OMG Centrelink are slow

[Landy Smurf]

i have put in an application over a month ago now and they still have not processed it yet, i am glad i am not in a hurry for money :angel:
has anyone else dealt with centrelink? if so how long did it take for your claim to be processed?

[CraigE]

Yep once only though for a couple of months. Went in and they said we would have to wait 16 weeks. To which we said we had already waited the 16 weeks before even applying. They then said it would be a month. OK so enough of the islanders and indigenous walking in while we were there and getting payments immediately (this was Darwin) without question. So I fired up and just stated we are destitute and you need to organize a payment now. I did know the context at the time, initially the guy refused until I quoted the passage relevant (given to me by one of the indigenous fellas outside). I can not remember it know but did know it at the time.
Not meant as racist at all, but it did pee me off at the time that I had worked for 7 years straight (only 23 at the time) paying tax and was initially refused when others who had never worked were walking in and getting cash payments without any question or identification. Have not claimed the dole at all since in 28 years. Should be fair for all.
I know one friend recently had a stroke and can not work her job. Centerlink have deemed she is not eligible for any assistance. She has no savings.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

... Should be fair for all.
I know one friend recently had a stroke and can not work her job. Centerlink have deemed she is not eligible for any assistance. She has no savings.It is why there are so many old people out there who are asset rich but cash poor. Their assets are means tested so they are ineligible for the aged pension, but they cant eat the dirt on their asset but Centrelink wants them to sell it and pay rent before they can get assistance.

It is why the spivs are getting rich on reverse mortgages. (But don't they bleat when the oldies don't die as expected.)

[Landy Smurf]

if they sell would they not still be ineligible as they still have to much liquid assests

[bussy1963]

The people who sell there house and have liquid assets are entitled to a pension..

There is ways around the asset test.

What you do is sell your home.

Take the cash and put it into a Annuity fund. (Low risk, reasonable Interest)

You then draw a weekly income from the Annuity below the pension cut off.

Pay stuff all tax on interest earned.

Get Full or Part pension and entitlements. Travel around oz.

Watch all us poor buggers work a million hrs a week just to support them.

Simple hey

[87County]

i have put in an application over a month ago now and they still have not processed it yet, i am glad i am not in a hurry for money :angel:
has anyone else dealt with centrelink? if so how long did it take for your claim to be processed?


I'm glad as well you don't really need it in a hurry..... as I'm sure the staff at Centrelink are also pleased to hear this.

And I could imagine that the manager of Centrelink at Singleton or wherever could be wondering why a young man who lived in a locality with plentiful employment and who had the wherewithal for extensive travel had a need for income support at all ......

There are people who actually need income support ....

Perhaps Centrelink is just taking all this into account ? ... :o

[Bigbjorn]

It is why there are so many old people out there who are asset rich but cash poor. Their assets are means tested so they are ineligible for the aged pension, but they cant eat the dirt on their asset but Centrelink wants them to sell it and pay rent before they can get assistance.

It is why the spivs are getting rich on reverse mortgages. (But don't they bleat when the oldies don't die as expected.)

Diana, the whole idea of the assets test when it was introduced was for people to use their own means of support before looking to the Commonwealth. Legally the Commonwealth is the payer of last resort and people are expected to use their own resources. What had been happening before when only an income test applied was a growing number of people who had assets in non-income earning areas such as cheque accounts, unoccupied property, bullion etc. These numbers were expected to grow rapidly as almost all workers now had superannuation funds. Many people had a mind set about getting a pension to the stupid point of having large sums in non-income producing areas that would have produced far more than the pension. "I have paid taxes all my life. I am entitled to a pension and I am going to get one" was the common cry. I personally interviewed pension applicants who had $300,000 and more in cheque accounts. Lot of money in 1990. At the prevailing interest rate these sums would have produced $40,000-$50,000 per annum. Far more than the miserable age pension. Your taxes are not put in a piggy bank to be returned to you. They are used to run the country.

The preamble to the Act granting the first age pension about 1910 stated that the payment was for people who through illness or misfortune were unable to fully provide for themselves in old age. Note the words "unable to FULLY provide". Clearly the intent of parliament was that the pension was intended as a supplement to the pensioner's own resources.

Schmierer of Singleton. What sort of payment have you applied for? The most common reason for delays in grants are that Centrelink is waiting for more information that the client has not yet provided. Go to your Regional Office and ask to see an assessor who can explain the delay to you. Centrelink are trying to keep people out of the offices except by appointment.
The greeter will try to point you at one of the 'phones to call a Teleservice centre. Tell her you were on hold for almost two hours, hung up, and came into the office to yell at someone but you won't yell if someone can explain the delay to you.

[Bigbjorn]

The people who sell there house and have liquid assets are entitled to a pension..

There is ways around the asset test.

What you do is sell your home.

Take the cash and put it into a Annuity fund. (Low risk, reasonable Interest)

You then draw a weekly income from the Annuity below the pension cut off.

Pay stuff all tax on interest earned.

Get Full or Part pension and entitlements. Travel around oz.

Watch all us poor buggers work a million hrs a week just to support them.

Simple hey

Your principal residence is exempt from the assets test. No need to sell your home unless you wish to become a grey nomad with no fixed place of abode, or you are happy to move into a caravan park.

A principal residence on more than 2 hectares needs to be valued under the assets test as the area not used for domestic purposes is classed as an asset. The area used for domestic purposes, known as the curtilage, can be a maximum of two hectares. Solution- sell the excess if you can or sell the whole property, move to somewhere smaller and use the surplus funds in an annuity or allocated pension, or spend it on beer, girls, and sports cars if so inclined

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Diana, the whole idea of the assets test when it was introduced was for people to use their own means of support before looking to the Commonwealth. Legally the Commonwealth is the payer of last resort and people are expected to use their own resources. ...Brian

I understand what you are saying, however there are many people who have property assets that are not producing an income or interest, are not bullion and yet can neither be sold (prevaling market or subdivision rules) nor modified to produce a sustaining income. These assets also often produce expences like local rates and taxes.

As far as I understand, for rural property the land value of property outside the house paddock, excluding the house are assessed as assets while house is not. The couple of neddies agisted on the property do not produce an income sufficient to live off.

[Landy Smurf]

I'm glad as well you don't really need it in a hurry..... as I'm sure the staff at Centrelink are also pleased to hear this.

And I could imagine that the manager of Centrelink at Singleton or wherever could be wondering why a young man who lived in a locality with plentiful employment and who had the wherewithal for extensive travel had a need for income support at all ......

There are people who actually need income support ....

Perhaps Centrelink is just taking all this into account ? ... :o

or perhaps i am a fulltime uni student who is moving overseas soon and will not be able to get centrelink then and will struggle to get work. maybe i travelled around australia for 2 months because my fiance could not stay in australia and we were not going to return here for at least 3 years.

[Bigbjorn]

Brian


As far as I understand, for rural property the land value of property outside the house paddock, excluding the house are assessed as assets while house is not. The couple of neddies agisted on the property do not produce an income sufficient to live off.

The area used for domestic purposes including the house is test exempt. This area can be a maximum of two hectares.

