AMERICAN REACTS TO 15 BEST THINGS ABOUT LIVING IN AUSTRALIA AS A FOREIGNER (UK)

[@ToniaElkins]

Welcome Back Poopies! 💩 Today I’m reacting to a channel called, Dreaming of down under. This is my first time seeing this channel & she’s from the UK and talks about the differences between living in the UK & Australia. (Her video is a year old and I forgot to mention that.) I’m having a lot of fun doing these and I hope you’re enjoying watching them 🫶 DISCORD: discord.gg/svUQ8tPU WISHLIST: throne.com/toniaelkins

[@peterdubois65]

Min wage for the country is $23.23 but hardly anyone earns minimum. Working in a servo during the day I get nearly $30 an hour

[@johnnewman366]

Here’s a comparison between the USA and Australia: The US Federal Government does NOT mandate a single day of ‘paid’ annual, sick or public holiday leave (all left to the discretion of the employer, if you’re lucky), and does not even define how many hours is considered as ‘full time’ work. In Australia every full time worker (38hr week) is entitled, by law, a minimum of 20 days (4wks), paid annual leave, a minimum of 10 days (2wks), paid sick leave and, depending on what state we live in, approx 10 days (2wks) of paid public holidays, again, that is the legal minimum. We get paid for 12 mths, and only have to work for 10 mths, if you use all your paid annual, sick and public holiday leave. Healthcare - in the USA, no federally mandated universal healthcare for all, US citizens regularly file for bankruptcy over medical bills, even with private health insurance, they often beg others for help on GoFundMe. In Australia, every citizen is entitled to universal healthcare, yes you can have private insurance if want, but no one goes bankrupt over medical costs. Pharmaceuticals - the Australian Government regulates the price, no one dies because they can’t afford basic medicines, not so in the USA. Federally mandated minimum wage, USA, $7.25 p/h, Australia, $23.23 p/h (on 1 July it increases to $24.10 p/h, or $915.80 for a full time 38hr week). We also aren’t forced to ‘tip’ minimum wage earners, we don’t have to make up for what their employer should pay. On top of everyone’s full time wage is Superannuation (retirement fund), Australian employers are required by law to deposit another 11% of your wage into your selected Superannuation Fund. Life expectancy - USA 77.28, Australia 83.20, approx six (6) years more in Australia. US Americans often talk about work ‘benefits’, we call them ‘basic worker rights’, we don’t have to beg, employers are required by law to pay a decent min wage, plus all of the other benefits (rights) that US workers don’t receive. I could go on with many other comparisons too. Bottom line, the life of the average Australian is far better than the life of the average US American. Merica really is a 3rd world nation by how it treats its people, and it’s people are ignorant to that fact too. Cheers,

[@ToniaElkins]

I promise we are NOT ignorant to what our government does to us

[@johnnewman366]

Then why doesn’t anything change? Why put up with the crappy deal?

[@ToniaElkins]

@@johnnewman366 Believe me we’ve been trying. It’s not an easy thing to get our voice heard and for people to actually listen and help. It’s literally all anyone talks about here.

[@johnnewman366]

Tonia, I’m not saying it’s easy, but it’s not impossible either. Workers in Australia, UK, NZ, Europe, etc, weren’t handed theses rights (benefits) without a struggle, workers had to fight for those rights, hard won rights. The US is at least 100 years behind the rest of the industrialised world when it comes to workers rights and fair industrial laws. People in the US need to band together and elect politicians who are prepared to change things, but if people don’t band together, nothing will change. Cheers,

[@xymonau2468]

@@ToniaElkins I know people try. And Democrats try to bring in as much good for people as they can. But I've been told by (poor) Americans that free health care is Communism and they would reject that outright. (I have a lot of American friends and spent a month in NY city in the early 80s). I think historically the commendable attitude that everyone should work and be independent has blurred the lines into lack of sympathy/understanding for those whose path is not that simple. I take great interest in federal US politics since Trump arrived, and I know most Americans would prefer a social democracy-style goverment, and not one driven by profit for the wealthy as it seems to be now. But call it social democracy and it dies in the water.

[@cyclops92]

Minimum wage is set federally, it's now $24

[@ToniaElkins]

Wow!! That’s really awesome for y’all 💖

[@LikkieAU]

Also.. minimum means minimum. It’s not a recommendation. It’s the law… it’s illegal to pay people less…

[@ToniaElkins]

@@LikkieAU Yeah it’s the same here. People will pay their employees under the table. It happens.

[@xymonau2468]

That begins in July.

[@LikkieAU]

@@ToniaElkins I seem the remember hearing somewhere that certain occupations in the USA are exempt from paying minimum wage, like servers and other industries where you have tipping. That’s not the case here there are no exceptions.

[@jayweb51]

Apparently, the Australian ski fields get more snow than Switzerland; which as an Australian, l found amazing.

[@Dr_KAP]

Best myth on the internet but no truth to it unfortunately lol

[@jeremykothe2847]

@@Dr_KAP I'm spinning my wheels trying to see how that could be possible (the claim). Perhaps total area covered by snow, since Switzerland isn't big, but... neither is Kosciuszko. I guess if you look at the total area of land that ever sees snow we'd be higher, but yeah that's a reach.

[@Dr_KAP]

@@jeremykothe2847 yeh the claim has been well and truly debunked by meteorologists it was just a myth that got out of hand I’d say !

[@r.fairlie7186]

@@Dr_KAP I think that there’s a crucial adjective before “snow” that’s often left out of the Australian description - “skiable”. 😊

[@RUHappyATM]

Snow or ice?

[@misterg2269]

I've never heard of anyone going bankrupt here in OZ due to cost of health care, while I have read that it isn't uncommon in the US.

[@ToniaElkins]

Yeah people definitely go broke from medical bills. It’s true. And the American people are not ignorant to the fact that our government sucks 😂

[@jeremykothe2847]

@@ToniaElkins everyone's government sucks. The basic problem the US has is money in politics. Legalised corruption. Until you guys fix that, there is no fixing anything else, since the corporations just buy politicians. (which is why your healthcare is stupidly expensive)

[@jamesaustralian9829]

In Australia we just go bankrupt because of our electricity bills. As Australia stupidly pushes forward with this net zero nonsense, and renewable energy scam - we are tearing down all our conventional power stations, and low and behold, we have the highest power bills on earth.

[@jeremykothe2847]

@@jamesaustralian9829 you are not wrong.

[@dcmastermindfirst9418]

That's because it's universal. Heavily subsidised.

[@Fred-Jai]

So you have cougars in illinois. Quite a few cougars in Sydney too, especially on Friday and Saturday nights 🤣

[@ToniaElkins]

🤣🤣

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Them cougars the best. Make them roar and they'll buy you a SS ute. Trust me, I know all about that LOL

[@sonja11.11]

Friends and i meet up for a breakfast every week with coffee before work. Great way to start a day!

