メルボルンは嫌い

After almost 7 years living, eating, drinking, and sleeping in Melbourne, I have grown to both love and hate this city. Too bad tho, my hate has grown so much more than before. I can't stand of living in here anymore, I wish to go home as soon as I have settled everything here, which means not in near the future. Sometimes, I also found that I lived in a mismanaged country. Here are few things that I get irritated with or hate:

* TAX!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Goodness, here is the worst. If you have high salary, think about sneaking it overseas. The tax here is 47% for anyone with salary above $150,000. Compare it to Hongkong which its highest rate is only 15% and Singapore 20%, even UK is only 30%. The government here steal so much and give so little, keep reading to find out.

* Education is a bloody joke here. The university depends on the international students to survive. Apparently private sectors doesn't give much funding and so is the government. University here already increased the student fee, yet their quality is either deteriorating or the same. Barely any improvements in their teaching system and facilities for students. And with the government abolishing compulsory student union, expect expensive sporting facilities, no or little student clubs and definitely no more student radios, magazine, and orientation week. For those who is considering to study overseas, DON'T COME HERE!!! It's expensive and you will not be looked after by the government. In Victoria, international students are not allowed to ride public transport with student concession, they have to pay full fare.

* Health system is another thing. We have less and less benefit with medicare, while keep paying high rate of tax. The government seems want to put less money in the health system.

* Transportation in Victoria is horrible. The government doesn't f*^#ing care with the people. We have underfunded, underdeveloped privatised public transport system. My train is only running every 20minutes on non peak time and every half hour after 7pm, this is nuts. So many people use the train especially since the high petrol price, but nothing is done. In the latest budget, they don't have any plan to reduce the street congestion and trains problems, instead they just put another 5 million bucks into another transport study.

There are so many other things that become huge problems here, but I don't want to write all of them, I don't want to turn this into political blog. Isn't it ironic that Australia is always promoting itself as a democratic country, yet the government never listen to the public. Who are they working for? And who paid them anyway?

I also wonder why Australia want to americanised itself, too bad tho it doesn't work. Unlike its big brother, Australia is too protective of itself. When Singapore Airlines want to fly to US, the government doesn't allow it to protect Qantas biggest profit making route. What's the use of fifth freedom rights when you can't fly anywhere except New Zealand from this remote continent. Telstra also have been given too much rights and now, what happen is telecommunication is very expensive and internet is lacking behind other developed countries. This place is basically monopolised by the big players. How to make this country a condusive place to do business, when the basic expenses is astronomical compared to other developed country? Do you even know that many of my Japanese friends when they come here, they said there are not much different in living cost with their home country? That's how expensive is it to live here.

Anyway, enough is enough, I will go home for sure. At least I get what I paid at home. Corruption maybe bad, safety is no good, benefit for public maybe non existent, but hey I can get rich faster and avoid tax, when you pay nothing you get nothing right?