Australia – Multicultural, adventurous and high living standards

myGwork is looking at countries around the world that are worth visiting and even moving to. First on the list, Australia. The former British colony is known for its endless beaches, tropical climate and poisonous wildlife. The 25 million people living on the desert island in the Pacific Ocean come from all over the world, making it a multicultural hub. Down Under offers a lot of opportunities for professionals and graduates that are looking to take their career to the next step, to get some experience abroad or simply looking for a change of scenery.

The southern-most continent is a dream come true for many people around the world. With breath-taking scenery that varies from miles and miles of sandy beaches to rain forests, deserts and the world famous great barrier reef, Australia is not only diverse in its surroundings, it’s multi-cultural society is Down Under’s biggest asset. Australia offers an incredibly high standard of living and both Sydney and Melbourne are constant contenders in the Top 20 List of the world’s most liveable cities. Australians have a life expectancy of over 82 years with a national annual gross income of $59,000 per person.

myGwork member Cameron Porter moved to Australia from New Zealand in 2013. “The choice to move was quite an easy one. Australia offered professional opportunities that I simply did not have in New Zealand.” Since moving to Sydney, Cameron enjoyed working for companies such as J.P. Morgan and Avant before moving to H2Coco earlier this year.

“I could have settled in New Zealand, but decided it was time for a change and a new challenge.”

The birthplace of gay icons such as pop princess Kylie Minogue, actress and wife of Ellen DeGeneres, Portia De Rossi or singer/songwriter Troye Sivan, Australia has a thriving LGBT+ community. Even though Down Under prides itself on being open minded it still has to legalise same sex marriage.

	HOMOSEXUALITY ⚢ ✔ Legal	MARRIAGE ⚭ Varies by Region
DISCRIMINATION	ILLEGAL	ADOPTION	Varies by region
EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION	ILLEGAL	CHANGING GENDER	LEGAL (REQUIRES SURGERY)
HOUSING DISCRIMINATION	ILLEGAL	CONVERSION THERAPY	BANNED
DONATING BLOOD	BANNED	MILITARY	LEGAL

The campaign for same-sex marriage in Australia has been high-profile and relentless. Campaigners suggest Australia is lagging behind the rest of the world. It is fair to say that most countries with similar cultural backgrounds to Australia have now legalised same-sex marriage but based on total country numbers, Australia joins the majority in restricting marriage to couples made up of a man and a woman. With many countries legalising same sex marriage over the course of the last few years, Australia is still to jump on that train to equality. The bill to legalise same sex couples to marry as been turned down by the government. While most of the states recognise same sex relationships and removed discriminating legislation.

Sydney’s very own PRIDE festivities, Mardi Gras, kick off every February with a month filled with events all centred around the LGBT+ community, leading up to the main event in early March. It is one of the biggest LGBT+ events of the world, drawing thousands of Australians and tourists alike. Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras celebrates the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities but is also symbolic of a continuing fight against discrimination and prejudice.

Whether one is looking for the busy metropolitan lifestyle or a quieter life in the outback, Australia has got something for everyone. An open minded, multicultural society and one of the highest standards of living worldwide in combination with every scenery imaginable (yes, you can even ski in Australia) making it one the most diverse places on the planet.

When are you going down (under)?