The usual choices for people in this situation is sub-divide, keep the house block, and sell the rest; sell the whole property and move to somewhere smaller or of lesser value under the asset test; or rent the place and move elsewhere, forget about the pension and possibly live off the rental income. The legislation does not differentiate between someone with a million dollar block of land and someone with a million dollars in term deposits, shares etc. People get emotionally attached to their long term home but to exempt valuable home properties from the asset test would advantage the owners over others. One consolation is that the commonwealth valuers are usually quite conservative with their figures not liking to lose appeals.

[87County]

or perhaps i am a fulltime uni student who is moving overseas soon and will not be able to get centrelink then and will struggle to get work. maybe i travelled around australia for 2 months because my fiance could not stay in australia and we were not going to return here for at least 3 years.

hmm...

[Bigbjorn]

or perhaps i am a fulltime uni student who is moving overseas soon and will not be able to get centrelink then and will struggle to get work. maybe i travelled around australia for 2 months because my fiance could not stay in australia and we were not going to return here for at least 3 years.

And perhaps, if you are applying for an unemployment allowance someone considers you are not a genuine job seeker given you are soon going overseas.

[richard4u2]

The people who sell there house and have liquid assets are entitled to a pension..

There is ways around the asset test.

What you do is sell your home.

Take the cash and put it into a Annuity fund. (Low risk, reasonable Interest)

You then draw a weekly income from the Annuity below the pension cut off.

Pay stuff all tax on interest earned.

Get Full or Part pension and entitlements. Travel around oz.

Watch all us poor buggers work a million hrs a week just to support them.

Simple hey
keep up the good work :angel:

[richard4u2]

Brian

I understand what you are saying, however there are many people who have property assets that are not producing an income or interest, are not bullion and yet can neither be sold (prevaling market or subdivision rules) nor modified to produce a sustaining income. These assets also often produce expences like local rates and taxes.

As far as I understand, for rural property the land value of property outside the house paddock, excluding the house are assessed as assets while house is not. The couple of neddies agisted on the property do not produce an income sufficient to live off.
people with rural properties that are not produuing an income can recieve an assistance

[richard4u2]

i have put in an application over a month ago now and they still have not processed it yet, i am glad i am not in a hurry for money :angel:
has anyone else dealt with centrelink? if so how long did it take for your claim to be processed?
what was your applictation for ? did you go to thier web site and study up the rules first

[bussy1963]

Sounds as so this young man is trying to stooge Centrellnk. But he has made a simple mistake he posted on here his intentions and you never know who reads these this stuff.

Personally I think he will end up getting free tertiary studies and a very accommodating room mate as H.R.H Hotel Long Bay. Commonly know as crowbar college.

End result goes in with sphincter size of five cent piece Comes out with sphincter size of man hole cover .

Good Luck

[Landy Smurf]

i applied for student allowance. so it is not me applying for the dole as such. more just help to pay my uni fees.i probably should have said that first before a few people started assuming other

[Landy Smurf]

i handed all my things in and i read all the info for a while and the lady at centrelink said she was going to grant it as soon as i handed in my other documents( tax statement, 100 points of ID)

[Landy Smurf]

it has nothing to do with me trying to stooge centrelink, as this has nothing to do with work as i am a full time uni student and lots of people get the student allowance

[bussy1963]

I apologies to assuming the worst of your character.

But as your time on this earth goes by you get cynical and suspicious of human nature and there integrity.

Many people in today's society are always trying to scam easy money.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

The area used for domestic purposes including the house is test exempt. This area can be a maximum of two hectares.

The usual choices for people in this situation is sub-divide, keep the house block, and sell the rest; sell the whole property and move to somewhere smaller or of lesser value under the asset test; ....Not always an option, with zoning laws in NSW, it is frequently impossible to sub-divide a rural zoned property if the remaining parcels will be less than 100 acres. If they do allow the sub division, it is frequently the case that no house is permitted on the site, then there is the issue of the 100 year flood level where houses are not permitted (not something that Qld property developers know about). These zoning restrictions inhibit the saleability and rental options.

Why should someone who has lived their entire life on the one property be forced to sell and move into rental or an unfamiliar house. This is often the cause of confusion and increasing dementia in the elderly.

[Landy Smurf]

I apologies to assuming the worst of your character.

But as your time on this earth goes by you get cynical and suspicious of human nature and there integrity.

Many people in today's society are always trying to scam easy money.

it is ok. i am actually really against young people being on the dole(not working and just sitting at home i mean). the thing is that when i move overseas i can not get living away from home allowance or student allowance as most students do(both my stepsisters do and it covers their rent and resources), the thing that annoys me most why i cant get the student allowance overseas is that i will still be paying for uni and uni fees and when i buy books not only do i have to wait longer to get them but i have to pay on average about $30 to get them sent over, making it very expensive.i have actually just got a job today to help fund my uni as centrelink are being to slow i bet though they will grant me the student allowance on my first day and then i will have to say oh no i cant get it now because i am earning to much.frustration is an understatement.

[bussy1963]

Congratulations on your employment. (would you like fries with that)

[Landy Smurf]

i would love some fries but no it isnt fast food i am a servo worker again

[Bigbjorn]

Not always an option, with zoning laws in NSW, it is frequently impossible to sub-divide a rural zoned property if the remaining parcels will be less than 100 acres. If they do allow the sub division, it is frequently the case that no house is permitted on the site, then there is the issue of the 100 year flood level where houses are not permitted (not something that Qld property developers know about). These zoning restrictions inhibit the saleability and rental options.

Why should someone who has lived their entire life on the one property be forced to sell and move into rental or an unfamiliar house. This is often the cause of confusion and increasing dementia in the elderly.

Lotza, it MAY (note that word) be possible for them to be exempt the asset test if the block is on a single title, they have a 20 year continuous attachment to the land, and it is being used to produce an income. My contact says this would apply to a relatively small area of poor or low value land that is not valued excessively over the asset test limit. High value or vast acres land assets are not exempt. Nor are land assets on multiple titles as these are considered saleable as is.

[akelly]

Do I recall you are doing a Psych degree?

[Landy Smurf]

no teaching, so close

[mudmouse]

Mate, the way it reads is that you want the cash to travel and support a lifestyle with your fiance??

I wish you both all the happiness and success, particularly with a move to a foreign country, but Government support is supposed to be for people who have no option for accomodation, food and perhaps transport to find a job - not as a stop gap to travel before you choose to go overseas...

It seems more like a want than a need.

All the best,

Matt.

[Landy Smurf]

i am a fulltime uni student and pay lots of money for uni fees and resources i do 8 units a year and each unit cost me on average i suppose around $140 for books. but when i am overseas i will pay about $200 per unit as i have to post them over. and even though i can hecs i still have to pay uni fees. also when i am overseas i have to pay $200 per exam

[seano87]

I assume you have discussed your intentions of being overseas with Centrelink? I know they have different regulations and requirements as to what can be paid and for how long. I was under the impression you had to return to Australia every 13 weeks or so to remain eligible?



