Hey, try Redfern in Sydney.
Real interesting neighbourhood

What does that mean?

I have already foreseen the bolded in Australia like 5-6 years ago when there was a mining boom. I've already told some friends to avoid going to australia if you think the mining sensation will go on. And 5-6 year later, it was spot on.

The rationale is simple. Raw materials are raw materials and they are roughly sold at the same (assuming same grade) whether mined in Indonesia or Australia. For eg. coal mined in Australia would have the same application and same price as coal mined in Indonesia. But the cost of mining in Australia is about 10x higher of that in Indonesia. Its simple mathematics at the end of the day.

For e.g. A mining truck driver earns AUD5000 p.a. in Indonesia (and its a VERY GOOD pay in Indonesia) and the same mining truck driver would cost AUD150k p.a. in Australia. However the value produced by truck driver in Indonesia and Australia are the same. No difference except for less cost in Indonesia (and hence more profit for the company) and additional cost of mining in Australia (and hence less profit to the company).

yes mining is cyclical but as long as australia does not find a cost effective way to compete against the other countries they are doomed. Automation is one option but that also means more jobless aussies. Wages will also be supressed going forwards otherwise they just cannot compete in this globalised world!

And australia does not have monopoly of coal in this world. There is brazil, africa which produces the same quality of coal as australia at a fraction of a cost.

I don't think shipping will cost AUD150k a year, the kind of wages paid to a ONE truck driver in Australia, for example (as compared to <AUD3k per year paid to an african for the transport of coal) or for the mass of people working the mines.

By the way, if you look at the freight rates, its currently surpressed.

This post has been edited by robertchoo: Nov 27 2013, 08:38 PM

1. If you're going there to study for less than 2 years, chances are you will fail the points test. I think the min to score points is 2 years of full time underfraduate/postgrad studies in Australia.
2. Like you say unless you get a relative to hire you, your chances to secure a job is near zero without a PR. Sure people do strike lottery. But you want to risk going to Australia without a PR and without a job? How much money do you have to burn? You can't even work part time without a PR.
3. Over and beyond that, you might find that at the end is it really worth it?
Sure, Australia do have a peaceful and good work life balance, great outdoors, good weather and good place to bring up a family. But it is also expensive. Rising cost of living and property prices, Taxes, medicare and insurance are a killer. Most people only earn enough to get by and you will definately suffer a lower standard of living compared to say Singapore - for starters eating out everyday lunch/dinner is out of the question in Australia. Most people doggie bag from home.
4. There are always alternatives like Singapore. Its safe, cost of living is much much cheaper than Australia, and income taxes are negligable. The only downside is expensive property prices (but you can always get a sub SGD300k HDB is Jurong or Woodlands) and expensive vehicles (not needed in my opinion. MRT, busses and taxis run islandwide. One of the cheaperst public transportation in the world especially if you compare them with Australia (!))

Funny coming from someone looking for a job in sg.

But i disagree.

1. I don't understand what you mean by boring. Australia lifestyle is not boring? You go to work come back and everything closes at 6 pm, no? maybe it would be less boring if you could make some friends, no? You can stop being, in your words, "arrogant and selfish".
2.People are arrogant and selfish also not true. Depends on individual. Its unfair to slap a generalisations just because you met some @ssholes. By the same thought are you saying all australians are not arrogant and selfish? I've met some pretty terrible Australians as well. Most Australians are friendly but that is IN their culture. It is not ours. Being an Asian yourself, ask yourself, how often do you greet foreigners (bangla or otherwise) in your own country i.e. Malaysia? Its just not in our culture!
3. Again i don't understand what you mean by houses being boring. Its more a matter of money rather than boring in my opinion. There are huge "interesting" good class bungalow in Singapore. Similarly if you are broke with no money in australia, i bet yr house in australia will be "boring" too.
4. If you dislike lugging yr groceries around try and get a taxi. They are everywhere and dirt cheap compared to Australia
5. SG strategic location and strong currency means travelling overseas is also cheap. Going to BKK or HK or Macau or KL or Jakarta is a breeze esp with budget airlines. For eg flight tickets to HK are as cheap as sgd200 on promo period and only takes 4 hours. The same cannot be said of Australia.

