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This is a booklet developed by the mothers of the Irish Australian Support Association QLD for newcomers who have recently moved to Brisbane. It is designed to provide relevant information about working, living, and enjoying Brisbane. Enjoy!
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Welcome to Brisbane
Summery of Contents
Housing market information—rental and buyer information
Schooling information
Settling in Brisbane guide
Medical & Job Search information
Date: 2014
A new start information guide aimed at Irish people
who are settling in Brisbane.
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
PAGE 2 EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
About the IASAQ 3
Welcome Note 4 & 5
2014 Holidays and Festivals 6 & 7
Weather, Climate & Car Guide 8 & 9
Rental Advice & Info 10 & 11
Living costs, Public transport, House buying 12 & 13
Shopping Tips, Markets 14 & 15
Daily Brisbane Wildlife 16 & 17
Children 0-5—kindy, playgroups, activities 18 & 19
Schooling information 20 & 21
Public vs private schools 22 & 23
Activities & Entertainment 24 & 25
Medical & Hospital Information 26 & 27
Visa, Tax, Employment 28 &29
Useful websites & Contacts 30
Table of Contents
“It takes about 2 years to feel in any way settled and less homesick….”
PAGE 3 IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
The Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland
Incorporated was formed some 5 years ago. Is a not-for-profit
organization.
Our mission is to provide social and personal support to as many
Irish/Australian people as possible.
The Association offers a wide range of activities and support
services, including: -
* Immigration advice and support, especially to newly-arrived Irish
people
* Special interest groups such as those for Irish/Australian Mothers
(especially to newly arrived families), seniors and backpackers.
* Support in times of traumatic and often tragic events and
circumstances, such as sudden and/or accidental death, or major
injuries
* Repatriation of the deceased person and liaison with the Irish
family in cases of sudden death, including drownings, victims of
murder and fatal industrial accidents
* Assisting people who are hospitalised, usually in emergency
situations
* Support fundraisers for these special cases and circumstances
related to problematic or crisis issues and circumstances
* Networking with the elderly in the community, as well as visits to
aged care homes, hospitals and hostels
* Seniors’ events including lunches and excursions be they either
local, intrastate or interstate
* Generally promoting fellowship and social gatherings for
everyone
* Assistance with legal and court matters
Many of these services and events bring Irish people together,
whether they are permanent residents or those enjoying short or
long term travel (visa holders) to Australia … helping them feel
that they have a home away from home and connecting with other
Irish people in the local community.
TO ORDER CALL: 1 800.000.0000 PAGE 4
Welcome To Brisbane
Welcome to Brisbane and the start of your
new life. Here are a few nuggets picked up
along the way that may make settling here a
bit easier.
It’s very daunting to come all the way across
the world to a new country, but at least the
weather is great, the economy isn't too bad
at the minute, the people are friendly and
they speak mostly the same language (with a
few oddities). A few less things to worry
about!
Brisbane can be a bit difficult to navigate
because of the snaky river. It does get easier
and here are a few tips to position yourself
in the city. All the “female” streets (Queen,
Ann, Elizabeth, Margaret, Alice) run
roughly east to west and the “male” streets
(Albert, George, Eagle, Edward) run
roughly north to south. The Botanic Gar-
dens are on the southern tip and Central
station is on the Northern tip.
Navigating the city is the easy part. Settling
in a new country permanently is the hard
part. The lack of family is defiantly the big-
gest drawback to moving here. It can and
will get lonely here, so here are a few tips
that we have found to help you settle a bit
more.
The first thing is to make sure your head is
in the right space. For you to begin to feel
at home here (the general consensus is it
takes about 2 years so be patient), you need
to be committed to staying here. If you
always have in the back of your mind that
this is temporary and you’ll be heading back
home ASAP you’ll be less likely to make as
much of an effort to integrate and settle
into Brisbane life. Your head will be a in a
negative place and your homesickness will
be stronger and you’ll be comparing Bris-
bane unfavorably with home and fail to see
all the wonderful things Brisbane has to
offer. If you have a goal (residency, buying
a house, getting the kids into a good school,
good job etc)—then you’ll be working to-
wards something positive which does help
alleviate some of the initial bumps you will
no doubt face. The key to success in any
new venture is keeping positive and active.
It is important to have a good mix of
friends, both Australian and Irish. The more
Australian friends you have, the more “in
the know” you’ll be. You’ll also find in
Brisbane it’s often who you know that make
a difference in the job search, schools, kids
etc. While Irish friends are important and
comfortable, you’ll find it harder to settle in
Brisbane without Australian connections.
The other problem to only having ex-pat
friends is that ex-pats tend to move around
a lot and you friends will change often,
making settling that much more difficult.
So, how to meet all these Australian
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
BUSINESS NAME PAGE 5
friends?! (www.bobinoz.com)Australia is full
of community activities. Much more than at
home. They have clubs, societies, groups
galore. So, find what you’re interested in,
sports, dancing, music, children, food, wine,
travel, and you’ll find a club to join. And
while you’ll feel like the outsider to start
with, the more you get involved, the easier it
gets. The outdoor life is massive here, so
enjoy it. Go camping, fishing, boating. Take
a day drive to the coast or national parks.
Get out of the house and have a picnic in
one of the beautiful parks here. Enjoy life.
The beaches are tropical, the weather is
amazing (even the storms) , the swimming
pools are a great day out in the heat. BBQ’s
are a way of life.
Making Australian friends will be harder
because they will already have their network
in place and not be as inclined to make new
friends. Don’t despair. Keep trying, and
you’ll wake up one day realizing you’re liv-
ing it up. Good luck!
A few comments from our contributors:
“Personally, If you can I would try to get
residency while still in Ireland. It’s worth the
wait and extra expense. Being here is too
expensive on the 2 year Temporary Visa…”
“I found it has taken about 2 years for me
to settle in Australia and find my feet…”
“The feelings of loneliness are really hard,
especially when coming from home where
you’re surrounded by friends and family…”
“It is so expensive to live here…”
“I love the weather. It’s brilliant to wake up
everyday and see blue skies. Even the
storms are amazing…”
“The schools and hospitals are fantastic.
Very modern and fresh. Great facilities…”
“Getting around without a car is really diffi-
cult..”
“There is soo much to do here for families.
It’s great place to raise kids.”
