# Is Oz still the land of the 'Fair Go'



## oscilliations

Hi! I'm a UK expat living in Australia. I've recently been volunteering for a Not-For-Profit based in Sydney helping to organise televised debates.

We've got one coming up on 12 September in Sydney to be televised by the ABC on the motion 'Is Australia still the land of the 'Fair Go'?'. Kevin Rudd made it central to his first PM debate, and most Aussies take pride in coming from the land of the 'Fair Go', but if you look at little deeper, most seem to have reservations about it, from immigration to house prices and job opportunities....

I've had a lot of feedback from different groups (both Australian and immigrants) who don't feel that Australia is any longer the land of the Fair Go, and I'd be interested in learning about your opinions on this issue: *Is Australia still the land of the 'Fair Go'?*


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## Rigs

So fair that people take advantage of it and exploit it for greed. Eg. Have baby's for the baby bonus only


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## bmacavanza

Yes, it is still a "Fair Go"


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## robboat

I still believe that anyone in Australia can make what they want of their life.....they can have a "fair go".

Plenty of support and places to get information if you need it to get going.
No one except yourself to stop you "changing"....or staying the same.

But I have seen more and more complacency from people since I was overseas from 2008.
I suspect that our stage act of a government has not contributed to a sense of purpose, of moving forward.....

I have hear the claims of racism and bias by migrants looking for work.....but in life I think you get back what you give out, and often there is clearly a mismatch between documented skills and actual ability.

The "fair go" is still a valued concept........just needs people to really care about it.


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## not-so-old-new-guy

I would have to agree that this is the country of "Fair Go" , but these days we have just got to get up GO a lot harder to succeed.


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## ahego

I hope it is still a "Fair Go"


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## HudsonJuan

Living there and getting non profits at the land is really not fair!!!!


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## Volcanicash

It's what you make it, you give it a fair go, it will give you a fair go! 
I have no complaints over 45 years.


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## Jackness

Yes it is.


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## jessie1

No, I don't think Australia is the land of the fair go anymore. I brought my partner from the UK last April on a PMV. He is a lawyer and has applied for over 600 paralegal jobs without even an interview. I am disgusted that employers can't see that they will get more bang for their buck as he has major experience. I have cried at the frustration that goes with this, especially when I hear the comments regarding giving asylum seekers work visas in order to help them settle. If a highly educated person is unable to get a job how on gods earth will a person with limited english and skills get one, all that will do is deepen their loss of self worth as it has with my partner. Wake up Australia, if employers won't give jobs on anything other than permanent residence there needs to be a massive shake up of immigration policies.


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## AngelesAds

*Fair Go!*

Australia has never been a country of the "Fair Go".


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## Move Migration

It's the same as everywhere else. There is a fair "go" if you create the opportunities and take them.


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## jessie1

Perhaps you could enlighten me as to where the "opportunities" are - after applying for over 600 "opportunities" and not even being granted an interview, my partner (a solicitor) would be more than happy to hear of them.


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## Engaus

It's not a great time for a solicitor to be trying to find a job here at the moment (my partner had similar issues). Especially applying for paralegal jobs, I'm in Victoria and we have found that the employers just have so much choice when it comes to applicants - hundreds of people are applying for a single job. Has your partner looked into volunteering? My partner (British) did this and has most recently got a job as a law clerk in Melbourne. he had his degree assessed last year and so will now continue to study to ensure his qualifications are equivalent which will hopefully open more doors.

We have been here for over a year and the above job was the first time he had received an interview. He's been disheartened but he's used to time to further his experience - studying a language, completing an online course in business admin and doing his local volunteering.


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