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Australia remains one of the best expatriate destinations on the planet. With it's low population density, good quality of life and an unpolluted environment Australia is as good as it gets. Escape Artist gives Australia the highest rating. Despite some human rights violations regarding Aboriginal people and a slight degree of racism,  Australia has one of the best records in the world regarding human rights. It has freedom of the press and it remains an open society in which the will of it's people is voiced and heard.
 

Human Rights

Amnesty International - Amnesty International  - Amnesty International publications and news releases for Australia. “The loss, grief and trauma experienced by Aboriginal people as a result of the separation laws, policies and practices can never be adequately compensated. The loss of the love and affection of children and parents can not be compensated. The psychological, physical and sexual abuse of children, isolated among adults who viewed them as members of a 'despised race' cannot be adequately compensated. The trauma resulting from these events have produced life-long effects, not only for the survivors, but for their children and their children's children. [...] Insofar as reparation and compensation can assist us to heal from the harms of separation, it is our right to receive full and just reparation and compensation for the systematic gross violation of our fundamental human rights.” 

Also see:

Australian Human Rights Information Centre - Australian Human Rights Information Centre -
FREEDOM HOUSE RATING:    Political Rights: 1 Civil Liberties: 1 - (this is the highest rating.)
HDI ranking: Australia Ranked 7 out of 174 countries The Human Development Index (HDI) ranks countries according to the following indicators: GDP, life expectancy, rate of adult literacy and years of schooling.  The Human Development Index (HDI) is compiled by the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme.
Monitoring Human Freedom - Monitoring Human Freedom - Monitor and understand human freedom around the world. Look before you leap...  or, look and go render a helping hand to improve things.  . If you don't like the mess the world is in you might try our Volunteer Jobs Overseas  - It would probably be great fun and would teach you much about the world as it really is. 

EscapeArtist Evaluation: Stable government: Australia has a democratic system in which every adult Australian citizen can vote and speak according to their beliefs. They have avoided the widespread political violence of Europe and Latin America, as well as the street crime of the United States. Additionally, they have established an independent legal system monitoring the actions of private citizens and all those in power according to fairly consistent rules of fairness and accountability.
 

Environment

Australia has one of the most pristine unpolluted environments in the world. See section below on "population" for a further understanding of Australia environmental issues.
 

Population

Australia has a human population of 18,438,824 (July 1997 est.) in an area of 7,686,850 sq. km. This works out to 2.4 people per square km.  Much of Australia is semi-arid, and there is a potential for a water shortage if the population should exceed 50 million. See "Interview with an American Expat to Australia" - Click Here -  Compare this population with the United States which has a population of 267,954,764 (July 1997 est.) in an area of 9,629,091 sq. km which works out to 27.8 people per square km. While the United States has greater water supplies they are being depleted at a rapid rate of consumption. See: Killing the Hidden Waters by Charles Bowden - which explains in detail the depletion of the water tables in the United States using Arizona as a prototype - Click Here -

EscapeArtist Evaluation:  We've said it before and we'll say it again, it is only a matter of time until low population density is probably going to be one of the greatest values a nation can offer. Ecological damage results not so much from individual acts of environmental vandalism as it does from the sheer number of violating actions committed. Those things upon which human beings depend are not infinitely divisible, not resources, not land, not patience.  Some cities already have streets that cannot be negotiated by the existing traffic. The population of those cities increases exponentially each and every day.  Where are those new human beings going to go?  How will they fit?  Where will they drive?  What will they eat? 

It becomes more and more difficult to find meaning and peace on earth with each passing year as the world's population continues to escalate.  While there are numerous books on this subject the one we have found that presents the clearest case in the most accurate of terms is Living Within Limits : Ecology, Economics, and Population Taboos by Garrett Hardin.  It is well written and closely researched. We think it is an important book. It is available online. - Click Here -

Australia's low population density is one of the greatest assets a nation can have.

Also see:
Global Change & Environment for Location Evaluation - Global Change & Environment for Location Evaluation - Evaluating expatriate destinations based on environment is as important as evaluating a destination based on it's economy. It does little good to have a good income in an area where water tables are being depleted. If the quality of life is not environmental sound then the long range potential of that area is compromised as a place to live. 
The Pop Clock - The Pop Clock - which gives updates on the worlds population in real time. -
 

Income / Standard of lifestyle

EscapeArtist Notes: As pointed out in the book Escape From America, there is more than one way to evaluate standard of living. Australia is the country which in 1995 was assessed as the richest country in the world by the World Bank. The assessment was based on factors such as wealth of resources, standard of living and well being of the population, (rather than on traditional methods such as GDP.)  If we add in the factor of well being of the population, Australia has a higher standard of living than the United States. While such factors remain 'subjective,' we all know what they mean. It may be easier to measure GDP, which is objective, mathematical and measurable in real terms. But it is quite plain that GDP does not describe our peace of mind, nor our happiness; but only our monetary income. 

GDP - (per capita: purchasing power parity) - Australia is $23,600 (1996 est.) Compare to USA GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $28,600 (1996 est.) and United Kingdom GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,400 (1996 est.) - 

According to the World Fact Book: Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the four dominant West European economies. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s, but the economy has expanded at reasonably steady rates in recent years. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is a key factor behind the economy's resilience to the regional crisis and its stronger than expected growth rate that reached 4.5% last year. After a slow start in 1998, exports rebounded in the second half of the year because of a sharp currency depreciation and a redirection of sales to Europe, North America, and Latin America. 

