Random questions - SA vs Australia

[greggle]

The following are totally random thoughts that I ponder in bed at night when working through the million and one things that I have to do before I step on the plane to Sydney in Sept. I was wondering if anyone could perhaps fill in the "..." so that I can at least try and appear as if I am a local when we land in Sept:

• In South Africa you receive an IT3B at the end of the tax year indicating the interest and dividends earned. In Australia they issue a ...?
• In South Africa you receive an IRP5 at the end of the financial year from your employer detailing all related incomes, deductions and related taxes. In Australia they issue a ...?
• In South Africa companies offer between 15 - 20 days leave a year, depending on company, role and level. In Australia they generally offer ...?
• In South Africa they call them Debit Orders / Stop Orders where money is automatically deducted from your bank account monthly for payments. In Australia they are called a ...?
• In South Africa they have TV Licenses. In Australia they have ...?
• In South Africa they have FICA (Financial Intelligence Centre Act). In Australia they have ...?
• In South Africa they have RICA (Regulation of Interception of Communications). In Australia they have ...?
• In South Africa you pay council rates, water, sewerage and electricity every month for your property. In Australia the standard monthly costs for a property owner are ...?
• In South Africa, when you sell your property the seller has to provide a beetle, water, electricity, gas and electric fence (where appropriate) certificate - there is no obligations from the purchasers side. In Australia, ...?
• In South Africa you have to have a road-worthy certificate in order to register a new car. In Australia you need ...?
• In South Africa you need to purchase / renew a motor vehicle license every year. In Australia you need ...?
• In South Africa (Cape Town) you don't need to get a dog license but you do need to register the number of dogs that you own. In Australia, to own a dog you need to ...?

That's all I can think of for now. Thanks in advance.

(Have a random question? Feel free to use this thread to add any that you may have)

[RYLC]

The following are totally random thoughts that I ponder in bed at night when working through the million and one things that I have to do before I step on the plane to Sydney in Sept. I was wondering if anyone could perhaps fill in the "..." so that I can at least try and appear as if I am a local when we land in Sept:

• In South Africa you receive an IT3B at the end of the tax year indicating the interest and dividends earned. In Australia they issue a ...?
• extra box on the bottom of your bank statement with the amounts for interest. Dividend statement from share registry. All lodged electronically with the tax office for when you do your tax.
• In South Africa you receive an IRP5 at the end of the financial year from your employer detailing all related incomes, deductions and related taxes. In Australia they issue a ...?
• Used to be called a Group Certificate (and sometimes still is) but officially it's a Payment Summmary
• In South Africa companies offer between 15 - 20 days leave a year, depending on company, role and level. In Australia they generally offer ...?
• 20 days annual leave and 10 days personal/carer leave (sick leave)
• In South Africa they call them Debit Orders / Stop Orders where money is automatically deducted from your bank account monthly for payments. In Australia they are called a ...?
• Direct Debit
• In South Africa they have TV Licenses. In Australia they have ...?
• Nothing - woohoo!!
• In South Africa they have FICA (Financial Intelligence Centre Act). In Australia they have ...?
• In South Africa they have RICA (Regulation of Interception of Communications). In Australia they have ...?
• In South Africa you pay council rates, water, sewerage and electricity every month for your property. In Australia the standard monthly costs for a property owner are ...?
• Too varied to answer as part of the charge is based on the value of your property. Most bills come quarterly although you can pay weekly / fortnightly / monthly or quarterly. Some councils issue monthly bills. Water and sewerage are on the same bill and then seperate ones for council rates and electricyt - so 3 in all.
• In South Africa, when you sell your property the seller has to provide a beetle, water, electricity, gas and electric fence (where appropriate) certificate - there is no obligations from the purchasers side. In Australia, ...?
• In South Africa you have to have a road-worthy certificate in order to register a new car. In Australia you need ...?
• Every state is different so you'll need to find out from the relevant state government department
• In South Africa you need to purchase / renew a motor vehicle license every year. In Australia you need ...?
• Yes car rego every year (see how I used the lingo there
• In South Africa (Cape Town) you don't need to get a dog license but you do need to register the number of dogs that you own. In Australia, to own a dog you need to ...?
• Varies from state to state (and also council to council) - so you'll have to google the state you are going to.

That's all I can think of for now. Thanks in advance.

(Have a random question? Feel free to use this thread to add any that you may have)

One thing that takes most people by surprise is how separately each state is run. The laws and rules differ wildly by state and many questions do not have a straight answer.

We think of Australia as being similar to RSA in that it it one country. Whereas it is more like the USA - many states - all vastly different - but under the umbrella of "Federal System"

Edited July 9, 2015 by RYLC

[monsta]

I will bet when you get your first payment summary you will have forgotten what it's for

[Eva]

We need a dog license in Toowoomba, Qld - so assume the whole of Qld is the same and not each council making up their own rules - and there is a limit to the number of dogs you are allowed. Prices differ for male / female and de-sexed or not. So we have a male de-sexed dog and it costs us $30 - if they have been to obedience school it is cheaper still. And cats don't need to be licensed - cos they own the world!

