Hussain Family Wanted Down Under

Moving to the other side of the world

is a once-in-a-lifetime decision.

But what if it didn't work out the first time?

Would you be willing to leave everything behind and try again,

especially if your partner doesn't share your dream?

Asrar Hussain has always dreamt of living Down Under,

but his wife Saimah is not so sure.

It seems like a waste of space.

I don't think I have a problem with cold and wet days.

It's inconvenient.

And he has one week to convince her.

You're comparing Blackburn, a town, to Sydney.

I've had enough of people thinking of themselves. I've got to think of myself.

The decision they make will change their lives forever.

Many Brits seeking a new life abroad

are drawn to Australia's sunny climate

and stunning coastline.

Almost 100 British people emigrate to Australia every day.

But it doesn't always live up to the dream

and roughly a third return home.

But that doesn't stop people from trying.

The Hussain family have one week to sample life Down Under

before they decide if their future lies in the UK or Australia.

It's a long, long way from the life they know back in Lancashire.

Crossing three continents

and a distance of nearly 11,000 miles,

the Hussains spend 20 hours in the air.

Plenty of time to think about the huge change they could be making to their lives.

The trip was long.

But it wasn't too bad. It wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be.

Yes, it was OK, considering the kids were with us.

But the journey has taken its toll on the children

and it's a long way from their home in Blackburn.

Civil engineer Asrar and his wife Saimah

are parents to Zeena, one and a half,

and Yushua, who's six months old.

Asrar has wanted to work abroad for years

and he and Saimah almost made the move four years ago.

Asrar was offered a job in New Zealand, in Auckland.

We were very excited. We made the plunge and spent our money on tickets.

This is before we had children.

The job itself wasn't quite right for me.

The Auckland area, on the outskirts, didn't fit into what we thought life would be like in New Zealand

and that's why we decided not to go.

Since the New Zealand dream fell through,

the Hussains have built themselves an ideal life in Blackburn.

Even so, the idea of a better life abroad

has always been on Asrar's mind.

I'm an engineer, so the way it works is,

you hope for the best and you plan for the worst.

That's what I'm doing. I'm seeing what opportunities there are at the moment.

But Asrar's outlook on life isn't completely shared by Saimah.

I think Asrar really wants to go. He's been going on about Australia for the past three years now

and before Australia it was New Zealand.

So I feel like we need to just do it or not do it and put it to rest.

But although Saimah is supportive of Asrar,

for her to leave Blackburn, Sydney will have to deliver.

I live in a lovely area in Blackburn.

The house is perfect. It's an ideal family home.

We live near all the facilities that we need -

the gym, shopping, halal food, Asian delicatessens.

And it's this culture, that's so important to her,

which Sydney will need to provide.

Similar thing when we went to New Zealand, we were looking for a Muslim community there.

And it was, shall we say, developing still.

So one way to look at is, we could help develop that community,

like people, like our parents, have developed the community here in Blackburn.

Whilst Asrar's sights are firmly set on a future Down Under,

Saimah would have to leave behind the only community she's ever known.

When you're a Muslim it's your whole life,

so you need to encompass the Islamic lifestyle

and you need that by having other Muslims around you.

For me, that would be extremely important

and I'd have serious issues if I was unable to find that kind of support network.

And finding the right setting

is just one of the problems they could face.

I think anything we get in Australia

would have to be a lot better than what we have here,

and I think that would be difficult to achieve,

but it would have to, to compensate for the fact that we are going to be leaving our families behind.

But I think it is possible,

otherwise we wouldn't take this huge step.

Asrar's belief that the Hussains can find a future in Australia is as strong as ever,

but persuading Saimah to share it

could be the toughest challenge he will face all week in Oz.

The Hussains want to find out if Sydney could be the right location for a new start.

It offers all the perks of living in one of the world's great cities

and is also home to Australia's largest Muslim population,

so it should offer some familiar cultural surroundings.

For the next week, their home will be in the beachside suburb of Dee Why,

a popular area for young families,

with plenty of beaches, cafes and parks.

This two-bedroom apartment is only a couple of minutes' walk to the beach

and should give them a taste of Aussie living.

The view's nice.

But...

..it looks a bit...dated.

-It's a bit on the small side for our growing family.

-Yes.

The children look to have settled in,

but for Saimah and Asrar, thoughts are already on the week ahead.

