Tab Posted June 16, 2018 Report Share Posted June 16, 2018 I enjoy reading the posts on here immensely but I can't help but feel there is a real sense of negativity and doom and gloom particularly towards newbies who are excited to try for a new life. My background is I have been coming back and forth to Australia since 1986. I spent over 10 years working I the Kimberley and pilbara as a nurse and midwife . I am a dual citizen. i was recently back in Oz for 3 weeks at Easter. What surprised me the most is how reasonably prìced most things were and how clean and even though there is a downturn in the economy most of my friends still live lifestyles we only dream of I'm the UK I do womder how many of those doom and gloomers realise how much poverty and deprivation there now is in parts of the uk. It is noticeable on every high street corner. What I hardly saw while on Perth was the sheer numbers of down and out people we are seeing here Our employment might be at a high level but a lot of these people are on subsistence wages my friend teenage children all had part time jobs some of them earning as much as I do as a midwife per hour. Public transport was a third of the price days out we're much more affordable a trip to perth zoo was less than half we would pay at our local zoo .Food prices were comparable and overall I found eating out cheaper House prices are still over inflated in perth for me còmimg from the north west of England selling two houses I can still not afford to buy over there. However regardless of house prices I still feel West Australia offers me and my children a better standard of living. less fear of terrorism and violence and a lifestyle that is very difficult in the UK without being incredibly rich I truly believe for people with grit determi.atiom and a strong work ethic Perth still has lots to offer. Please be gentle on the newbies . Foo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verystormy Posted June 17, 2018 Report Share Posted June 17, 2018 I don't think it is doom and gloom. But it is realistic and maybe your view of the U.K. is overly doom and gloom. We moved back to the UK in 2016 and would say our life is at least as good back in the UK as it was in Oz. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegg Posted June 17, 2018 Report Share Posted June 17, 2018 since returning from Perth ... its taught us that "its just life" and to really explore every oportunity ! We found things werent right in our 12 month stint for us ....... A big error for us was constantly comparing to the UK - Although one thing the UK does have going for it is long hours in the summer staying light until 10.30 .... bliss. But Perth had the ocean ..... that unbelievable ocean, so warm and so so perfect. Not sure what im trying to say , but for us - where thinking of heading back around January , Ok there might be a lul in jobs ...... But im positive the UK boom is going to be short . ............. Life is what matters , memories ! some of the best days in my life where simply spent on mullaloo beach with only enough money for a flat white! Anyhow good look , follow your heart and not your head ...... and enjoy every single moment x 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOL Posted June 18, 2018 Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 It is doom and gloom at the moment... oh wait, they call it winter and it should be okay again in about 3 months Other than that, we don't notice any big downturn. I have some ozzy companies as clients. Mining client who is doing ridiculously well, a builder who is struggling, it's all part of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warnbro Posted June 18, 2018 Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 On 17/06/2018 at 05:04, verystormy said: I don't think it is doom and gloom. But it is realistic and maybe your view of the U.K. is overly doom and gloom. We moved back to the UK in 2016 and would say our life is at least as good back in the UK as it was in Oz. It very much depends on what trade you are in. People in mining construction services did very well up until early 2015. Big money was made and if people were sensible, they would have squirreled a bit of that away. I'd say the downturn has hit those who didn't plan ahead the hardest. I know quite few people who earned big and spent bigger who are now suffering. I have one friend who went on a grand 6 week world tour in 2013 which cost him and his wife over $100k. She paid someone to do the housework and the ironing and they were always popping off for luxury mini breaks in places like Margaret River on his week off. He's was laid off once the job he was working on finished, and now he's earning around $70k a year managing a shop. Now $70k a year is not bad for a couple with no kids, hardly poverty. But they are in dire straights. They have a pretty big mortgage on their house and can't downsize because the house isn't worth as much as they paid for it. The fact is, if they'd been a bit sensible, they could have been mortgage and debt free before he was retrenched. Younger people have also suffered a bit as well. Kids were leaving school back in 2012 and walking into low skilled jobs paying $80k a year. Not the case today. Perth has been through the old boom and bust cycle before and no doubt it will happen again. The trick is to recognise when you are in a boom and make some preparations for the bust. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOL Posted June 18, 2018 Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 6 hours ago, Warnbro said: It very much depends on what trade you are in. People in mining construction services did very well up until early 2015. Big money was made and if people were sensible, they would have squirreled a bit of that away. I'd say the downturn has hit those who didn't plan ahead the hardest. I know quite few people who earned big and spent bigger who are now suffering. I have one friend who went on a grand 6 week world tour in 2013 which cost him and his wife over $100k. She paid someone to do the housework and the ironing and they were always popping off for luxury mini breaks in places like Margaret River on his week off. He's was laid off once the job he was working on finished, and now he's earning around $70k a year managing a shop. Now $70k a year is not bad for a couple with no kids, hardly poverty. But they are in dire straights. They have a pretty big mortgage on their house and can't downsize because the house isn't worth as much as they paid for it. The fact is, if they'd been a bit sensible, they could have been mortgage and debt free before he was retrenched. Younger people have also suffered a bit as well. Kids were leaving school back in 2012 and walking into low skilled jobs paying $80k a year. Not the case today. Perth has been through the old boom and bust cycle before and no doubt it will happen again. The trick is to recognise when you are in a boom and make some preparations for the bust. I have a client that offers services rlto mining and they are still growing like crazy. Even in mining there are opportunities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tab Posted June 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2018 Thanks for the replies. I am passionate about Australia and feel my soul belongs there bit hippyish but that's how I feel. I agree very much about the boom and bust scenario. For me work ing on health these things have minimal impact apart from the fact things are cheaper now than during the book time. I've always grafted bloody hard and as a single parent am not one someone who expect everything handed to them. I have an amazing life in the UK however my children find the worry of terrorism the constant rush rush of life here and the almost Victorian levels of authoritarianism in school difficult to handle. A quiet outdoors life suits is all we live very cheaply . Can't wait to get back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 18 hours ago, Tab said: Thanks for the replies. I am passionate about Australia and feel my soul belongs there bit hippyish but that's how I feel. I agree very much about the boom and bust scenario. For me work ing on health these things have minimal impact apart from the fact things are cheaper now than during the book time. I've always grafted bloody hard and as a single parent am not one someone who expect everything handed to them. I have an amazing life in the UK however my children find the worry of terrorism the constant rush rush of life here and the almost Victorian levels of authoritarianism in school difficult to handle. A quiet outdoors life suits is all we live very cheaply . Can't wait to get back I think life is what you make it and for us it's been an excellent move, I don't think I could return to the UK to live. I know my daughter has said (and I've posted previously) that she has been very happy to have had her teenage years in Aus rather than the UK. I'm all for encouraging new migrants to give it a go if they feel they want/need to. I think if people arrive with their eyes wide open (and there's too much information available to have rose coloured specs on) they have a reasonable idea of what they're heading into. For some they'll love it and others will hate it. Good luck with the move back xx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 So much to take away from this thread. I personally do not post doom and gloom, but try to be as realistic as I can be in what I post, especially as we have had some posters here who seem to think the roads are still paved in gold in WA! I have lived here for 27 years and have seen the financial depressions and up times too. Yes the recent mining boom has been and gone, and along with it lots of jobs with big salaries in many areas. I agree that a lot of people during this time perhaps didn't use their money as wisely as they could, and spent it on experiences - but how you spend your money is up to you and no one else, and experiences are life expanding. At grass roots levels in WA, there are jobs. Many jobs are part-time and many are casual, but the jobs are there. Most of these jobs are not advertised online or with agencies, but are word of mouth or just posters in windows of cafes etc. Basically you just need to be prepared to do anything and work for any hours, to just earn money to keep you solvent. Offering to do unpaid "work experience" in a place you would like to work is a good move too. Please do not interpret my post as negative.. I am just trying to help as this is how I made my way. I share my advice and views with everyone and hope it will help. Been there as a single parent, and done that!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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