[@ToniaElkins]

@@sonja11.11 Aww that’s fun! I love that. ❤️

[@xymonau2468]

Starbucks failed in Australia because it has terrible coffee. Australia's coffee is the best tasting in the world, along with Italy. Coffee isn't just a morning thing at all. It takes much longer to get in to see a doctor in regional and rural towns. Hospitals are free in Australia for everyone, unless you have private insurance, when you have to part pay. She isn't talking about friendliness from workers in stores. She's talking about customers treating store workers with respect and friendliness. Many Americans have commented about the different way servers, etc, are treated in Australia than the US. The minimum wage is universal and not state-based. And that information is out of date. It's now about $24.10 per hour and the change happens in July.

[@treadingtheboards2875]

As I posted elsewhere, Starbucks failed because they would not make the change to suit Australian taste.

[@waynekasmar4401]

An Australian touch in the background of this reviewed video is a Michael Johnson painting. Michael Johnson is a well known Sydney painter.

[@krystleklearcentral]

Coffee Culture in Australia is just different. You meet people at a Cafe, you get a coffee and maybe a pastry or sandwich and spend an hour catching up. In the US, coffee is just about getting caffeinated; you get your coffee and drink it on the go.

[@ToniaElkins]

That’s not true. That’s what you see online and tv. We definitely have cafes that people go to for coffee and a croissant or Wtvr. It’s just not advertised for the world to see.

[@andysparks1973]

@@ToniaElkins The fact is Australia has the best coffee on the planet , America has some of the worst by a golden mile . America has only just discovered anything other than drip coffee outside of Starbucks ,(which is not even coffee). I've had coffee in many countries including Italy , America serves boot water.

[@Fred-Jai]

@@andysparks1973 As an Aussie, that's a a myth. For sure Australia has some of the best but a big call to say it's the best , the world is a big place.

[@andysparks1973]

@@Fred-Jai Not really, i've had coffee an every continent in many countries . Au consistently produces the best coffee in almost endless locations. Turkish , Italian , Lebanese etc etc .

[@guccigasbag2780]

@@Fred-Jai I’ve never had coffee in America but from what I’ve heard from family and friends that have been over there, they said it’s very hard to get a decent coffee, not possible but hard to get one. I’ve been to Italy and they serve decent coffee there and that’s why Australia has decent coffee is because we are multicultural country. 33% of Australians are born overseas. I had coffee in the Singapore and that was dirty water to me. Was the crappiest coffee ever. Weak and milk was over boiled. 🤮

[@Hedriks]

Medical Health: One big thing here in Aus that is important to note, is the Royal Flying doctors. These guys are the heroes in the skies I reckon. They do the same thing that doctors do on the ground, but they fly out daily all day, possibly 7 stops at times, around Australia to tend to those small outback hospitals and even individuals in the middle of nowhere, just to diagnose and/or drop off needed medical supplies, etc.

[@johngarcia5366]

Bloody hell I was looking for my cat thinking there was something wrong until I realised it was your cat all along 😂

[@Scottie_S]

I was doing exactly that as well! Tonia's cat sounds exactly like mine.

[@TheRubeeRose]

I even took my headphones off and went looking for both of mine, but they were OK, then I realised it was from the video LOL

[@ToniaElkins]

Oops sorry y’all 😂

[@DottyDotDitto]

Oh! That's why my cats were so confused when I went to check on them! 🤣

[@treadingtheboards2875]

same here.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Yes we have a diverse landscape the same as america, hills, cold areas, hot areas, forests, desert etc When the english lady says hot - high 20s in queensland shes understating. Hot for australia is over 40 degrees celcius. In some parts we can hit 50 and above. Going out for coffees is an older person thing in australia too, a lot of younger people will get takeaway coffee and drink on the go, and a lot of the people 'sitting in mcdonalds in the morning' are elderly people having a coffee With scans and specialists, you often need a referral from a doctor, scans tend to be within the next week or so at most, to see a specialist can take weeks on end to get an appointment. The friendliness factor is soo much higher in rural and remote areas. In my area everyone treats each other like family, you can leave your car running with the keys in and AC on when you go into the shop and have full confidence its there when you come out. The multicultural factor is a sad double edge sword. Yes we like having people from overseas that do the right thing, sadly our government uses ponzi immigration to artificially boost the economy figures, hence we are essentialy being pushed out and bred out of our own soil. Moaning, yes we say whinging a lot. Australias wages are high, and the prices in australian shops are obscenely high as a result, and many small businesses cant bear the brunt of high wage costs plus high power bills and high overheads and sadly close. Just the other week a small business in Adelaide had to close after 70+ years of trading. We love our small business, and small business is the backbone of the rural economy. During covid small business got smashed, many closed. Our food is a massive variety, like america having many cultures means many food options. Birds and wildlife, very common all over, same with america. Outdoors is popular, and for us remote people we dont do beaches cos their so far away, some of our activities are: 4 wheel driving, motorcycles, camping, yabbying at a dam, hunting. *Your cat is funny and wanted to steal the show

[@ToniaElkins]

Lol yep Cody likes to be the center of attention. And I’m the same with my car, I’ll leave it running with the AC or heat on at a couple places I’m very confident at lol.

[@robertmurray8763]

The USA 🇺🇸 has far worse annual paid leave, sick leave, retirement schemes, pay per hour , free or cheap medical schemes, and not connected to work compared to other countries.

[@ToniaElkins]

Sorta true. Depends on the person and company etc. but over all yeah.

[@davidhuett3579]

Australia's alpine region stretches from Victoria's north through to New South Wales south. Snowfall is so heavy that Australian Alps, located near the capital city of Canberra, receives more snow than the Swiss Alps in the winter months!

[@jamesaustralian9829]

And it can snow in the ACT, and it can also snow in the mount Lofty ranges here in sth Australia - though not very often, maybe a few times each winter or two.

[@treadingtheboards2875]

@@jamesaustralian9829 While not a thing that happens often, we have had what technically can be called snow in Melbourne's outer western suburbs. Perhaps once every couple of decades.

[@suemoore984]

We pay Goods and Services Tax (GST), except on fresh food. The rate is 10%, and is shown in the price. The price you see is what you pay. I found it challenging to shop in the USA, as I would read a price, carefully get the money out, as of course it's different from our money, get to the cashier and discover that the amount required was different, because of tax. Also, taxation is federal, so individual states don't add taxes to prices.

[@garryellis3085]

Actually Australia is the only first world country in the world that is classed as mega diverse in terms of wildlife and biodiversity. Our plants and animals evolved in complete isolation from the rest of the world. Thats why we are so unique. The US is quite similar to other northern hemisphere countries in terms of evolution.

[@petercampbell9899]

Good on you for not being an apologetic American...we all are aware of the flaws in the US, but there's 330,000,000 of you and most are like people anywhere else.

[@annebaker9408]

Not sure why it is always said Melbourne is the place for the coffee culture in Australia…..I think it is everywhere…..I live in a suburb of Adelaide and I have at least 20 cafes within 5 minutes, and I have a top of the range fully automatic coffee machine with an attached milk fridge (the froths milk and adds it automatically) at home. No one I know lives life without their cafes and coffee machines…it really is not a Melbourne thing, though the coffee is just as good in Melbourne and even country towns like Adelaide!

