Ask Josem about visiting/living in Australia

[Josem]

I currently work for an Member of the Australian House of Represenatives helping many local constituents with various problems and challenges they have, especially with Governmental departments.

I've lived here in Australia all my life, and spent significant time living in Melbourne, Sydney and now in Newcastle. I've travelled on holidays to central Australia (ie, the Outback), Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Tasmania and extensively through rural New South Wales and Victoria (the two most populous states).


Types of things I feel I am qualified to answer:

- Different cities/regions: cost, feel, safety, things to do in each
- Australian culture and history
- Governments
- Visas
- How to find an apartment
- Getting around the cities and to/from the airport
- Cost of living and Australian currency
- Nightlife: bars and nightclubs (especially in Melbourne)
- Restaurants, sidewalk cafes, delivery
- Sights to see
- Weather, seasons, etc
- Playing poker online here or questions about casinos here
- Education (especially studying in Australia, universities, etc.)
- Internet services
- Pretty much anything else you want to ask about.

Types of things I don't feel I am qualified to answer:
- Hookers, drugs, etc., beyond the legalities of them. I haven't ever used either, and don't intend to.


Feel free to ask any questions.

[cobrakai111]

How much will it cost to get you to send me a case of Tooheys New? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Do Austrialians still like Jack Johnson?

[Josem]

[ QUOTE ]
How much will it cost to get you to send me a case of Tooheys New? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Tooheys New - Approx cost $A38, approx weight (guessing - 12kg)

Postage (from http://www1.auspost.com.au/download/ms160.pdf) - about $A100 to US

I hardly think this is value for money for you. I'm surprised that there aren't any online retailers that sell it (I looked briefly and couldn't find anything).

[ QUOTE ]
Do Austrialians still like Jack Johnson?

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't. Top 100 singles of 2006 is online at http://www.aria.com.au/pages/ARIACha...ingles2006.htm Nothing by him there.

His album, Sing-a-longs and lullabies came in at 46 for albums of 2006: http://www.aria.com.au/pages/ARIACHa...Albums2006.htm

[Josem]

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Hey, I was just curious to hear a little more about Aussie politics and working within it.

How hard is it to find a political job in OZ especially for someone with no background in their politics?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you're interested in working directly for a MP & Senator, now is a good time with a Federal election likely to be held late this year.

Recently, MPs and Senators have been given funding to employ extra staff in their offices.

There is a wide divergence in the experience and skills that many staff members have - from people straight out of school/uni to very senior advisers.

Many jobs are advertised in The Australian and The Australian Financial Review and the respective major metropolitan newspapers. Many are also sent to current staff of MPs & Senators - If you're interested in having job ads for Coalition (Liberal/National - right-of-centre parties) emailed to you, email me at michael@michaeljosem.com

[4thstreetpete]

Hey Josem, thanks for making this thread. I'm from canada and just absolutely love Australian culture. I have a friend who just moved from Austrailia to Toronto and I've been asking him a lot of questions. I'm thinking about spending maybe 6 months in Austrailia sometime in the near future. From what I've been told it seems very interesting.

I have a question that was on my mind for a while. I've heard from several sources (Austrailians) in the past that Austrailia has a big issue with racism. I'm curious how truthful this is. Austrailia is one of the places I've thought about moving to in the past. I would like to hear your take on this, thanks.

[Josem]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Josem, thanks for making this thread. I'm from canada and just absolutely love Australian culture. I have a friend who just moved from Austrailia to Toronto and I've been asking him a lot of questions. I'm thinking about spending maybe 6 months in Austrailia sometime in the near future. From what I've been told it seems very interesting.

[/ QUOTE ]
No worries - I've gained so much from this site for poker, the least I can do is share something I know a little about.

[ QUOTE ]
I have a question that was on my mind for a while. I've heard from several sources (Austrailians) in the past that Austrailia has a big issue with racism. I'm curious how truthful this is. Austrailia is one of the places I've thought about moving to in the past. I would like to hear your take on this, thanks.

[/ QUOTE ]
Cliff's notes: *Some* Australians are racist. I believe the vast majority are not.