The Queensland Gaelic Football and Hurling Association (QGFHA) delivers Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie com-petitions to over 20 teams in Brisbane, represented from 6 clubs. All games are play at Gaelic Park, Bowhill Road, Willa-wong. Four competitions are contested over the course of the year – Summer Competition (Feb-Mar), Carpenter Cup (late Mar-May), Queensland League (Jun-Aug) and Championships Finals (Aug-Sept).2013 The Association will introduce, a youth Development Program, This will include Go Games for Children under 12, with fun games in Gaelic football, Camogie, and Hurling, Another group will be set up for the same codes for the over 12 up To U17, anyone interested in helping please
contact, [email protected]
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD PAGE 6
What’s On 2014 -http://www.bnecity.com.au/ http://brisbane.eventfinder.com.au/
Holidays and Observances (Australia)
Jan 01 New Year's Day Jan 26 Australia Day (27th Public Holiday)
Apr 19 Easter Saturday
Apr 18 Good Friday Apr 21 Easter Monday Apr 25 Anzac Day
Jun 09 Queen's Birthday (Most regions)
Aug 14 Ekka Sep Brisbane Festival—Riverfire
Oct 06 Labour Day Oct Duck race, cancer research Nov 5 Melbourne Cup
Nov International film festival Nov 11 Remembrance Day Nov14 G20 Summit—CBD work-ers only
Dec 25 Christmas Day Dec 26 Boxing Day Dec 31 New Year's Eve
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
Brisbane Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014
January
Sunday 26thJanuary on Australia Day , Cockroach Races The Story Bridge
Hotel, OzFest, Hamilton Hotel Music Festival. & Australia Day Festival, South Bank Parklands.
Chinese New Year Jan 31st - celebrations taking place in the city's China-
town district—Laneway Festival.
February
A Day on the Green, Concert—Sirromet Winery Feb 2nd
Brisbane International Motor Show - early February, an exciting motor show
featuring everything from the world of motoring.
International Cricket - one-day event played at the Brisbane Cricket Ground
Soundwave festival Sat 22nd. RNA Showground's, 15+’music festival
Good Life festival—RNA Showground's, Fri 28th Feb. Under 18’s concert.
March
Future Music Festival—Mar 1st.RNA Showgrounds 18+ music festival
St. Patrick's Day - 17th March, a celebration of Australia's Irish ancestry
April
A Day on the Green—Jimmy Barnes Sunday 30th, Sirromet Winery
Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race 18th April - yacht race starting from the
Shorncliffe Pier and going to the Queensland coast of Gladstone
PAGE 7 IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
May
Paniyiri Greek Festival West End- 24th & 25th May, a multicultural event
showcasing Greek culture
Urban Country Festival in Caboolture on between 4-7 May
June
Whale Watching - 1st June to 1st November
July
2014 Super Rugby—Suncorp Stadium. 12th July
August
Brisbane Marathon. 42.2k. Aug 3rd.
Royal National Agricultural Show 'Ekka' - early August, held at the RNA
Showground's. Aug 8th—17th
September
Bridge to Brisbane Race Sep 7th.
Brisbane Riverside Festival - an 6th-27th September arts-themed fest, with
food, entertainment and fireworks, held over 12 days.
October
Brisbane Wine Festival 17th—19th Oct —a popular wine event, with wine
and food matching workshops, and numerous tasting opportunities
Gold Coast Indy 300 - four-day celebration centered around the Indy Car
Grand Prix
Oktoberfest - a popular German-themed event staged at the RNA Show-
ground's—beer-drinking festivities, live Bavarian-style music, yodeling, cow-
bell ringing, a puppet theatre, freshly baked pretzels and dodgems.
Duck race for cancer research. Buy a rubber duck and race it down Brisbane
river. Prizes to be won.
November
G20 Summit will be the ninth meeting of the G-20 heads of government
December
Woodford Folk Festival - 27th December—1st Jan, based some 78 km / 48
miles north of Brisbane, in Woodford
PAGE 8 EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
Weather/Climate
My favorite times of the year are Spring and Autumn. Summer can be a killer if you’re not used to the
heat. Its not only the heat, but also the humidity. Winter can feel really cold, especially in the QLD
houses, where insulation is almost non-existent.
Definitely scope out places that are shady. The beach is usually too hot in summer to be enjoyable
except early morning or late afternoon. Avoid 11-2pm. Always wear sunscreen and a hat. The local
pools are brill as they are mostly open air with great landscaping, cheap pricing—so bring a picnic!.
Storm season is Summer. It’s tropical rain and often cyclones and flooding. Be prepared and careful.
Hailstones can also do major damage to your car!
www.bom.gov.au
Weather
Spring — September — November
Summer — December — February
Autumn — March — May
Winter — June — August
Maximum Minimum
January 29°C /
84°F
21°C /
70°F
February 29°C /
84°F
21°C /
70°F
March 28°C /
82°F
19°C /
66°F
April 26°C /
79°F
17°C /
63°F
May 23°C /
73°F
13°C /
55°F
June 21°C /
70°F
11°C /
52°F
July 20°C /
68°F
10°C /
50°F
August 22°C /
72°F
10°C /
50°F
September 24°C /
75°F
13°C /
55°F
October 26°C /
79°F
16°C /
61°F
November 28°C /
82°F
18°C /
64°F
December 29°C /
84°F
20°C /
68°F
Queensland does not operate on daylight savings
time and is always +10 GMT.
The country code is +61 and area code for QLD is
(0)7.
Best phoning times to Ireland. 10 hours behind
Brisbane.
Brisbane 5am—9am = Ireland 7pm—11pm
Brisbane 5pm—11pm = Ireland 7am—1pm
Sunrise generally 5am(summer)—6am(winter)
Sunset generally 5pm(winter)—7pm(summer)
PAGE 9 IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
Buying a Car
Buying a car in Brisbane, there is really one place to go. It’s the Magic Mile in Moorooka.
Massive car lots. New and second hand. Credit available. Also look at www.carsales.com.au
for car values etc
If you buy a secondhand car, beware. To purchase or sell a secondhand car, you need a
roadworthy certificate done by a mechanic. Even if a car is issued with a road worthy, it
does not mean that the car is free from major faults. The best way to ensure you are making
a good buy is to use www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars/car_advice/vehicle_inspections. It
costs between $211-$395, but definitely worth it.
RACQ also has a comprehensive journey planner and a map showing where the cheapest
petrol is located at www.racq.com.au/motoring/cars/car_economy/fuel_prices
To register a vehicle, which includes CTP (third party insurance), costs $900-$1,500/year.
$330 is the insurance. See www.tmr.qld.gov.au
Car insurance: Go to www.iSelect.com.au where you can compare prices from AAMI,
Suncorp, Budget, NRMA, RACQ etc. Third party costs $250-$300/year. Comprehensive
costs $900+/year. The third party insurance you get here is Third Party Property only. It is
very different from Ireland; If the car is legally registered (rego’d), any licensed driver is
insured to drive it as when you rego a car, you pay for CTP (Compulsory Third Party Insur-
ance) – it is “personal insurance only” and does not cover car or property. If you have had
a suspension from Ireland and have not declared it, your insurance here may be void.
Driving license: $64.20 for one year or $143.75 for five years. You can drive on a valid
Irish license for the first three months ONLY if you are a resident. You must transfer to a
valid Queensland license with the proper form, ID, and current license after that. If you do
not transfer, you will lose points.
You have 13 points in total; points are transferred to and from other states if you move to/
from interstate and accrue for bike and car driving. See ww.tmr.qld.gov.au for more info.
Speeding fines are mailed to your registered address and if they accrue unpaid, your licence
will be suspended.