[@ToniaElkins]

The “coffee nuts” here in the states are a lot like that. I’m not a coffee person myself but my parents were and my daughter is lol. You can most definitely find amazing coffee in the states, you just have to look for it. Starbucks sucks and I do know that. I can’t stand Starbucks 🤣

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Adelaide is not a country town. It is the capitol of South Australia and is the fastest growing capitol in Australia, with the median house price in some areas of adelaide soon expected to hit 1 million dollars

[@ryanhp3170]

There is also penalty rates for public holiday which is 250% on top of the regular wage, for certain industries I believe.

[@firebrand2619]

I enjoyed the reaction video in my opinion. She did a pretty evenhanded job of explaining the different nuances of the country and yes there’s a reason why we call the brits whinging poms.😂

[@ToniaElkins]

Lmao! Thank you 😊 I appreciate the suggestion!! I like her.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Yeah but referring to 20 degree heat as hot just takes the piss. Look at marble bar, and Oodnadatta summer temperature....

[@ToniaElkins]

@@jamesaustralian9829 I guess when you come from the UK 20 is hot. We’ve been between 35-37 C this week. 🥵

[@DrGazza]

Hi from Aus. It's refreshing to see someone not thinking that if you come to Australia you will die in minutes from the wildlife. I lived in the UK for a few years and I commonly heard about the dangerous animals and insects in Australia. Also, you don't (usually) see kangaroos in cities. Tonia has very balanced views in her reactions.

[@ToniaElkins]

Aww thank you so much for saying that. I really appreciate it. And yeah I’ve never really understood why people freak out over wild animals. It’s probably so uncommon to run into a deadly wild animals in most countries lol. I’ve lived in the USA my whole life and I’ve never been in a life or death situation 😂

[@vk3crg]

Great video! Melbourne is now Australia's most populous city. It's no longer Sydney as the lady in the video said. That changed recently. Melbourne has 110,000 more people than Sydney now and is growing at a much faster rate 😀Our national minimum wage is $24 per hour now. So while it seems our cost of living here in more expensive than the US, our wages are higher plus for a hospitality worker in a coffee shop or fast foot restaurant on a weekend can expect around $50 an hour. The wages here are much fairer than the US etc. Craig

[@ToniaElkins]

Yeah I should’ve mentioned in my video that her video was a year old. That’s my bad. Lol. Thank you for watching and commenting 😄

[@RandomStuff-he7lu]

But Brisbane is the largest city by number of people living in a single council area.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

People are leaving Victoria and NSW due to the costs there and the landlord taxes, a lot of people are coming into QLD and SA respectively

[@brendanjohnson4448]

$24A is the minimum!!! I do casual work on the weekends at a Sporting venues carpark getting $37 P/H Plus if I score a Sunday shift at another venue I will receive $60P/H.... More for Public Holidays 😉

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Which is why carpark prices in Australia are really high compared to many other countries

[@marklane58]

Hey, TE! Poopy to you too! The drive to Brisbane was spectacular. My BnB is half way up 60 meter tall gum trees and I'm loving the Brisbane warmth. The one big thing that Britain (and Europe) has that I can't find here is really old western history which I like. I am learning a bit about the 60,000+ year old culture here though and thankfully it is being appreciated more now after 200+ years of the most awful treatment. The original people here don't have a written history but they have a history in song, where you can hear it as a map and a way to behave when you travel. But now I feel like I'm traveling more than ever thanks to shows like yours and the inter nest. All the best from (not so far down) down under.

[@ToniaElkins]

Oh that’s really neat about the songs! I didn’t know that. I’m glad you enjoyed your drive to Brisbane! Sounds like you’re having an amazing time 💖💩

[@marklane58]

@@ToniaElkins An intro to songlines and how they work. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWSyYWuup7ajiJo

[@ChristopherJewels]

If you're heading further north a diversion to Carnarvon Gorge National Park for a day or 2 would be well worthwhile. Lots of aboriginal / indigenous Australian art and native wildlife near the canyon entrance and campground. Whitsundays and Magnetic Island are also worth a stop if you're going as far as Cairns.

[@marklane58]

@@ChristopherJewels Thanks for the suggestions. If only I was heading north! Unfortunately it's back to the south coast after I'm done here. So I can look forward to getting into my winter outfits. 🥶

[@sonja11.11]

We get 4 weeks paid annual leave as well as two weeks of shutdown over Christmas holidays and about ten days of public holidays, on top of sick leave. Also in the public service you get three months paid leave every ten years.

[@kennethfarrand-collins6405]

Yes, a grain of salt is very wise. Good vid girl, keep it up. Hi from Down Under.

[@ToniaElkins]

Thank you! 💜

[@SalisburyKarateClub]

We also get 10 days sick leave each year. We have 4 weeks holiday (some get more) and we get 17 1/2% extra. Plus if you've worked for 10 years at the same company you get 3 months paid leave

[@markedwards4879]

I’ve traveled from Australia to the US a lot over the last 34 years. I have never had a good coffee there….

[@ToniaElkins]

If you went to major cities then no you probably didn’t. Lol

[@markflint2629]

​@@ToniaElkins No drinkable coffee in cities?

[@rossrose1534]

Aussie coffee ☕️ is way better than yuky Starbucks

[@ToniaElkins]

@@rossrose1534 I haven’t tried Aussie coffee but Starbucks is 🤢 lol

[@markedwards4879]

@@ToniaElkins We have a coffee culture here - there can be a wide variation in quality but even a pretty bad coffee shop here is generally better than what you can get in the US.

[@chilishot5760]

Melbourne is Australia's largest city by population not Sydney.

[@andrewstrongman305]

Fun fact: Male magpies only swoop during breeding season, and it's just 13% of them. They won't swoop people they like, though, and it's easy to win them over. You know they really like you when they bring their young to meet you. A magpie family lives near my house, and I wake up hearing them singing. Look up a video of them singing and you'll understand.

[@ToniaElkins]

@@andrewstrongman305 Aww that’s cute!

[@treadingtheboards2875]

It is now swooping season (late August), I take food for them, I've even had Magpies that know me protect me from Magpie Larks who also swoop during the same season. While they don't swoop, I've had some issues with Ravens, they are also very protective of their young.

[@ToniaElkins]

@@treadingtheboards2875 what’s a magpie lark?

[@treadingtheboards2875]

@@ToniaElkins the Magpie Lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), also known as the Peewee Magpie is very similar to the Australian Magpie in coloring but is a difference species and half the size. Their call is different and they are related more to the Monarchs or Fantails. They are native to Australia.

[@ToniaElkins]

@@treadingtheboards2875 Interesting and they’re more aggressive than magpies?

[@JohnHollands]

During Covid, the Australian Government paid $750 a week to displaced workers. For example waitstaff who couldn't work because their restaurant was shut and building tradesmen whose sites were shutdown.. This was paid right through the Covid period. There were other payments too.

[@ToniaElkins]

@@JohnHollands Yeah Americans got money from the govt too

[@JohnHollands]

@@ToniaElkins as much as $750 a week? Every week, for a year or more?

