Off-topic - Perth question | FerrariChat

Off-topic - Perth question

Discussion in 'Australia' started by lil squid, Feb 17, 2008.

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  1. lil squid

    lil squid F1 Veteran

    Dec 3, 2007
    5,949
    Houston TX
    Full Name:
    Yuliya
    Hi guys,

    I may be heading to Perth with my company for six weeks, and I will be bringing my 16-months old son with me. My husband may come for two of the weeks but he has to run his business and can't stay the whole time. I heard nothing but wonderful things about the city, and have been dreaming about coming to Australia my whole life, but would really appreciate some insight as to life with small kids in the city.

    Our office is in St. George's Terrace, West Perth; I assume we will have a service apartment not far. Are there good childcare centers? A source to hire a reliable nanny for a few weeks? What would that cost? What is the weather like for the next few months? What is transportation like - public transportation is typical or would I likely need a car? (We've been living in Houston for over ten years and you can't live here without a car, not even for a week or two..) Any other useful information you can think of would be appreciated, as well as any suggestions on the best routes to take from North America (maybe with an overnight break to take it easy on the kiddo..)

    Land of Oz, here we come :)

    Thank you in advance!
     
  2. andecorp

    andecorp Formula 3

    Jun 5, 2005
    1,104
    Melb

    Perth = cesspool of humanity. Lucky you will only be there for 6 weeks, so you won't see any of the underlying low lifeness (is it a word?). All you will see will be the nice clean streets and buildings.

    You will need a car. Don't expect to do any grocery shopping after 5pm or on Sundays, or eat at a restaurant after 9pm. If you happen to be inside the restaurant, they will just ask you to leave, 'cause they are closing. You will encounter SHOCKING customer service anywhere you go, which will be even harder for you since you are used to US standards of customer service.

    I would not trust ANY Perth child care service with my child. Get a nanny and check and RE-CHECK references.

    BTW, Perth has double the crime rate of the rest of the Australian cities combined.

    Mind you, if you stay there for only a few weeks, you should only see the nice things and not be exposed to any of the bad.
    You will love the beaches - until 11am that is, as after that you will be painfully sandblasted. Check the winneries out if you like that, and if you are heading there soon, it's still grapes and watermelons season, so check out the fresh fruit farms in the Swan Valley.

    Oh yeah, and enjoy the landing and take off there. Due to the winds, you will experience the worst landing and take off of any other city you might have been too - save maybe for Chicago (although I didn't think that was that bad - maybe it was a good day).
     
  3. Looney

    Looney F1 Rookie

    Jul 1, 2004
    2,767
    Gold Coast
    Full Name:
    BB
    Howdy,

    Well i cant comment too much on what you need for Children, however i do know Childcare is quite expensive, and thats on the assumption you can even get your child into a centre, because i know there is a shortage of childcare places here in WA.

    as for a Nanny, thats not really something done here AFAIK, i might be wrong, but i know quite a few 'well to do' people here in perth and nobody has anything like a nanny etc here.

    as for transport, Perth is very spread out, its probably almost as spread out as LA, but with only about 1.5m people. as for work however West perth is quite central, you can catch free busses around the city (CAT busses), and busses and trains to most areas around the Perth metro area (this runs about 100k's north to south).

    but chances are you will only be interested in the major things so while your central public transport is probably fine, but a rental car may be a good bet when wanting to explore a little, as many things are very spread out here.

    hope this provides a little insight
     
  4. b27

    b27 F1 World Champ

    Oct 11, 2007
    15,780
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Brett

    Gees I don't know what Perth your talking about. I spent many a time in Perth and Fremantle for work. Found the people to be very nice and freindly and felt safer than walking around Melbourne streets late at night. Being a bit harsh me thinks.

    Lil Squid, I would probably wait to hear something back from some of our resident F Chaters from Perth.
     
  5. Looney

    Looney F1 Rookie

    Jul 1, 2004
    2,767
    Gold Coast
    Full Name:
    BB
    all in all Perth is a 'pretty' and relatively modern city, but that is about it.

    but i also wanted to add, weatherwise, March April is the nicest time of year here, so you should be spoilt for outdoor activities and nice climate (feb is however the hottest month of the year, we just finished a record of straight days of moderate/high temps).

