Is Australia the new America?

Question

10-20 years ago, the US was the place to be, as much opportunity as you want, high standard of living, pretty high wages, a variety of climates, lots to do, etc.

Although America is still a desirable place to live for a lot of people, it no longer is considered the land of opportunity it once was. It's economy is starting to struggle, racial tensions are fairly high in certain areas, the crime rate isn't exactly anything to be proud of ethier.

These days, the new "promised land" seems to be Australia, loads of people mainly from European and Asian countries are packing up and moving to Australia. Australia seems to be the new "land of opportunity", and on top of that has nice weather, relatively low crime rate and not really any defined racial tension.

Is my evaluation correct? Will Australia develop into a "promised land", type place, or is it temporary due to Australia's currently low population.

Answer 1

Without sounding arrogant... most Australians refer to this land as "God's Country"... and not really as "the land of opportunity".  America was (is?) the land of opportunity because of the vast quantity of arable land and because the Government doesn't really have any control over "free enterprise".

Australia (on the other hand) has very little arable land -- lots of desert though; which is great if you're into breeding camels.  Which (by the way) is a 'feral" animal, but we export them to the Arab-world because they're disease-free.  Go figure.

Australia also has very rigid Government policies.  For example, the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage system in America could never happen in Australia because we have much stricter regulations.  In Australia, loans MUST be insured; protecting both the lender and lendee.  So this form of (exploitive) "free enterprise" would never occur here in Australia.  

Another example being weaponry... you just try to get a hand gun or automatic gun (legally) in this country.  The Australian Constitution does not incorporate a Bill of Rights; and so there's no such thing as a Second Amendment granting citizens the "right" to carry an Uzi.  Personally, I don't have a problem with this.  It also means that ANYONE can become Prime Minister of Australia, because we don't have a prohibition against foreigners -- unlike the Yanks.  Bad thing?  I don't think so.  As long as they're "Australian citizens", I don't have a problem what piece of land they were born on.  A person should be judged on their merits, and not their place of birth (just my opinion).

So Australia and America are VERY different places.  Yes -- we were both penal settlements and both colonised by the Poms.  Yes -- we both speak English as our "native" tongue; and are both "Christian" countries.  But that's about where we go our separate ways.

I don't think Australia has "racial tension" any more or any less than any other "industrialised" nation.  We have the same level of stupidity -- and by that I mean drunks behind the wheel, or "lads" (often referred to as "yobbos") that go out on a Saturday night for the sole purpose of getting plastered and/or into a brawl.

In short, I don't think Australia is any better or any worse than America.  We're just different.  Some people prefer Australia's more "relaxed" atmosphere and lack of a class-regulated society (or caste system), and so they emigrate here.  Some Australians prefer the "bright lights" and big corporations that you'll only find in Europe or the U.S., so they leave Australia's sunny shores for a snow-shrowded life in the northern hemisphere.

Comparing America to Australia is like comparing apples and oranges.  I lived in the U.S. for four years; it's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there again.  Nothing against America;  I just found America a little too reminiscent of Ancient Rome.  Give George W. a fiddle.  LOL

Answer 2

i have no probs with tourists but i really wish people would stop migrating here...especially when they're not willing to assimilate..

Answer 3

Now that the ex Prime Minister John Howard is gone ,we will not become like America.Thank God!!!!We are already the best country.The standard of living in Australia is much higher for the bulk of most working people.In the States,Trailer Park anyone?????

We also have a better and more free press,with real international coverage.I also think we are less brain washed and more aware of the goings on in the world.It's good to be a small,safe, free country.

Answer 4

Australia has always been the land of opportunity people have been migrating here for over 200 hundred years

Answer 5

Bloody hope not

Answer 6

Aus is much hooter and desolate than north America.. Just compare the latitude of the southernmost tip (furthest from equator) of mainland australia, melbourne, with the southernmost (closest to equator) tip of the US, Texas.

You may well be surprised!

Answer 7

Nooooooo.. This is our Australia, your welcome to visit but for gods sake don't turn us into America. Enough with immigration, if Australia gets too populated it will lose its charm and turn into another boring crappy country.