[@dutchroll]

There are some pretty decent though expensive ski resorts in Victoria and southern New South Wales. No we don't get more snow than Switzerland (a popular myth you may hear perpetuated from the 1950s which just refuses to die) but they get mostly reasonable snowfall in the winter months. The minimum wage is federal law so it covers the whole country. It doesn't apply if you're covered by an "award" wage, which is a national wage agreement for specific industries and types of employees and is normally higher than the minimum anyway. Deliberate underpayment of employees is a criminal offence in Australia - up to 10 years prison for an individual, or a fine of $7.8 million for a company.

[@ToniaElkins]

I’ve never heard that myth about Switzerland lol. But that’s great about the fines for companies under paying their employees! Prison time seems like it would be understandable for someone maybe doing it on a large scale maybe. Idk 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

[@steveredacted1394]

@@ToniaElkins Unfortunately there are companies that abuse loopholes in the minimum wage laws, employing people as 'independent contractors' instead of 'direct employees' for example, there are still quite a lot of workers that, for various reasons, are not protected by the minimum wage laws

[@cottawalla]

In terms of precipitation falling as snow the Australian Alps does get more than the Swiss Alps but it also melts much faster. There is no permanent snow or ice.

[@dutchroll]

@@cottawalla there is literally no meteorological data in the world that I can find supporting the Australian Alps getting more snowfall than the Swiss Alps. Plus the fact that the Swiss Alps are 2.5 million hectares compared to the Australian Alps 1.6 million hectares (according to official Government sources in both countries), and much higher in altitude, makes that pretty implausible.

[@cottawalla]

@@dutchroll If you take average depth of snowfall per year (average across all actual snow depth measurement sites I assume), those numbers are comparable. Swiss Alps: 260cm versus Austalian Alps: 280cm. But as for total snow, that's probably unknown for either location. How consistent it is over multiple years is also debatable. The point is to counter the perception that Australia is all desert.

[@redhammer9910]

It depends a great deal on which doctor you see because there are some quacks around. I live 250 km South of Perth. I went to my GP with a serious eye infection. He examined my eye and he couldn't be sure if it was bacterial or viral. He phoned a specialist who was out to lunch so he sent me home to wait for his call. An hour later he phoned me instructing me to come in as the specialist wanted a picture. I went back to the surgery, he took the photo, sent it to the specialist. Within minutes we were in a zoom call, a diagnosed was made and within less than 30 minutes I was putting the eye saving drops in to my eye. Within 24 hours I have my sight back and the inflammation is down 90%. It's not always that smooth but if you have a serious problem the system jumps in to action.

[@roshee5573]

Remember is $24AUD which is equivalent to $15.60 USD . Also health care is readily available in the major cities but outside the major metropolitan areas one can wait two or three weeks just to see a doctor . It’s not a rosy picture as portrayed

[@karenglenn6707]

I’m in central Victoria and can get a same day appointment here.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

I'm in remote SA and can see a doctor within 2 days at most of calling the medical centre for an appointment

[@christendomempire5657]

Victorian health care is way better then south Australia ​@karenglenn6707

[@christendomempire5657]

Which part of remote SA? In Millicent South Australia you will have to wait two weeks at least before you get an appointment, while one can drive 40 minutes to Mt Gambier and another 40 minutes back , still waiting a week for an appointment.

[@leoniedoorey8319]

Yesterday 1.7.2024 basic wage all over Australia $24.00 an hour. And no tipping in Oz.

[@clivegilbertson6542]

G'day! The fair work commission reviews the minimum notional wage annually. It will rise on July 1st (the beginning off the new financial year here in OZ) from $23.23 per hour to $24.10 per hour... There are also penalty rates for working outside of normal hours like evenings but also weekends. Before I retired in the hospital I would get +15% for working after 4 pm + 50% for Saturdays, +75% for Sundays and +100% for public holidays of which there are 13 here in NSW each year. Then there are 4weeks annual leave plus long service leave and monthly ADO's... Confusing I know but workers here are heavily protected and looked after... BTW I love your cat! Cheers!

[@goannaj3243]

18:00 ish, we have real deadly critters here but they don't hunt you like a bear, bobcat or coyote could.

[@Aussie1968]

"Easy to see Specialist".... I've been on a 'waiting list' FOR an 'Appointment waiting list' for 17mths now... and my Doctor has sent my referral to; a) 5 different Specialists in 5 different towns/cities; including Sydney which is 9hrs away. b) AND since Jan/24, my Doc has been resending above referrals monthly and started marking them 'urgent'. So ummm yep!

[@ToniaElkins]

Oh damn I am SO sorry to hear that! I really hope you’re able to be seen soon and get whatever help is needed ❤️

[@treadingtheboards2875]

Same here. 12 months waiting until my doctor forced an appointment.

[@Aussie1968]

@ToniaElkins Cheers, Tonia. I need 2 new knees and a hip.... Osteoarthritis spreading fast. The reason for my Doctor pushing so hard is because they stuffed my left knee repair the first time round... and yep, I'm still waiting... 🙄🩷

[@roger4mac]

You can Google Minimum wage for waitress in NSW (Sydney etc.) or QLD (Gold Coast) you get the picture.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Which is why a take away coffee can exceed $6

[@threestumps7560]

Hi Tonia, enjoyed your reaction video. This chick Lisa makes really good videos. She does a comparison between British and Australian homes that is worth a watch. She also does one on one city comparisons for those thinking about migrating. As for our ski fields, don't expect a Colorado; our mountains are not as high as yours. Snow season would last around three months over the winter. Not sure if we can host the Winter Olympics here; at least debatable.

[@fabiacooney9378]

One thing to add about our wages is that all service workers are entitled to penalty rates. The minimum wage of $24.10 an hour only applies to hours worked during normal business hours. As soon as your shift goes into the evening or overnight your wage increases by 150%. If you work on a sunday or public holiday its 200% on top of your hourly rate so that is why the workers don't complain here in the retail sector as they generally want to work these shifts and have a better work/life balance.

[@ToniaElkins]

I think there may be jobs here that do that but it’s a per company thing. However we do have “over time” hours that you get paid more. And that’s National.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

A lot of people are on salaries, on a salary there's no extra pay, instead salary workers often exceed the 8 hr minimum and as a result end up working at a cheaper rate per hour. Our catch is ease of loans, and novated leases for new car purchases.

[@dquanissavage6287]

Tonia Awesome Video Today!!🔥🐐🐐💎

[@samara5448]

😊

[@ToniaElkins]

😎

[@jayweb51]

Dependent upon the occupation, will determine if it is under State or National Wage Awards. Just recently, the Australian Government change the wage law for teenagers; they are now all on minimum adult wage per hour, this includes those under 18 doing part-time work.

[@warrenturner397]

Incorrect - they are paid a percentage of the adult (20 years old) rate according to their age. Where did you get this crap from!