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[Landy Smurf]

i had discussed it with them i can come back every 3 months but it would not be worth it. so as soon as i leave the country my payments would stop

[cdbanks]

Hi schmierer LR at singleton,

You may be running in to the same problem as my brother. After you complete your first bachelors degree you are generally unable to claim Austudy or Youth allowance if you want to go on and complete a second bachelors degree.

The only way that I know of getting back on to one of these allowances is to undertake study at a different level of learning ie. going from undergrad to masters or phd.

If you are still doing your first degree. It took about six weeks after I had handed in all the paper work for payments to start. It took a little longer for me because I had wait for my savings to fall below the threshold.

As for the overseas part. All of my friends who have chosen to study overseas have either had to take out loans with their parents as guarantors or worked their butts off to save enough because you will not get government assistance studying overseas (unless something has changed).

Cheers,
Craig

[Landy Smurf]

thanks craig, my liquid assests is under the threshold. i have opted for the work my ass off and try and save money, i cant and dont want to take a loan. the only way you can still get centrelink overseas is if it is part of your course.

[Landy Smurf]

and for anyone who is interested the only option for my fiance and i to be together is for me to go over there as it would be impossible for us to remain here as i could not support her because i would need a salary of over $26k and i study fulltime and she is doing uni and she would have to pay full fees here in aus to do uni which would be more then $26k for sure per year.

[rovercare]

and for anyone who is interested the only option for my fiance and i to be together is for me to go over there as it would be impossible for us to remain here as i could not support her because i would need a salary of over $26k and i study fulltime and she is doing uni and she would have to pay full fees here in aus to do uni which would be more then $26k for sure per year.


You made life choices, its not up to the "guddiment" to support that, you've gone and got a job we see from your posts

To my eyes....the system has worked:D

[Landy Smurf]

the whole point of the student allowance is to support students study so they dont have to work heaps to cover their everydays costs as well as uni costs, so hasnt the government failed

[Landy Smurf]

i think alot of people are getting confused. as they refer to centrelink as you dont have a job. but they have heaps of different things then the stereotype of dole bludgers

[Landy Smurf]

or maybe what i should do is hecs all my fees and then never work in australia so i dont have to pay them... now thats an idea

[rovercare]

the whole point of the student allowance is to support students study so they dont have to work heaps to cover their everydays costs as well as uni costs, so hasnt the government failed


Not really, its about supporting those that can't support themselves, merely to get them by, not allow them to have a "life"

You can support yourself and necessity has done that, you've now got a job

Its not there so you can be a student and not have to work.....I mean, they already give you a loan with HECS

Sorry mate, but you've made a choice to be with your partner and like the big bad ugly world around you, it has consequences

Hell, I can't get by working one job, with my life choices of having a stay at home mum to look after the rugrats, so I work 2 jobs to maintain my own personal "life choice"

Its nothing about being a "bludger", its about ones expectation for the "guddiment" to support your choices

I mean someone has to pay for your airfares etc...for your choice...should they contribute to someone about to move overseas, which may never enter back into the country and pay tax in that country, i.e. contribute back into the pool of funds of welfare?

its like people who **** up all there money, then expect a pension when they are no longer able to contribute to said "pool" of welfare funds, then they whine that the pension is not enough for them to have a "life"

Same stuff, life choices, just different spectrum of life

[rovercare]

or maybe what i should do is hecs all my fees and then never work in australia so i dont have to pay them... now thats an idea


Refer post above, exactly the attitude that means you deserve lick;)

[Landy Smurf]

it was clearly a joke, i like australia to much not to come back. my main point about why i think it is stupid why they do not give student allowance to students overseas but still studying through an australian uni is that i am paying money to AUSTRALIA even if i got student and living away from home allowance it would not cover my costs. but i dont think people should be able to get living away from home allowance unless it is in aus but i do think people should be entitled to student allowance if like me will still be paying money to australia. really what difference is it to me no studying in australia by distance to being overseas studying by distance.i am not arguing about life choices. i acknowledge what choices i have made and what i have to make. so exclude life choices because that has nothing to do with the points i was making.

[rovercare]

it was clearly a joke, i like australia to much not to come back. my main point about why i think it is stupid why they do not give student allowance to students overseas but still studying through an australian uni is that i am paying money to AUSTRALIA even if i got student and living away from home allowance it would not cover my costs. but i dont think people should be able to get living away from home allowance unless it is in aus but i do think people should be entitled to student allowance if like me will still be paying money to australia. really what difference is it to me no studying in australia by distance to being overseas studying by distance.i am not arguing about life choices. i acknowledge what choices i have made and what i have to make. so exclude life choices because that has nothing to do with the points i was making.

Life choices has everything to do with the topic at hand, this you fail to see

The bigger picture, lets run with your theory

They government gives you assistance to study whilst overseas, to cover living expenses

You spend "your?" money in another country

The Australian government then misses out on a few things

Income tax, to the people in aus from which you would rent a residence, groceries you would buy in aus, drinks, fuel etc

They also miss out on GST

So of those dollars the govenment return would be nothing, where as if you were to put "your?" money back into things of those nature in aus, the govenment would recieve income tax/GST on those things, which of there outlay, would return a percentage of that back to them, to put into the already mentioned "pool" of welfare funds to again give to you

Its the governments Profit/Loss on all investments, you would not be a wise investment, as you are also a liability to not come back, so why would they "invest" in you, whilst overseas?

You mention that you would be paying an australian institution....well, they are loaning that money to you and as you mentioned, you can never return to aus, never having to repay the governments investment, which of course, they don't lend you that money, expecting for you to just pay it back, they lend you that money, in the hope that you become a tax/GST paying citizen who then contributes back to the "pool"

Dude, I know I'm ripping you here, but your studying to be a teacher, hit the enter button every now and then! haha

[wardy1]

it was clearly a joke, i like australia to much not to come back. my main point about why i think it is stupid why they do not give student allowance to students overseas but still studying through an australian uni is that i am paying money to AUSTRALIA even if i got student and living away from home allowance it would not cover my costs. but i dont think people should be able to get living away from home allowance unless it is in aus but i do think people should be entitled to student allowance if like me will still be paying money to australia. really what difference is it to me no studying in australia by distance to being overseas studying by distance.i am not arguing about life choices. i acknowledge what choices i have made and what i have to make. so exclude life choices because that has nothing to do with the points i was making.

Sorry mate but it has EVERYTHING to do with it!
You have said here that you are doing all this to be with your fiance who is from overseas, she would have to pay more to study here etc.
Life is not a free ride mate.... sorry.
I don't care if you have to take a HECS loan, don't care if you have to actually suspend your studies to save some money..... it's YOUR CHOICE!
This thread has opened up Pandora's box of those who should or should not be entitled to tax payer funded benefits and mate you are a world away from being deserving of MY money no matter which angle you come from.
Great you now have a job. Stick at it, save some money then fund yourself if you still want to study more. I say again, IT'S YOUR CHOICE.
btw I have 2 friends who have self funded themselves right through to Phd's, they worked bars, Macca's and waited tables to do it. They travelled too.... from their savings.... just like us 'normal' people.