Drinking and driving - DON’T do it - there are plenty of RBTs (Random Breath Test-
ing) and if you are in an accident, you will be breathalysed. It may invalidate your insurance.
Car rental:
The best car rental from experience has been Hertz, Thrifty and Budget. You get what you pay for.
CAR
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328 PAGE 10
Where to live
One of the biggest questions facing any new arrival into the country. There is only so much research you can do online. Until you see and live somewhere, it is very hard to tell where you and your family will be happy. Here we have tried to break down some information for you to help you in your decision. Where you live is a very individual thing, but here we have listed areas that are well established, generally are safe and clean and have good reputations. Please look at the blog (address on next page) for people’s opinions on where NOT to live.
A few rental Do’s and Don’ts.
The rental market is very competitive, so it pays to be prepared. If you see a house you like, be
ready. Download an application form from the agent PRIOR to going to the open house. Have
a few copies of your ID — passport, residency status, any references, recommendations, em-
ployment status or bank account details to hand. It may be overkill, but the less the agent has to
do, the more favorably they will look upon you.
Also phone the agent 30 minutes before the open house to make sure the house hasn't been
taken already. Believe me, it happens!
If you LOVE the house, don't be afraid to put in an offer above the asking. The most common
lease term is 6 months, but you can get a year. Beware, after 6 months, the agent will usually try
to up the rent. Unfortunately, you don't have much say, but don't be afraid to negotiate. They
may be just trying their luck. If you are a good tenant, they may be willing to do a lot to keep
you.
Inform the agent ASAP if anything is broken. Take pictures of the property on entry, and drop
copies into the agent of any stains etc. They will request you sign an inspection report. If you
have pictures, you have more of a chance getting your bond back.
A bond is usually 6 weeks’ rent paid upfront to be held by the Residential Tenancies Authority
(RTA) — you should get a receipt from the agent or direct from the RTA. This is held against
any damage done to the property while you are a tenant. This is why it is very important to fill
in the conditions report as soon as you move in, and return it to the agent with a list of existing
problems.
Check the exit policy and fill in the exit report. They will more than likely get you to hire pro-
fessional cleaners on exit, and you have to show receipts. Double-check things like oil stains on
the garage floor, wall stains, dust on fans, clean ovens etc.
If, by chance, you are refused your bond back, contact the rental bond authority immediately.
Often they will get your money back for you — especially if you have evidence!
Because the rental market is so busy here, you will find the standard of housing to be generally
poorer than what you are used to. There are a lot of older houses without insulation or air con-
ditioning, so consider that it can be very cold in winter with drafts blowing in and it gets very
hot in summer.
There will be inspections during your occupancy of the property. This depends on the agent.
Usually every 3-6 months depending on your lease. Ensure the house is clean, garden tidy,
walls, kitchen and bathroom are tidy. The house doesn't have to be spotless, but you have to
show you are looking after it.
PAGE 11
Where to live RENTING Southside
Within 10km o f c ity centre
Suburb 2 bed 3bed
Annerley (4103) 4.9 km $260 - $430/wk $400 - $560/wk
Bulimba / Hawthorne (4171) 3.7 km $380 -$700/wk $550 - $750/wk
Camp Hill/ Carindale (4152) 5.6 km $300 -$480/wk $425 - $650/wk
Cannon Hill / M orningside (4170) 6.9 km $380 -$580/wk $430 -$580/wk
Greenslopes (4120) 5.5 km $350 -$500/wk $420 - $540/wk
Coorparoo (4151) 4.3 km $320 - $470/wk $365 - $595/wk
Hamilton (4007) 4.8 km $400 - $720/wk $460 - $750/wk
Holland Park (4121) 6.6 km $300 -$530/wk $360 - $480/wk
M ount Gravatt (4122) 9.5 km $350 -$420/wk $380 - $460/wk
M urarrie (4172) 7.6 km $330 - $480/wk $350 - $480/wk
Tarragindi (4121) 7.3 km $310 - $460/wk $350 - $450/wk
Yeronga (4104) 5.6 km $300 - $400/wk $350 - $400/wk
West End (4101) 2 km $300 - $550/wk $520 - $830/wk
OUT SID E 10km
Rochedale (4123) $280-$350/wk $300-$420/wk
Springwood (4127) $280-$330/wk $305-$430/wk
Wynnum (4178) $330-$420/wk $350-$420/wk
M anly (4179) $335-$430/wk $380-$550/wk
RENTING Northside
W it hin 10 km o f cit y cent re
Suburb 2 bed 3 b ed
Albion (4010) 4.7 km $380-$550/wk $400 - $550/wk
Alderley (4051) 5.5 km $320-$400/wk $400-$550/wk
Ascot (4007) 5.1 km $330-$450/wk $450-$900/wk
Ashgrove (4060) 4.3 km $380 -$450/wk $420-$550/wk
Bardon (4065) 4.7 km $350-$450/wk $420-$650/wk
Chermside (4032) 9.1 km $320-$420/wk $390-$520/wk
Fig Tree Pocket (4069) 9.5 km $300-$350/wk $420-$520/wk
Enoggera (4051) 6.4 km $350-$420/wk $400-$500/wk
New Farm (4005) 1.9 km $480-$650/wk $650-$780/wk
Kelvin Grove (4059) 2.6 km $460-$580/wk $500-$680/wk
Lutwyche (4030) 5 km $400-$520/wk $400-$530/wk
The Gap (4061) 7.8 km $360-$480/wk $380-$490/wk
Paddington (4064) 2.6 km $420-$550/wk $600-$900/wk
Newmarket (4051) 4 km $330-$450/wk $400-$550/wk
OU TSID E 10 km
Everton Park (4053) $310-$420/wk $340-$450/wk
North Lakes (4509) $370-$460/wk $500-$650/wk
Victoria Point/Redclif fe (4165) $340-$360/wk $400-$495/wk
Preferences:
“I personally prefer the South-
side because you have at least 4
different ways of entering the
city, and I think it’s less
crowded and nicer on the south
side. More facilities and parks.
I’m biased because I live here
and am familiar with it—Just a
personal opinion! “- Ruth.
Real-estate sites:
www.realestate.com.au/
and
www.domain.com.au/
Blog on where NOT
to live.
www.brisbanism.com/
Property value:
www.homeguru.com.au
Sold/Rented House
price guides:
www.onthehouse.com.au
Rental Tenancy’s Au-
thority—RTA:
www.rta.qld.gov.au
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD PAGE 12
Daily Living Costs
Everything is soo expensive!
This is probably the most common sentence
you will hear when talking to ex-pats. Yes
the cost of living is higher here, but then so
are the wages, and when you get over the
$300/week shopping bill, you’ll be well on
your way to thinking $40 for a family break-
fast is normal.
Cost of Living
So, What does it cost to live in Brisbane?
Obviously the costs below are just esti-
mates, and vary from circumstance to cir-
cumstance.
(According to Bob in Oz) Salaries in Aus-
tralia were about 31.7% higher than those in
the UK, so although the figures are higher,
so are the wages—so bear with it, you’ll get
used to it before you know it!
