[shitloadofbooks]

As an Australian with a family and 2 high-paying salaries paying a LOT of tax, none of those countries are remotely comparable to Australia.

If you hate taxes and fees, Singapore has a 60% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty on residential property applied to foreign buyers, on top of an already insane property market. There's huge fines and government intervention into _everything_ and a massive high-stress culture.

Hong Kong is equally absurd for property and has a sword hanging over its head, that falls if China ever makes a move on Taiwan; the inevitable US and global sanctions would decimate HK.

Dubai is just a comical option.

[shell0x]

I can get PR in Singapore through my partner, so no 60%. Company paid medical and everything so expat life and no responsibilities. And if I were ever have to have kids, you can’t hire a maid here sleeping at your apartment and you have to clean yourself which is ridiculous. In Hk, SG, Dubai you can get domestic helpers cheaply and they take care of everything

[shushpanchik]

Mate, 3 months ago you admitted on HN that you never get Singapore PR, just admit you want to moan how west is bad. I pay more taxes than you, and that's ok, Australia worth it.

> shell0x 3 months ago | As a white person, I’d probably never get PR too but I think it’s good that they maintain the current percentages, otherwise the country would turn unrecognizable like Germany or France

[BLKNSLVR]

> And if I were ever have to have kids, you can’t hire a maid here sleeping at your apartment and you have to clean yourself which is ridiculous.

Not sure if serious.

If serious: This is a really weird and almost sociopathic thing to say. I really don't get where you're coming from. It's certainly not the cultural direction I'd like to see Australia moving in.

[shell0x]

You realize this is the standard in Asia right? They only cost like 2.5k a month which is pretty good value

https://www.life.gov.sg/guides/domestic-helper

https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/foreign_domestic_...

[BLKNSLVR]

OK, just seems weird from my cultural experience, and the way I was reading your comment it sounded 'entitled' (likely due to the cultural difference).

Describing it as "pretty good value" bothers me in a number of contexts.

I'm also fine with this never becoming a thing in Australia. Not sure how out-of-touch or in-touch that makes me, but that's how I feel nonetheless.

@Loocid, thanks for saying what I was dancing around.

[Loocid]

Its too close to slavery for my liking. Yes they are paid but 2.5k per month is very low for Singapore, they work massive hours, they rely on you for shelter, and are very likely from much poorer neighbouring countries that are trying to support family back home.

The whole power dynamic is extremely exploitable which results in a lot of abuse cases.

[shell0x]

They would be much worse off if they stay in their own country and they even get 1 day rest per week.

[Loocid]

Yes exactly, which is why the system is so ripe for abuse. A third of live in maids in Singapore report abuse by their employers.

I don't consider taking someone out of a shit situation into a slightly less shit situation for your huge benefit all that benevolent personally.