The Realties of Moving to Australia
Posted by megatrongriffin92@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 102 comments
I'm considering moving from the UK to Australia.
I was wondering what the realities of it really are. I'm worried I have this idealised vision of life in Australia in my head and I want to go into this fully prepared.
What is it actually like moving from the UK to Australia? What are some of the differences and similarities? What is life actually like there? And finally, what are some of the things you wish someone told you before you moved?
I'd be moving under the Employer nomination scheme (subclass 186) as a police for the Queensland Police Service (so if there's anyone on here that has transferred into the QPS or any Australian police force, advice would be greatfuly received).
Ideally I'm looking for answers from UK expats but answers from anyone would be great, especially if you've lived in Queensland.
VeganPete@reddit
Wow people here are really trying hard to show Australia as a dystopian nightmare. And it’s the Brits of all people, who complain for hobbys sake. Relax, you’ll enjoy Australia. An advanced and wealthy society!
Tradtrade@reddit
It’s wealthy on the whole but can you explain how it’s advanced?
jaminbob@reddit
If you want to be scientific about it. The HDI rank is fifth in the whole world. So yes. It's is advanced in many ways. Advanced healthcare, advanced infrastructure, that sort of thing.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index
Rare-Drive1437@reddit
In ur dreams mate..its a boring , isolated toilet
Fun_Design1970@reddit
Married to oz girl, 2 kids.. we moved to Melbourne from England. I hate it here. lts proving impossible to get a job in my industry (I have 15 years experience and was running my own successful buisness in England) have applied to over 75 jobs (most of them way below my actual qualifications) and havent even got one interview. Never struggled making friends in England and l've literally haven't even made one friend since moving. I feel foreigners (especially those with non English sounding names) are second class citizens here. Some jobs proudly advertise (in the actual job description) that they are looking exclusively for Australians. It's a total nightmare. I don't want to be here but being here is the only way to keep my family together. My wife swears that our kids will have a better life here, hence I went along with the move but feel like completely fu**Ed my life in the process.
Rare-Drive1437@reddit
Go back n tell ur wife u can't stay here anymore
Zack_rawlings2004@reddit
Hmm I must say Australia is one of a kind
albumfive@reddit
I'm 30 and moved to Aus from the U.k. six years ago now.
Overall the experience has been.. good. The quality of life in Australia is very high, and I think it would be an amazing place to live your middle years. However, I think it can be a little boring and if I had my time again I'm not sure I would choose to spend my 20s in Australia. I lived in London in the UK and it's pretty incomparable.
Good things about Australia (noting that we live in Melbourne):
The bad things about Australia include:
Overall I haven’t regretted it but I think we will definitely move back to Europe at some point just due to the isolation. I miss my family and friends, British food and European travel of course but mostly it’s been great. You've been given a really cool opportunity which will definitely broaden your perspective on the world. If you don't like it, you can always go home. Happy to answer any questions you have!
Kraken_89@reddit
This is an interesting post, thanks. I have no concrete interest in actually moving to Australia but sometimes I dream about what life would be like outside of the UK (currently in Bristol which is great).
The main drawback to the UK in my mind is the grey weather and ugly cities (lots of rubbish everywhere, lack of green spaces and beaches etc.)
-TheNoName-@reddit
grey skies, ugly cities AND binge drinking!
dylanger_@reddit
This post is legit.
All of these cons are why I moved to Portugal from Australia, 1.5 years in and loving it so far, never coming back to Australia.
TheMassaB@reddit
Can I ask what you do for work in Portugal?
k0zmina@reddit
5-10 years behind Europe?! When Europe is already 10-15 years behind the USA?! Oh hell no.
binkman7111@reddit
As a Canadian I'm dying to hear about the whole scary austrailian spider situation in Melbourne before I make the move, would love your input
Helen62@reddit
As someone who has been here 13 years also from the UK and living in a Melbourne suburb I would pretty much agree with all of this . Also don't underestimate homesickness which I think is very common in expats to Australia. The first year or so you are in a kind of honeymoon period where everything is great and it's all new . Then it kind of kicks in that Australia is soooo far away from everywhere and it's expensive and not easy to travel back home regularly to visit. I personally have only made it back 3 times in 13 years. This is one of the things I struggle with the most especially as my Mum is nearly 90 and I have two grown sons and grandchildren in Europe now too. If it were just me here then I think I would like to move back home for a bit. Definitely agree on the houses here too . We rent and honestly the quality is terrible , freezing in winter and boiling hot in summer. I think a lot of people do have an idealised vision of Australia, even my friends back home still seem to think that I live some kind of perpetual holiday here, which is definitely not the case.
illmasterj@reddit
As an Aussie living in Europe, this definitely works the same way in reverse. Even if you can cover the flight cost with ease, it's still a bloody long way/time/timezone change.
cilllah@reddit
As an Aussie homesick in the US, I needed to read your list of cons lol thank you.
theiaso@reddit
May I ask how you are finding the US?
cilllah@reddit
It’s been a hard adjustment. But I’m in the Midwest which is very different to back home in QLD!
bratislava@reddit
TLDR, please...
crazyabootmycollies@reddit
Pros and cons like anywhere. Overall Australia is overpriced and overhyped. Housing is hard to come by and brutally expensive if not an unsafe dump of a home, but even those cost and arm and a leg. Racism and domestic violence are as prevalent as the gambling and alcoholism. Making friends with locals can be very challenging.
