We want UK Tradies?

trevar said :

I guess with the kids not wanting the jobs

I want a job. Give it to me. Now. I want your jobs. I need your jobs.

WTF? I thought the ten pound Pom scheme finished in the 1970s. That’s how John Farnham came to Australia – he was an apprentice plumber before the pop charts came a’callin.

Jamie Wheeler said :

In my opinion, Australia desperately needs to open the flood gates and let tradies in from other countries. Must be plenty from the struggling UK and USA who’d like to come here and earn some strong $AU. Tradesmen in Australia simply charge too much for often appalling service. Their outrageous prices are no doubt a big factor in housing affordability. With the growing mining boom sucking up local resources we need to do something. I for one would employ a foreign tradie over some of the characters I had working at my place. These guys obviously pick and chose their work plus rip you off at any opportunity. I had one tell me “mate, I’m happy to suck hard from the breasts of you public servants in Canberra”. He’d had a few beers down the pub so was letting slip what he really thinks 🙂

+1. There are a few good tradies, but most are a pain to deal with, and don’t do a great job.

In my opinion, Australia desperately needs to open the flood gates and let tradies in from other countries. Must be plenty from the struggling UK and USA who’d like to come here and earn some strong $AU. Tradesmen in Australia simply charge too much for often appalling service. Their outrageous prices are no doubt a big factor in housing affordability. With the growing mining boom sucking up local resources we need to do something. I for one would employ a foreign tradie over some of the characters I had working at my place. These guys obviously pick and chose their work plus rip you off at any opportunity. I had one tell me “mate, I’m happy to suck hard from the breasts of you public servants in Canberra”. He’d had a few beers down the pub so was letting slip what he really thinks 🙂

I support any scheme which will reduce the chances of me hearing any of the following again from the current ones –

“I dont work north of the lake” (from Woden)
“Can’t even do a quote for at least six months..”
“I don’t do jobs woth less than 3 grand”

Then there was four seperate landscapers who instantly lost interest as soon as they learnt I wanted the 20 x 1 meter retaining wall built in 75mm sleepers and not blue/yellow stone.

But the classic goes to my mate Gerrybuilt who had an electrician tell him “I just did a quote around the corner but it was a small job and I don’t want it – so I quoted him twice as much” – while giving a quote!

I guess with the kids not wanting the jobs, and Julia Abbott stopping the boats, we have to scrape the bottom of the barrel…