I think my main worry

is that we'll see houses that we can't afford but we'll really like,

and our house in England is going to look even more fantastic

and never achievable in this country.

We'll see what life is like in Sydney and we'll take it from there.

In Blackburn, the Hussains live in this four-bed semi-detached house,

which is Saimah's pride and joy.

They believe it's worth around £280,000

and in total, they could have a budget of £300,000

to spend on an Australian property.

But if Saimah is to be persuaded to move,

there are a few important features her new home must include.

It's like our dream home. It's what we've always wanted to have for our family,

so we would be looking for something similar in Sydney.

Ideally, we want to lift this house up

and put it in a nice suburb in Sydney but with a pool,

but it's whether that's going to be achievable or not.

We'll give the Hussains a taste of Sydney's housing market.

We'll show them three choices

based upon what they want from their ideal home,

what they can afford

and the real cost of property Down Under.

After seeing for themselves what's on offer,

we'll reveal the price of each house.

The Hussains start their search not far from their base,

in the suburb of Dee Why.

It's a family area, with a great beach.

It also has a strong multicultural community,

so they should find the Muslim culture they enjoy in Blackburn.

This three-bedroom garden apartment is a stone's throw from the water

and could offer the Hussains a starter home in Australia.

But will it deliver on their requirements?

It looks...nice.

It looks very white and clean.

-It looks small.

-It's compact.

Mixed first impressions.

Maybe the bedrooms will provide all the space they need.

I can't really tell what kind of a bedroom this would make.

-A fairly small one.

-Yes.

-What do you think?

-It's OK.

That's the dressing area.

Over there, we've got the, er,

-the bathroom.

-Yes.

The bedroom's a good size, but the bathroom isn't...

I wouldn't want a bathroom that small for an ensuite.

And that little nook there doesn't make up for it, either.

With just the third bedroom left to inspect,

can it convince Saimah that this is the home for them?

It's a good-size bedroom, I think.

It's a good-size bedroom, but you can hear everything going on outside.

Mm, she's not looking convinced.

It's an ideal starter.

But where we are at the moment, we need something a little bigger.

This apartment isn't what they want or need

and they haven't even seen the price yet.

Go on, then, let's have a look.

BOTH: £400,000.

You seem to be paying a premium for living close to the beach,

so it's probably about the right price.

It might be the right price for what it is,

but it's not a price we'd be willing to pay for what it is.

-We wouldn't be buying an apartment, would we?

-No.

-We would be looking for a house.

-For a house.

-Minimum three bedrooms.

-Yes.

-Which this is. But we need it in a house.

So onto the second property.

It's going to have to offer a lot more

if Saimah is going to consider a move.

It's in the desirable district of Cromer, on the northern edge of the city.

It's a family area, with beaches and shops close to hand,

and with its own multicultural community, it should suit the Hussains' needs.

With four bedrooms, this house is a similar size to their Blackburn home.

And with potential to make it into the house they really want,

could it win Saimah over?

Ooh, look at this living room.

It's an OK-size living room.

I'm never sure about brickwork inside, though.

It looks like a decent size.

LITTLE GIRL: It's a nice kitchen.

OK, it's an all right-size kitchen.

It's still very ugly.

I'm just thinking,

the price will have to reflect the amount of work that needs doing to this.

Oh, dear.

With such a lot of work to be done, it looks like this property could be out of the running.

Downstairs...

-All right on an Asian wedding card, that wallpaper!

-Yes!

Does Zeena want this as her bedroom

-or shall we have this as Yushua's bedroom?

-Yushua bedroom.

It needs decorating. There's a lot of work, by the looks of it.

She really is a tough customer.

This house is huge and has massive potential,

but the DIY has put them off.

Can the price make up for it?

This one's going to have to be a lot cheaper.

£537,000.

That's a lot of money for what this property is.

Yes. This needs way too much work. I don't think anyone's going to pay that.

It's going to be difficult for me

because I'll always compare to the house that we've got in Blackburn

and that's my ideal home.

It's absolutely perfect.

I can see the family growing up there

and everything about that area's right for us as a family,

and that's what I'm looking for here

and I haven't found that yet.

This house has only confirmed their worst fears of Sydney's prices

and a move looks further away than ever.

The next house needs to deliver all Saimah could want and Asrar really needs.

It's just round the corner from the last.

This two-storey family home is still close to the beach and it's in a quiet location.