[@tonyhyde2644]

we also get at the supermarket kangaroo sausages, mince rissoles, and my fav is marinated roo back straps///but i used to live in the sticks n hunt a lot n we'd get wild goat, pig, rabbits, eels, yabbies, duck, ahhhh sooo much bush tucker we never went hungry

[@ToniaElkins]

Lol you sound like one of my discord Aussies. He lives out in the country on a farm. He’s a real hoot! (A character, he makes me laugh and is entertaining. In case y’all don’t use “hoot” 😉)

[@tonyhyde2644]

@@ToniaElkins cool...i was largely raised in the sticks and later became a swaggie, swagman, and had to survive from my skills in the bush....fair dinkum i miss that life, as hard as it was....got a lot of yarns about it, in fact, i wrote a book about it (part of a trilogy) and ppl in the usa seemed to love it cos i wtote it in the tongue of an educated bushie lol

[@simbob26]

Yes, you are right. America and Australia are very similar in many respects... but also we have a lot of similarities, in other areas, with the UK. I think that USA, Canada and Australia are the most similar to each other.

[@Maneater1984]

I am from Sydney, but I would love to visit NW US and Montana, it looks beautiful.

[@ToniaElkins]

@@Maneater1984 Yeah I’d love to visit Washington state in the North west. It looks so gorgeous out there. The only place I have been in the west is California, San Francisco area mostly. But also Monterey, Santa Cruz, and that area. I highly recommend that area of Cali! I personally have no interest in LA 😂

[@Maneater1984]

@@ToniaElkins thanks for the recommendation! I have a friend in Temecula but he over-sells it but saying gets all retirees and oppressive heat...lol. I have always wanted to go to Illinois as well because I stream old episodes of Roseanne haha.

[@ToniaElkins]

@@Maneater1984 I LOVE Roseanne! I’ve seen every episode of the original show 10 times over 😂 Illinois is one of the states that has a lot of beauty but no one knows about it. People immediately just think Chicago and only want to visit Chicago. Which is fine it’s a beautiful city. But Chicago doesn’t define Illinois. Like Sydney doesn’t define Australia lol. Temecula CA is Southern Cali right? I haven’t been that far south but I do know it’s hot there! San Francisco in summer to me felt colder than Illinois in summer bc the lack of humidity in California. And it was very windy. But I had a blast! It’s so beautiful there. And I got to ride across the Golden gate bridge and see the “Full House” house, which at 13 was very exciting to me 😂 In Santa Cruz I went to the same beach the lost boys was shot. That was awesome. Has an amusement park. And in Monterey we went to the aquarium which is one of my favorite aquariums I’ve been to! 🥰

[@krystleklearcentral]

Minimum wage is national, but it differs depending on the job you are doing. EVERY job/career has a national minimum wage and conditions (called an 'Award'). This outlines the pay for workers and things like minimum hours, maximum hours, etc. Most Awards will have different rates of pay based on whether the worker is full-time, Part-time, Casual, or under 21 years old. The lowest wage is now about $24 is likely the rate for a casual employee. Every casual worker in Any industry will at least get that, if not more. Also must note, Awards are the minimum standards by law, employers can pay more, and offer better conditions, but it can not be worse. (definitions - Full time = about 35-40 hours per week, 4-5 weeks vacation per year, 9 sick days per year, + 12% Super/401k.... Part-time Pro-rata to full time, so if you work 50% of the hours of the full time person, you get 50% of the vacation time, sick leave, but still 12% super. Casual is usually rostered at will by the employer, but some awards have minimum hours like 3 hours per week, etc. No Vacation time, No sick leave, but still 12% super)

[@johnnewman366]

I think you’ve under estimated the rate for casual workers. (Assuming Federal minimum rate from 1 July 2024): $24.10 p/h + 25% casual loading = $30.12 p/h. If the casual employee is working a weekend the rate also attracts a penalty rate of time and a half (150%), or double time (200%). For example, casual double time shift: $24.10 + 25% ($30.12) + 200% = $60.24 p/h. Cheers,

[@krystleklearcentral]

@@johnnewman366 your right in many ways, with casual loading, it can range anywhere from 15-25%, but sometimes that is already included in the hourly rate. Also a lot of penalty rates were removed a few years ago under the last government. I just looked up the fast food award, for a casual employee over 21, they would get $30.91ph On Weekends they get $37.10, and if they work 10pm-12am they get $33.39, 12am-6am $34.62.

[@krystleklearcentral]

@@johnnewman366 link in case you want to verify - www.fairwork.gov.au/find-help-for/fast-food-restaurants-cafes/fast-food-industry

[@neilt6480]

And don't forget leave loading.

[@krystleklearcentral]

@@neilt6480 yeah, I even get leave loading and I am full time

[@dawnbyrne1672]

With seeing a nuerolohist on the day implies she had private insurance or paid for it herself. Its quite unusual. Even when Ive paid myself Ive had to wait for a few months. Publicly I waited 7 yrs, in a regional area, to see a nuerologist and just gave up!

[@ToniaElkins]

Wow I’m so sorry to hear that! 💜 And thank you for the clarification. Hugs to you.

[@Jules-zi5qf]

there is nothing more important IN LIFE than GOOD HEALTH. first doctor visit is $75. ($40) is refunded. then. any subsequent visits are FREE ,. a doctors visit is a phone call away. We are very proud of our HEALTH CARE.

[@DavidCalvert-mh9sy]

Hi Tonia. Towards the end of your video your cat was meowing in the background. I could just heard it in my headphones. So I turned to see what my cat wanted, and found her fast asleep on the lounge. Cats is cats. And mine has me well trained.

[@Hedriks]

I don't think people would tour to Aussie though for the skiing. They'd be coming over for the (opposite). I think the old generation are the main tea-drinkers, it's an old-school thing that came over, I believe from Britain. But today's culture definitely are coffee people. We have Chains "Gloria Jeans, Coffee Club... etc", but the independant businesses and small cafes are just as good.

[@practicalnottactical]

Ive always thought why you hear Americans so freaked out by Australian dangerous animals. The two only really dangerous animals in Australia live in the water (sharks and crocodiles) and they are pretty easy to avoid. However, the most dangerous animals in the US are all land based (bears, wolves and cougars).

[@ToniaElkins]

The only thing that ever worried me about Australia was snakes and huge spiders. Whether or not they are deadly I don’t wanna see them 😂

[@xymonau2468]

@@ToniaElkins I am 68 and have only ever seen a handful of wild snakes. I did have one get into my house once, but the house had been empty for months and is out in the country. It was just a tree snake, and there were a few pythons around, too, but they left once they realised we were here forever. My sister lives on a cattle station and they see a LOT of snakes, and most are poisonous brown snakes. Out of 3,000 snake bites every year - most in the countryside - you get two deaths. There is a lot of antivenine available, and we know how to deal with bites better now (lie still because the poison spreads through the lymphatic system, not the blood system). Two people a year are killed by crocodiles as well - in the far north. Cows and bulls kill 3 per year. Since antivenom in 1979, nobody has died from spider bites. Sydney is full of the deadly funnel-web spiders. And the other is redbacks, but they generally would only kill a baby or an elderly frail person. The other spiders are wibbly and freak me out, but it depends on where you live whether you see them or not. I live way outside the nearest town - we rely on rain water and septics - and because I encourage the birds by feeding them occasionally, it is rare to see a spider indoors. Probably three in the last year, if that. I just dispatch them with a shoe or insecticide, but many people catch them and take them outside. All irrational fear aside, they are interesting and helpful as they catch things like cockroaches and flies. Many people have a resident spider who lives in thei houses and if ignored, they don't get in the way. My phobia wouldn't allow that.