If you figure on a family of four, the general
consensus is that you will need to take
home between $5,500-7,500/mth. Obvi-
ously this depends on where you live, how
you budget, etc, but generally this is what
you need to live in Australia. Also don't
forget if you are on a Temporary 2 year
Visa, you don't get a lot of the assistance
you may get on a Permanent Visa. Childcare
rebates, Medicare, Family Tax Benefit etc.
Cost of living in Australia blog:
www.bobinoz.com
Shopping = $300—$350 weekly shop for
family of 4 (Coles, Woolies, IGA compari-
son site. www.checknsave.com.au)
Coffee: $3.50-$4.50/cup
Bread—$3—$5/loaf
Milk—$3—$4 3 liters
Eggs—$3.50—$6/dozen
Bills:
Electricity—$400/qtr for family of 4
(excluding pool) (AGl, Energex, Ergon,
QLD Electricity)www.switchwise.com.au
Internet/Phone $60—$120/mth depend-
ing on plan. Optus, Telstra, Dodo, Skype,
iiNet. www.phonechoice.com.au
Skype is a wonderful thing and it’s free!
Connection fees:$200-$600
Satellite TV — Foxtel is expensive.($2,600
for two-year contract)
Optus & Telstra do an entertainment
package for an extra $10/mth, including
movie down loads.
Council rates and water are included in
your rental price. They vary depending on
the value of your house.
(www.brisbane.qld.gov.au)
(www.urbanutilities.com.au)
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
PAGE 13 IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
Buying a House:
Personally, I thinking making the deci-
sion to buy a house in Australia is a
good one once you have decided to
settle here permanently. There is noth-
ing like being able to decorate your own
home, or feel like you own something to
give you roots and permanency. Plus as
the rental rates here are nearly equal to
mortgage payments, it often makes
sense to invest
However, before buying, definitely rent
in the area you’re looking at to get a feel
for if you want to live there perma-
nently.
To buy a house you should look into
getting a mortgage broker. They are free
and can broker you a better deal with
banks than you can on your own.
You will also need a conveyancer and a
solicitor. You will need to do a pest
inspection and now the houses have to
have an energy efficiency rating.
Stamp Duty is a killer and you will hate
to pay it.
Also when looking at a property, don't
forget the ongoing costs of property tax
$350-$1000/qtr plus water rates $250-
$500/qtr, which you will not have been
used to paying when you were renting.
Public transport—Buses, Trains, Ferry,
Citycat, Citylink
So the first thing to do is get a GoCard. www.translink.com.au
This is really the only way to use public transport
in Brisbane. If you don't have a GoCard, you will
be paying about 20% more for your travel. Plus
some services don't accept cash, so you may be
stuck. You touch in with the round yellow circle.
Just press you card to that, and away you go.
DON’T FORGET TO TOUCH OUT on the
GoCard. If you don't, you will be charged the
maximum for that travel period. You can top up
at any pay station or some shops.
It is also a wonderful novelty to travel to work
by Citycat/Ferry. It’s also a great touristy thing
to do when friends come to Brisbane. There are
different zones in Brisbane—see the Translink
maps, and you will be charged more to cross
these zones. For travel within Zone 1, you will
be charged one way $3.05 (GoCard) $4.50 (cash).
To be honest, within Brisbane, it’s very hard to
get around without a car. Public transport is
often crowded and infrequent. The transport has
very direct routes, and you will have to make
changes often to get to your destination. The
distances are also longer here, and public trans-
port can take a long time. Having a car in Bris-
bane is very useful. To plan your journey, go to:
http//jp.translink.com.au
PAGE 14
Good Shopping Tips
Furniture shopping
Tender Disposals, West End & Springwood
Super A-Mart
IKEA — Slacks Creek
Lifeline Supa shops, Woolloongabba, Acacia Ridge, Loganholme.
www.opshopbrisbane.com.au
Appliance Factory Seconds, 655 Toohey Rd, Salisbury
Good Guys —Appliances
Spotlight — Bedding, towels, curtains, fabrics
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
There are a lot of stores to choose from, but here are a few that we found to be par-
ticularly good when first setting up your home.
In Brisbane, they have deals and specials on a Tuesday — Called Cheaper Tuesday, so
look out for those.
There is also an entertainment book http://
www.entertainmentbook.com.au/ which gives vouchers and dis-
counts on entertainment throughout Brisbane.
Spreets, Lifestyle and Groupon are also good voucher sites to check out.
Don’t forget Gumtree and EBay for good bargains.
Food shopping:
Woolworths & Coles have 80% of market sewn up. $5 for delivery. Can shop online
and collect for free.
IGA, Aldi are other alternatives.
There are loads of little local fruit shops with cheaper fruit & veg.
PAGE 15
Irish Businesses
Purchase Irish produce
Annerley Meats – Paul (Irish butcher) - 502 Ipswich Rd, Annerley 4103 (07) 3848 3336
IGA Cannon Hill -Shp2/ 965 Wynnum Rd, Cannon Hill QLD 4170 (07) 3399 3222
Irish Shed Brisbane - 240 STAFFORD ROAD, STAFFORD (07) 38577108
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
Clothes Shopping
Myer & David Jones — Pricey, but good quality generally. Always have
sales on.
Coles clothing — good quality, cheap, limited selection.
Target — mid range quality and price
K-mart, Millers & Big W — Hit and miss , but generally ok quality
Barkins — Office & Casual wear
Rivers — online and outlets — clothes & shoes
Markets:
Valley Markets — Brunswick St Mall and China Town Mall, Fortitude
Valley — every Sat & Sun 8am-4pm.
Jan Power Markets — Powerhouse, New Farm, every 2nd and 4th Sat of the mth.
Every Saturday, Davies Park hosts the West End Markets from 6am til 2pm
The Southbank Lifestyle Markets are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday every week—
arts, crafts, fashion, health, lifestyle.
Riverside Pier at the Pier Markets every Sunday from 7am-3pm at Eagle Street Pier
Every Wednesday, CBD Farmers Market 9am — 6pm — Top of Queen St Mall next to
Treasury Casino.
Rocklea Market, Sherwood Road — open to the public on Wed, Sat & Sun. Food, flow-
ers.
PAGE 16
Wildlife you’ll see - Please DO NOT FEED
Ok so, Australia has one of the highest
concentrations of insects/animals and sea
life that can kill and maim you.
More than likely, you will never see any of
these creatures. Below are the ones you will
see on a daily basis. This is a forewarned is
forearmed page. Not designed to freak you
out.
Kookaburra, Crow, Ibis, Lorikeets: All harm-
less birds, but do not feed. They are not afraid of
snatching food right out of your hand.
Magpie: Careful around breeding/nesting sea-
sons. August—November. They will dive bomb
you, especially if you are riding a bike (you’ll see
people with zip ties coming out of their hel-
mets—magpie prevention)
Bush Turkey: You’ll see these randomly walking
down the street. They love to dig up your garden
and make HUGE nests.