    B27, I was trying to be a little more diplomatic than Andre, however many of the reasons he listed are reasons i too am leaving, despite the bouyant work environment, etc. but what Andre said should be heeded. Dont walk around the city at night, or Northbridge, Fremantle Mount Lawley, Claremont, Subiaco etc. it is generally OK, however the "local's" do walk the streets and can cause trouble, and unfortunately all too often do you see/hear about some poor unsuspecting person being 'beaten' for the sake of a couple of dollars, or a mobile phone etc. (if you want to hear some specific stories PM me, and i can give you the low down of some incidents i am all to familiar with)

    as for B27's comments,i think we always feel safer away from home. Ive walked sydney streets at night plenty of times and it feels much safer than Perth, as does Melbourne. i think perhaps when your not in your 'own' environment you view things with different eyes.

    i mean i walked around LA at night, and Miami. felt safe, but i bet it was a pretty stupid thing to do.
     
  6. mhh

    mhh F1 Veteran

    Feb 16, 2004
    5,878
    Australia
    Full Name:
    Mark
    What? Every city in the civilised world has nannies. Looks like lil squid works in oil & gas so her employer is the best place for a referral.
     
  7. jmillard308

    jmillard308 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    May 29, 2003
    6,568
    Perth West Oz
    Full Name:
    John Millard
    Must be a different Perth to the one I live in!!!!!
     
  8. andecorp

    andecorp Formula 3

    Jun 5, 2005
    1,104
    Melb
    Let's see if I am being harsh:

    1. I move there to set up a new company. I get a Perth based business partner. He sets me up, to look like I comitted company fraud, in order to get rid of me and take over the company. The cops arrest me, just on his word, with NO evidence.
    After 3 weeks in jail, they release me on bail. My Melbourne based lawyers said that if that happened in Melbourne, or anywhere else, I would have never been arrested.
    All charges have not been finalised yet (never mind being convicted), but they seize my 4 houses and my cars.
    The cops call the banks telling them 'he's a fraudster, close his bank accounts'. They call various government licensing bodies to tell them to cancel my trading licences because I am a fraudster. They call all my business contacts that they find in my black book, including people in the US to tell them that I am a frauster and they should not do business with me. They did all this during the 3 weeks they had me locked up.

    All up it took them 5 years to present a complete brief. During this time, the charges are reduced from $40mil (WTF??) company fraud to providing a fraudulent employment letter (I signed an employent letter for my then business partner's friend that supposedly he worked for my company when he didn't). I got 2 years in jail for that.
    Despite the fact that I had the state managers of various charities on the stand crying about all the children and people I helped. Despite the fact that this was a charge that happened 5 years earlier. Despite the cops going way above the law in every instance. Despite the fact that the court appointed psychiatrist said that I did not belong in jail and that I am a huge asset to society. Despite the fact that if I would get locked up, my business would have to shut down and 70 employees would be out of work. Despite the fact that I had no criminal record and that other states saw me fit enough and an upstanding citizen enough to issue me with a concealed handgun licence (do you know the checks you have to go through to get one of those??).

    7 months later of being in jail, I appealed to the Supreme Court and I represented myself and I appeared in front of the whole bench, which on that day happened to be presided by the Chief Justice. I debated for 1 hour and I won unanimously, with the courts decision being that the sentencing judge performed 'a gross misconduct of justice' by imprisoning me.

    Since, I succesfully sued the cops for malicious prosecution, the Ministry of Justice for failure of duty of care (they had me in maximum while I was a minimum prisoner and I was attacked by max abo prisoners who tried to rob me), AIMS for the psychological truama incurred due to them (AmnestyInternational is on their back all the time) and my Perth based lawyers (like an idiot I changed from my Melb based lawyers) for malpractice.

    But, I am the one that went to jail for 7 months and the scars will be for life.

    2. I was jumped by a gang of aboriginees in Fremantle. I have 4 titanium plates in my jaw since. Lucky I didn't go down, otherwise, I would have been dead.