[Landy Smurf]

both my step sisters get student allowance to help them with their studies plus living away from home allowance to help cover their living expenses. so if their student allowance is to cover study costs, such as books and student fees(not HECS), then why should someone overseas not get the student allowance as they are paying for the exact same things as a student at an australian university.

[Landy Smurf]

in reference to teachers(as that is what i am going to be). why shouldn't the government help those who are studying now to become teachers, who are later going to pay tax. i am sure there would be something at centrelink that would restrict you from getting payments or at least full payments if you have HECS

[rovercare]

both my step sisters get student allowance to help them with their studies plus living away from home allowance to help cover their living expenses. so if their student allowance is to cover study costs, such as books and student fees(not HECS), then why should someone overseas not get the student allowance as they are paying for the exact same things as a student at an australian university.




Life choices has everything to do with the topic at hand, this you fail to see

The bigger picture, lets run with your theory

They government gives you assistance to study whilst overseas, to cover living expenses

You spend "your?" money in another country

The Australian government then misses out on a few things

Income tax, to the people in aus from which you would rent a residence, groceries you would buy in aus, drinks, fuel etc

They also miss out on GST

So of those dollars the govenment return would be nothing, where as if you were to put "your?" money back into things of those nature in aus, the govenment would recieve income tax/GST on those things, which of there outlay, would return a percentage of that back to them, to put into the already mentioned "pool" of welfare funds to again give to you

Its the governments Profit/Loss on all investments, you would not be a wise investment, as you are also a liability to not come back, so why would they "invest" in you, whilst overseas?

You mention that you would be paying an australian institution....well, they are loaning that money to you and as you mentioned, you can never return to aus, never having to repay the governments investment, which of course, they don't lend you that money, expecting for you to just pay it back, they lend you that money, in the hope that you become a tax/GST paying citizen who then contributes back to the "pool"

Dude, I know I'm ripping you here, but your studying to be a teacher, hit the enter button every now and then! haha


That is why.....

Its an investment decision, simple really, once you grasp the bigger picture, tell us why they Should?

[Landy Smurf]

as far as 'normal' people go i think well that statement is just stupid. heaps of students live of centrelink(study and living away from home allowance) and then work through the 3-4 months off at the end of the year.
i will actually be studying full time all year round and then working in the end of the year period. so why should i not be entitled to centrelink but others such as my stepsisters should be

[Landy Smurf]

i will be coming back to work in australia so they should support me as i will be a long time tax payer, but yes i know i cant actually prove that i am going to come back, but then if they dont support me why should i come back(just another way of thinking of it, but i am not actually thinking that).

[Landy Smurf]

i must say even though you guys are ****ing me off abit i am liking our discussion. i have not had a decent debate for a while

[Landy Smurf]

if i got full student allowance while i was overseas it would only just cover my student costs ie books, exam and general student fees(not HECS).
i have to pay all my students fees to an Australian uni and i buy all my books from Australia, so would not my student allowance be getting put back into Australia and yes that would include paying gst.
yes people who get student allowance more often then not use it towards rent and food etc, but i would not so would that make me more deserving.
The country i am going to students do not have to pay uni fees at all and they get paid $420 a month regardless of their assets, and they can further getting a living away from home allowance and if they go overseas they still get their $420 a month.
oh and the reason i don't press enter is because i chat to much online( to the fiance via Skype) so i only press enter when i am done writing.
But yes i am slowly trying to train myself out of those habits

[isuzurover]

... i have not had a decent debate for a while...

I would have thought that with your girlfriend so far away you would be 'debating all the time :wasntme: :D

p.s. - if moving OS, why not complete your degree over there and save money???

p.p.s. lay off guys. Apprentices get paid to learn. At uni you have to pay to learn. I don't begrudge those who seek out the benefits available to them to ease the burden.

After a 4 year teaching degree The pay is ~50-60k. How much does the average plumber or sparky get once fully qualified (after earning whilst "studying")?

[Landy Smurf]

:Rolling: :Rolling:
nice call i like that one :BigThumb:

[Landy Smurf]

i did think about doing it over there. financially it would be better. unfortunately their degree is not recognized in Australia, in fact some of the states you have to retrain to teach there

[Landy Smurf]

i must admit it was hard to decide to do this course as yes you study full on and are normally fairly broke for 4 years. the rest of my family are in the mining industry and my dad would be earning twice as much as me and he left in yr 10. both my brothers will be earning at least 20k more then me. yes there is some benefits with teaching but it is not a 9-3 job i can assure you. it is mind blowing how much behind the scenes work there is.

[Pinelli]

Hey Schmeier, just came in on this thread - best of luck with everything.
I can empathise a bit with the foreign girlfriend and visa thing. My brother has tried for years to get residency and a visa for his girlfriend, then fiancee and now wife and mother of his two kids (do I need to clarify that they're all the same person???)

Studying and living overseas for a while is also great experience, and will make you a better teacher in the long run too. I left engineering a while ago to become a teacher and while I occasionally think about the money I'm missing, teaching is an absolute blast. You're right, its not 9-3, I work harder now for less money, but absolutely worth it for the satisfaction.

Good to see you're not letting some of the idiots on here get you down, as you'll certainly meet enough in the classroom :)

[Pinelli]

After a 4 year teaching degree The pay is ~50-60k. How much does the average plumber or sparky get once fully qualified (after earning whilst "studying")?

Plus, don't they get an allowance from the government to stock their toolkit up?

And I don't know any graduate teacher anywhere in the country getting anywhere near $60k

[Landy Smurf]

what teacher are you Pinelli?
yes i chose to do teaching for the satisfaction, when i did it as work experience in year 10 it had made my mind up. I am doing primary however they have just brought in a new course that is k-12 which is a 4 year degree as well, so i hope i get that. I find it hard that people who do it would be as good teachers, at least at the start.
i think though that you learn just as much if not more through prac though, and i can always do further study once finished if i need to.
i was thinking about when i graduate teaching in international schools in the country i am going to but then the pay is a fair bit less then what it is here, so i will do it but maybe just not as long. i would ideally like to travel around afterwards and maybe teach in Africa for a year(that would be awesome).
but who knows what will happen in the next 4 years.
oh and btw there is a lot of talk all the time that they need more teachers but then they are saying that alot of us when we finish will not have jobs. oh and in my year in the course there is roughly 1 male to every 20-30 females and for those doing it externally(like me) it is about 1 male to every 40-50 females, and yes they are mostly mums who have kids at home i dont know how they find the time, but hats off to them

[Landy Smurf]

i think apprentices get around $1000 now for their tools, they have upped it in the last few years i know my eldest brother got nothing and my other brother only got some of it

[Bigbjorn]

If you want some impressions of teaching as a career, ask at Centrelink. The place is chock full of former teachers and nurses.

[frantic]

First good luck with uni etc.
There is another option though;) Do a degree in your fiancées uni in sweden that is recognized here such as engineering or maths then come back and do the 1yr dip Ed. This will give you options if you get sick of teaching
My wife did a straight Ed. Degree , deans merit list, top 2% of her class but did not get a teaching position as dept was inept ,so went to work in private sector and now looking in with our 5 kids would not go back.

