Australia scores high in 'World's Friendliest Country'

Those in search of a fresh start might want to head to a country that has a reputation of being friendly and welcoming. You might look for a place that offers a relatively easy time in befriending locals, joining a local community group or learning the local language...

Look no further, Australia has it All!

Australia has come in 3rd in a poll conducted by HSBC Bank International's Expat Exploreer Survey. (Canada and Germany took 1st and 2nd places, respectively.) The study surveyed 2,155 expats in 48 countries, spanning four continents, between February and April 2008.

Respondents rated their country in four categories:

• ability to befriend locals
• number that joined a community group
• number that learned the language
• percentage that bought property
  

"We conducted this survey to better understand expatriate needs and get insight into the emotions of expats. The banking business is all about trust, especially with the recent credit crisis," says Martin Spurling, CEO of HSBC Bank International and Head of HSBC Global Offshore. "We want them to build a relationship with their wealth manager regardless of where they travel."

The results showed that in Australia 91% people befriended those living there.

Australia scored high in friendliness but ranked last when it came to joining a group. That's because expats in Australia tend to be younger, with 51% in the 18-34 age group, and may not need organized groups to facilitate meeting new people.

The United Arab Emirates was found to be the most difficult for expats; only 54% of those surveyed said they'd made friends with locals.

Man charged for Australian forest fire

A 39-year-old man has been charged in Australia, with starting one of the forest fires that ravaged the south of the country last week. Brendan Sokaluk is thought to have started one of the fires close to the town of Churchill, in Victoria. The subsequent blaze claimed the lives of 21 people and destroyed 30,000 hectares of forest.

Queen to make donation for Australia fire victims

Queen Elizabeth II will make a private donation in support of a fundraising appeal on behalf of victims of Australia's worst-ever wildfires, a royal spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Buckingham Palace declined to specify the size of the donation, which will go to the Victorian Bushfire Fund, launched by the Australian Red Cross along with the Victoria state premier and the federal government. Queen Elizabeth made similar contributions to fundraising appeals after the Asian tsunami in December 2004 and the July 2005 suicide bombings on London's public transport network.

Firefighters were on Tuesday still battling to save Australian communities threatened by the wildfires that have already claimed 181 lives, a toll that is expected to rise. In a statement on Sunday, the queen said: "I was shocked and saddened to learn of the terrible toll being exacted by the fires this weekend." She expressed "heartfelt condolences" to the families of those who died, "deep sympathy" to those who lost their homes, and tribute to the "extraordinary" efforts of the emergency services.

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Victoria towns destroyed by devastating fires

The Queen has expressed her "shock and sadness" at the death toll in the Australian bush fires.
At least 108 people have died in the fires in southern Australia, the worst in the country's history. She also expressed her admiration for the work of the emergency services to contain the situation.

In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace the Queen said: "I was shocked and saddened to learn of the terrible toll being exacted by the fires this weekend. I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who have died and my deep sympathy to the many who have lost their homes in this disaster on so dreadful an occasion as this for Australia. The fire fighters and other emergency services have been making extraordinary efforts to contain the situation and tend to those who have been injured. Please also convey to them my renewed admiration for all that they are doing."A Number 10 spokesman said prime minister, Gordon Brown, spoke to Kevin Rudd on Sunday morning to extend sympathies to the Australian people. A spokesman said: "He praised Kevin Rudd's leadership at this very difficult time, and said the UK stood ready to provide any assistance that the Australian government wanted."

Five benefits of living in Australia

In an article that highlights Australia as a prime destination for British migrants, The Scotsman states that the five benefits of living in Australia are:

1 Climate: The average temperature in Sydney ranges from a pleasant 16 degrees in winter to a sunny 26 degrees in summer.

2 Cost of living: A three-bedroom detached villa with a pool in Brisbane costs the same as a two-bedroom flat in Leith, Edinburgh. Food is also generally much cheaper too.

3 Sport: Australia is probably the most sporty place in the world and children tend to grow up fit and healthy because they do so much of it.

4 Natural wonders: There is the Great Barrier Reef, tropical rain forests, the extraordinary Uluru (Ayers Rock), vast deserts and mountains to ski on.

5 People: They are largely warm, friendly, irreverent of authority and meritocratic.

In fact, according to a survey published yesterday, record numbers of Brits are emigrating to Australia.

The Move Monitor Survey, which was commissioned by the removal firm Pickfords, found a 31 per cent increase in the number of individuals and families who moved to Australia in 2008, compared with 2007. A massive 40,000 Brits moved to Australia in 2007, with about 23,000 saying they were staying permanently.

So is it just the effects of the credit crunch creating this latest wave of British emigration or is there more to it?

Do you dream of living in Australia? Contact Bridge Migration right now and see how we can help you!