Blue Tongued Lizard: Small, flat lizard. Harm-
less, but can give a nip if provoked. They have a
black/blue tongue
Water Dragons: Harmless, though will bite if
provoked. You’ll see them in parks and botanic
gardens.
Paralysis Tick: Deadly to your pets, so please
protect your pets using the proper repellent.
Harmless to humans.
Huntsman spider: Although scarily HUGE and
everywhere, relatively harmless, though they can
bite, they will avoid you.
Redback spider: One of the most dangerous
species of spiders in Australia, with toxic venom.
Gecko: You’ll see these everywhere. Completely
harmless. They’re good because they eat cock-
roaches, so love them up.
Carpet Python: Although these are large and
intimidating, they are harmless, though they can
bite. Non-poisonous. They are said to live in
every attic in Brisbane, and they keep down the rats
and mice.
Bull Ants: One of the most annoying insects. They
are everywhere, though it’s said that if you have
black ants, you wont have white ants (termites), so
may be a good thing. Their sting is excruciating.
Best treated with a bi-carb paste to neutralize the
bite. But it can hurt for days after.
Sandflies: The biggest downside to going to the
beach. Huge welts after they bite, though you do
seem to become immune after a while. (Old wives
repellent—dettol, metho & citronella oil)
Cockroaches: Although they are harmless, they are
pretty large and disgusting. Unfortunately, no mat-
ter what you do, you’ll always have one or two
around. They come out at night, so bathroom trips
are fun!
Mosquitoes: Although there have not been any
cases in Brisbane, just a little farther north, they
have a big problem with Dengue Fever. Don’t
leave water around for them to breed.
Cicadas: You generally wont see these, but you’ll
hear them. VERY LOUD.
Christmas Beetles: Large beetles. Harmless.
Brown/Multicolored. Fly at night.
Fruit Bats, Flying Foxes: Protected. Fly at night,
eat fruit. Don’t touch as can carry diseases such as
rabies, Nipah virus, Ebola Virus & SARS & start
Hendra virus.
Possums: Protected. Don’t corner them, they can
bite. Will destroy your house if they get in. Often
get into roof space and make lots of noise at night.
Get an exterminator to get rid of them.
Red-bellied Black Snake: Probably the most
common snake you’ll come across in the bush. It is
venomous, but treatable. Best to avoid if you can.
THE ONE TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS
Eastern Brown Snake: Very aggressive and highly
venomous, it is the second most toxic snake in the
world. Colours vary, see picture on page 17.
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
PAGE 17
Red back spider
Bull Ant
Sand flies & bite effect
Carpet Python
Blue Tongue lizard
Lorikeet
Kookaburra Magpie on attack
Huntsman Spider
Termite/White ant
Geckos Paralysis Tick Bush Turkey
Cockroaches Mosquito
Red-bellied black snake
Eastern Brown Snake
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
Ciicada
Christmas Beetles
Possums
Fruit Bat/ Flying Fox
IBIS
Water Dragon
PAGE 18
Children 0-5
Family Zone
Brisbane is definitely a family friendly environ-
ment to live in. There are a multitude of activi-
ties and entertainment choices to keep you
little ones happy. The biggest challenge to
having a family in Australia is the lack of family
support that we rely on to keep us going. This
is why building a good network of friends as
soon as possible, Australian and Irish, is a good
idea. Here are a few hints and tips that may
make things easier
Where to go
First thing’s first. Make a stop into the IASAQ
centre (contact details at end of the booklet).
There you will find there is a really good sup-
port network in place for you to utilize.
Every Monday morning there is a parent’s
group where mother’s, fathers, careers are all
welcome. Whether you have young children or
older, there are friends to be made.
Every Tuesday there is a community luncheon
at the IASAQ centre, so drop in for a chat and a
cuppa.
Get into the swing of things as soon as you
can. Getting out of the house and exploring this
great city will help you feel more at home, and
the better you become at navigating around,
the more confident and at home you’ll feel.
If you are both working, your kids are in school
or in care, and you cant make it to the weekday
events, the IASAQ hosts 3-4 annual family days
with a view to facilitating Irish community
meetings. Contact the centre for more details.
Childcare
Often a necessary evil, childcare in Brisbane can
be a daunting excursion.
Roughly it costs $60-$80/day for childcare. The
three main ways to go are:
1 — Family Daycare. This is where your child is
minded by a person within their own home.
Advantages—Small groups, personalized care and
often cheaper. Disadvantages: Few places avail-
able, and not as structured as a centre.
www.fdcqld..org/
2—Childcare centre. There are heaps of these
centres around. Some are good, and others are
not good. Do some searching and go and visit
the centre. Advantages — Structured activates,
more funding, more play equipment. Disadvan-
tages—Large groups, not personalized, expensive.
www.mychild.gov.au/
3 — Nanny/aupairs. There are lots of university
students. Student midwives etc that are willing
to look after your little angels. Pricing can
range between $80-$200/day depending on
circumstances etc. www.aupair-world.net/
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
PAGE 19
Children 0-5
Kindy: Kindergarten is started usually from
age 4 –5 . It is not compulsory. School age is 5
years.
There are two types of kindy. The one affiliated
with a daycare centre and a purely dedicated
kindy program.
The government standardizes the program and
there are approved centres around., though
there is little difference . They all teach the
same things.
The kindy affiliated with daycare will teach the
government program, but also offer childcare.
They charge $75 — $80 /day, no matter how
many hours your child is at the centre. You will
still have to pay even if your day falls on a
Public holiday — so don't choose Monday as a
daycare day.
The 100% kindy program is a 5 day fortnight. It’
s usually 4-5 hours a day, and it only costs $40 —
$50/day. These are harder to get into, so regis-
ter with a few as soon as you can. There usually
is a fee of $10 to register. This does not guar-
antee you a place. http://mychild.gov.au/
Kids activities: www.kidspot.com.au
Parks: The best and easiest way to entertain your
kids, and there are some great ones in Brisbane.
Here are a few:
Rocks Riverside—Seventeen Mile Rocks
Kidspace—Murphy road, Chermside
Colmslie Beach, Colmslie Rd, Murrarie
Whale Park, Wynnum
Alexander Clark Park, Dewar Drive, Loganholme
Glindeman Park, Lawn St, Holland Park
Calamvale District Pk, Formby St, Calamvale
Majestic Park, Eva St, Coorporoo
Teralba Park, Pullen Rd, Everton Park
Hidden World, Roghan Rd, Fitzgibbon
Orleigh Park, West End
Bulimba Riverside Park, Bulimba
New Farm Park, New Farm Playgroups and
activities
Playgroups. There are tons of these around, and
are a great way to meet people in your area. $35/
year membership + attendance fee varies from
$2/session www.playgroupqld.com.au/
Football—Little Kickers. 18 mths+ Brilliant
football activities for kids. $16/lesson
www.littlekickers.com.au
Swimming: Aquatic Achievers in various parts
of Brisbane. .From 3 months +. $20.50/
lesson.www.aquaticachievers.com.au/
Outdoor/Indoor Swimming Pools also offer
lessons $4.75 adult entry $3.50 child entry. Under
3’s free. www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/
Gymnastics
Gymboree. Gymnastics, music and dancing.
