Australia: the best country to live, work and play

Australian financial duo David and Libby Koch explain why Australia is the envy of the world, financially and economically, and discuss why it really is the best country to live, work and play.

“Financially and economically, we are the envy of the world. Think about it; no economic recession for 21 years, avoided Asian Financial Crisis in the ’90s, avoided Global Financial Crisis in 2008-12, low unemployment, low inflation, solid economic growth and strong financial system.

“We’re by no means perfect, and there’s plenty we can improve, but international economic think-tanks like the International Monetary Fund and OECD are quite right to praise our performance.”

Let’s look at some of the reasons as to why Australia is deemed as such an “economic miracle.”

• Australia is globally competitive. It all started with Paul Keating as ‘treasurer’ when he cut tariffs and deregulated the financial system. John Howard also deregulated the labour market and reformed taxation by introducing the GST. “These were critical reforms that developed a flexible and globally competitive economy,” says David and Libby. “We are a small, trading nation that depends on exports, so we must think global. These reforms helped us do just that.”
• Australia has a productive workforce. Australia is a smart and hard-working labour force, thanks to its top education systems.
• Australia has ‘sensible’ politicians. There are no extremists and generally speaking, when the big decisions have to be made, Australian politicians usually do the right thing.
• Australia’s free markets. As a trading nation, the development of free trade agreements has played a huge role in opening new markets, building jobs and adding to exports.
• Australia has ‘strong’ banks and Independent Reserve Bank. “A key foundation of any prosperous economy has to be strong banks and financial regulation,” says the duo. “Kevin Rudd’s decision to guarantee bank deposits during the GFC was critical at a time when the world’s banking system seized up. Just look at how bank collapses have paralysed overseas economies, and the public have lost deposits, to see just how important strong banks are.” Australia also have a Reserve Bank which is regarded as being ‘world-class.’
• Australia has a good legal system. Australia’s sound legal system certainly enhances business confidence, promotes transparency and help combat corruption.
• Australia’s entrepreneurial spirit. Australia is highly regarded for its personable and entrepreneurial spirit. Not only is the country seen as incredibly hard-working, it’s renowned for having a resilient business community that is always looking to the future.

Are you also looking to live, work or play in Australia?

Whatever your reason may be for travelling to Australia, it’s extremely important that you apply for the right Australian visa prior to travelling.

If you’re looking to ‘play’ and simply explore Australia then you’ll need an ETA Tourist Visa.

If you wish to work in order to supplement your stay in Australia then you’ll need a working holiday visa. Simply visit our visas page for more information about which visa is right for you.