Australian culture is founded on stories of battlers, bushrangers and brave soldiers of sporting heroes, working heroes and migrants. It’s all about the great outdoors; having a ‘fair go’ and a healthy helping of irony. Today, Australia defines itself by its Aboriginal heritage; as well as the vibrant mix of cultures. With more than 80 per cent of Australians living within 50 kilometres of the coast, the beach has become an integral part of our famous laid-back lifestyle. From Saturday morning surf-club training for young ‘nippers’; to a game of beach cricket after a barbeque, we love life on our sandy shores. We jostle for a spot on the beach; it’s where we socialise, play sport, relax and enjoy romance. Since 1945 more than six million people from across the world have come to Australia to live. Today, more than 20 per cent of Australians are foreign born and more than 40 per cent are of mixed cultural origin. In our homes we speak 226 languages. After English, the most commonly spoken languages are Italian, Greek, Cantonese and Arabic. Our rich cultural diversity is reflected in our food, which embraces most of the world’s cuisines and artfully fuses quite a few of them. You’ll find European flavours, the tantalising spices of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the bush tucker from our backyard, on offer everywhere from street stalls to five star restaurants.

Economy and opportunities

Based on the analysis and modelling released by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in December 2014, there are evidences showing how the mining boom has positively impacted the Australian economy. According to the RBA, the mining boom is estimated to have boosted real per capita household disposable income by 13% over the decade to 2013. This has impacted positively on wages, employment, consumption, and construction. Besides the improvement in Australian economy, there are also a great number of job opportunities. The Australian Government welcomes foreign investment. Investors are informed about growth opportunities in five areas: agribusiness and food; major infrastructure; tourism infrastructure; resources and energy; advanced manufacturing, services and technology- which is jointly agreed by the Australian State and Territory Governments. In terms of job seeking, there are a number of websites that can be of service. They include Seek, Career One and Indeed among several others. However keep in mind that the status of each job market, in across states and territories is not the same.

Economy and opportunities

Social security is the term used to describe welfare payments paid to individuals by the Australian government. In Australia only citizens and people with permanent residency visas may claim social security benefits. Some payments made under the Social Security Act and the Student Assistance Act include: 

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• ABSTUDY – A range of allowances to assist Indigenous students and New Apprentices.

• Age Pension – For people planning for retirement or who are already retired aged 65 years and over.

• Austudy Payment – For full-time students and New Apprentices aged 25 years or over.

• Carer Allowance – For people who care for minors 16–17 and adults over 18 years with a disability.

• Carer Payment – For people who provide full-time care for someone with a disability.

• Maternity Payment – For help with those extra costs after the birth of a new baby.

• Newstart Allowance – For people who are looking for employment.

• Parenting Payment – For parents or guardians to help with the cost of raising children under 6 for partnered parents and under 8 for sole parents.

• Special Benefit – For people who are in financial hardship, have no way of supporting themselves and are not entitled to another payment (normally due to residency requirements)

• Youth Allowance – For full-time students or New Apprentices aged 15 (under some circumstances) 16 to 24 and people aged under 21 who are undertaking job search or a combination of approved activities.

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For more payments, please visit the Centrelink’s website.