    3. My friend came over to stay with his fiancee. While we were away and we left her home, the next door neighbour who was a COP!, raped her. The whole thing was caught on our security cameras. He's in jail now. She is scarred for life.

    4. Another friend who travels all over Australia working with aboriginees in reservations, again came to stay with me, and while he was in Northbridge, daytime, he was robbed at knife point by abos, while the whole street watched.

    5. We couldn't leave any cars in the driveway, as they would get their windows smashed and one of them got stollen. And I was living in City Beach, the most prestigious/expensive beach suburb in Perth!

    Wasn't Perth the place where they found the most child molesters in the country during last year's mass arrest? And tons of them were cops and teachers.

    Do you want me to keep going?
     
  9. jmillard308

    jmillard308 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    May 29, 2003
    6,568
    Perth West Oz
    Full Name:
    John Millard
    Why would any legitimate businessman, excepting security guards, need a concealed firearms licence?
     
  10. andecorp

    andecorp Formula 3

    Jun 5, 2005
    1,104
    Melb
    One of the companies I owned at the time was a security firm, providing armed bodyguards for dignataries. Let me guess, you thought I was involved in drugs, that's why the guns? I used to cop that daily in Perth when people used to see my exotics - 'do you sell drugs?'. They are such small minded people over there, that's all they think about when they see someone with money.
     
  11. Looney

    Looney F1 Rookie

    Jul 1, 2004
    2,767
    Gold Coast
    Full Name:
    BB
    well Andre,

    many things i didnt know about you in that post, but i definately feel for you.

    and although i dont have any 'bad' experiences in Perth personally, i do know too many people who have.

    i just cant stand the backward nature of many things, like the regulated trading, and poor service you get, and the high prices you pay for absolutely everything, not to mention the isolation and lack of good driving roads :D

    nevertheless im leaving, only 14 days to go (not that im counting)
     
  12. jmillard308

    jmillard308 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    May 29, 2003
    6,568
    Perth West Oz
    Full Name:
    John Millard
    You guessed wrong.

    I guessed right.
     
  13. beama

    beama F1 Rookie

    Oct 27, 2005
    3,619
    Australia
    Full Name:
    Steve. G.
    Only been to Perth once for a conference. Had a great meal and service at Cocos. Naturally found time during the conference to visit the Margaret River vineyards (particularly Cullens which is one of my favourites there) and also had a good time there. I'm betting you'll enjoy it.
     
  14. mhh

    mhh F1 Veteran

    Feb 16, 2004
    5,878
    Australia
    Full Name:
    Mark
    I've enjoyed my trips to Perth. It feels as safe as any city in Australia to me. Friends who live there love it and wouldn't dream of moving. It's too remote for my taste but there's no denying it is a go-ahead place.
     
  15. b27

    b27 F1 World Champ

    Oct 11, 2007
    15,780
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Brett
    I thought you had already left Looney. I remember reading a post about driving the Elise and I did comment on no space for a foam seat or something. :) Anyways drive carefully when you do go.

    Andre has definitely had a bad experince over there, thats for sure.

    I guess I only visited for a few weeks at a time, stayed in a good hotel and was fortunate enough to mix with the right people.

    Have to say that the Little Creatures Brewery is fantastic. Gentle stroll from the Esplanade. :):):)

    Long walk/stumle home mind you :D:D

    I have to say I amazed at the comments so far about Perth, and Yes you are correct about perhaps feeling safer away from home.

    Thats probably due to the fact that you don't read all the newspapers on work/holiday so are unaware.
     
  16. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,174
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    Andre, sorry to hear that mate! :(:(

    Funnily enough though, all I ever hear are good things about Perth from friends that have visited there. :):)

    It is good to hear from people that actually lived there, although I now have a different view on what Perth is really like........:confused::confused:
     
  17. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Nine Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    99,174
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap


    :eek::eek:

    Then this place must be the a*shole of the world then? :p:p
     
  18. Looney

    Looney F1 Rookie

    Jul 1, 2004
    2,767
    Gold Coast
    Full Name:
    BB
    Foam seat? anyway, i did start a post to see who wanted to meet up when i go. Last day of work is 29th feb, i hope to get to Adelaide by March 3 or 4, and Melbourne by 5th or 6th.