ITVolleybeachbum@reddit
Canada is the same
crazyabootmycollies@reddit
Small population on large landmass with an economy built almost exclusively on mining and mortgages?
bratislava@reddit
AU is huge, do you imply this for the whole continent?
flatsoda666@reddit
I’ve lived in three cities across two states in Australia and travelled extensively around the country. I can say these problems seem to be prevalent wherever you are in aus
megatrongriffin92@reddit (OP)
Thank you for this, it's all definitely food for thought
watermelon_mojito@reddit
As an Aussie who’s been in the UK for close to 6 years, I agree with most of your points… Except that I do get 50% more annual leave in the UK.
The other thing not mentioned here I think is that a lot of Australian jobs have gone back to 5 days in the office, which can mean a rather long commute for many people (I used to spend around 2.5hrs commuting each day when I lived in Oz, now it’s only a 10mins’ walk and even then I only go into the office maybe once a week).
Last-Print9894@reddit
Agree with absolutely everything you’ve said here apart from the weather (?)… also from the UK and having been in Melbourne for the last 5 years, it’s been pretty shocking and not much better than the UK. There’s no way you’re comfortably eating outside 7 months of the year, 2-3 maybe!!
loralailoralai@reddit
Melbourne isn’t exactly the best weather in the country but eating outside 2-3 months of the year? You must be delicate
albumfive@reddit
Haha we have a north facing balcony that absolutely SOAKS up the sun, but I promise we do eat outside pretty much every day from September - May!
Last-Print9894@reddit
Haha fair enough, that must be it! On a side note, as someone who’s currently very seriously debating moving back to the UK, your analysis is spot on/thought provoking! The never ending mental battle between the two…
asteroidbunny@reddit
Very comprehensive and well thought out!!
Professional_Elk_489@reddit
I moved from Melbourne to London and for me I prefer London to Melbourne but Melbourne to the rest of the UK
albumfive@reddit
Interesting, the ThirtyFiveEight source has domestic violence in Australia as a lot lower than the AIHW stats: https://www.aihw.gov.au/family-domestic-and-sexual-violence/resources/fdsv-summary#:\~:text=Physical%20and%2For%20sexual%20family%20and%20domestic%20violence&text=It%20is%20estimated%20that%20of,a%20boyfriend%2C%20girlfriend%20or%20date
FlynnyWynny@reddit
I think a lot of these cons are worded as a critique of Australian culture broadly, but probably have more to say about your own interactions with it rather than anything else. For example, I find it funny that you talk about 'Australian exceptionalism' when that is probably the exact opposite to reality - Aussies have a deeply ingrained cultural cringe where they value culture and experiences from Europe, America and elsewhere far above our own.
Similarly, when you're talking about it being 10 years behind, I don't know if this reflects the reality most people in Australia face. Yes, you probably won't be getting the newest public transport systems (like we've seen with Myki in Melbourne) but to say that one of the most progressive nations in the world socially is somehow 10 years behind on culture and views, I find this quite odd.
And when you're talking about politics, racism, homophobia, domestic violence etc, I'm not sure how this is a specific con of Australia. Lower rates of domestic violence than the UK, France, Italy, higher approval for homosexual relationships, lower rates of hate crimes.
I'm just not sure if a lot of what you've discussed as cons of Australia aren't just cons common to every developed nation. There are absolutely valid critiques of Australia, car-centric culture, bureaucracy, isolation, but how exactly are Australian politics and social views noticably worse than any nation you might consider moving to instead?
herbertwilsonbeats@reddit
it really isn't difficult to seek and connect with Aboriginal people and culture. You missed out on a big chuck of Australian History and culture. Looking past 60,000 years of history, post invasion. Aboriginal people have been significantly influence on Australian history and culture, in sports, music, arts, politics.
Yourmominatotebag@reddit
Well said!
jlegs1990@reddit
Healthcare.. are you serious?
Mission-Ride-4006@reddit
just wondering, did you ever do it?
megatrongriffin92@reddit (OP)
Not yet. I'm still considering it but I had a family thing that meant it wasn't the right time
Mission-Ride-4006@reddit
fair, i’m currently in the process so i’ll let you know what to expect
megatrongriffin92@reddit (OP)
Nice. Transferring for the police as well?
danishdynamite85@reddit
(1/2): There are more and more people in society, on Reddit simply everywhere, who want to fulfil their desire to emigrate. I also took the plunge in 2022 and ended up regretting it bitterly. No, I didn't flee to the Canary Islands with €5,000 and want to open a Kebab stand. I moved to Australia in my early 30s, studied and worked there and gave up a good job and a good life in Denmark (which was my biggest mistake of my life)
I hate Australia and I will tell you why:
Racism:
Indians, Filipinos and Latinos are largely seen by Australia as cheap labour to do the dirty work. This is also often communicated among Australians because Australians outside the tourist spots are also very patriotic.