To add on, Singapore is one of the most metritocratic country in the world. The same cannot be said of Australia. Past a certain point in your career, your chances of moving up is practically nil if you're an Asian in appearance (you could speak like them and even grow up in Australia dosen't matter). I'm NOT saying there are absolutely NO Asian holding senior post in Australian company. I'm saying there are very very very few. Most of the time the senior management are all aussies what's more the CEO.

According to them, they say its to project an image and values of Australia by appointing Australians in Australia companies. I say its just a spin to institutionalise racism just like how Malaysia is doing the same with Bumi in GLCs.

In Singapore, if you are good, you will climb to the top. For example, the CEO for DBS Bank is a former Indian National. OCBC used to be helmed by David Conner - ang moh and is curretly helmed by Sam Tsien - HK. So goes for many GLCs in Singapore. Race is just not an issue.

This post has been edited by robertchoo: Nov 30 2013, 11:36 PM

1 & 2) I disagree. Like you said there are very nice singaporeans and very nasty ones just the same as there are nice australians as there are nasty ones. In fact my singaporean friends have helped me more than my fellow msian when i was working in sg. I find that its the malaysians who are ruthless and back stabber.

3) i do not think normal aussies can afford even a small apartment in sydney, melbourne, perth let alone build your own. If yr talking about farmhouse, i seriously doubt anyone wants to lives miles away from civilisation. Scream also no one to help you. And btw you can always buy cheap big properties in jb and travel to sg. Alot of expats are doing that now.

4) You can employ something called maids. They are cheap in sg. You cannot afford a maid in australia

5)i don't think so. Travelling to usa/euro is very expensive due to expensive flight tickets.

6)you look at telstra, rio tinto etc. Who are their ceo? Asian?

7) the time of aus has come and gone. Nows asia's time to shine. Like the wheels of karma. Nothing lasts forever.

the same reason as to why many aussie are wating to come to work in sg.

Nope living in singapore is neither heaven or hell. Just like living in anywhere else in the world. There is no such thing as a perfect place. There are good points and there are also bad points. One just need to adapt.
Take for eg SG. You are right to say that parents usually leave the teaching to maids and school teachers. But then again if i recall correctly singapore students are also one of the brightest in the world with the highest uni educated ppl as compared to australia. Conversely parents in places like europe and aus have plenty of time for their children yet they are not on the list of brightest people nor are they known to be uni grads (talking about the average aussie).

And what do you mean singapore is a zoo? I don't understand. My point is some stress is good in life. If your kids see their friends all get good results and theirs are not, they will strive to do better the next time due to peer pressure. That is call good stress. If they are too stress free and relaxed, they will have no incentive to do well.

And btw i live in msia. And its neither heaven nor hell. Its how you adapt to your environment and make the best use of it.

No hard feelings

Pay is not a function of employers greed. Its a function of demand and supply. Its simple economics. demand >supply the more the pay. The reverse is also true. The supply > demand the less the pay.

So if there are a shortage of high calibre managers for example and demand is more than supply, i can't pay them rm1000 pm for example as nobody will work for you. Conversely if there are an oversupply, i can offer rm800 and many will rush to get the job.

so please do not be blinded by the nonsense about employers greed. It has nothing to do with greed and all to do with demand and supply.

This post has been edited by robertchoo: Dec 2 2013, 05:11 PM

Actually the sgd800k hdb is a isolated incident and its hdb very near the city. As such being a small island demand for space is high and supply is limited hence prices are expensive. But you can easily get a sub 300k 3 bedder hdb 25-30 min train ride from the city. No problem.

I guess its the outlook & culture of asian ppl have. Ppl look cold outside but once you know them you will know that they are actually very nice ppl too.