[Landy Smurf]

it could be an option but 1. i dont think i would be smart enough for that. 2. my fiance will finish her course in 3 years and i will finish mine in 4 years so after she is done we will most likely come back, but it is probably something i could look into. while there i will be learning the local language so that will be fairly full on. heaps of people are telling me that if i am a male teacher i will never have a problem getting work. if i get into the k-12 course i will be doing maths/ict for high school. i dont mind travelling though, i would sooner be out in a little remote town then a city.
as there is heaps more international schools opening up they really want native english speakers as well and not all just from the uk and usa so that could be another option.
who knows what will happen with the global economy in the next 5 years though

[V8Ian]

Might I be so bold as ask that you study syntax and punctuation before you commence teaching?

[Landy Smurf]

so picky. i am young i grew up on fb, msn and skype there is no need for punctuation or syntax. and to answer your question no you cant ask me.

[rovercare]

so picky. i am young i grew up on fb, msn and skype there is no need for punctuation or syntax. and to answer your question no you cant ask me.

Not picky, your communicating to a far larger group of people here, not just your own retarded generation, "lol"

Your studying to be a teacher, one would think some kind of grasp on the england talk would be encouraged

Anyhow, pull your weight, dont rely on handouts

[rovercare]

p.p.s. lay off guys. Apprentices get paid to learn. At uni you have to pay to learn. I don't begrudge those who seek out the benefits available to them to ease the burden.

After a 4 year teaching degree The pay is ~50-60k. How much does the average plumber or sparky get once fully qualified (after earning whilst "studying")?

Life choices, nothing stopping him getting an apprenticeship?

[Landy Smurf]

i am sorry my England talk isn't good enough for you oh btw it is called English. don't forget who raised my generation. life choices nothing stopping me getting an apprenticeship ok now your just talking out of your ass. i suppose the point i was making it not why should i get it while overseas. but why should they not make it eligible for people overseas who are studying through Australian unis and still paying the same amount of student costs as those that are in Australia

[Landy Smurf]

"Anyhow, pull your weight, dont rely on handouts", i guess the part where i said i got a job must have gone straight over your head,

[Landy Smurf]

also another thing on your remark about why don't i just get an apprenticeship well how does that fix my problem with money when i am overseas. ah that's right it doesn't

[Bigbjorn]

Might I be so bold as ask that you study syntax and punctuation before you commence teaching?

Now, now, Ian. Why should a teacher need to know about something that is no longer taught, along with spelling.:p

[bussy1963]

WTF r u talkin about. B4 n e 1 can pass comment. My m8's r gr8 in the english limgo hey. LOL

[Bigbjorn]

You have decided you are going to live overseas with your girlfriend. This is your free choice. The Australian Government has no obligation to finance this lifestyle. In fact, the legislation provides Student Allowance to be paid to Australians in Australia, or to non-citizens who hold an appropriate visa.

With few exceptions Social Security payments are not paid to a client who is overseas for more than a short period (Pensions) or not at all (Unemployment & Sickness Allowances).

I was part of the original team that got the data matches with Immigration and Customs cross matched to the DSS master record. We would interview the clients, raise overpayments, and enquire as to how they could afford this if they had no apparent resources. Following the money trail was often quite interesting and uncovered previously undeclared assets. Lot of literary creativity out there in the welfare dependent community.

[Landy Smurf]

if this helps you guys sleep at night i am doing an extra English course over the summer.sort of another story but anyway, i came from a small country school, with mixed years in a class and we were pretty isolated to the outside world and when we got to high school we couldn't believe how bad the reading was by a lot of the kids from the bigger public schools. One problem they are having i think is high school teachers expect by the time kids get to high school they should have mastered all that stuff by then. so for those who struggle or who are behind stay behind.
I must admit that i am not to proud of a lot of the things that my generation does, i do think a lot of it has to do with the way generation x and the baby boomers raise their kids. also though things are lot more publicized now then what they use to be.
i doubt many people born in the years from 1900-1930/1940 would have done drugs but then look at the next generations big difference

[cdbanks]

Schmierer LR at singleton, have you considered actually going on exchange to the university? If you do this then your can claim youth allowance for the time which you are on exchange. This most likely wont help as I doubt any uni will agree to a 4 year exchange but it may be worth a look.

[Landy Smurf]

Brian read this i only just said it a few minutes ago, i suppose the point i was making it not why should i get it while overseas. but why should they not make it eligible for people overseas who are studying through Australian unis and still paying the same amount of student costs as those that are in Australia.
This has nothing to do with me going overseas because i want to live with my fiance

[Landy Smurf]

I did look into exchange but the only uni I can do it at is 8 hours away from where we would be living. It is a city and the rent is very expensive there, good thinking though

[rovercare]

i am sorry my England talk isn't good enough for you oh btw it is called English. don't forget who raised my generation. life choices nothing stopping me getting an apprenticeship ok now your just talking out of your ass. i suppose the point i was making it not why should i get it while overseas. but why should they not make it eligible for people overseas who are studying through Australian unis and still paying the same amount of student costs as those that are in Australia

Yes, its called English, that was a little dry humour, being of the English blood and all, so yes, I know its the English language and you are raping it:(

I've pointed all these things out, lots of things in funny little symbols >>" and " you know, the pool we contribute too, that you wish to have access

Ok, try this

U not in oztralia u ovrCz so no spend $$in Oztralia not put bck in "pool" of $$

[rovercare]

"Anyhow, pull your weight, dont rely on handouts", i guess the part where i said i got a job must have gone straight over your head,

Only after such time as you didn't get some free cash from the centrelink, obviously the system has worked, it has forced you into getting a job of which the government is kind enough to now allow your to earn 18k of that tax free and not be mooching of them, I kinda like the results here

[rovercare]

also another thing on your remark about why don't i just get an apprenticeship well how does that fix my problem with money when i am overseas. ah that's right it doesn't

They don't have apprenticeships where your going?

[bussy1963]

I think the whole concept was ill thought out. The government has checks and balances to stop suck notions.

Julia has tightened her cheeks

[Landy Smurf]

no they do not have apprenticeships where i am going. believe it or not but some countries work a lot differently to Australia.
Also when would i find the time to do a apprenticeship and full time uni.
you are still missing the whole concept of the student allowance. you say that i was waiting to get cash but seeing as i was sick of waiting i got a job so then i wont get the student allowance, therefore the system has worked.
The student allowance is not for people who just dont have work, it is for STUDENTS.....................i will give you a few moments to take that in.



ok hopefully it has sunk in by now.
now going way back to a comment someone said before stating that i was not deserving of student allowance, because i should be working and not getting cash from the government....hmmmm if that was the case WHY do they have it?
My guess is that they brought it in to help students with their uni costs, oh wait but that includes me because i am a student.
Also why should i not get a STUDENT allowance when some people get it that stay at home and do nothing.
And now going back to life choices you say i should not get it because of life choices then why should people get it for life choices ie i dont want to work, so i will just stay at home play games and live off the government. well at least i will be paying tax later

[Bigbjorn]

Brian read this i only just said it a few minutes ago, i suppose the point i was making it not why should i get it while overseas. but why should they not make it eligible for people overseas who are studying through Australian unis and still paying the same amount of student costs as those that are in Australia.
This has nothing to do with me going overseas because i want to live with my fiance

Parliament makes the rules. Centrelink and its staff are obliged to apply them. If you have a problem with the current legislation, then go to your MHR and attempt to convince him/her of the justness of your cause and to take it to the party room.