[@ChristopherJewels]

The brown snake is the only one that is a serious threat in Australia. Although in Victoria, Tiger snakes can sometimes be seen in & around Melbourne. The population of Australia hugs the coast so the other 7 varieties of venomous snakes are rarely or never encountered. The Western Taipan eg only lives in the Simpson desert, 1,108 miles (1750 km) west of Brisbane. There is also a north south divide with crocodiles which only live in warmer parts of Australian coastal waters from Maryborough Qld to Carnarvon in Western Australia. Box jellyfish are really only an issue from November to May and inhabit a similar northern range. It would be like me being terrified of alligators in Illinois. Sydney funnel webs are only found in the Sydney region and isolated parts of NSW. Redback spiders are similar to black widows. Easily avoided. There is anti-venene available in the off chance anyone is ever bitten. Nobody has died from a bite since 1955. White tailed spiders are the other type of venomous spider which causes severe necrosis. The other 10,000 spider species are largely harmless, such as the huntsman. The dingo would be like a coyote on the food chain. No bears, wolves, cougars, bobcats, or pumas here. The koala 'bear' is really a marsupial and 'drop-bears' are a myth... sorry for the spoiler alert.

[@bernadettelanders7306]

@@ToniaElkins I’m 70 and Aussie. I’ve never seen a snake in my life. I’ve been camping, lived surrounded by trees very close to a river. If you go bush often I guess you’d see snakes. But people who live there know their environment and how to deal with situations. Of course some get bitten like other animals in any country. I’ve had one non deadly spider bite in my life. Like any country, know the dangers and what to do. And find out the exaggerated myths as well.

[@jeremykothe2847]

@@bernadettelanders7306 I've seen a few, but only a few, and I grew up in the country. Believe it or not, snakes do their best to avoid humans.

[@Jeni10]

Australian wages have a wide range depending on the job you’re doing, how much training you have to undergo, etc. But waitstaff earn about $22 per hour. The basic wage must cover your basic needs for food, clothing and shelter.

[@vergadain]

Tonia - I'm pretty sure your other cat(At least I don't think it was Cody) has an Australian accent and was trolling me throughout this video. I was convinced on multiple occasions that it was one of my cats getting up to mischief or needing my attention. Minimum wages are mandated by the Australian Federal Government and applies to all employers nationally. Good comparisons in relation to USA/Australia and diversity of regions. Good advice also regarding absorbing those internet lists, especially the ones about wildlife.

[@ToniaElkins]

Oops sorry about the cat lol. I’m so used to hearing meows that sometimes I just don’t hear it 😂

[@vergadain]

@@ToniaElkins nah don’t be sorry Tonia, just another element of you keeping it raw which I love. From my end, I’d prefer that you didn’t sterilise the environment. I was fascinated by the ventriloquistic nature of the experience and how I was fooled. My ears were convincing my brain of a sound coming from a different room and it was my cats and it took longer than it should have for me to realise it wasn’t. I learnt that you have more than one cat too.

[@ToniaElkins]

@@vergadain Lol yeah I have 7 cats actually. When there is a stray that needs a home I can’t help but give them a home 😂 But I’m done collecting cats for the time being. 7 is a lot lol

[@648Roland]

Migrated to Oz after living in then West Germany, Nth Ireland, Wales and many English places as my father was in the RAF. Was 17 then and not left the mainland or wished to. Being 72 I'm on an aged pension, own my own home and stopped owning or driving. Could not handle living in a city preferring a small town north of Melbourne which suits me. Nobody's mentioned firearms which most Aussies don't have the need to have which seems something almost mandatory in the states. Last time I saw snow falling here was about 25 years ago and as the climate changes our snow season will shorten but NZ is a short flight to their snow-fields though that country shakes far more than here does. Being an island continent we don't have as big a problem with people arriving other than by boat which is policed. We are all migrants including the first people who moved here at least 65,000 years ago via Asia. Thought not Australian born, I call Australia home. P.S. Watched the last southern lights with kangaroos grazing quite close and my garden is visited by echidna, possums, the odd snake, lizards and a wide variety of birds plus have beautiful night skies full of stars which the cities don't get and very clean air.

[@petersaxby9302]

Sounds like you need to compare health systems cause I don't think you understand we pay so much less for medical than the USA

[@ToniaElkins]

No I completely understand that. I was trying to explain that we do have help for free health care as well.

[@DavidFalconer-t1z]

All children learn to swim in Australia enough so you don’t drown especially in the surf.

[@AnnQlder]

Nice one mate, whinGing it is 😂👍🏻👏

[@kennethdodemaide8678]

Our minimum wage is mandated nationally and adjusted annually to take inflation into account. Currently the minimum wage is $24/ hour.

[@markandsuriyonphanasonkath8768]

Thank you for your video. I'm an "Australian expat", moved overseas permanently, Australia's economy is completely STUFFED, unless you are very wealthy. Public transport is FILTHY, electricity and gas are THREE times higher than 7 years ago, red light cameras and speed cameras everywhere. Taxes are unaffordable, even on a very good six figure salary and owning my home outright, Australia - particularly Victoria, is a complete nightmare. We said "goodby" to Australia nearly 9 years ago, the government are "self serving, useless" people. If anybody wants to live in Australia, they need to see their therapist! Enough said!

[@Ragnar6000]

Nonsense!

[@chemicalyunbalanced4943]

Thanks

[@ToniaElkins]

Awe thank you so much! I truly appreciate it! Yeah that other video can’t be monetized obviously lol. But I LOVE doing them for fun 😊

[@alyn927]

Tonia I think it is wonderful that you champion your country and not just agree with some of these people that bag their own country. I am an older Australian and believe that a lot of people that do these videos exaggerate. Australia is a beautiful country and we are truly blessed to live here but some I feel should be more grateful for this privilege and maybe not knock those that are that are different.

[@ToniaElkins]

@@alyn927 Thank you! I agree with you 💯

[@hardystein114]

What is not mentioned , is the ridiculous prices Australians pay for EVERYTHING you can possibly imagine.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Yeah absolutely, so many in the comments having a field day about our minimum wage, but won't dare say what a load of bread, 2 litres of milk, or a tray of chops will cost. They most certainly won't dare mention the baseload KwH price on the power bills either ...

[@kennethdodemaide8678]

You should check out Australia's 5 best ski resorts.

[@paulineeast8560]

22 dollars an hour is only 14.50 in US....my mum had scoliosis and I had to take on the heavy housework from a relatively young age due to the impact on her....I feel for you and encourage you to ask for help and rest when you need to.

[@BasilPunton]

My compliments to cody.