You wouldn't believe how many swastikas I saw during that time or Australians mocking the Aborigines. But how many of these immigrants hope to have a better life there and therefore leave their homeland, but then drive 8-hour shifts as Uber drivers and then drive another 8 hours as Didi drivers, is not told.
The world of work:
Hire & fire as we know it from the States. I've never seen such a high fluctuation rate. If you work "on contract", you can leave tomorrow if your manager wants you to. "On contract" you earn a bit more money, but you have to take unpaid holiday or sick days on your own. A permanent position doesn't offer any more security either.
Your pension (superannuation) is also taxed here. There are hardly any things like child benefit or sick pay. Social benefits do, but they are much scarcer. Child benefit is only worthwhile if you have a family.
Legal system:
I had a car accident and the police refused to turn up. The person who caused the accident was an Australian. The ambulance said the answer as to why the police wouldn't turn up was clear and typical. In the end, the police did turn up. I was supposed to receive a case number by phone the next day in order to settle the claims with the insurance company. Not to date.
I think the common law as such is just totally rubbish. Precedents, centuries-old cases are simply rubbish. There are simply many things that have no current legal basis at all, but are decided according to case law. Accordingly, simple things cannot be settled with common sense, but rather with the help of a lawyer. In Denmark, almost everyone can manage a bit of the law system, at least when it comes to liability for material defects and contract fulfilment.
Healthcare system:
I had broken my toe. Good doctors are rare if you are reliant on bulk billing. The doctor I went to looked up how broken toes are treated in the paediatric encyclopaedia and the end result was a badly healed fracture. The carer said that the doctor didn't understand the diagnosis. That gives a feeling of "security" (irony).
Two-tier system through and through; bulk billing and private insurance. If you're lucky, the doctor who offers bulk billing speaks English. Bulk billing is basically an even worse form of statutory insurance, which no established Australian citizen has, except the Australian lower class or just foreigners (like me).
danishdynamite85@reddit
(2/2): Food:
Education:
What a joke. Education, especially at uni level is a joke in comparison to European standards. You can contact your professors and ask for a better mark. Classes are recorded, shared online, group work mainly did not work and people relied on the smart ones.
When talking about "smart ones", during my uni time and work with executives, I realized that the smart ones are mainly from Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam or Europe. Not every Australian isn't like this, but I mainly met lazy people who relied on the afore-mentioned.
Society:
Society is mostly messed up for me. LGBTQIA+ dictates on every corner, man-haters wherever you look (at least in Queensland). I'm open-minded, tolerant and have nothing against progress, but that shouldn't turn into hatred towards masculine men. I've been bumped into so many times or given nasty looks.
Everything is "awesome", everyone is your "mate", but as soon as you have problems or feel bad, people just don't listen or wave you off. Simply a society that is largely "easy" and blocks "heavy issues" (see more under psychological problems)
In contrast to the ultra-liberals, there are also the booze-hungry machos. You see loud, antisocial tradies, truckies and miners on every corner. The centre for normal people feels extremely thin.
Little things:
There is no data protection in Australia. Neither does TFA. Data leaks (medibank, Westpac, Vodafone) are almost part of it. All data, including medical history, was leaked by international students. No apology, no consequences or far-reaching information. Nothing.
This attitude towards coffee and Europe. Australians are just an incredibly price-insensitive people. Pay a horrendous amount for any crap. Cappuccino for $6? Normal. Croissants for $8? Normal. Australians display an arrogance on certain topics that I can hardly understand. No, the coffee is by no means better than in Australia. It is shit.
Let's not start with car prices, prices for household items and furniture. It is a rip-off. Same for rental price and rental law. They can do whatever they want.
Hardly anything is done about monopolies either. Warehouse stores or, on the other hand, the big supermarkets. Nobody can tell me that there is no price fixing.
Fuel prices are going up and down without any sense for market scaling. Sometimes, you pay $ 0.30 more in a couple of hours, without any reason. There are no smart market instruments in place.
The island simply has hardly any industry. I also realised this at university when professors were constantly talking about the country's lack of innovation. One even went so far as to say that Australia would be a newly industrialised country without mining. I agree with that.
Drugs/psychological problems:
I read about studies that Australia is on number 3 of drug addiction behind USA and Canada. On number 2 regarding antidepressants and on position 1 of excessive alcohol consumption and blackouts. Well, when a country is that "happy", why is it like that? Figures don't lie.
The people there are much nicer on the surface, perhaps also more relaxed. The upper class is educated, sociable, nice. As long as you socialise in the office, deal with well-educated people, problems are alien to you and you can overlook many things, you have a good life in your bubble. But do not make the mistake and leave the bubble, become sick or need help.
Deep down, however, society is largely without identity, without culture and simply broken, without innovation and without drive. No industry of its own, no aspirations. Nada. As soon as something goes wrong there, you are mercilessly pushed to the bottom of society without warning. I've never seen so many mentally ill, depressed, drug-addicted people. It's very close to the USA. Second place in the antidepressant rate. Australians can't be that "easy".
My summary about a country which almost destroyed my life. And I will never, ever go back there.
tresslessone@reddit
Australia is Expensive with a capital E. Housing in particular is an absolute nightmare.
