MightyWill where have you lived that is as good as Australia?
Where I have lived that is better than Australia is not the question you should be asking. If I were you, I would be asking which cities in the world have similar offerings to Australia. It is these similarities that have you comparing to similar countries like Canada or Nth America (western countries) for example.
Australia is too broad of a place to compare against. Sydney is different than living in Adelaide for example or Alice Springs. If I threw you in one of Sydney?s most dangerous suburbs where you could get stabbed or murdered in the park, would you still badge it as Australia or the local district?
The point I am trying to make is this; Australia is not considered a western country despite having such an influence from western countries. In reality, we are a western country, just not in the western geography on the map. Our country is young compared to the rest of the world, isolated when looking at the map, everything is simple here, not much history which evolves to culture to sit there and think about and the system just works with the 10 million new laws being introduced every day to ensure things just plot along as they do. You are comparing Australia from a western view of life and the fact you grew up here gives a bias view. I am assuming you grew up here and I?m sure you know the saying ?there?s no place like home?.
While I respect your view that Australia is the best place to live in, that comment is your view. Others might think differently depending on their agenda in life and their cultural needs. Everyone has different needs. For example, certain industries that people want to get in and be successful in won?t happen here so they move offshore. A high number of successful Australians no longer live here and avoid the ?tall poppy syndrome? which is seen in Australian culture. Google it.
Australia is a small population of fewer than 30 million. Some may have the view that Australia is under performing if they pull out the stats; others might just like that idea and don?t want an overcrowded country. Maybe the population can?t grow because we cannot utilise the land that is available or it just cost too much to build anything here. There are 30 million people in just one small province (state) in China. They are also happy with their city, culture and way of life. Now they could look at the way of life in Australia and think it?s too simple and uninteresting. The number of Chinese going offshore is a minority when you compare to the population of a billion they have. It may seem like a lot are trying to flee the country but it?s not. You will know that not everyone stays as well. A percentage of migrants who come who end up going back cause they don?t like it. In my view, the successful people and families don?t leave their homeland over in China but the successful people who grew up in Australia somehow leave their homeland. For the average Joe?s here in Aussie land, we are all just happy with the simple way of life.
If you were not aware, most people in their happy life back in their own country thinks their city is the best in the world; that is fine and it is not a crime. If you are happy, why would you want to move or look elsewhere for refuge. There is no harm in you saying that we live in a lucky country and you are lucky, just note that there are another 100 million people like yourself saying this in another city that is not Australia. Everyone has a different taste. What you read, surf on the net, and hear about everyday is from the western world of media because you live in a western world. You have not heard media from a non western world because you don?t know the language nor do you live in one. The western world portrays what westerners want to hear.
I use to think Sydney was number 1. The only place that existed in my eyes. When I grew up, matured and crawled out of the hole I was living in, I opened my eyes and explored the rest of the world, made friends with different people from around the world who shared me their thoughts and culture. While I like Sydney due to my appetite in life given that I have evolved in this environment, I would admit it is hard for me to move elsewhere due to the previous reasons. A friend of mine in his 50s who was a smart aussie guy and born here. He got sick of the cost of living and other political reasons. He done the maths and said he would still be paying his mortgage when he retires. He packed up, learnt how to speak Spanish and moved to Sth America. He was decent income as well.