But with such high standards to meet, can it impress?

Having dropped the kids off with a childminder,

Asrar and Saimah take a look around the house.

-It looks nice, doesn't it?

-Yes.

A promising start. So it's on to check out the rest of the house.

-The kitchen's a bit small.

-It's got everything that you need.

Oops. Spoke too soon.

-This is nice.

-Yes.

I like all the glass. I like being able to see in and out.

And you've got the area where you can have the food outside.

I think we wanted a bit more grass,

but I guess that's taken up by the...pool.

-That's a good-size pool, that.

-I'm sure it'll make up for it!

Asrar's positivity may be rubbing off on Saimah.

Will she like the downstairs master ensuite?

I wouldn't want to be coming up and down steps, though.

There's not that many steps.

-Really...

-It's inconvenient.

Maybe that was a step too far!

I don't know how I feel about a bedroom downstairs.

It's a good-size bedroom, but, yes...

-It seems a bit small to me.

-Do you think?

-Yes.

It's got an ensuite and a walk-in wardrobe.

The bathroom's tiny, as well.

The master ensuite hasn't impressed,

and with just the upstairs left to check out,

things aren't looking good for Asrar's dream.

It's OK. It seems like a bit of a waste of space to me.

With two further bedrooms upstairs, there's plenty of room for the whole family.

-I think Zeena's is a bit bigger.

-Bigger. But it's a decent-size room.

-The bathroom looks small.

-Nothing special.

-Small, isn't it?

-Yes.

-You can never have -

-Three bathrooms and I don't like any of them.

Not impressed with the bathrooms, so it's outside to check out the balcony.

Is it enough to make a difference?

It looks like a nice neighbourhood.

You'd be happy to see the kids play on the street

and not really be that worried?

Yes.

Well, you can't fault him for trying!

This house has plenty to offer, but it still hasn't come close to Saimah's Blackburn home.

Could its price change her mind?

577,000. And 860,000 Australian dollars.

-Pleasantly surprised.

-Mm.

It's double the price of our house and I don't know whether I'm getting double the money.

But you're comparing Blackburn, a town,

to Sydney, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world.

It's good value for what Australia or Sydney's got to offer.

I think I'll have to compare it to a few more houses before I'm convinced, Asrar.

Asrar clearly has a mountain to climb

if he's ever going to get his family Down Under.

They've seen three different properties today.

The first house offered them the stylish interior Saimah wanted

but was far too small.

The second needed too much work and even Asrar didn't like it.

Finally, house number three had a great pool and big living space,

but it came with a high price tag.

The Sydney property market has failed to deliver for Saimah,

who hankers after her Blackburn home.

But do the rest of the family share her feelings?

We've seen three properties today, it's been interesting, but it's time to vote now.

-The UK!

-Australia.

UK!

UK!

Why have you chosen Australia?

Because it's what we want.

We know Sydney's more expensive than Blackburn, but I think we can afford it.

Why did you vote UK?

I love the house that we've got already, I like everything about the area,

and none of the houses here have compared to that.

My main concern is, even if we did find a house that matched the one we've got,

we'll not be able to afford the lifestyle that we've got

and we'll find out better about that in the next day or two.

Property in Sydney failed to convince Saimah

that uprooting their lives would be worth it

and Asrar faces an uphill struggle

if he's to persuade her that the move could work.

But to afford the kind of life they love at home,

Sydney will need to provide good work prospects

and salaries to match.

Back in Blackburn, Asrar works as a civil engineer for the highways industry

and earns around £39,000 a year.

He hopes that the engineering industry in Australia

will provide more security for him and his family.

And if the family were to follow through with the dream,

Saimah would have to earn, too.

Although she currently works as a support worker,

she has legal training that could help her secure a job in Australia.

Leaving the children with a childminder,

the Hussains are heading out for a day's work experience in the city.

A lot is riding on today, and for Asrar

it's not just about impressing his potential employer.

I think I can change Saimah's view on moving to Australia,

but I think today's going to be key, both for myself, erm,

and for Saimah when she does her placement, as well.

I think whilst we were out viewing houses yesterday,

it was easy for me to find negative comments about each property

because it felt that this is out of our reach, it's too expensive.

Saimah's wanting to maintain the lifestyle that we've got

and I think she was just....

..it took her for six

that she couldn't achieve that necessarily within Sydney.