Longer answer: Are there racist people in Australia? Certainly, although I feel, from my own personal experiences, that it is not a common or widely experienced problem. I don't think that there is an underlying racist trend amongst Australians.

My own ethnic background is probably a good example of this - my father's father lost 11 brothers and sisters in the holocaust, and my mother's father served in the German navy. My grandfathers both migrated (obviously independently) to Australia, had children, who subsequently married. It's a great example of how the vast majority of migrants to Australia (whether they be ethnically Anglo, Slavic, Germanic, etc.) left behind their "old-world" fights and made modern-day Australia.

In late 2005, there were some so-called race-riots in Sydney. By comparison, at around the same time, France also had race-riots - their riots consisted of weeks of burning cars, attacking police, fully armed riot police, to a point of virtual urban warfare. The Sydney "riots" consisted of a crowd of largely drunken men at the beach on the weekend.

I don't want to turn this thread into a discussion of Australian politics, but I think that my belief is fairly consistent with Prime Minister John Howards comments at the time:

PRIME MINISTER:...there was a poll that said 81 per cent of people supported multiculturalism and a majority of people – or more people than not - thought that our present migrant intake was about right. Now if there is underlying racism in Australia, if there is, I find it had to believe that 81 per cent of the population would support multiculturalism – the two things don’t sit together. Multiculturalism means a lot of things, different things to different people, but in its lowest common denominator it means that people believe in diversity and are therefore tolerant of racial and ethnic difference. So if 81 per cent of the population is tolerant and supportive of ethnic and racial difference, then you can’t simultaneously have underlying racism. ... there are some people in the Australian community who are racist, but I do not believe the average Australian is a racist, I do not believe that the majority of Australians are racist. I mean why would we have accepted people so well? Why do we practice every day our tolerance and our respect for people?

[4thstreetpete]

excellent! thanks for the great reply. I just seem to love everything about austrailia.

[TheMetetron]

What do you know about visas for Americans either visiting or looking to establish residence? What about trying to live there without establishing residence. I believe Australia is one of the easier first world countries to move to, but I could be wrong.

[Josem]

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What do you know about visas for Americans either visiting or looking to establish residence? What about trying to live there without establishing residence. I believe Australia is one of the easier first world countries to move to, but I could be wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]

The best source of information on visas is available online at www.immi.gov.au I am not a migration agent, so please do not take this as professional advice.

It is true that Australia is one of the easier first world countries to migrate to - per capita, Australia has a huge migration program relative to other countries.

In terms of permanent visas, you have an option of either "skilled worker" visas or of "business people" visas. The most common visa to obtain of this type is the General Skilled Migration visa, which provides permanent residency and is a possible pathway to citizenship. The subclass with the least restrictions requires 120 points on this chart.

Unsurprisingly, profesisonal poker player is not listed on the list of occupations. You should consult the Department of Immigration for their advice. If you are qualified for some other role, you might want to consider that other role.



In terms of visiting, if you are from Belgium, Canada, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Chile, Iran or Thailand, you can get a working holiday visa, allowing you to work while on holiday here in Australia. This lasts for up to 12 months.

For Americans, you are able to easily obtain a visitors (tourist) visa. More info is available at http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tour...sa-options.htm

You can get an ETA, typically, for a stay of up to three months, within about 30 seconds online. For a longer stay, you'll require a proper tourist visa.

On option that might suit some people is a Provsional Investor Visa. If you have a bankroll of over $1,500,000 invested, you may be able to get a business visa. While intended for visitors, it does provide a pathway to permanent residency and then to citizenship.

[Hawklet]

Hey Josem,

I'm leaving in February to study in Australia for the next few months. I'll be in Brisbane at the Australia Catholic University. Is there any information you can tell me that would be of interest to an American student traveling to Brisbane soon? What are the big social differences? Are laws very different (especially in terms of alcohol consumption)? I'll be receiving an internship while of there so any other information in regards to work etiquette would also be very helpful. And obviously, how is the night life? Thanks a lot.