I don't like your chances. Paying Student Allowance overseas brings forth visions of a mass exodus of school leavers from Australia to party around the world whilst ostensibly enrolled at dodgy "universities". Not to mention mature age "students" using a loophole to have a long overseas holiday on the taxpayers dime.

[Landy Smurf]

the student allowance is not enough to live off though. the maximum a person can get for full time study is $134 a week which yes is a bit but if they were overseas they would have to be studying full time and if they dont pass well they have to pay lots of money for the course anyway.

[Pinelli]

what teacher are you Pinelli?
yes i chose to do teaching for the satisfaction, when i did it as work experience in year 10 it had made my mind up. I am doing primary however they have just brought in a new course that is k-12 which is a 4 year degree as well, so i hope i get that. I find it hard that people who do it would be as good teachers, at least at the start.
i think though that you learn just as much if not more through prac though, and i can always do further study once finished if i need to.
i was thinking about when i graduate teaching in international schools in the country i am going to but then the pay is a fair bit less then what it is here, so i will do it but maybe just not as long. i would ideally like to travel around afterwards and maybe teach in Africa for a year(that would be awesome).
but who knows what will happen in the next 4 years.
oh and btw there is a lot of talk all the time that they need more teachers but then they are saying that alot of us when we finish will not have jobs. oh and in my year in the course there is roughly 1 male to every 20-30 females and for those doing it externally(like me) it is about 1 male to every 40-50 females, and yes they are mostly mums who have kids at home i dont know how they find the time, but hats off to them

Maths & Physics. As someone else he suggested, I did an engineering degree first, went and did a couple of years in the 'real world', and then did a swerve to teaching. Made a big difference to my teachinig having gone and done something else.

I've also worked internationally, in England and Holland. Working in English state schools really taught me an awful lot about behaviour management - had to if you wanted any chance of surviving! First priority sometimes was just keeping kids in the classroom, and not jumping out of windows. Then you'd worry about getting a maths into them or something. The Dutch international school was fantastic, except for the administration.

The job market for teachers is a complex one. Maths/Science/Language teachers usually don't have any dramas getting a job, as long as you're willing to move. Primary teachers there's a bit of an oversupply, but being male your chances are a bit better (they won't say that officially). Flexibility is the key. Over the years I've always been happy to put up my hand to teach anything interesting that might come along, so I've had classes in History, Economics, graphics and ICT.

[Landy Smurf]

I did both physics and engineering at school and failed pretty bad( i actually passed, but not by much) as well as metal and engineering where i got a certificate 2 in engineering(something). If my Fiance's course was more then 3 years these could be possibilities but she will finish in 2 and a half years where i will finish in 4 years, so it may mean that we are only over there for a few years.
unfortunately the country i am going to has some big factors that would make it nearly impossible to get work.

[Landy Smurf]

this degree would only help me if i was overseas, otherwise it would solve my problem. As i wont be a citizen there i would have to pay around $27k a year, and by the time i became a citizen my fiance would only have a year left of her degree

[Landy Smurf]

i was just checking and apprentices can still get the same payments as uni students. The only difference is that apprentices normally earn more money so they get less centrelink bu a general apprentice can still get about $104 per fortnight and the maximum is $267 per fortnight, plus apprentices still get their tool allowance which i think is around a grand.

[EchiDna]

Speaking as someone who left Australia post uni (on HECS) for a 2 year cultural working holiday and yet to return or repay a single cent of my HECS after 15 years,

I'm with the other guys - by virtue of your passport, you do not gain the right to be funded by the Aussie tax payer to be a student whilst living overseas. Plenty of people with dual passports could (in theory) claim from both countries and live a pretty decent life without working at all if that were the case!

My missus (Australian passport holder) did a degree from an Aussie uni while living O/S and had to pay full wack for every subject, not some piddling $200 for an exam, more like $1300 per subject, plus books, plus exams, plus working fulltime and having 2 kids into the bargain.

sorry mate, if you want to study on the cheap, physically stay in Oz or pay to study in Sweden (I assume that is where you are going?).

[bob10]

Speaking as someone who left Australia post uni (on HECS) for a 2 year cultural working holiday and yet to return or repay a single cent of my HECS after 15 years,

I'm with the other guys - by virtue of your passport, you do not gain the right to be funded by the Aussie tax payer to be a student whilst living overseas. Plenty of people with dual passports could (in theory) claim from both countries and live a pretty decent life without working at all if that were the case!

My missus (Australian passport holder) did a degree from an Aussie uni while living O/S and had to pay full wack for every subject, not some piddling $200 for an exam, more like $1300 per subject, plus books, plus exams, plus working fulltime and having 2 kids into the bargain.

sorry mate, if you want to study on the cheap, physically stay in Oz or pay to study in Sweden (I assume that is where you are going?).

How do all you university goers feel about the fact that your politicians who have decided you must pay, went to uni for free?

[Pinelli]

I think we need to go back to the original question:


i have put in an application over a month ago now and they still have not processed it yet, i am glad i am not in a hurry for money :angel:
has anyone else dealt with centrelink? if so how long did it take for your claim to be processed?

Schmierer wasn't really asking for peoples' opinion about his study and life choices.

Personally, I think that having educated Aussies abroad is a good thing for the country, and from my experience, Aussies are generally highly regarded and thought of as very competent and professional people. The PR value of that for Australian education and Australia in general far exceeds any HECs debt. The Education export industry is worth $15-20B each year to Australia, and as China's middle class grows, has the potential to be a real earner for the country.

[Landy Smurf]

i am not contesting that i shouldn't get paid now while overseas i am arguing the point that they should change it for the future. i to have to pay more ten just $200 for each course it is not $1300 but about $750 plus all those other things. the only way i can study cheap is in Australia. it is easy to say stay here or put up with the consequences but until you have spent time apart when the person you love most is on the opposite side of the world and you can hardly afford the flight alone i think comments on that matter should be kept to ones self. i have spent 4 months before it was hell opposite hours hardly anytime to talk now lets do that over 3 years, i know for some of you you think it would be a holiday but how about you spend 3 years apart from your mrs or your kids, you do not have a clue what it is like until you have been in the position i am. so you are with what the other guys are saying yet you have borrowed heaps of money from australia without much intention of paying it back?