The thing that's going to persuade me is the job market

and whether they can pay us enough to live in houses

and afford the lifestyle in Australia, at least the lifestyle we're accustomed to.

Asrar spends the morning with one of Australia's leading construction companies

and he's arranged to meet manager Stuart Jamieson-Pate,

who may be able to offer him some advice.

I've got a few people teed up to meet you today

-and I want to take you for a wander round our office, if that's OK.

-Excellent.

As Asrar finds out more about Aussie engineering,

Saimah's meeting co-partner Fiona Reid

at a specialist family law firm

to see whether there is a demand for her skills.

For me, I'd be trying to get into certain aspects of family law,

mostly to do with separation

-and contact orders with Social Services for children.

-Right.

Is there much of a call for that kind of work?

The work that you're describing is very specialist jurisdiction

and there's a call for good solicitors to do that type of work

and the experience you have is valuable.

That's good for Saimah. How about Asrar?

Do you think someone with my experience would be someone that you would be interested in?

Absolutely. We were really excited to see your CV.

What you bring is not necessarily commonplace over here,

so your set of skills is definitely required in Australia at the moment.

Good. Thank you.

It's a very positive start for both of them.

But the move to Australia will be short-lived if their salaries can't fund the life they want.

You would be coming in at graduate level,

so your salary, if you're out in the suburbs,

is likely to be a starting salary of around 45,000 maybe.

And the range would be anything from between 45 to 95,000

as you go through associate level,

and then into the hundreds and above

once you're a senior associate and partner level.

I mean, even as a graduate, that sounds really positive

and a lot more than you'd earn as a graduate in the UK.

So if Saimah was to move back into law,

she could earn up to £12,000 a year more than in the UK.

But as the family's main wage earner,

are Asrar's prospects as good?

I want to get an idea of what someone of my experience could get in terms of a salary range.

We're looking at somewhere within 125 to 135,000 dollars.

That's kind of the number I have in my mind at the moment.

Not only are his skills in demand, but he could earn over double his UK salary.

What a result.

After a day's work experience, they meet up with the rest of the family to chat things through.

Are you OK? Having fun?

-Hello, Daddy.

-Are you all right?

So, Saimah, you've just come back from your, er, job interview.

-How was that?

-It made me feel that, OK, if we did come out here,

there's prospects for me, as well.

-So really positive, then?

-Yes. Really good experience today.

We need to find out how it went with you, don't we?

Oh, it was awful. Oh, it was awful!

No, it was brilliant. It was really, really positive.

They thought someone of my skill and my experience

would be looking to get between 125 and 135,000 Australian dollars,

-which is nearly double my current salary.

-Wow!

So it was like,

"Where do you want me to sign?" almost!

Clearly, Asrar is on cloud nine about the life they could afford.

But does Saimah share his excitement?

That's really good news, but I almost feel like, "What are you going to say now?"

We saw the houses yesterday and it was almost like a done deal

and we would be packing our bags and going home and saying,

"Here we are in England and we're going to enjoy it."

And today, it seems like it's back on track again.

We've got a bit more thinking to do now, haven't we?

It's been a really interesting day today.

We've both had some positive work experiences

and it's time to vote UK or Australia.

BOTH: Australia.

Why did you vote Australia?

Because, on a purely job aspect,

I think the opportunity for me

to earn more money and become a solicitor

-are a lot more easier here than they would be in the UK.

-OK.

What about you? How come you decided to vote for Australia again?

Because I think the salary gives us the opportunity to work and live in Australia

and I think that's what we really wanted, so that's why it's Australia.

Seeing such a large potential boost in earnings

has won Saimah over just a bit to Asrar's dream.

But leaving behind the home they both love will be a tough call

unless they can get a good price for it.

We've sent two local estate agents around to their Blackburn home

to give us their opinion on its value.

They need to raise £280,000 to consider selling it.

Nice, big, bright breakfast kitchen. Integrated appliances.

-He's in Mummy's...

-Yes, it's Mummy's kitchen, isn't it?

-Mummy's kitchen.

-Yes.

It's a very good-sized dining area

with a lovely through lounge.

-Good-size room.

-Baby's room!

-Baby's room.

A very good-size master bedroom with great beech wall-to-ceiling cupboards.

Great asset to the family house.

Good size. Well presented.

I'd advise the vendor to market the property at around 280.

For a quick sale, I'd advise them to consider anything from 265 upwards.