EscapeArtist Evaluation: As pointed out, GDP is a slippery indices. It tells you nothing other than how much is being earned. It doesn't tell you the price of tomatoes, the quality of the schools, nor the level of crime. If you have to put bars on your windows, bus your children 15 miles to a civilized school and eat polluted tomatoes, you've lost income and quality of life. Australia has excellent quality of life.
 

Employment

Jobs In Australia - Jobs In Australia - Part of our jobs pages, a complete page off links to help you with your job search.

Also see:
Escape From America to Australia - Escape From America to Australia - Resources for Moving To Australia
 

Language

An approximation of English.  Example, "bait rice," is translated as, "boat race."
 

Technology & The Internet

Australia is a progressive society in technological terms and one of the world leaders in IT and Computer services industries. They have the second highest use of PC’s in the world, the growth of Internet use is approximately 5-10% per month. This fact reflects the significance of computers both in the general and business communities. Opportunities for employment and business growth are plentiful.
 

Ease of Emigration

Difficult, but not impossible.  We have a section called Emigration / Immigration To Australia - Click Here - If you want to move to Australia it helps to hire a professional who can assist you. On this page link we have both government and private agencies that can help you with your quest.

Also see:
Embassies & Consulates of Australia - Embassies & Consulates of Australia - Embassies on our sister site.
 

Worth of passport

As good as it gets. Everybody likes Australians, except the people at the America's Cup. The Australian passport is accepted worldwide, and in many cases, travel is visa free.  For determining which nations require visas from which nations see:

Check Visa Requirements Worldwide - Check Visa Requirements Worldwide -

Also see:
Expatriate Search Tools - Expatriate Search Tools - Search Tools For Global Living & International Travel
 

Outlook

Australia has become quite 'socialistic' in tendency. We are more or less obligated to illustrate some of the advantages enjoyed by people who live in Australia from a statist perspective; it is not our view of ‘beneficial benefits’, but we will remain neutral, (or at least semi-neutral) and report the facts as they exist from and for a statist mentality. Australia is the country which in 1995 was assessed as the richest country in the world by the World Bank. The assessment was based on factors such as wealth of resources, standard of living and well being of the population, rather than traditional methods such as GDP. Whether or not we choose to agree with the methods used in making such a judgment, there is little doubt about the high quality of living which exists in Australia. 

It is a fundamental part of the Australian attitude that causes them to respect the rights of others. They recognize that humans would like to have personal rights which are protected both from infringement from other citizens and by the government and its officers. Most of the white settlers who came to Australia in the early days chose to leave behind the cultural and religious intolerance in Europe as well as their prevailing unaccountable and oppressive political systems. A firm resolve that the purpose of government is to serve and not to oppress the people has been at the basis of the Australian social system. Almost every government body has an internal complaints section and an external independent tribunal or court to ensure that all decisions by government officials are in accordance with the law and with the principles of justice and fairness and efficiency that the law protects. Something that we've already mentioned in Escape From America, and that we find extremely interesting is that Australia has no written Bill of Rights. Not in its Commonwealth nor in it's State Constitutions. However, it is more or less common knowledge that Australia has one of the best human rights records and attitudes in the world. Perhaps the innate national characteristics of tolerance and a ‘fair-go’ are of more importance than any written Constitution. The human spirit and the ‘spirit of the law’ always seem to outshine the letter of the law, no?

The wide open spaces and beautiful eco-protected environment of Australia is very well known. Being one of the largest countries in the world with one of the smallest population per kilometer ratios, Australia can enjoy larger houses and land than most people in the developed world. It is this fact which allows it to have statist policies and still be a worthwhile place to live, even for those with an anti-statist mentality. It may be statist in economic terms, but big brother isn't watching our personal activities like he is in the United States.

Escape Artist Rating: Australia is as good as it gets. 

Also see:

Escape From America to Australia - Escape From America to Australia - A complete section of resources for Moving To Australia 
Embassies & Consulates of Australia - Embassies & Consulates of Australia - Embassies on our sister site.
Indices & Search Engines of Australia - Indices & Search Engines of Australia - Take a look at virtual Australia via their search indexes. Australia has one of the largest internet presence's in the world.
Islands of The Pacific - Islands of The Pacific - Escape Artist has a large indices of the Pacific Islands 
Escape Artist New Zealand - Escape Artist New Zealand - A Complete Indices of New Zealand Immigration Resources 
Overseas Judicial Information by Subject - Overseas Judicial Information by Subject - Find out what your rights are as an American Abroad - (Can the country you go to extradite you back to the country you left?) Child Support Enforcement Abroad - Marriage Abroad - Divorce Overseas - Extradition treaties - more ~
Overseas Judicial Information by Country - Overseas Judicial Information by Country - Find out what your rights are as an American Abroad - What kind of assistance can you get? Not just what can they do to you, but also what can they do to protect you?  (Can the country you go to protect you from the country you've left?  Other complicated issues ~