What the hell happened to Australia while I was away?

[PieMinister]

This is an unashamed whinge-thread, so if you love OZ you might just want to look away.

I have moved back to Melbourne with DD1 and DH after more than a decade in the UK. What on earth happened? It's all so weirdly wrong: bad childcare, racists, and a resounding lack of social skills among inhabitants... and everyone is so unreflectingly materialistic!

I know in part I have been guilty of nostalgia ... but I also think that, in the time I have been away, Australia has changed a lot - and not in a good way. It's like a country that has spent a decade focusing on the wrong stuff.

I have only sporadic web access, but will be back with more impressions.... But is it just me: I reckon, when the world economy improves, there will be an exodus.

No one? Just me?

how long have you been back? Takes a while to adjust, and I was only in UK for 4 years. But I wouldn't say I encountered the same things that you are describing (with the exception of the materialistic thing) - I just desperately missed random things like waitrose, M&S and decent pubs for a nice lunch

oh and everything seemed so damned expensive - 2 years on I now know this is more than just my perception!

Just a few months... We are living deep in the suburbs, which is all we can afford and a world away from the inner city of London or Melbourne. Routine to hear the phrase curry muncher ... And people in shops just grunt at each other... But I am not convinced this suburb is any different from any other area beyond, what, Preston?

well I'm in Brisbane and what you describe is not typical of my experience here, that does sound miserable.

hope you are less dis-heartened to hear that it is not Australia as a whole that has had a bad decade ...
but you did say you were looking for an unashamed whinge thread so I am probably not really helping sorry

I'm a new Australian citizen in Sydney and love the place, but I find the casual racism quite shocking. It's so accepted that it is hard to challenge without looking like some kind of PC loon which is very hard for someone who spent 12 years in Brighton running training courses in Equality and Diversity! Our Australian neighbours are lovely and have been very welcoming but openly comment on us being "the right kind of immigrants".

Any hope of moving somewhere a bit more multicultural?

Also a new Australian citizen. I don't pick up the casual racism as I teach in secondary where they are 1. Not racist 2. Smart enough to cover it up.

On the other hand DH has tracked down some aged rellies of the two pound-pom variety, who are looking forward his visit to WA, but warn about water shortages because of the "immigrants".

I echo what you say about childcare provision, I don't even use it, yet have noticed the lack, in comparison to the UK.

Pieminister, you say there will be an exodus when the economy improves - do you mean the twats will move on?

My experience has been that the best of Oz has travelled and learned, the knobs will remain.

Echt and sunnydelight, I think that that is what is so disheartening - there are some amazing inner city suburbs, but we will not be able to afford to live any where near them - and post dd1 will be not likely to visit them much either...

Pieminister take heart - we are not all like that. Some are , for sure, including a couple of my inlaws!
Just like any other free country, you will get all kinds of people with all kinds of (crazy) views.
It might take you a while to find your new friends.
I am in Qld and find there are plenty of non-rascist, sociable, friendly types around.

Are the inner city suburbs of London much cheaper for housing ? Or the other big UK cities?

MovingGal, not cheaper (though I am wondering, with the current exchange rate and property prices that keep going through the roof) ... But the suburbs in the uk seem far more attractive - better connected, closer, more mixed and more cultured...