$16.25/lesson www.gymboree.com.au/
YMCA –10 mths—7 years. $12.50/lesson.
www.brisbaneymca.org/
Irish Dancing—Scoil ard rince or Walker
Irish School of Dance.
www.brisbaneirishdancing.com.au
www.walkeririshdance.com/
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD PAGE 20
Schooling Information
Choosing the right school
Obviously our children are the most important investment we can make in our life. So schooling
and finding a good school is very important. A lot of people move just to be in the catchment area
of a good school.
Although academic achievements are not always the best indicator of a good school, they do
indicate a good learning environment.
A few things to note: In public schools, you can only enroll your child the year before they are due
to go to school. You must live in the catchment area of that school to be given first priority. Often
the secondary schools will look at your child's primary education to determine if they will be ac-
cepted into that school.
These are the fees that apply to Australian citizens and residents, i.e., Australian tax payers. If you
are here on a temporary visa then different fees may apply or you might get a grant.
The three main types of school:
Public (state) – run by and funded by government.
Private – run privately but subsidised by the government.
Catholic – run by Catholics and also subsidised by government
Each public school has an obligation to accept all of the children within its catchment area. If they
don’t have enough room, they must find some. If they don’t have enough teachers, they must hire
some more.
All public education in Australia is free, but there is confusion because each school can charge a
“Voluntary Contributions” and these seem to range from $60 per annum to as much as $1,000.
Here in Australia, the government realise that your decision to go private is saving them money, so
they effectively subsidise your payments by paying a grant to all private schools who in turn can
reflect that in their fees to students.
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD PAGE 21
So how much is private education? This is where it could get messy but I have found a way to
make this real simple…………
Between $800 and $29,000 a year.
So as you can see, fees vary wildly. But generally speaking, the older your child the more expensive
it gets. Typically the fees are in these bands:
Prep to year 6.
Years 7 to 9.
Years 10 to 12
Furthermore, good discounts are available for sending more of your children, if you have
them, to the same school. Some payments are tax deductible as well.
Catholic schools.
Catholic schools are funded in the same way as private schools in as much as they charge a fee to
their students and they receive a government grant. But it appears that Catholic schools are sub-
stantially cheaper on average than private schools. Expect to pay between $600 and $3000 a year.
According to the government, they pump $22.7 billion of public funding into state education (2.2m
students) and a further $7.6 billion into private (independent and Catholic) schools (1.1m students).
http://www.bne.catholic.edu.au/schools-curriculum/Pages/FindaSchoolMap.aspx — A list of all
catholic schools in QLD area. There are approximately 176 primary and secondary catholic schools
in QLD.
All Hallows Pri & Sec Girls school — (07) 3831 3100 ($8,000+/year)
St Josephs College (Terrace) Pri & Sec Boys school — (07) 3214 5200 (($15,000 — $20,000/year)
Loreto College Sec Girls school - (07) 3847 1254 ($8,000+/year)
St Laurences College Pri & Sec Boys School - (07) 3010 1188 ($5,000+/year)
Churchie Pri & Sec Boys School - (07) 3896 2200 ($15,000 — $20,000/year)
School fees rough summary.
Public (state) schools: $60-$1000 a year. Average $150
Private schools: $800 to $29,000 a year. Average $6,300
Catholic schools: $600 to $20,000 a year. Average $10,200
Plus the cost of uniforms, books and other stuff as previously mentioned
Another good Private school link is: www.privateschoolsdirectory.com.au/
PAGE 22
Public & Non-Government Primary
Public
Primary Schools
Top
secondary schools
Based on 2011
academic achieve-
ments
Private
Primary
Schools
www.bettereducati
on.com.au
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
PAGE 23
Public & Non-Government Secondary
Public
Secondary
Schools
Top
secondary schools
Based on 2011
academic achieve-
ments
Private
Secondary
Schools
www.bettereducati
on.com.au
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD PAGE 24
What’s on in Brisbane Bribie Island—swimming, fishing, beach holiday on
cheap, golf www.tourismbribie.com.au
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary—You can catch a
ferry from Brisbane or drive. Great wildlife park near
Brissy, Fig Tree Pocket. www.koala.net
Strawberry picking—PYO (pick your own) straw-
berries. Loads of places—mostly on Bruce Highway
to Sunshine Coast. www.strawberryfields.com.au
Manly & Wynnum—Good seaside walks, and
food. www.manleyaustralia.com.au
Beautiful Drives—Somerset Dam, Mt Nebo and
Mt Glorious, Toowoomba, Warwick
Other
Foxy Bean, Woolloongabba—great coffee shop,
Irish owned.
Azafran, Australian/French modern, Annerley
Caravanserai—Turkish restaurant, West End
Mondo Organics, West End. Brilliant restaurant and
cooking scool
Brews Brothers, Woolloongabba—bottle your own
beer for a fraction of the cost.
Tukka, West End—Native Australian Cuisine. Bring
a sense of adventure.
Activities
Brisbane City Events—www.bnecity.com.au/
Visit Southbank: www.visitsouthbank.com.au/
Day’s out
Southbank— Museums, water park, restau-
rants, Saturday markets, cinema, shopping. (www.visitsouthbank.com.au)
Gold Coast - Sea World, Currumbin Wildlife
Sanctuary, Wet and Wild, Dreamworld— (buy
a season pass for $99/person and get access to
at least 3 parks) (www.visitgoldcoast.com)
Sunshine Coast—Bellingham Maze, Austra-
lia Zoo, Maleny Dairy's, Ginger Factory, The
Big Pineapple. (www.visitsunshinecoast.com.au)
Mt Cotton Winery, Sirromet—Great day
out for adults and kids. Good park. (www.sirromet.com)
Mt Co-otha—Botanic Gardens, and picnic
areas. (www.brisbane.qld.gov.au)
Tambourine Mountain, wine, cheese, beer,
spirits, walks/waterfalls. www.tamborinemtncc.org.au
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
Beach trip advice:
ALWAYS bring, sunscreen, hat, and long sleeved shirt. Sun shade tents
are a great idea.
Wear foot coverings, shoes flip flops etc—the sand gets VERY hot.
Always swim between the flags—even if it looks quiet, the rips are ex-
treme and it’s so easy to get pulled out to sea. If you do get pulled out,
swim parallel to beach until you are out of rip. Do Not try to swim back
to shore.
Watch out for jelly fish. There are 3 types of deadly jellyfish Box jellyfish
and blue bottle jellyfish and the Irukandji . Box & Irukandji jellyfish first
aid is vinegar, blue bottle first aid is ice packs. Jellyfish season is October-
May. Wear a sting suit if snorkeling. (Irukandji is in far nth QLD, 2.5cm long
and causes death within 2-3 days.)
Don’t swim at dusk and dawn—shark hunting time.
