a job, perhaps be re-united with children that have been removed from the family...................you have to look beyond what you see in those people and ask why?

Yes, there are some for which no help will make a difference, but for many it does. I work extensively with victims of domestic violence, often when these women gain the strength to leave their situation, they have to flee with nothing..............it is they who will suffer if Tony's cuts go through.

They aren't just cuts to welfare, but cuts to essential services like youth, homelessness and so on, these are very real problems in society, and cutting them off will not solve the problem, but will only create greater problems.

I have no time for a man that insists in wasting billions on a trumped up sovereign borders operation and on stupid fighter jets that won't be built for 6 years, when people ( flesh and blood beings) are struggling to live.........................and I know that these people are still better off than the poorest of the poor in South Africa, but an attitude of " I'm O.K. sod you and the other millions of poor" is hardly a decent way to be.

Why not go out and do something that may help just one person, or 2, or 6.

I'm doing it tough a the moment and am still out there volunteering...................not having a go at you Johnno, but we should try and not judge and instead ask, " why is it this way", "what can I do to afford change", "what can the community do, society do".

I'm sick of the LNP lies about the deficit, and the misinformation constantly fed to the public..............rant over

[Johnno]

Yes, and to think some people call it "the lucky country" but scratch the surface and it can get rather ugly. I admire people who give up their time for volunteer work but I work a full week (I run a business, not a charity) so my time is pretty much accounted for. On the weekends I mow my lawn, wash my car and work in my garden whist still making sure that I have time for my family. Unfortunately I did not get around to repairing and painting the gutters before winter arrived, I simply ran out of time. Last night with my head torch on I cleaned the pool after I got home from work at 7:30pm. If I could employ casual labour to help me around the house I could probably save a lot of time, time better spent volunteering somewhere but unfortunately I cannot find anyone who is willing work for a few bucks. Even in business where we need to employ a cleaner, gardener or general "hand-langer" it's not affordable because our greatest competitor is the social welfare handouts and then the minimum wages, onerous employee benefits and not to mention the trouble you have just getting these people to pitch 5 days a week puts it into the too hard basket. As a result they claim that they "cannot get a job" so they run to Centrelink and hold out their hands.

I was chatting to a friend of mine who a few years ago was rolling in money. He's an ex Saffa and was working in a very senior position in the iron ore mining industry here in WA. He lost his job and despite his best efforts he could get nothing remotely close to what he had and really hit struggle street. He's now secured FIFO work offshore which is demanding on his family as he's away most of the time. In his own words "Aus is great if you're doing well but pretty crappy when the tables turn".

I'm not having a go at you Andrea, your situation sounds very genuine and I take my hat off to you for what you're doing but unfortunately MANY are out there rorting the system and that makes it difficult for genuine cases like yours to be heard and dealt with as everyone trying to claim support is viewed by the system as "suspicious". Hopefully you guys get sorted out and your hubby can return to work sooner than later.

Edited May 20, 2014 by Johnno

[chzaau]

Look one can compare all of the good and bad about Australia and then all of the good and bad about South Africa or any other country. In the end the answer is that it will be a zero sum game. For every bad you find in Oz, you'll find a bad in South Africa etc.

However maybe consider the opportunities instead. Does Australia provide more opportunities for you then South Africa or the other way round. Where ever you feel you will get the best opportunities is where you need to consider putting yourself.

What I will say is that giving the current landscape in South Africa, the country is heading for a serious economic challenge, there as just way to many people without work and something is going to give just now and I do not think it is going to be pretty. The trigger which has been tripped is the Platinum mine strike, I am not able to see how any good will come out of this, it just to far gone now.

[HansaPlease]

Whilst it may be true that "Aus is great when you're doing well but it can be pretty crappy when the tables turn" - I can't really think of a place in the world where this does not apply.

[Johnno]

Whilst it may be true that "Aus is great when you're doing well but it can be pretty crappy when the tables turn" - I can't really think of a place in the world where this does not apply.

True, except if you have no family and old friends to fall back on for support. If the tables had to turn on me, I'd want to be around people who genuinely cared and were there to support in all ways possible.