[@travelgirl747]

No ski resorts are open anywhere in Australia in summer. Only winter and only in the high country of NSW and Victoria. Dont forget all these dollars are Australian dollars, not US.

[@ToniaElkins]

Lmao I would never think a ski resort is open in the summer 😂

[@LikkieAU]

Ummmm…. not quite true…. Some ski resorts are open during the summer, for summer actives…. Check out Thredbo…

[@tammyfinnemore]

As of 1 July 2023, the minimum wage is $23.23 per hour, or $882.80 per 38-hour week. The Fair Work Commission (the Commission) has announced a 3.75% increase to the National Minimum Wage and minimum award wages. The increase applies from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2024. This is for 21 and over. Under 21 is less but Im not sure what the amount is (been a longgggg time since I was under 21 lol)

[@davexenos9196]

Tonia the only thing missing with you is an Australian accent. Australians and Americans are basically interchangeable, we have a parallel history.

[@MrDarkwing78]

7:41 We do understand that, what we don't understand is WHY those are the exceptions, EVERYONE can get sick or injured at any time, and NOBODY should have to struggle or even go into debt because they got sick or injured, let alone declare bankruptcy as a result. Gofundme is supposed to be for people to get a start on a new project or, I guess, even to raise money for a cause (like the recent hurricane in the US, though there are plenty of other services like the Salvation Army that are better choices for these), but it's strains credulity that so many people in the US use it to try to cover their medical debt (1 in 3 campaigns in the US are for medical expenses, I believe, though it could be more, not likely less though).

[@kathleenmayhorne3183]

In the Uk, you can drive one end to the other, in a day. In Australia you can drive 3 days and still be in Queensland, west aus is bigger. The land mass is similar in size to the USA. I think your sequoia trees are the tallest trees really. You have bears, cougars, bobcats, mountain lions alligators and rabies. We have much smaller dangerous animals, and crocs which can be bigger than alligators. We don't have polar bears either, just great white sharks, but you have to go look for most of them.

[@ToniaElkins]

Yeah not every state has every dangerous animal same as you guys. Illinois doesn’t have alligators and crocs. However we have the Mississippi River that goes yes all the way into Illinois from the Gulf of Mexico. So there have definitely been bull sharks found in Illinois which is scary AF. You wont catch me swimming in that river 🤣

[@kathleenmayhorne3183]

@@ToniaElkins we have bull sharks in boat harbours and rivers, a soldier on exercises in sydney harbour, lost a limb. More prevalent where unexpected can be nasty too.

[@ToniaElkins]

@@kathleenmayhorne3183 Exactly. There was a case many many years ago where a bull shark killed a couple people In Illinois in the Mississippi River bc they thought it was safe to swim. And why wouldn’t anyone think that? We are sooooo far from any ocean. It’s middle America, who would think? Lol. When you don’t know there’s that kind of danger there you won’t be watching for it. And idk how many times since then they’ve been seen in Illinois but it’s possible which is scary enough.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Must be a slow driver then. We can haul 3 trailers with a semi from Melbourne to Perth in 3 days capped at 95km/h

[@test-547]

As an Australian who has lived in 7 countries. I can promise you Sydney is a complete shithole and worth avoiding

[@ToniaElkins]

Well damn lol. I imagine most large popular cities are kinda the same.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

As someone who grew up in Sydney I second that motion. Depending on what part of Sydney your in, your better off speaking mandarin, or arabic. It is an overpopulated shithole where a 1 bedroom unit unfit for a stray dog costs over $600 a week to rent.

[@CooKiNupCONVERSATIONS]

HEY! new here..I LOVE CATS!!!

[@stuarthancock571]

Remember the currency difference. One Australian Dollar only gets 66 US cents at the moment. So that minimum wage is equivalent to $15 US per hour.

[@ToniaElkins]

OH! Ok. Wow I wasn’t even thinking about that lol. Thank you. 😊

[@johnnewman366]

Exchange rate differences are meaningless, they only matter if you are travelling to that other country and exchanging your currency to the other currency. In Australia a dollar is a dollar, in the US a dollar is a dollar, same as every other nation using its own currency in its own country. When I go to the supermarket in Australia I use my Australian dollars to purchase products for sale priced in Australian dollars, I don’t have to think or worry about exchange rates. In the US people have to use US dollars to purchase products priced in US dollars, they don’t have to think about exchange rates either. As for the minimum wage, per hour, AUD$24.10 is still $24.10 in Oz, same as USD$7.25 is still $7.25 in the US. Again, exchange rate differences are meaningless when earning and spending dollars in your own country. Cheers,

[@MrBCorp]

When she touched on wages for cleaners and gardeners and people who are self employed, it's actually a little bit misleading, as these people have to cover things like insurance and other costs. Things that just employees wouldn't have to worry about. That's why they charge such a high rate. A lot of Australia in governed from a Federal level more so than America. For instance, wages and taxes. We only have a Federal wage, it doesn't vary from state to state. Most taxes don't vary from state to state either. Most driving laws apply to the whole of Australia but there are some variances between the states. The interesting thing is that Australia and America are similar in that they were a bunch of states that formed a country, but it seems that Australia overall is more unified. America just seems like a bunch of states that loosely agreed to join up.

[@ginagriffith2846]

You can't compare coffee or coffee culture in the US and Australia, it's totally different. Coffee in Australia tastes like it should, not watery and: weak. Also the drug prices here are very affordable because government buys in bulk from drug companies and subsidises them for everyone. I don't think any approved drug is over $31 and health funds have nothing to do with drug prices.

[@ToniaElkins]

I didn’t compare it. I said we also have local coffee houses that are not like the franchises, in my town. Have you been here? Have you tried all the coffee in the USA? Or are you going off what you see on tv? 🤔

[@ginagriffith2846]

@ToniaElkins I didn't mean you compared it, it was just a generalisation. I've tried coffee in the USA and UK/EUROPE and it's very different to what we have here especially if it's drip coffee. I'm sure in places with large Italian descendents the coffee would be closer to what we enjoy. Strong espresso 😊

[@jayweb51]

There are videos on KZbin that compare the Australian Health System to that of the United States, showing benefits and disadvantages of both systems. It would be great to see you react to them; there are also the UK system compared to Australia or America.

[@jayweb51]

I came across a situation which surprised me, I'm not sure if you would classify it under impolite or disrespect; l was having programmes printed for a netball association, and the printers had a problem with one of the machines needed to complete the job. I have used these printers for atleast 4 years, with few problems; when I eventually picked up the programmes, one of the ladies said to me "You never get angry with any delays. Why?"; l replied, "Would getting angry get the job done quicker! Plus the programmes usually printed atleast one month before needed". The printers are in the CBD, and they deal with a lot of businesses that want their work done NOW! I just don't understand, how if something is so important that it's done at the last minute; okay, somethings can't be helped but getting in people's faces doesn't do any good, they most likely will be looking for different printers in the future.

[@karenglenn6707]

I grew up in Melbourne and moved to central Victoria in 1989 and transferred to the police station here. Every time I go down the street I run into people or even chat to people that I don’t know. People are so friendly, especially in country towns. Unless they are newcomers from Melbourne, they are not friendly, and we can tell who they are.