Tradtrade@reddit
You’ll be deeply surprised and upset at the racism in Australia cause you think it’s a modern multicultural society (Australians will now likely arrive and scream that they aren’t racist it’s just that people of X racial group are bad) Remote here is so much more remote than the uk. It’s hot as fuck but a lot of people rent and there don’t seem to be much in the way of building standards or maintaining standards and landlords don’t seem to care so a lot of people even with decent jobs are in un insulated shitty built houses that are hot all summer and colder inside than they are outside in winter. Never seen double glazing here for example even on posh houses. No central heating that I’ve ever seen but maybe in the colder parts they have it. The free healthcare isn’t actually free like the nhs is at all so don’t get caught off guard by that you still need to have money on hand when you go to the dr to pay then you get some or all of it back but getting all of it back is way more rare now. Also some places pay for ambulances! No one seems to be able to drive in traffic but many own giant American trucks. Meth. Oh my god meth is so common (as are other drugs but there’s not very much cocaine in the cocaine so it doesn’t seem to cause much of an issue past weekend warriors) you’ll see methheads on the streets regularly panhandling at traffic lights which I’ve never seen anything like that in the uk. Even people in professional jobs may dabble in meth and surprise you. Drink and drug driving feels way way more common and not as socially shameful as it is in the uk. Bikey gangs are real even though they look like a comical children’s cartoon of a gang but they do kill people sometimes (shooting) and do lots of drug dealing and general harassment. Have heard they do lots of sex crimes including harassment, rapes and even forced pimping but thank god I have yet to come across that in Australia.
FlynnyWynny@reddit
Australia has a problem with racism, no one could deny that. But when people try to act like Australia is uniquely racist, moreso than other comparable countries, and that its status of being one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world is somehow invalidated by the presence of racism, it becomes more of a projection than reality.
Tradtrade@reddit
Nah it’s the specific racism toward indigenous people that Australia really has nailed on a national and interpersonal level when compared to my experiences of the USA or Northern Europe countries with indigenous populations. Being racist in Australia doesn’t seem to carry the same social stigma that it does in other developed western countries. I don’t really see how any of that is projecting ? Pop off about it though if you fancy it.
FlynnyWynny@reddit
I'm saying you're projecting a vision of Australia that doesn't match the broad experiences of the people who come to it. When you say someone will be upset 'because you think its a modern multicultural society', you're implying it isn't that at all. And if that's the case, we might as well go ahead and apply that to the USA, UK, Canada, and the entirety of Europe.
I just don't know what you're basing this on. Again, Australia has a problem with racism, but exactly which nation is socially enforcing shame on racists? The USA, who is looking likely to elect Trump a second time? EU nations, where far-right parties are taking up massive vote shares? Where is this multicultural society that shuns all racists?
neonblakk@reddit
What do you mean ‘those who come to it?’ They specifically mentioned racism towards indigenous people.. you know, the ones who were here first.
FlynnyWynny@reddit
In their original post, they claimed that Australia was not in fact a modern multicultural society. All I'm saying is that if Australia isn't, then where is?
Don't try and twist this to suggest that I somehow deny racism exists against Indigenous people. Nowhere did I say that, and until that second comment, neither did they.
neonblakk@reddit
They said OP would be surprised by the racism given that Australia is modern and multicultural and then went on to clarify in their next post that the racism they were referring to is both systemic and interpersonal when it comes to the indigenous. They also made a comparison to the US and Europe, which I agree with, along with how Australians love to gaslight on the topic.
I’ve also lived in the US and am disgusted by the racism in Australia. I think it is far worse than America and (unlike America) everything is swept under the rug so it appears less racist. But if you actually start doing even a little bit of research on it, you’ll find yourself down a deep and disgusting rabbit hole.
Anyways it sounds like we both agree that Australia is both multicultural and racist so I don’t think we’re disagreeing on the main point here.
FlynnyWynny@reddit
I think we're disagreeing on what the main point is. My main point is that Australia is not noticeably more racist than other comparable nations, and that there is a tendency for expats to focus on Australian racism rather than racism present in most other nations. Partly, because so many people idealise Australia as a paradise and when they discover that it isn't, there's a backlash.
This is what I mean. What exactly is the basis of comparison with these two statements? Australia, a nation where 30% of the population was born out of its borders, with some the highest rates of immigration in the world, is somehow going to be a worse nation nation to experience racism in than France, who is about to elect Le Pen and actively practices Lacite? America, who is about to re-elect Trump, has lower life expectancy and less representation for its Indigenous peoples? Than the Netherlands, who just gave majority in parliament to a radical anti-Islamist? I just don't think it's an honest assessment of any of these countries to say that Australia has an abnormal problem with racism.
I'm disgusted by racism everywhere. But I'm also weirded out by the sort of exceptionalism people apply to Australian racism.
neonblakk@reddit
The thing that makes Australian racism more disturbing, (which was highlighted above), is the treatment of the indigenous. While racism is disgusting everywhere, the treatment of the indigenous in Australia is exceptional. These were the traditional owners of the land, so it’s a very different story than the examples you gave.
And this is only scratching the tip of the iceberg obviously. I could go on and on.
