With the promise of higher wages, over 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, and excellent healthcare, Australian minister Paul Papalia has come to the UK with the mission to fill 31,000 roles in Western Australia with British workers.
Could you make spectacular Western Australia home?
Australian minister Paul Papalia touched down in the UK with one mission explicit mission: to steal our workers. The Australian government are looking to fill 31,000 roles in Western Australia with British workers. The positions that they are looking to fill include doctors, teachers, police officers and civil engineers.
According to the Times, Paul Papalia said, “We are here to steal your workers by offering them a better life in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Western Australia is a fantastic place to live and work. Our wages are higher, and our cost of living is lower. Our health system is world-class. You will be taken care of.”
Wages are up to 50% higher for the same jobs in Australia as the UK.
All of these are incredibly alluring reasons to make the move, but just how true are they?
How beautiful is Western Australia?
Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Western Australia definitely has some natural wonders that will be hard to look away from.
Mount Augutus
Breathtaking Mount Augutus.
About a two-day drive from Perth, Mount Augutus is twice the size of Uluru. It is an impressive 750 metres high, a warm burnt orange colour, dominating the skyline. You can take a drive around its 49-metre scenic base trail or, if you’ve got the right boots on, climb the steep 12 kilometres to its summit.
Shell Beach
Stunning Shell Beach.
Whoever thought to name Shell Beach was quite literally minded, for what makes Shell Beach special is not endless golden sands, but that there is no sand at all. Stretching 70 kilometres long and an even more impressive 10 kilometres deep, Shell Beach is made up of tiny white cockle shells. It is one of the few places on earth that is so totally made up of shells, without even a sprinkle of sand.
Horizontal Falls
The captivating Horizontal Waterfalls.
Even Sir David Attenborough had his mind blown by the Horizontal Falls, as he called them, “one of the greatest wonders of the natural world”. Again, with the on-the-nose naming, the Horizontal Falls are waterfalls that flow horizontally rather than vertically. They can be admired from above or make for an exciting boat ride.
There’s also Wolf Creek Crater which is a 300,000 years old crater; the enthralling Ngilgi Cave; and the Ningaloo Reef, a UNSECO World Heritage site, it stretches 300km from Exmouth to Coral Bay – to name a few.
Perth’s average spend was 10% lower than Melbourne’s, 19% lower than Brisbane and 24% lower than Sydney.
Are wages really higher in Western Australia?
Wages really are higher in Western Australia!
So, we’re convinced that Western Australia is a beautiful place to live. But another one of Paul Papalia’s claims was that the wages are higher in Australia, is that really so?
The delegation that Paul Papalia is leading claims that wages are up to 50% higher for the same jobs in Australia as over here. A doctor could earn £133,772 in Australia compared to €73,560 in the UK a year. A childcare worker could earn £33,357 in Australia compared to £24, 498 in the UK.
Is the cost of living lower in Western Australia?
Glorious Perth.
In an ‘Comparative Cost of Living’ report published by the Australian government last July, prices across Australia were contrasted. The report showed that Perth had the lowest average household spend on goods and services of the larger State capitals. Perth’s average spend was 10% lower than Melbourne’s, 19% lower than Brisbane and 24% lower than Sydney. Additionally, the cost of housing (rent, mortgage, water rates, home insurance) was lower in Perth.
Most of the population in Perth are only a short drive to the beach.
While this information might make you choose Perth over Brisbane, it’s also good to know how the cost of living in Western Australia compares to that of the UK.
According to Numbeo, there is not a determined winner in terms of affordability between London and Perth. For example, consumer prices including rent in Perth are 14.2% lower in Perth than in London. But a downside is that grocery prices are 35.7% higher in Perth than in London. While local purchasing power in Perth is 12.5% higher in Perth than in London.
Is the healthcare system really world class?
85% of Australians reported their health to either be ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
Australia has two healthcare systems: public and private. Through Medicare, Australian citizens and permanent residents have access to free or cost lowered healthcare. 100% of citizens and permanent residents are covered by these insurances. If you are living in Australia on a temporary visa, then you should apply for private health insurance. Private health insurance offers the patient more choice in doctors and shorter waiting times.
According to data provided by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the life expectancy in Australia is 83.0 years – above the OCED average of 80.6, and the sixth highest among OCED countries. Australia’s infant mortality rate was 3.3 deaths in every 1,000 live births – below the OCED average of 4.2 births per 1,000.
85% of Australians reported their health to either be ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
Additionally, Australia fared through the coronavirus pandemic well: Australia was one of 5 OCED member countries to report very low excess mortality between January 2020 and June 2021.
Other highlights of Western Australia
Paul Papalia also said that most of the population in Perth, the capital of Western Australia, are only a short drive to the beach. The parking at the beach is free, there are no road tolls, and the cost of public transport is capped at £2.86. So, aside from Shell Beach, where are the best beaches in Western Australia?
Cottlesloe Beach
Pretty Cottlesloe beach.
Known for being picture-perfect, Cottlesloe Beach is a stunning white sand beach, just fifteen minutes away from the city. Its crystal-clear waters make it ideal for swimming, body boarding, and surfing. While its reefs make it great for snorkelling too. There’s also a boulevard of shops, cafes, restaurants, and even live music.
City Beach
City beach.
Closest to the city, City beach has two purpose-built groynes to block large waves from the main swimming area – making it a safe place for people all abilities to swim. There’s also yoga, a barbeque area, lots of pups, and restaurants with a sea view.
Mettams Pool
Fabulous Mettams Pool.
Western Australia’s best spot for scuba diving and snorkelling! The 1.5 metre deep reef is home to a variety of fish, starfish, and molluscs. Plus, the naturally-formed lagoon has lovely shallow waters to swim in.
There are plenty of other stunning beaches and over 3,000 hours of annual sunshine to enjoy them in.
Undoubtedly, Western Australia is far away, but you can now get a direct flight there. Okay, it will take the better part of 24 hours, but as someone who has been stuck in Doha for a day on the way to Melbourne, it definitely sounds smoother to just have the one flight!
Property
According to Domain, the median price of a property in Perth is $545,000. While rent is $550 per week.
Convinced?
Find your partner here!
Amazing weather, beaches galore, incredible natural beauty – Western Australia is certainly an attractive place to move to. Paul Papalia has even gone as far as to say that Western Australia is a perfect spot to find a partner, saying, “If you’re a single Brit, come on out because you might not be single for long.”