-Mm.

-It's a lovely, modern, detached property. Very exclusive.

I would value this property in today's market at £285,000,

with a quick sale of £275,000.

-Mm.

-That's what we'd expected.

-Yes.

-We're happy with that.

-ASRAR LAUGHS

The property values that the estate agent gave us was what we'd expect.

We're relieved really that we got that price.

But their house is only part of the financial package.

We prepared a breakdown of the cost of living in Australia,

and based on their calculations, they'll find out if they can afford to live in Sydney.

Here's our shopping list.

Well, that's coming out at £51.41.

This shows us that we're going to spend about £20 more on our shopping in Australia

-compared to what we do in the UK.

-Yes.

So taking all their expenses into consideration,

will the Hussains' annual living costs be greater in the UK or Australia?

That's a total of £65,772.

-That's about 25 grand dearer.

-27...

-26,000.

-It's nearly £27,000 dearer...

-To live out there.

-..more expensive to live in Australia.

That's only the top half of it. Let's look at what we're going to be earning.

Our combined income is just over £60,000 in the UK at the moment,

whereas we could be looking at 131,000 in Australia!

We should be a lot better off.

-Tally it up and have a look properly.

-OK.

With daily expenses nearly double that of the UK,

can their joint salaries make up for this huge difference?

Right, so the Australian figure minus the UK figure, we're...?

We're looking at a £41,500 difference between the two figures.

Right, so we'd be 41,000 better off in Australia.

-It almost sounds too good to be true.

-Yes.

When you look in black and white, it's hard to justify why you'd want to stay in the UK

when you can have everything you can have in Sydney and much, much more.

-And be able to afford it.

-Yes.

-And save.

And you've got children who are going to benefit from that.

Are you going to tell my mother or shall I?

SHE SPEAKS ARABIC

-"Grandma..."

-Bye-bye!

The figures are clear.

Despite Sydney's higher living costs,

the Hussains would be much better off by living Down Under.

Is Saimah going to vote with her head or her heart?

We've just done the reality check.

It was interesting and eye-opening at the same time.

Now it's time to vote.

BOTH: Australia.

So, why did you vote Australia?

Well, the figures do stack in favour of Australia

that, as a family, we'd have a much better lifestyle here.

e could afford everything we can in the UK and a lot more.

Yes, I mean, the figures speak for themselves.

Seeing the figures in black and white

has convinced both Asrar and Saimah

they can afford the life they want in Sydney.

But with two small children,

it's vital they find a lifestyle that will be just as rewarding.

So to give them a taste of what Sydney has to offer,

the Hussains are setting off for a day out at the local aquarium.

The whole family have the opportunity to get up close

to some of Australia's most dramatic sea life.

Look at that. It's a big one, whatever it is!

There's a big fishy there.

Look! Turtle!

-What are they waiting for?

-Is it dinnertime for the fishes?

Can you see that man?

Let's have a look at the other fishies.

This is our reef pool. In our reef pool, we have lots of different fish.

They're having breakfast.

Would you like to put some flake in for the fishies?

Oooh, nearly! Look!

Wow!

-They're saying "Thank you very much!"

-Oh, wow!

We had a lovely time this morning.

But I can't helping thinking we have a lovely time as a family wherever we go.

I don't think I've seen anything that exceptional

that makes me think, as a family unit,

there's something more special here.

Match that up with the fact that you've got Oceanworld there,

a beach right next to it, and it's winter and 24 degrees.

I don't think the weather is going to pull it for me.

-Do you not?

-No.

It looks like Saimah's doubts are back.

There's more things that a family need than sunshine and days out

and one of those things, for me, is an Islamic community and an Islamic environment,

and I think I've got some issues with what the children are going to get here.

I think they'd get a lot more

of an Islamic upbringing in the UK than they would here,

and that's a concern to me.

That took time to grow, didn't it, in the UK?

It didn't happen overnight.

We're the second generation,

therefore we're enjoying the fruit of our parents' labour, so to speak.

Whereas they're still going through that transition.

-Or do you want it all ready for you?

-Yes. That's how it's always been.

Any time we want to go to the mosque and take advantage of a class

or having a study group, we can just attend.

We don't have to develop it or make it.

I do share that concern, but I think it's starting to cast doubt over other factors.

Yes, but they're very real concerns. We've got two children to raise.

We want them to be good Muslims.