It’s deep, it’s systemic, it’s interpersonal, it’s violent and it’s been happening since the beginning of colonization. And it isn’t just ‘normal everyday’ racism that every country faces. If you really think that you’re either uneducated or just another disgusting, racist Aussie gaslighting on the issue.
theiaso@reddit
I would like to just add a little note from an American perspective; you may not hear the “it’s their fault” for Natives (honestly there are so few left that they are concentrated in certain areas, those of which I have never visited so I am unable to give a first hand account), but you will most definitely hear this constantly about Black people, and it’s not from far right extremists. Or at least, since the US is more right than the rest of the world, at least from where I stand these are not extremists in our sense. There are some smaller Native tribes about 2-3 hours away from me and in their communities I do hear of discrimination still existing, but of course I wouldn’t be able to compare it to Australia. I would also like to add that while we have had global Black Lives Matter movement start in the US, a lot of police violence is still swept under the rug, including in my southern state!
neonblakk@reddit
Definitely, you do hear that a lot in the states (a country with huge problems with racism).
First off, I don’t think it particularly matters that much to compare the two. They’re different countries with different histories but I made a point that Australian racism was exceptional in many regards, which annoyed this Australian (it’s not hard to do that) who kept arguing that ‘every country is racist’ therefor Australia is on the same level and NOT to be described as ‘exceptionally racist’ (I 100% disagree with this).
The US is probably the only other extreme case you could compare it with that presents a challenge as they’re both fucked, but in different ways.
Regarding the US, there are many, many, MANY areas where people on the left have been SUPER vocal (almost ridiculously so, bringing forth this new pendulum swing to the right) to call out racism when they see it. Australians don’t really do that… (well, yes following what they see in American media but only when they’re told it’s okay to be political). Because in Australia people genuinely just don’t care, as it’s not cool to care. After all, ‘life’s chill bro’. But again, both countries have massive issues. Australia’s are just a lot less talked about.
theiaso@reddit
Oh definitely, I’m sorry if my comment came off as though I was dismissing your experience or racism in general in Australia. I just wanted to add some of my experience in America as well, which as you’ve said has been a leader in the global movement against racism and police violence.
FlynnyWynny@reddit
Source? The existence of racists does not support the claim that 'most Australians deny the existence of intergenerational Trauma'.
Indigenous Men have a life expectancy of 71.9, and Women 75.6. There is also massive investment in First Nations Health initiatives.
When Indigenous people are killed there is nationwide outcry and press coverage. There have been protests attended by tens of thousands of people on this very topic.
Which is no different to the reserves in America and Canada, where these conditions also exist.
I'm sorry, but this is just a disingenuous mix of genuine tragedy, and half truths. Australia has a problem with its treatment of Indigenous peoples. No one can deny this. But you lied about life expectancy and you've said some things that I don't think anyone who has spent a decent amount of time in thinking about this issue could reasonably say. This is not a debate on whether or not Indigenous people experience racism, or experience worse conditions, which is what you've turned it into.
Don't put quotes around 'normal everyday' racism like you're quoting me. You're pigeonholing me into a caricature of my position that you've imagined. Never, ever, nowhere, did I say that Australia has no problem with racism.
But in trying to highlight the racism here, you're literally just glossing over systemic, interpersonal, violent racism that has been happening in other countries for hundreds of years. I'm not claiming Australian racism is casual, I'm claiming that racism elsewhere is also incredibly violent and systemic. For fucks sake, Indigenous Australians have a higher life expectancy than Black Americans, and yet you're trying to claim that I'm the one trying to gaslight people? The world sucks! Australia sucks! But don't pretend that we're somehow worse just because you happen to know more about our racism.
neonblakk@reddit
It’s been a while since I looked at that stat. What I meant to say is that almost half of aboriginal men and a third of women die before 45. It’s an alarming number being my point.
But anyways, you glossed over almost every other point I made, while shifting the goal posts as well. Just so you can get your little argument in there about how Australia can’t be called out for being uniquely racist as EVERYWHERE is racist.
It’s a bullshit argument.
In terms of Australians denying intergenerational trauma - Jesus. You really need a source for that? Either they deny its existence OR they acknowledge it AND STILL deny responsibility of fixing the issues THEY created, which is even worse. I was actually being generous when I said that.
And let’s see, what other bullshit did you say? Oh yeah, the stuff about how America and Australian reserves are all quite the same. Simple isn’t it? Well obviously we can’t compare reserve to reserve but just a few quick facts: - Australia is on a United Nations shame list for the abundance of trachoma cases in these rural indigenous areas; a disease countries like Sri Lanka have conquered - Aboriginal people, on average, live around 11 years less than non-Aboriginal people in Australia. Native Americans, live 4 years less than the average American. There is also a 25% gap in high school attainment between Aboriginal Australians and non-Aboriginal Australians. In North America, the gap is more like 4%. The employment gap in Australia is 24%. In the States, it’s 8%.
The reason for the differences in these gaps is the 40 year commitment that both sides of politics in the United States have had for Native American self determination.
Yet Australian citizens (not even the corrupt politicians) but the actual citizens voted NO to even acknowledging the indigenous in the constitution (unlike native Americans in the American constitution). So yeah, there’s a major difference.