[Landy Smurf]

Australia is a very isolated country and i have inspired people to come to Australia.
People are interested in Australia and Australians, as they no very little about the country all they think is, it is dry and we have natural disasters(due to the last few years). Part of the reason i want to work in international schools or schools overseas is not only for the experience but to teach people about Australia.
I must admit i do like how many people have completely missed or forgotten some of the things i have said

[Landy Smurf]

Bob10 i was at parliament when they were talking about the new introduction of uni fees(i think it was, or at least upping them anyway). Australia should be encouraging people to go to uni not making it harder, we all know that the mining boom and the mining business wont last forever, then what are we going to do with all those who work in the mines or in the companies who work with the mines. we are looking at probably at around 10% of Australia work force getting put out of work and even though this might not happen immediately it will happen and then think of all those other business that do not even have anything to do with the mines, ie servos and supermarkets they too will close. Australia needs to think more sustainable that is part of the reason why Sweden have uni free s they have a very low industrial market.

[bob10]

I think we need to go back to the original question:



Schmierer wasn't really asking for peoples' opinion about his study and life choices.

.
To be honest, I'm not sure what our friend was asking for. all I know is our daughter is currently in the third year of her uni studies for a teachers degree at the ACU Brisbane, works two jobs to get by, and lives at home. She does get support from centrelink, and went thru the third degree to get it, and fair enough. Leave the country, take your chances. Bob

[bob10]

Australia is a very isolated country and i have inspired people to come to Australia.
People are interested in Australia and Australians, as they no very little about the country all they think is, it is dry and we have natural disasters(due to the last few years). Part of the reason i want to work in international schools or schools overseas is not only for the experience but to teach people about Australia.
I must admit i do like how many people have completely missed or forgotten some of the things i have said
Sorry mate , you just lost me, Bob

[Landy Smurf]

has anyone else dealt with centrelink? if so how long did it take for your claim to be processed?

[Landy Smurf]

it was quite a simple question, but others thought they would rather criticize then answer the question.
And for those who are interested even though i will be working 4-5 shifts and still doing uni full time i will still get centrelink payments if they approve it, i just wont get full payments

[Landy Smurf]

Sorry mate , you just lost me, Bob
it was in reference to what someone else said

[Davo]

The system could be better, as you've pointed out, but you're going to have to man up and get on with things. I wish someone who survived the Great Depression and WWII would comment on this. You're onto something good and this is only a short interlude until you can enjoy the results.

My wife and I were engaged and apart for fourteen months while I was living in Canada and getting ready to return here. We started out with nothing and still have plenty of it left. You two will be educated and ready to go.

You may want to go remote eventually - teachers who come up here get, if memory serves, about $60,000-$80,000 a year during a four-year contract, with free rent, and six months of leave afterwards. The twits whinge about it the whole time and the good ones enjoy the change of lifestyle.

[Landy Smurf]

i am not in it for the money as long as it pays the bills etc. I dont think the money is too bad i know 2 teachers who are together(no kids though) and they earn over $150k. Both my partner and i will be educated and working, we are use to travelling and i dont really care where we end up as long as we are together, healthy and happy.
I am not much of a city person but i know that with my partners career that we will probably end up in a city or large town. I know early on in our careers we will travel/work/live overseas most likely somewhere in the UK.

[Landy Smurf]

i do have a few set deadlines on when i am going to leave. so i am just trying to get as much money as possible within reason(because of my uni) because i know it might get hard over there to get money and a return flight is at least $1500, so flying back here to work is not a very good idea.
To sum up what i have said
I have applied for youth allowance-full time student, it has not been processed yet but if i get it approved i will only get 40% as far as i know due to me working as i will be working 4-5 days a week.
I know my chances are slim of getting youth allowance-full time student while overseas, but i will apply, because if i got it, it would help me out alot( but dont yoou tax payers worry i will be back in australia paying off my HECS and paying tax so other people like me can get assistance with their study-which i am happy for.
I think better off someone who is studying get centrelink money to assist them so they don't have to work or work as much and use their full potential on their studies, rather then someone who just stays at home playing games.( i would think we could all agree on that one).
there is a difference between being a bludger and taking things that are entitled to them(i know not quite the right way of saying it but its late)
i think they should change it in the future so students overseas can still get the same allowance as they would be spending most if not all of that money back in Australia on uni fees/courses and books/postage and a few other things, maybe if they thought it was too much they could cut it to a certain percentage, but i definitely think they should still get some of it, and yes it is a life choice to move overseas but seeing as they are still paying the same fees as those residing in Australia i don't think that should come into much if at all.
I definitely think a lot of you got way to opinionated and accusing me of things, pretty much saying i am a bludger, when i am a full time uni student who has a fairly full time job.
I do realize some people have it tougher and more full on then me with kids and working while studying, and my hat goes off to them. I know i couldn't do it(even though later i will have a classroom full off them later).
what ever i can do to help me with my study's to help me get the best result and become the best teacher i can be, i will do it. But i am still moving overseas

[V8Ian]

Gee Schiemer your post are hard to read.
So you are saying the Australian taxpayer should pick up the cost of students galavanting around the world, with no guarantee that there is a slight chance that there will be a return on the investment?

[Landy Smurf]

:bangin:
someone could stay here get both living away from home and student allowance in full, cover their living costs and uni costs and they could save money, and then just move overseas and never pay any of their HECS either. But the money i was talking about would have to be getting spent on student costs like books with postage and uni fees,plus exams, and if this student allowance was to get cut in half for those overseas the students money that they would be getting from the student allowance would not cover those things and the money that they would get would stay in Australia- do you understand what i am saying or not?
ps i changed my colour so it may make it easier to read

[V8Ian]

The colour's not the problem. :no2::rulez::wallbash:

I very much doubt that Student Allowance and Living away From Home Allowance would enable the recipient to save money, it certainly didn't whem my daughter was studying, but I do stand to be corrected.
Quite true, I expect a few graduates do move overseas, never repaying the Government loan made in good faith. That does not make it right or illegal, it is immoral though.
The mere fact that you want to study for an Australian qualification overseas demonstrates that you will use the qualification elsewhere and may never return. That makes you a bad risk. Try getting a car loan in Australia to buy a car in Sweeden.
Why should Australian tax payers cover your postal costs because you decide to live half way round the world? That is like me expecting the government to top up my rent because I want to live in Rose Bay instead of Hexam!
I'm not sure that I fully undestand what you are trying to say. I have difficulty coming to terms with the fact that anyone could believe that the Australian tax payer should support a non-resident. Instead of asking Social Security for assistance plead your case to Foreign Affairs, I believe they are responsible for foreign aid. ;)

[cdbanks]

How do all you university goers feel about the fact that your politicians who have decided you must pay, went to uni for free?

That is an excellent point, I don't know how it fits in to the current discussion but what I do know is that without Gough both of my parent couldn't have gone to uni.

[Landy Smurf]

well i know people who do save money from the both.
In my 4th/final year of my degree i will be back in Australia so who knows maybe i will never work overseas.
the point i was making with the postage is that i would not be keeping any of the money to spend on partying etc. it is not like i would be just sending all the bills to centrelink.
Regardless of where i am, i am still a resident.
who knows i may have to dip into my super.

