Getting the Expat vote out.

 Throughout the life of the last 3 labour governments the practice of gerrymandering has been carried out quite blatantly.  This is where constituency boundaries are changed for the benefit of the party in power. Well they seem to still be at it!

In 1992 when the conservatives won their last general election, the expat vote was seen as the deciding factor in a number of marginal seats. With an estimated 5.5 million Brits living as expats overseas and 2.5 million eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary and European elections, expat votes carry some clout when it comes to election time. But, as of the 2005 general election, only 17,500 of us registered to use our vote and the government don’t seem to keen to promote the issue.

If you’ve been listed on the voting register within the last 15 years then you’re eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary and European elections. We may not be living in the UK, but many of us still have houses, businesses or are drawing pensions from the UK and government policy still affects us, even though we live overseas If you think it won’t affect you, remember the expat “pension freeze” when 500,000 expats who had retired abroad had their pensions frozen at the level paid when they first left the UK.

As Brits we’re known as whingers, but moaning about it when you receive your pension overseas may be too late. If you want to register to vote in the next general election as an expat living overseas pull your finger out now.

Obviously Gordon’s not suicidal, so he may wait until 2010 before he decides to lift his head above the parapet of the current recession and put himself before the country, but you need to be organized in advance. The electoral commission does have a website (link below) that allows expats living abroad to apply for the right to vote. You print off a form, then send it back to the electoral registration officer in the town or city where you used to live. But it doesn’t end there. That’s just got you registered, you then need to apply for a postal or proxy vote.

Be very careful how you choose to vote from overseas. Forms allowing expats to cast their vote by post will be sent out one week prior to an election. If you’re living in Europe you should be able to receive, fill out and resend your form back to the UK to be received on or before election day. If you’re living further a field there’s little chance of receiving a form and returning it within a week. But don’t fret! If you haven’t received your form by election day, you can go down to the voting office and get another one before 5pm.

Expats living further a field may be wiser to apply for a proxy vote and allow someone living in the UK to vote on their behalf. In this instance your proxy will receive notification to vote and not you.

Just remember, we all have a duty to vote, our vote can make a difference in the way future governments decide policies and if 2.5 million of us start beating the drums, expat votes will be counted.

As a final note, remember the Chairman of Sony, Andrew Lack’s quote “bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote” over Ken Livingston’s (he needs no introduction) “if voting changed anything, they’d abolish it.” They’re trying to!

http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_to_vote

 Site for British expats living overseas to register as voters.

Working Overseas as a Volunteer

Working Overseas as a Volunteer

For many people today, the decision to engage in travel abroad volunteer work means that they will have to adjust to a number of changes in their lifestyle from what they are familiar and comfortable with in their current home environment. It probably also means quitting or taking a leave of absence from a job, being away from family and friends, and also being courageous enough to embark upon a path that is much less traveled.

Even with all of these major considerations and changes, venturing out on a volunteer work project abroad will more than likely turn out to be the experience of a lifetime for those who put their heart into their charity volunteer work overseas. Charity work abroad gives people unique opportunities to live and work in another land and experience the people and the culture, not as a tourist but on the same level that the local citizens live their daily lives. This in and of itself provides those who undertake overseas volunteer work with a unique perspective on the world and other countries that will be with them throughout their lives.

Those who take advantage of the opportunities to engage in travel abroad volunteer work programs will not only be able to long enjoy the experiences they had and the point of views they gained, they will also find their lives enhanced through the relationships they developed with those they served and with the other volunteers, learning a new language in many cases, and also gaining the feeling that they have a second country which feels like home to them. With these things being considered, it is understandable why international volunteer work is something that more and more people are interested in getting involved in, if they are able.

Choosing to participate in a volunteer work program abroad is a wonderful idea for a number of very positive reasons. On a more self-centered note, anyone who gives up their time and energy to offer their services and expertise to a voluntary charity organization will have a wonderful entry to include in their resume. At the same time, most administrators of charity work overseas programs are more than happy to write you a glowing letter of recommendation as a token of thanks for the services you rendered.

For those who are planning to go on to graduate school of some type after their overseas volunteer work, it can be noted that volunteer work is something that is well respected in school admissions offices. This one factor alone can be something on which your whole future hinges in the most positive of ways. There are many people who have returned from a break from schooling or a sabbatical from work where they took advantage of a volunteer work opportunity to find that their school or job prospects had improved greatly because of their desire to use their time serving other people.

Travel abroad volunteer work opportunities are plentiful these days. No matter what your area of interest is or what kind of voluntary charity organization you want to be involved with, there will probably be a number of options to choose from. While simply serving those in need through charity work abroad is rewarding in and of itself, it will be even more rewarding if you have a special affinity toward the people or the charity itself.

 

 

Outlook for property in New Zealand

Anyone looking to emigrate to New Zealand may find the state of the New Zealand housing market very advantageous at the moment. The price of property in New Zealand dropped around 6.1% during the year to October 2008 according to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand. When adjusted for inflation this equates to house prices falling 10.6% bringing the price of the average house in New Zealand down to £134,000. Following rises of 94% between 2001 to 2007 New Zealand property prices started to drop in early 2008 and falls of 16% to 24% from the 2007 highs are being predicted by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand by the end of 2010. This fall in property values has affected sales levels for real estate in New Zealand and in November of 2008 property sales dropped 45.4% over the same period in 2007. Home ownership has also been falling in New Zealand, at its peak in 1991 73.8% of Kiwis owned their own home, that’s now dropped to 66.9%. One reason for this is the fact that whilst house prices in New Zealand have shot up, rental prices have only increased by an average of 6.7% per annum, making renting more attractive for families struggling to get on the property ladder. So how is this going to affect people wanting to emigrate to New Zealand? Levels of immigration have always had an impact on housing price movements and construction in New Zealand, with the housing boom of the early 2000s strongly associated with the high number of immigrants during that time. In 2002 there were 38,000 migrants into New Zealand, that figure dropped to 5,500 in 2007 and the reduced levels are also impacting the New Zealand property market. What this means to the expat is that houses are getting cheaper. If you plan to buy property in New Zealand there are going to be some bargains coming onto the market as the housing market readjusts itself. Whether prices drop 16%, 24% or more, 2010 could be a good time to buy property in New Zealand