    I have been flying to the GC on weekends however.

    no, you are still closer to civilisation than we are. its at least a 4 hour plane trip to get anywhere from Perth.
     
  19. wrxmike

    wrxmike Moderator
    Moderator Owner

    Mar 20, 2004
    7,573
    Full Name:
    Mike
    IMO Perth = Wild wild west.
    Nothing would surprise me about Perth business dealings or the legal system. In fact, do a google search about the Mickleberg case to see how the WA justice system works.
    Didnt Alan Bond come from Perth?

    I may have a biased view, but my expereience with a Perth based company over the past few years have re-defined the word dodgy. They have blatant disregard for the law, and work on the assumption that anything goes / it's OK until you get caught.

    They are a listed company, and their former CEO (was an accountant with a conviction for fraud in WA ) took ASIC to court when ASIC initially blocked his appointment to the CEO positon. After beating ASIC, he was in the job for perhaps 4 months, when the board discovered major irregularities in the valuation of the company ( he knew there were many "one off" transactions that had inflated the profits in the prior 6 months )
    Anyway they got rid of him ( Public reason : he left on "sick leave") - yeah right - sick perhaps only because of the impact of a size 12 in the backside, hard enough to dislodge his solar plexus.
    They replaced him with a guy from overeas who has a recent conviction in the UK for insider trading in his old compnay.
    Anyway, I understand the ATO is currently investigating the company for non payment of staff superannuation, bet they won't slip out of this one.

    That is just the tip of the iceberg.

    My theory is that because they are so far away from the rest of Australia, they believe they are law onto themselves.


    Michael
     
  20. Kelsa

    Kelsa F1 Veteran

    Jul 25, 2005
    5,375
    Adult Toy Land
    Full Name:
    Crazy Chinaman


    HOLY ****!!!

    :-O
     
  21. IanB

    IanB F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 15, 2006
    15,624
    Sydney
    I moved to Perth (from Melbourne) as a teenager with my parents, left when I was 19 and have only been back for brief visits.

    There is an entrenched and bitter bias against anyone from "the eastern states" and I have no trouble understanding how Andre's experience occurred. The legal and corporate system seems to be perpetually 20 years behind the rest of Australia.

    The indigenous situation is complex and shocking, the result of generations of abuse and bigotry. I had a good aboriginal mate in the 70's, his father was the principal of the local high school, a unique achievement in Australia at the time. Many, many times when driving, we got pulled over by the cops and harassed in the most unbelievable way. It was like something out of a 1950's movie set in Alabama. I eventually became resigned to the abuse, just like he was.

    My brother is still there and he loves it. People get mugged/car-jacked/burgled in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane too you know.
     
  22. mhh

    mhh F1 Veteran

    Feb 16, 2004
    5,878
    Australia
    Full Name:
    Mark
    Thanks for leaving Adelaide out of this.

    We are still murder capital of the world though. :p
     
  23. b27

    b27 F1 World Champ

    Oct 11, 2007
    15,780
    Melbourne, Australia
    Full Name:
    Brett
    AAAAaaaahhhh, thats only Foxtel saying that mhh.

    Who listens to that, remember its all fiction :):)
     
  24. VMax

    VMax F1 Rookie

    Nov 21, 2003
    2,862
    Perth, W.Australia
    Full Name:
    Mike Sharpe
    I'm not a big fan of Perth, to be honest - but if you have children, and if you like the beach, getting out in the sun etc etc, I reckon it's probably a pretty great place to be. A lot of what's being posted here is quite a long way from a normal visitor's (or resident's) experience IMO.
     
  25. Aedo

    Aedo F1 Rookie

    Feb 22, 2006
    3,616
    Perth
    Full Name:
    Steve
    Look forward to seeing you! :)

    Perth is a great place to live with small kids - and you will need a nanny as daycare won't offer the hours you need (available and common despite previous comments!)
    You will also need a car - public transport in Perth is for those too young or too poor to drive (outside of peakhour anyway).

    PS: sorry the doom mongers responded so early in the post :(
     

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