[Landy Smurf]

by the way i hope you guys don't take a government pension in your 60s or even early-mid 70s, because you could still be working my grandparents are and they are 79 and 76. just because you may be entitled to in your 60s for a pension does not mean you should take it

[Bigbjorn]

That is an excellent point, I don't know how it fits in to the current discussion but what I do know is that without Gough both of my parent couldn't have gone to uni.

Exactly, before Gough a university education was mostly confined to the privileged children of the the prosperous classes. Parents had to pay full fees up front and support the student.

[Bigbjorn]

i do have a few set deadlines on when i am going to leave. so i am just trying to get as much money as possible within reason(because of my uni) because i know it might get hard over there to get money and a return flight is at least $1500, so flying back here to work is not a very good idea.
To sum up what i have said
I have applied for youth allowance-full time student, it has not been processed yet but if i get it approved i will only get 40% as far as i know due to me working as i will be working 4-5 days a week.
I know my chances are slim of getting youth allowance-full time student while overseas, but i will apply, because if i got it, it would help me out alot( but dont yoou tax payers worry i will be back in australia paying off my HECS and paying tax so other people like me can get assistance with their study-which i am happy for.
I think better off someone who is studying get centrelink money to assist them so they don't have to work or work as much and use their full potential on their studies, rather then someone who just stays at home playing games.( i would think we could all agree on that one).
there is a difference between being a bludger and taking things that are entitled to them(i know not quite the right way of saying it but its late)
i think they should change it in the future so students overseas can still get the same allowance as they would be spending most if not all of that money back in Australia on uni fees/courses and books/postage and a few other things, maybe if they thought it was too much they could cut it to a certain percentage, but i definitely think they should still get some of it, and yes it is a life choice to move overseas but seeing as they are still paying the same fees as those residing in Australia i don't think that should come into much if at all.
I definitely think a lot of you got way to opinionated and accusing me of things, pretty much saying i am a bludger, when i am a full time uni student who has a fairly full time job.
I do realize some people have it tougher and more full on then me with kids and working while studying, and my hat goes off to them. I know i couldn't do it(even though later i will have a classroom full off them later).
what ever i can do to help me with my study's to help me get the best result and become the best teacher i can be, i will do it. But i am still moving overseas

Seems you are in the grip of the furry magnet, young Schmerier:angel::D

[Landy Smurf]

furry magnet?

[Davo]

I'm sure someone will post a photo soon . . .

[V8Ian]

furry magnet?
:Thump:

[V8Ian]

I'm sure someone will post a photo soon . . .
http://freesmileyface.net/smiley/animals/3d-cute-tiger-2.gif (http://freesmileyface.net/free-animals-smileys.html):D:D:D

[Davo]

However, some of you are showing your age . . . there is this wonderful country called Brazil, where they developed one of the most outstanding inventions of the 20th century . . .

[V8Ian]

However, some of you are showing your age . . . there is this wonderful country called Brazil, where they developed one of the most outstanding inventions of the 20th century . . .
Enlighten us please Davo, Google comes up with didlly squat. :angel:

[Landy Smurf]

i did have a fair idea but i thought i would just double check. i did not want to just assume

[Landy Smurf]

maybe a photo of this one too eh?

[George130]

When I was at uni the allowances were not enough to live on and cover the costs with my study. First yrear I lived on mostly rice. Boil a pot at night and have it plain for dinner. Left over with sugar for breaky. Splurge would mean I had a box of cereal that fortnight.
Second year was easy as we had a 2 bed house with 3 of us in it so could share the costs.
Centerlink has always been slow on the student processing.

[Pinelli]

Back to the original question, I've only really had to deal with Centrelink once or twice, and I've found them excruciating.

We were working and residing in Holland for a little while, and the Dutch were happy to pay family assistance (like in Australia) on the condition that we weren't receiving a similar payment from another country. Fair enough I thought. So tried to stop our Oz assistance payments - couldn't do it. The Dutch didn't care, and paid us theirs anyway.

If it helps, I don't always claim all of my deductions at tax time, so I'm sure I've repaid it back over time. :P

[Davo]

maybe a photo of this one too eh?

Sorry - we middle-aged men just don't have the access to that sort of thing!

Anyway, I meant to say before that Centrelink have always been hopeless, and before, when they were the Commonwealth Employment Service, or CES, they were hopeless too. I always thought that was a great government department name, as while it was indeed a commonwealth, (i.e. federal), department, they didn't help with employment and they didn't give any service. So you can always tell what a government department doesn't do by looking at the name of what it's supposed to do.

Also, I mentioned the remote teachers up here as an example of what you could do later on. You could perhaps get a decent student loan to allow you to get on with things, and you wouldn't have much trouble paying it back with the sorts of conditions you get up here. And you'd also get some priceless experience that you could then take with you overseas, because most Aussies go abroad knowing very little about their own country.

Just a thought for taking matters into your own hands instead of trying to get blood from a stone.

[mudmouse]

Oh, all right...


I'm sure someone will post a photo soon . . .

:D

[Davo]

Well there you go!

Meanwhile, I'm not able to look at a Victorian licence plate without smiling.

[mudmouse]

...or more crudely....


:D


I can do that 'cos I know the bloke (in the photo).

[Pinelli]

Also, I mentioned the remote teachers up here as an example of what you could do later on. You could perhaps get a decent student loan to allow you to get on with things, and you wouldn't have much trouble paying it back with the sorts of conditions you get up here. And you'd also get some priceless experience that you could then take with you overseas, because most Aussies go abroad knowing very little about their own country.


I have to say I know more than a few teachers who went remote fairly grudgingly, and the vast majority loved it. We had a couple who moved here to the metropolis of Proserpine (pop 3000) after 5 or 6 years in Bamaga, and went back to Bamaga after a year because it was just too fast paced here in the Whitsundays. :)

And I know that Proserpine really isn't remote, but we had only planned to do our three years before heading back to SEQ, and here we are 13 years later with no plans on going anywhere.

[EchiDna]

er... you did mention that Sweden has free education? I assume the missus is from there and studying there? why not jump on that bandwagon and study together?

I had a year of living apart from the missus while she was contracted into Singapore - not fun and this was in the days prior to skype so weekly phone calls and hand written letters were it!

[Landy Smurf]

it is free for all EU citizens to study, and i can't be one for at least 2 years.
We skyped so much, but because we were both at school and there being 8-10hr time difference sometimes it was hard to find the time(i missed out on a lot of sleep). We still sent letters probably 2 a week, just because they are a bit more personal then emails.
I start my new job tomorrow so i will have to see how many shifts and hrs i get. i would like to save at least 8k before leaving but 10k would be better

[Landy Smurf]

Just rang centrelink i had to hold for about 20 minutes, which i suppose isn't to bad compared to some. Apparently it shouldn't take longer then 3 weeks after sending the claim, and mine has been 6 weeks.
The person on the other end was really nice but confused with my application as i stated i was single yet they were asking me to fill out a form regarding my partner. ( the reason i stated i was single is i can't prove that i am in a relationship).
so now it is getting sent off again and i should have a result in roughly 2 weeks.
not very happy with the service at the local centrelink, as i got told different things by 3 different people, but i am fairly happy with the phone service(apart from the music while on hold)