Stone fish, although uncommon can drive their spine through a shoe, so
be careful where you swim. Live in reef areas. Designated swimming areas
are fine.
Box jellyfish
Bluebottle jellyfish
Irukandji jellyfish
PAGE 25
Entertainment
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
Music
Jazz Club, 1 Anne St, Kangaroo Point. Brill music nights & good food.
Tivoli—Brisbane Exhibition, Fortitude Valley. Small Concert venue, with great artists.
Lock & Load Bistro, 142 Boundary St, Brisbane
Brisbane Powerhouse Arts 119 Lamington St, New Farm—Live Music most nights and
free music on Sundays.
Brisbane Riverstage—Music/concert venue.
Family Pubs
Story Bridge Hotel, Kangaroo Point—Good food and live entertainment
Pineapple Hotel, 706 Main St, Kangaroo Point (good food and beer—children's play
gym out back)
Norman Hotel, 102 Ipswich Rd, Wooloongabba (Great Steak)
Breakfast Creek, 2 Kingford Smith Dr, Breakfast Creek. Famous song affiliated.
Irish Club, Elizabeth Street, Brisbane
Mick O’Malleys, Queens Street.—Live entertainment
Brewhouse, Woolloongabba. Boutique beer. Live entertainment Friday & Saturday .
The German Club—Great food & Beer.
Belgian Beer Café, 169 Mary St, CBD. Great food and beer
Adventure/Active
Riverlife, Kangaroo Point—great for kayaking, rock climbing on Brisbane River.
Barefoot bowls, and any local bowls club.
There are at least 20 national parks and dams/lakes within a 2 hour drive of Brisbane.
Hiking, camping, biking, 4WD and fishing activities. Lamington NP, Glass House
Mountains (Sunshine Coast), Mt Barney NP, D’Aguilar NP, Border Ranges NP,
Fraser Island—4WD, camping adventure
Stradbroke Island—Camping adventure off Gold Coast
Hamilton Island—Camping and holiday destination
Morton Island/Bay—Camping, and dolphin adventures. Boasting and fishing.
10 Things to do before heading Home. www.couriermail.com.au
1—Great Barrier Reef—snorkeling or diving. Best from Townsville.
2—Breathtaking Scenic Areas in Queensland— www.couriermail.com.au/life
3—4WD on Beach
4—Bush Walk
5—Visit Amusement Parks on Gold Coast
6—Visit Wildlife Park and take photo with a koala, wombat or snake.
7—Sailing & Fish in Whitsundays and Moreton Bay
8—Whale Watching
9—Eat Australian Wildlife at least once—Crocodile, Kangaroo, Emu
10—Go fruit picking for fun (not work)
Enjoying your night out; be aware that there is a different attitude by the Police here to public drunken-ness and/or being disorderly, on the street or on public trans-port; you can be arrested and charged and spend the night in the slammer.
The Police here
have a more
stern attitude
than at home;
do not give
them cheek or
mouth off at
them and obey
their directions –
they will not
hesitate to arrest
and charge you-
Magistrates are
becoming less
tolerant when
foreigners are
charged with
offences. Not a
smart thing to
do if you are
seeking a Perma-
nent Residence
Visa. If you are
not legally repre-
sented in court it
is easy to get a
conviction and
you can say bye
bye to staying
here.
PAGE 26
Hospitals and Emergency
Public vs. Private
For an emergency, the best children's hospitals are Royal Brisbane and the Mater.
If you need an ambulance, as long as you are a QLD resident, you do not have to pay.
The best maternity units are at the Mater (public & private—they also do midwife
visits after birth), the Wesley (private), & Royal Women's (public & private) More can
be found at this link www.bubhub.com.au/directory/find/maternity-hospitals-
brisbane
13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) is a government medical enquiry hotline
000 is the emergency number.
Royal Brisbane The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) is located in the Brisbane
suburb of Herston, on the corner of Bramston Terrace and Herston Road, which is
approximately a 10 minute drive from the city centre. The main entrance to the hospital and the Emergency Department are both on Her-
ston Road.
Mater Mater Misericordiae Health Services Brisbane Ltd, Raymond Terrace South Brisbane, Qld. 4101 Phone: 07 3163 8111
Immunisations
There are 3 places you can get your child vaccinated:
The GP—($50—$65)
Community Child Health Centres (Have to have a Medicare card)
www.health.qld.gov.au/rch/professionals/cchs_0-12.asp
Council Immunisation Centres (Free)
If you do not get your child vaccinated, if/when you get your residency, you may
miss out on any family assistance from the government.
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/community/community-safety/councils-immunisation-
clinics/index.htm
All children aged between six weeks and eight years old, including international and interstate visitors, can use Council's immunisation service. Children who are sick can still be immunised provided the child has a temperature of less than 38.5 degrees. Vaccines are available at Council's children's immunisation clinics.
Age Disease immunised
against
Birth Hepatitis B
2 months
Diphtheria Tetanus Pertussis Polio Hib Hepatitis B Pneumococcal (refer to note 1) Rotavirus (refer to note 5)
4 months
Diphtheria Tetanus Pertussis Polio Hib Hepatitis B Pneumococcal Rotavirus
6 months
Diphtheria Tetanus Pertussis Polio Hib Hepatitis B (or at 12 months) Pneumococcal Rotavirus
12 months
Measles Mumps Rubella Hib Hepatitis B (or at 6 months) Meningococcal C
18 months
Varicella Pneumococcal
4 years Diphtheria Tetanus Pertussis Polio Measles Mumps Rubella
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
PAGE 27 IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
Medical for Temporary residence
The Australian Government has signed Reciprocal Health Care Agreements with the
governments of the Republic of Ireland which entitles you to limited subsidised health
services for medically necessary treatment while visiting Australia.
Your entitlements As a resident of the Republic of Ireland you are entitled to free treatment as a public in-patient or outpatient at a public hospital and access to subsidised medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme during your visit to Australia. This covers any ill health or injury needing medical treatment while in Australia. To access these benefits you should show your passport at hospitals or pharmacies. You are not entitled to Medicare benefits for non-hospital medical care and you will not be issued with a Medicare card. Medical services not covered by Medicare Medicare will not cover:
medicines not subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
dental work and allied health services
treatment arranged before your visit to Australia
accommodation and medical treatment in a private hospital
accommodation and medical treatment as a private patient in a public hospital
https://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/migrants/visitors/ireland-nz.shtml
Registering with Medicare. www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/
www.humanservices.gov.au. You cannot have a Medicare Card until you are a permanent
resident, but you can apply for a Reciprocal Health Care Card from Medicare which entitles
you to the medical services above. To enroll you need your passport and the Irish Medical
Card.
The GP can Bulk bill (bill Medicare directly) or bill you individually. Depending on the
clinic, you can choose to pay immediately, or ask them to bill Medicare directly. You will
have to pay some of the fee, as Medicare only pays $35 of the fee.
Your entitlements Ireland’s health scheme provides benefits for hospital treatment during your stay, but not for private medical services or prescription medicine. What is covered?