When you buy a property here you can choose to pay for a whole selection of checks to be run, if there is anything that is 'wrong' you can get out of the sale of the property or negotiate with the owner to sort it out or adjust the cost. You don't have to have an electrical certificate etc like you do in RSA when you sell, the onus falls on the buyer to check it all out at their own expense.

No TV license in Australia and WAY better free to air tv!!!

In Qld cars need to have a roadworthy certificate to be registered - some sellers offer vehicles with roadworthy certificates or RWC and others not. When you sell a car and get the RWC it only lasts for a month (I think, maybe 21 days) before it expires and you then have to pay to have it checked again, which is why lots of people sell without. Then the onus is on you to get it checked and cleared and re-registered. And Rego as they call your registration here is flippen expensive! Cars with different cylinders have different prices - getting more expensive the bigger the cylinders...

End of financial year you get a PAYG Summary that looks just like my payslip but comes in a blue envelope

Bonus Info:

And here when you get a new credit card it just arrives in your postbox

[Sunnyskies]

One weird thing when buying a property is that water transfer is done by the conveyacer but buyer and seller will each cancel or put in place electticity and gas accounts. Most importantly get your account established/cancelled to start / stop running on the date of settlement or else you will be paying someone else's bill.

[RYLC]

We need a dog license in Toowoomba, Qld - so assume the whole of Qld is the same and not each council making up their own rules - and there is a limit to the number of dogs you are allowed.

Don't assume because it is definitely council by council (we have lived all over Australia). The fee and number of dogs is set by council.

The fact that many councils may have the same rules is just a coincidences. We have had properties in three different council areas in Brisbane and there are definitely differences with rules.

Also some states limit the number of cats you can have so each state (and possibly council) is different. People can get a general idea but must research the state and council they end up in.

Edited July 12, 2015 by RYLC

[elleneo]

In nsw and vic the seller provides "contract" or sec 32 vendors statement ( in vic) which describes the property ( like servitudes,etc) that any normal person would be aware of. So it's not as voetstoots as it is in SA. Have a Google, it's quite interesting and it's a good thing to know before you buy.

Edited July 12, 2015 by elleneo

[Rangerbob]

Hi There

Just come back "online" to the forum after a year away - reasons will come through over next few weeks and posts.

Word of caution - If you are renting and move to another rental and stay with the same service provider (YES, you can choose who provides your electricity and gas here !! How cool is that) then PLEASE remember to cancel the first account with them !!!! We moved and transferred accounts to new address only to receive bills three months later for old address and on enquiring were told that we had to cancel old residence account _ EISH !!! Needless to say, our enquiry was answered quickly, intelligently and the account has been cleared after I expressed concern that no where was it stated as such and that I had a problem with this......

Everything gets posted here - even your wine order and dog food. They drop it at your front door (or back door, or porch or somewhere else you specify) or in your post box and it is there when you get home. That is one of the best things about living here. Even large deliveries of decking timber can be delivered onto the edge of a 6 lane road and left there for a week or two until the tradesmen work with it and No body takes it - it is not theirs so they dont.

You can also furnish a home with "reasonable" items just by driving around the suburbs on council collection days. People throw TV's, Fridges, Oven, Microwaves, Cupboards, Beds, Mattresses, Lounge suites, etc etc away and if they book with their local council then they get a free pick up and disposal service on a predetermined day. Most people put things out a day or two before so that if there is anything that others want it goes before council gets there. The guy up the road put things out three days ago and it is all gone - kids painted bedroom cupboards. Great form of recycling.

This is in NSW - Sydney by the way.

Your dogs - Aussies are not big dog lovers like those in SA - here dogs are pets - not early warning systems and are not a security measure. Kids are less dog savvy (with have two kids over now playing with our daughter and the dogs are sitting in the office with me as the friends freek out when the dogs come near them). Dogs must be on leads at all times and only let run free in leash free zones. Staffies - my favourite, make people very nervous here - saw so many of them in Melbourne but they have more of a stigma attached here. Dogs MUST be registered and on the local council register - if they are desexed ( think $450 each)it is a whole bunch cheaper to register them. Dogs must have ID chips and tags are good. Our dogs sometime find an escape route under the fence and people ALWAYS phone and politely say they have found your dogs and have returned them to your home - and plugged the hole under the fence - WTH !!!!

Dogs must have all vaccinations and regularly get tick, flea and heart worm treatment - ticks are a big problem here as is heart worm.

Having said this, those that have dogs LOOOOOOVE them madly.

When you walk your dog you HAVE to take these little blue bags with you attached to the leads - if the dog poops you HAVE to pick it up and carry the prize with you until you get home and put it in YOUR bin !! And you can bet your dog learns that this is a great game and only poops on a walk and not at home.

They have great dog parks here and so many open forests - check which ones you can go to and have a ball.

So many things that are mandatory yet there for a perfectly good reason and trust many when you need to register something it happens super fast and there is always someone who is happy to help if needs be.

Happy adventures

Jonno