Personally i feel australia working wise is good for entry level to lower management level because of the min wage and work life balance. But once you are in mid to senior level it becomes very difficult as pay is stagnant and taxes are high while opportunities are also limited. So think long term. Unless you want to be a senior exec forever.

One more thing i foresee is that all those fringe benefits like unemployment benefits, cheap education, gov sponsored healthcare will come to an end soon. Maybe in another 10-15years. This is because when the mining sector (which funds australia) will slow down drastically in the next couple of years as demand from china slows and competition bites

Again i don't know what you mean by boring. I don't find living in a farm outskirts of major towns in australia as interesting at all. I've lived in a huge house where i have to drive 10 min just to buy groceries and its quiet and dark as hell at 8.00pm with barely anyone.

Btw it is much easier to save the money need for downpayment on a sgd 300k hdb in sg as compared to aud 300k house in aussie due to lower taxes and lower cost of living

Its just up to your own perception. I also can say competition and fast paced life not suite you coz you are lazy and have no initiative to better yourself.
I would also like to take it easy but not during my prime. Maybe when i am financially independant i will retire and take it easy. With money I can go anywhere in the world and i do not have to rely on the gov during my old age. Maybe then I'll migrate to australia, dump some money, take PR/citizenship and enjoy the benefits
However, do bear in mind that all those benefits won't last forever.

This post has been edited by robertchoo: Dec 3 2013, 08:36 PM

Wahahahaha. That is the biggest nonsensical joke i've ever heard in my life. Hahaha. US to achieve cost parity with china... hahaha. Yr a real joker. You made my day man.

but in all seriousness, that will never happen. It would spell the demise of either country. 1. Because the cost structure in US in invariably much higher. US is known more for their technological advances, innovation and marketing. It can never compete on cost. At least not with china. China on the other hand has huge cheao (compared to us) labour, access to raw mats and efficiency to mass produce. It lags in terms of technological advances, innovation and marketing. That's not saying they won't get there, but not in the next 20 years let alone 2 yrs.

hahaha US to achieve cost parity with china. What weed are you smoking mate? What a joke. Can you imagine the prices if iphone or ipad if it were manufactured in us? Or can you forsee brands in china rivalling samsung or apple in the next 2 years? No way.

This post has been edited by robertchoo: Dec 5 2013, 09:57 AM

Pretax or post tax? What is your post tax income after deductibles?
And 4.5k x 12 =54k no?

What stupid logic? How can a fresh grad have experience? Or rather if a fresh grad has experience he won't be a fresh grad. Fresh grad...fresh...geddit?

Why should we spend money to train people only for those people to treat the company as a stepping stone to some other company? What's in it for us? Who should compensate us in the event the employee leaves after we spent so much money, time and effort to train them?
That is why i only hire people with a track record. I don't mind paying more but i don't want people to learn on the job. You hit the ground running. In 3 months, if you cannot perform and meet your KPIs, you're out. full stop.

You want companies to train fresh grad, can. Bond them for at least 3-5 years. Otherwise make them pay back every penny the company has invested in them plus interest, if they break the bond. Afterall, the money would yield much more if i would just put it in FDs instread of spending it on training, not to mention paying for any cock-ups these people who will eventually commit.

Always remember that companies are not charities. We look at bottom line first and foremost. We weigh the pros and cons. While there are pros to taking fresh grads, it only appiles if you can keep those people. And only MNC has the financial, social and career ladder to keep them there. SMEs don't and can't. Our margins and scale are nowhere near those of MNC and we have to fight tooth and nail for every dollar. Therefore we cannot take a risk by investing in someone we do not know will stick long enough to yield results.

I would say big very disadvantage not slight.
This is why

When you reach managerial level, its about who you know more than what you know (you have people under you to help you with that). Its about communication, its about politics, its about being able to click with the right people to get the right results. Its less about you actually doing the work. Therefore its hard for asian to climb up the corporate ladder to be at a managerial level.