I WOULD like to respond to the two letters posted in the Paarl Post after my first letter.
I agree that nurses will not turn to prostitution on a daily basis. That is rather the exception than the rule, but it has been reported in Australian newspapers.
Child care costs in Australia vary from $65 to $127 per child per day. The norm is not $65 per day and different rules for each state are in place.
The Department of Immigration provides a cost of living indicator per fortnight per size of family. This will give an indication of the high cost of living in Australia.
Familiarise yourself with this information before making the decision to emigrate and note the Australian government quotes the cost of living as “high.”
Also make sure you know the scale of taxation and compulsory superannuation as this is much higher than in South Africa.
School fees will only be in a public school at a lower cost if you are an Australian resident depending on the total household income. For the period of not being a resident you would require to pay for school fees and these vary per state.
To become an Australian permanent resident you have to pay a fee and comply to a set of rules put in place by the Australian Department of Immigration. Complying to this is costly and can take time.
One of the biggest reasons for the huge shortage in nurses in Australia is due to a huge amount of staff leaving the profession and not sufficient new people who are willing to become a nurse.
In Australia more than 10% of nurses leave the profession annually resulting in the nursing shortage increasing, despite increasing the intake.
There are variable reasons for leaving the profession, but one that stands above all is working conditions. Remuneration is the third biggest reason for nurses leaving the profession.
The main reason for remuneration not being the first biggest reason is the fact that nurses whom are willing to work hard under very difficult conditions can receive overtime and obtain through this process a fair salary in Australia. Overtime has become a norm as well as overworked and stressed out nurses.
The nursing profession in Australia is currently in crisis, according to a statement made by the Health Minister, and will be so for a long time to come.
Nursing in Australia is a professional profession as in other countries throughout the world.
I agree with DC – I am a happy nurse, “do your homework thoroughly” as everything may not be as glamorous as some recruitment agencies can make it.Luckily not a nurse