Because yes while racism is everywhere and it isn’t particularly helpful to say which is ‘worse’, at the very least other countries acknowledge their wrongdoings and take action to fix them. Australia is soooo behind. The average nationalist Australian redditor is soooo behind. Unlike other countries, Australia is still stuck in the denial phase, which makes it in a much, much worse position when it comes to actually solving any of these issues.
It’s pathetic and I’m done debating on you on this. Do some research and get educated. Or not, as long as you have your little life sorted, it’s all that matters, right?
FlynnyWynny@reddit
Listen, if you want to live in some universe in which major countries are tackling their racism, then you can feel free to live in that fantasy land. But it doesn't make it true.
If you want to imagine that Australia's problem with racism is novel, even in its abuses of its indigenous population, you can, but you'd be wrong.
You keep citing stats at me. I know indigenous people are discriminated against. But you are the one moving the goalposts. You started this whole tangent of a conversation because you originally thought I didn't think there was a problem with racism in Australia. You were just blatantly wrong, and you're throwing talking point after talking point at me to obscure that.
Screaming at me to get educated when you're the only one who has cited incorrect information, along with misunderstanding what the referendum was even about, is laughable. I voted Yes, but the fact that someone like you can sit there and fundamentally misunderstand what was even being proposed is hilarious.
I will continue to better my community, and fight racism where it lives, as I have done my whole life. But just because I recognise that it exists, I will not accept your ridiculous premise. The Indigenous activists I work with would laugh at you for just how ill informed of an 'ally' you pretend to be.
neonblakk@reddit
We also suck at creating new paragraphs in Australia. Just kidding. It is racist tho.
neonblakk@reddit
I’ve lived in London as well as various parts of Australia (Melbourne, Brisbane..) and there is no way in hell I’d want to move from the UK to QLD to be a police officer. Having said that I’m sure we’re very different people. Brits def do romanticize Australia a hell of a lot tho, that’s something I found in London. People would always ask why I’m there as Australia seems so much ‘better’. I don’t know. I think the grass is always greener and so much depends on what you’re into.
I love exploring, I love travel, I hate monotony and the suburbs of Queensland depress me… and while I like nature I am def more of an urban guy. But not everyone’s the same. In my head signing up to live in QLD as a cop sounds like signing your life away to join the military or something - which is great for some, but not my choice in life.
asteroidbunny@reddit
Yes, the monotonous suburbs caught me off guard for sure
Professional_Elk_489@reddit
Your lack of paragraphs is racist
yadius@reddit
Very true. In fact only this week, Superwog uploaded to YT a short 'fly on the wall' documentary on Australian Police Officers.
Very disturbing stuff.
sminismoni2@reddit
Australia here. Yes, Queensland in particular is ver racist, won't deny it.
albumfive@reddit
Agree with all this. Particularly relevant to OP are the racism and the meth given they'll be in Queensland and in the Police.
MienSteiny@reddit
No we totally are very racist and try to deny it. It's really shit.
OP should read into this if they're joining QLD police, as well as the bikie wars and the Gangland Killings.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitzgerald_Inquiry
asteroidbunny@reddit
Queensland is hot. Like I grew up in a warm climate, but this is something else. It's humid and you cook like you are in the inside of an oven. Lawd knows what I will do if I had to be wearing a uniform. Sweat drips from my pits to my elbows. It drips down between my boobs. I'm a muggy mess half the time, and cannot wear shirts with sleeves anymore.
Winter is glorious! 6 months of the year is amazing, moderate weather, the other 6 months you feel like you are dying.
I'm from a third world country - South Africa. I feel it's quite 'backwards' here for a first world country. I'm 40mins outside of Brisbane, and I have never seen people like this in my entire life. Crisis level obesity. I'm surrounded by derros and bogans. My first experience in Australia, was a week staying in an apartment in Bondi Beach, in Sydney, so I thought that the whole of Australia was active and good looking (as the tanned surfer stereotype seems to be). Wrong!! It can really affect your mental health being around people with physical health issues constantly.
I don't know what I was expecting in QLD, but it wasn't this.
If I could move it will be closer to Brisbane City itself, or the Sunny Coast. Still want to explore a bit more.
Otherwise-Pie3000@reddit
Sounds like you need to go back to South Africa
asteroidbunny@reddit
Or I could just move to literally any other place in Australia? It's the size of America. So I doubt that my experience in a 30km radius determines much.
Minute-Masterpiece98@reddit
From the UK. Been here 7 years. Just prepare yourself for the horrendous housing standards.
Honestly, compared to back home, they resemble sheds out here. Paper thin walls, no insulation, very shoddy craftsmanship and developers who can seemingly cut all sorts of corners with no repercussions.
theiaso@reddit
Have you ever been the US? I’m curious if their housing is like a lot of ours; I live in the south and it’s unfortunately the same for us. Lots of cheaply made suburban home with very thin walls, little insulation, and poor workmanship. I honestly did not realize until recently that this was not common around the world
CountrysidePlease@reddit
I’m always curious about this one. I don’t have any intentions of moving to OZ, but when people talk about how bad the housing is, are we talking about average price houses, higher than average? How do people manage the heat/cold in summer/winter? Large heating/AC bills? Or the electric bill is very affordable?