Public hospital care is available for a small fee for the first 10 days of your stay in any year and then it is free thereafter. A fee is charged for attendance at out-patient or accident and emergency departments if you are not referred by a doctor.
What is not covered?
You will have to pay the full cost of visits to private doctors.
A fee is charged for prescription medicines. After a certain amount has been spent during each month the Health Board refunds additional charges under the Drugs Payments Scheme.
PAGE 28
VISA &
Tax Information
Visa Information.
Let’s be honest. They employ migration agents to
plow through the minefield of visa’s, so there is no
way we are going to get through all the information
here on this page. Here are a few of the most com-
mon questions, but please contact the IASAQ for
more assistance if required.
Please click HERE to go to the Department of
Immigration Visa Wizard www.immi.gov.au/
visawizard/
What happens if I loose my job on a 457 visa? Click HERE.
www.457assistance.com You have 28 days to do the following: • Find another employer who is willing to sponsor you and apply for another Subclass 457 visa to work for that new employer. • Apply for another type of substantive visa that you may be eligible for. For example, if you want to study, a student visa, or if you want to have a holiday before returning home, a visitor visa.• Leave Australia. Generally, the department will issue a No-
tice of Intention to Consider Cancellation
(NOICC) regarding your Subclass 457 visa
towards the end of the 28-day period unless
you have already applied for a new visa. The
NOICC will allow 5 working days for you
to provide a response. Following receipt of
the response, a case officer will then make a
decision whether or not to cancel your visa,
taking into consideration the information
provided in your response. If your Sub-
class 457 visa is cancelled you will be-
come an unlawful non-citizen and may
be detained and removed from Australia.
What if I have overstayed my visa? The Community Status Resolution Service (CSRS) is part of the Department of Immi-gration and Citizenship (DIAC). It works with people in Australia who have: been granted a Bridging visa E (BVE)
EMAIL: [email protected] TEL: 07 3391 1300 MOBILE: 0432 087 328
while they resolve an immigration matter. overstayed their visa. Click HERE. www.immi.gov.au
Persons who overstay their visa by more than 28 days may become subject to an exclusion period that prevents them from being granted a temporary visa to travel to Australia for three years. This exclusion period applies whether they leave voluntarily or not. Even after the exclusion period has finished, the person cannot be granted a visa unless they repay any debt they owe to the Common-wealth, including for costs of removal, or they make satisfactory arrangements to repay their debt.
Can I bring my parents or dependant relatives over? There are 2 types of parent
visa. Contributory and non-contributory. Contributory takes 2 years to go through and costs $20,000 per person. A non-contributory cost around $4,000 and take 10-15 years to be approved on the waiting list. More informa-tion can be found through the www.immi.gov.au website. You have to be a permanent resident to sponsor a dependant or parent, and agree to support them finan-cially for the first 2 years. Parents cannot apply for an Australian pension until after being resident in Australia for 10 years.
Visa fees and costs can be found HERE. www.immi.gov.au
Working Holiday Visa Information and Fact Sheets: HERE. www.immi.gov.au
Information about Living Away From Home Allowance. www.lafha.com.au
PAGE 29
Employment Information
Meeting your visa require-
ments
To work within certain areas you must
have certain authorisations/cards.
To work with children you must have
a BLUE CARD and often a first aid
certificate. To get a Blue Card go to :
www.ccycpg.qld.gov.au
To work on a building site: QLD
WHITE CARD. This is to show your
have completed work health place
safety training.
To work where alcohol is being
served: you must have RSA certificate
which is the Responsible Service of
Alcohol certificate
www.besttraining.com.au—online cards
and training.
Getting your ABN: Australian Busi-
ness Number. Sole Traders, Partner-
ships, Trusts, Companies and Superan-
nuation funds can apply for an ABN
www.ato.gov.au
Getting your TFN Tax File Num-
ber: You need a TFN to work, to claim
benefits, to get superannuation, to get
tax back and to do a tax return. Perma-
nent residents and Temporary Visitors
can apply online: www.iar.ato.gov.au
Check to see if you’re a resident for tax
purposes HERE.
www.calculators.ato.gov.au
Superannuation: This is a compulsory
investment fund that your employer
pays into for you, about 9% of your
wage. It provides money for your re-
tirement, or insurance if you are ill and
unable to work. Salary Sacrifice is when
you choose to add more to your super
than the 9%. You get tax breaks doing
this.
Fair work Ombudsman: Pay rates,
work conditions, leave loading, Unions,
Apprentices, Seasonal Workers, Termi-
nation, Industries—
www.fairwork.gov.au
Centrelink—The dole office. Support
and family payments etc. ASDOT (this
is help with assessing overseas profes-
sionals to work here). Crisis payments
can be available in extreme circum-
stances. www.humanservices.gov.au
Employment/Job information:
http://joboutlook.gov.au/pages/
default.aspx
http://www.myfuture.edu.au/
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association QLD
Superannuation
If you are working in Australia and your monthly wage is more than A$450, your employer will generally contribute an amount equal to 9% of your wage into a superannuation account for you. Temporary residents who work in Australia and have super contributions paid by their employer are entitled to receive their super benefits once they leave Australia. This payment is called a departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP).
Tel: 07 3391 1300 Mobile: 0432 087 328
Email: [email protected]
Contact: Rita Stott Address: Justice Place
5 Abingdon Street Wooloongabba, QLD 4102
IASAQ—Irish Australian Support Association
Websites for Brisbane Families
Brisbane Kids http://brisbanekids.com.au/
Playgroup QLD http://www.playgroupqld.com.au/
Bub Hub http://www.bubhub.com.au/index.php
The Corner at the State Library http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/whats-on/calendar/children
Brisbane kids markets - http://www.kidspot.com.au/babykidsmarket/
Top 10 Kids activities www.couriermail.com.au
Medicare – medical registration www.medicareaustralia.gov.au
Great blog on living in Oz: http://www.bobinoz.com/
The Queensland Irish Association in CBD - http://www.queenslandirish.com/
Irish Festival (This site is updated annually) - http://www.irishfestival.com.au/
Australian Irish Heritage Association - http://www.irishheritage.net/
QLD GAA, Willawong - http://www.gaelicfootballqld.com.au/
Immigration Enquiries - http://www.immi.gov.au/ Phone: 131 881
The Lansdowne Club – Irish business networking - http://www.lansdowneclub.com.au/
Brisbane 4EB – Kangaroo Point Irish radio - http://www.4eb.org.au/
Irish Echo newspaper – free at the IASAQ centre.
Disclaimer: - All companies and services mentioned in this booklet are included only because they have been tried,
tested and recommended by our parent’s group. We are aware there are many good companies out there but if we are
unable to personally vouch for them, we are unable to personally recommend them and have excluded them here. All
opinions and thoughts expressed solely the domain of the authors and the IASAQ takes no responsibility for personal
viewpoints. If you feel there are glaring errors or we have omitted important information or details, we would like to
hear from you. Please contact Rita on 07 3391 1300.
“if you are having problems or are in trouble, call us; we can guide you.”