[@ToniaElkins]

Awe I love that. That’s like my town. Always running into someone we know. Or just chatting with friendly people.

[@briantayler1230]

G'day, the minimum wage is national and also includes work conditions. This video is a bit old because the permanent minimum wage has gone up a couple of dollars and the casual wage is higher again. Most people work under a minimum award wage which is higher again.

[@BassMatt1972]

Adelaide, voted 11 in the top 100 places in the World to live only last week.. A little big city of 1.1 million people.

[@annettebanks6022]

The Average wage in Australia is now $25.730 per hour. Tradies in Australia earn a lot more an hour. All so if you work out of hours you get payed more. You work Saturday or Sunday you get payed more per hour. If it is a public holiday your work will pay time and Half for so many hours then it goes into double time. If you work nights you get payed a lot more too. You get 7 sickies a year but they accrued over time. Holidays on Average is 4 weeks a year but that can vary to more. They also accrued. It is law to get the minimum wage, sick leave and holidays.

[@jamesaustralian9829]

I'm a tiler by trade and I charge 75 bucks per square metre

[@liamloveday2676]

It's a true fact in Australia we get more snow. Than the Swiss Alps

[@dickwilliam3793]

absolute rubbish

[@xymonau2468]

That's actually a myth based on something published years ago that was incorrect. The shee size of the Swiss Alps means there are far more hectares to cover with snow and the snowfall here is definitely not equivalent. In fact, some years they use snowmaking machines on our snowfields.

[@markflint2629]

​@@xymonau2468 Rubbish

[@glens0r]

I live in Melbourne, Australia and we only lock the door when we go to bed or nobody is home

[@davidbrown9015]

From 1 July 2024, the National Minimum Wage will increase by 3.75%. This means the new National Minimum Wage will be $24.10 per hour, or $915.90 per week (38hrs). This is for adults at 21 years of age. About $18 USD/hr.

[@alwynemcintyre2184]

I can be a bit harder to get a same day doctor's appointment, conservatives have been pulling back on funding the system. They've never liked it, think they'd prefer a style system

[@roger4mac]

Check out 2 passports 1 dream in Australia. Good vision not just boring head and shoulders.

[@ToniaElkins]

Ok thank you so much! I screen shot this so I don’t forget. And if I do you can yell at me 😂

[@royferntorp]

Was in Sweden, 5yo. Just walking through a forest eating the blueberries. A wolf came out in front of me. Feeling scared I turned around to see 7 of them behind me. I kept walking. Not scared. They followed. I told my father about it. He said 'welcome to the pack'.

[@tammymcleod4504]

Yeah, we get more snow here in Australia than the Swiss Alps, believe it or not

[@popeye807]

talking about snow, there is more snow than switzerland in Australia, in winter.

[@leecarter2900]

Just on the snow we get more snow on our alpine regions than they get on the Swiss Alps so we get lots of snow.

[@KateV-v4m]

Oh honey, our minimum wages IS BLANKET ACROSS THE COUNTRY! The weekend work is more with Sundays' is time and half. So if you work a weekend it's like working a FULL WEEK

[@AussiePom]

The minimum wage is just that the minimum. But most people get higher wages than the minimum wage rate. There are enterprise bargaining agreements worked out between employer, employees and unions. The Fair Work Commission sets the basic wage and conditions for each employment sector. But an enterprise agreement must only pay more than the basic wage rate with enhanced conditions. It can never be a way for an employer to pay less then the basic wage rate because the Fair Work Commission scrutinises the enterprise agreement and if they don't like any aspect of it then they won't grant permission for it to go into effect. It stops employers ripping off employees. If it still happens then employees can inform the FWC. We had a local Indian restaurant where the employer had an Indian employee and had him as a slave and he lived in the kitchen. On arriving in Australia his passport was confiscated so he couldn't leave nor could he have time off because he was a slave not an employee. The owner got found out and his restaurant was closed down and he was jailed. The slave was deported back to India. After serving his time the restaurant owner had his Australian passport confiscated, lost his Australian citizenship and was deported back to India. This was in the days when social media was in it's infancy. Today the restaurant owner would be screaming that Australia is a racist country. He was found out by the health authorities who do checks on restaurant kitchens to make sure they're obeying health regulations. It was they who found the slave and got an interpreter in because the slave couldn't speak English and through the interpreter the slave told them the conditions he was kept under. To get deported from Australia you really have to do something very bad for people aren't deported for trivial reasons. What many Americans don't understand about how universal healthcare is paid for is that it goes on how much you earn. There's no one set rate that everyone must pay so the more you earn the more you pay and the less you earn the less you pay. But even those who are unemployed are still entitled to the full range of services that universal healthcare provides. No one will ever say "oh you're not employed so you're not entitled to universal healthcare because you're not paying money towards it". If you're a citizen of Australia you're entitled to it. What about old people who are on a full government pension and don't pay any tax whatsoever, they're entitled to it because they citizens.

[@davidhuett3579]

I think the minimum wage in Australia is $23.23/hr now .. and yes .. its a federal award so applies across Australia.

[@MrBCorp]

I reckon the current culture that exists in Australia at the moment is quite respectful of other people's things. If they find something sitting or lying on the ground or on a bench or if they find someone's wallet, there's a pretty good chance that it will still be there for a while or someone will hand it in. More so than 10, 20 or even 30 years ago. Of course this depends on the area but I feel as if there are a lot of people now that will show respect in this regard.

[@ToniaElkins]

It’s definitely the same here in the states. It varies place to place. I’d never leave my stuff lying around in an area I’m not familiar with lol. Theft is everywhere unfortunately but I do feel pretty confident in my city in most places 😊

[@jamesaustralian9829]

Move to an area with Aboriginals, you leave something unattended for 2 minutes, it's gone.

[@GarryMercer-tq5uo]

Australia in season has more skiable snow than Switzerland as well as 14000 beaches which you could not visit all in a lifetime. Australian coffee is the best in the world and is totally different to American coffee. Australian coffee is based on an expresso culture which is why hundreds of Starbucks failed in Australia, only 2 survived for tourists, Australians wont touch it. Minimum wage in Australia has just been raised 3 1/2%. Australia is the most multicultural country with food to match. Magpies are great birds, highly intelligent, if you talk to them the will remember you forever and never swoop you, great song and the will follow when you mow the lawn for bugs, sit near or on you , come into your house, afraid of nothing

[@noelanderson8915]

Almost $900 a week, 2 weeks sick leave, 4 weeks holiday leave....we like our holidays in Aussie.

[@coraliemoller3896]

The Australian attitude is egalitarian. No one is superior to anyone else. At least that was the culture I was raised in, her in Sydney. Every job is necessary and the person who clears the table in the food court in a shopping mall is treated the same as the person who wears a suit. We don’t appreciate people who toot their own horn, but we do show admiration for humble heroes.

[@ToniaElkins]

This is very much how the Midwest is as well. We are very different from the East and west coasts. 😊💜