Mini_gunslinger@reddit
House prices on par with Vancouver or San Fran for the major cities.
Housing quality is timber frame, plaster board on one side, cladding on the other, empty cavity in between, metal corrugated roofs. Often raised on stumps so no foundation. Single pane glass windows, wooden window frames.
You get drafts from everywhere - cracks in floorboards, window frames, doors that don't seal. If you poke a hole in plasterboard, you sometimes will get light in from outside through the overlaps in cladding.
Any "brick" houses have a bick veneer (not load bearing and just a facade).
asteroidbunny@reddit
Jaw dropped to the floor when I saw the 'houses' here. Shocking is an understatement.
pepegito6@reddit
Don't.
Europe is better. Australians have started to realize this.
In the next 20 years there will be a big wave of immigration from Australia to US/Canada/Europe (prediction).
Otherwise-Pie3000@reddit
To Europe maybe, but to the US? Yeah nah
DrBureaucracy@reddit
can you elaborate? doctor in training here eyeing up australia..
maybe_not_a_penguin@reddit
I'm not a doctor, but my dad used to work in hospitals and worked in both the UK and Australia. His opinion is that training for doctors is much better in the UK than Australia, but pay is much better in Australia. Pay for consultants and surgeons can be very high. I think radiologists earn the most, from memory.
dontuseliqui@reddit
Please explain.
Zealousideal_Rub6758@reddit
Australia is more different to the UK than people think. The main things I’ve noticed is the comedy is kinda different, drinking culture is not the same (more day drinking, less excessive binge drinking), less ‘banter’.
Pros = better weather, more outdoors lifestyle, better pay and quality of life. Cons = far from family (and everything…), culturally quite boring compared to Europe imo.
Ultimately you can’t run away from yourself by moving country, and you’ll still be at work the majority of your time, and it is far from support structures. But if you come with an open mind and you don’t compare everything to the UK it’ll be a really interesting experience.
Also worth checking out if you can move back to the UK as a police officer. They have a silly ‘need to have lived in the UK for the prior 3 years’ rule.
beforeyoureyes@reddit
“Less excessive binge drinking”
Haha tell me you’re not from Australia without telling me you’re not from Australia.
If you are have ever been to the Goldie during schoolies, The Valley in Brisbane on a Saturday night or King St in Sydney on a Saturday night or literally anywhere touristy in Bali. It’ll take you all of 10 seconds to see that culturally we’re a nation of heavy binge drinkers. It’s not great…
I’m an Australian living in the USA and comparatively Aussies definitely have unhealthier drinking habits compared to Americans.
megatrongriffin92@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the reply, I'm hoping for Brisbane or in that general area so I can sit on a beach in Gold Coast and be happy. Knowing my luck I'm going to end up in butt-fuck nowhere or somewhere in the North of Queensland where I'll end up eaten by a crocodile.
At this point I genuinely don't even know if I want to be a police officer in the UK, if I have to investigate one more "Sharon called me a slag on Facebook but I'm not a slag, she's just mad cuz I'm pregnant with her boyfriends kid" job I think I'll jump off the roof. But the 3 year thing was definitely something I'm very aware of. My current plan is to take a career break from my force so I've got the safety net of being able to come back to the job if I needed to.
Fungled@reddit
I’m no expert, but I hardly think domestic incidents like that don’t happen in Aus as well. “Bogens” are a thing
megatrongriffin92@reddit (OP)
It was more a comment about people being assholes on the Internet and it actually being a criminal offence in the UK that gets reported. A lot.
UnlimitedPickle@reddit
Depending on the pace of life you like (I'm Aussie x US mix) there are plenty of places north of Brisbane you might love.
If you like more laid back and beachy vibe, Airlie Beach would be incredible to live in. It's where I'm buying my next place. But so so many beautiful beach towns to live in.
Calm-Drop-9221@reddit
The Brit coppers I've worked with tend to initially enjoy Oz and can handle the outback for a year as it's all new and exciting. The aboriginal issues in the North. WA Qld and NT can be challenging. Moneys good. If you enjoy sports or play a bit it will help.
maybe_not_a_penguin@reddit
Do read up a bit on the Queensland Police. They can be great, but they can be rather awful. Like many other police forces, there are issues with corruption and racism. Of course, there are many officers of high integrity. This case is worth reading about, for example: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jun/19/gold-coast-police-officer-faces-jail-for-allegedly-leaking-film-of-police-assault . A police officer released footage of two colleagues beating up a restrained prisoner. He was prosecuted, not his colleagues.
Otherwise-Pie3000@reddit
Don't. 99% of Brits that come here end up hating it after the initial honeymoon wears off. The isolation of boringness is hard to overcome.
Alpaca_lives_matter@reddit
I'm a Brit who moved to France aged 8, then Australia age 22, then around Europe age 26, back to France age 28.
I'm now trying by any means to move back to Australia.
The country has its problems: it doesn't protect people as much as the UK or France. Sure, you have medicare, but you also have a lot of private options, which, as someone with some money, I prefer. Here in France, I pay like 3k EUR per month in social costs - that's basic pension, healthcare, etc. I cannot find a GP. I cannot find a dentist. And it feels like the French state has lost control - healthcare, safety, immigration, cost of living. It's f****d.
