I left Melbourne in 2009 for a O/S expat job in middle East country's, working 4 weeks on 4 weeks off living in Thailand.
I been going back to Melbourne every year for a month, apart from Covid years.
Before Covid the place was a mess so expensive, i never knew Australia to be like that ever that is cost of living.
Now after Covid its even worse, the gov is trying to get back what they lost for the disastrous way they handled Covid, i was embarrassed to what happened to the country and was glad i wasnt living there at the time, i mean they made every state pretty well much a separate country it was just stupidity and wrong I'm surprised the people didn't revolt.
I'm 58 now have a few more years in working O/S, when i retire it will be Thailand i will not ever live in Oz again i will not pay the stupid tax the country imposes on its citizens so pretty well Oz can get the F**K