Australia has the benefit of not letting any unchecked immigration in. It is also attractive for healthcare workers and other key workers such as policeman like yourself.
We visited early this year for 3 months (Sydney). My gf had been on a waiting list for a skin doctor for 2 years in France. We arrived in Sydney, 3 days later she had an appointment.
I needed a GP during my stay. In France - 2 week wait for a GP, and that is if you can find one that is accepting new patients. Australia? Next day appointment, and I was just passing through.
Here's my opinion: Europe is dying, and will be for the rest of my adult life (next 30-40 years). Australia has higher quality of life, more options, and better weather. You'll make friends, but you can't hope for handouts.
I'll take that over the shit show that is the UK and France now.
kbcool@reddit
In Australia you'll pay dearly for the expediency of services but you're right, they're there. If you can afford it. I guess it's more like the US in that regard. If you need the public system you'll be waiting for a very long time unless it's urgent but if you can afford it, it's there for you. Often at the cost of tens of thousands.
Thinly veiled racism aside this is also true but again you get what you pay for, or the country needs. It's very hard to get in unless you either take a poorly paid high demand job or have a LOT of money to sidestep requirements.
Regarding quality of life. Probably not that different unless you're rich. Try getting a rental for less than half your income now days. Although this applies anywhere in the world these days.
Alpaca_lives_matter@reddit
I'm not sure what the A&E is like in Australia, but here in France, you can spend upwards of 24h in A&E, in the hallway, on a makeshift bed, hoping someone gets to you, because there is a lack of doctors and a lack of medical staff in general, worsened since Covid, but the result of many decades of austerity.
As for the racism comment, there is nothing racist about speaking out against unchecked immigration. France, the UK, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and more, all suffer from unchecked immigration. It is the bane of modern Europe, alongside the 2nd and 3rd generation migrants who did not integrate, but live in parallel societies that creates a whole different problem.
Not being able to talk about these issues without being called racist is making everything even worse.
As for the rich comment - you're probably right today, Australian rental prices are through the roof, but France is not much better, especially when you bring it down to average wage %.
ketofree@reddit
What is “unchecked” immigration? Can you please explain? Non white people? Cuz I’ve got news for you. Australia is taking in a few hundred thousand non white people every year!
Decent_Leadership_62@reddit
Nigel Farage (guy behind Brexit) wanted to introduce a points based immigration system similar to that in Australia and Canada
The idea was universally derided as being evil and racist
The UK let in 750,000 immigrants last year - that's like building a new city the size of Leeds, in one of the most densely populated countries in the world
kbcool@reddit
A&E experience can be frustrating everywhere. It's all about priorities and how busy they are.
I've had a similar experience with no real threat of death in Australia but when a family member was pouring blood we got seen in minutes. I don't think people understand this is how it works.
Agreed but if you simply don't like brown people then Australia is sorely going to disappoint you and regardless of colour Australia is letting in unchecked numbers of the wrong type of people for the wrong reasons too. Maybe different ones to Europe but wrong non-the-less. It seems to be a global problem right now. It will all sort out in the wash.
megatrongriffin92@reddit (OP)
I had a similar experience in the UK. Walked in was like "I think I've been run over, I can't remember my head hurts" and didn't even sit down before I was whisked away.
On the other hand I had a broken hand and was there for 8hrs before I was x-rayed.
megatrongriffin92@reddit (OP)
Sounds like the UK to be honest. The amount of times I've done CPR on someone in A&E because they've collapsed whilst in the waiting room is terrifying
cuntastic__@reddit
what is that non sense go to doctolib.fr and get an appointment tomorrow morning for any specialty you want. Never had a problem or heard of anyone struggling with healthcare here
ieatkittentails@reddit
If you are stationed in rural Qld I would just go back home if I were you. Depending on how resilient you are, everything will take its toll on you - the remoteness, the heat, the lack of infrastructure and all of the social problems that have been allowed to fester in those areas after a decade of inaction.
You will probably really enjoy it if it's Brisbane though.
Gnarlroot@reddit
I moved to Aus from the UK about 10 years ago and the quality of life improvement has been remarkable. After 10 years of Tory mismanagement I can only imagine how much that gap has widened.
Once you know where you're being stationed, you can use sites like allhomes.com.au to get a sense of rent and purchase prices for housing. I imagine QPS publish their pay scales, so you'll also have a sense of what you'll be earning year on year if you stay.
The top comments have nailed the issues you might face in your line of work.
Overall, it's a double edged sword. If your experience is like mine, you'll find a level of financial and lifestyle comfort not available to a regular worker in the UK, but also feel very far away from your friends and family. It's worth giving it a shot, even for a couple of years.
Strange_Cap1049@reddit
Not Australia but I see Brit’s making this mistake with Canada and I imagine even more so with Australia. They’re not the United Kingdom, they’re not culturally British, they don’t have the same food, humour, values etc.
So many Brits come to Canada and bitch that it’s not like the UK. I think as soon as you disconnect the UK and Australia in your brain you’re gonna be so much better off