They need to have... They need to have what we had.

I think we can help and develop that learning here.

Saimah's worries about her family's upbringing

have cast a cloud over their day out.

How will it affect her vote?

We've done our lifestyle activity. It's been lots of fun.

Now it's time to vote.

-UK!

-Australia.

SHE LAUGHS

Why did you vote for UK?

Because I think as a child growing up there,

I had some fantastic experiences.

As a Muslim, being brought up there and being there now, I know I'm accepted.

I know where I can go for support, where I can go for further learning

and I need to be able to provide that for the kids.

I think we can, over time, we can create something similar here

and the children will be able to benefit.

But I think it's something that we need to have a greater think about.

But I think I can convince you.

Obviously not! THEY LAUGH

-UK, Mummy!

-UK!

-UK!

Saimah's concerns are serious and could hinder the entire move.

The family are visiting a local mosque

where Asrar can find out about the facilities they offer.

Where we come from in Blackburn, there's, erm,

normally teaching for the children five days a week.

Do you guys have something similar here in Sydney?

-In this mosque, yes.

-So, do you do it on an evening, after school, or is it on the weekend?

-It depends. In the summertime, we do it earlier.

-Right.

In the wintertime, we do it from Maghrib to Isha.

How big is the Muslim community within sort of this area in Dee Why?

Compared with other communities, not that big.

-It comes number four or five among the other communities.

-Right.

But it is very effective.

-It is well known around the area.

-OK.

Has the trip to Dee Why Mosque helped Asrar decide

whether they'd be able to bring up their children

according to their wishes in Australia?

I think the Islamic element,

I feel the prayer side of it,

I certainly feel think that Australia would be able to fulfil that.

I think the difficulty is when it comes to the teaching.

There might be a language difference, unless it's done in English.

There may be a difficulty that we wouldn't face in the UK that we might here.

Saimah's reaction isn't surprising. It's a concern I've got.

I think she just expresses it slightly better than I do.

She's always maintained that we're doing it for the family, me, her and the kids,

and we want to make sure that it's right for all four of us.

Saimah's worries about her children's upbringing

have left her with big doubts over the move

and reminded her of everything she'd be leaving behind.

So, could seeing messages from friends and family be the deciding factor?

As there are messages for all the family,

the Hussains have decided to watch it together,

although Yushua may have more important things on his mind!

Hello, Saimah and Asrar.

HE GREETS IN ARABIC

Hi, Asrar, Saimah.

Zeena and Yushua.

The main qualities, obviously he's a very nice person.

-Grandma!

-Grandma.

He always looks out for the family.

He's very kind, very caring.

If he's not going to be about, that'd be something we will miss quite a lot.

If you do decide to stay, we can chat over the internet

or phone calls or whatever.

You'll be back often enough. We'll probably be sending you back when you do come!

I hope it goes well. Obviously, give it some good consideration.

I came here for my children and my husband and for my family,

making their life better.

You're going there

because you're family is making life better.

Because of the distance, she'll feel the loss quite a lot.

-She's 63 now.

-I have a heart problem.

She feels, obviously with her illness,

you don't know how long you've got left in this life.

So whatever chance you can spend with your kids,

and your kids with the parents, would be nice.

It doesn't matter if one's missing,

if we aren't together, it's not the same.

I think the kids would really miss out.

Maya's always asking for Zeena, so I think you should stay.

I think Mum especially misses you because she hasn't seen you for a while.

-But still I love you.

-From us guys here, we miss you loads,

but you need to think long and hard and make the best decision for yourselves.

We'll always miss you and we'll try and support you as best we can. See you.

It was pretty much what I expected our families to say.

-What's that, Mummy?

-That's a raisin.

They know we've got to make a choice and the reasons why we're trying to make a choice,

but they're worried that if we do decide to go,

it's a big change for them, as well as for ourselves.

Well, yes, I could feel that, as well. I could feel that...

..they were thinking of us, but of themselves, as well.

If I have to do something that's more beneficial for my family, I'm going to do it.

I'm not going to worry about who I'm leaving behind or how they feel.

That's not a concern to me.

That's not...

-Whilst it's a consideration, it's not a deciding factor.

-No.

Seeing messages has reinforced

just how much the future of their family matters to Saimah and Asrar.

But where will they decide to spend it?

After a week of real highs and lows,

it's time for the Hussains to make their final decision.

My opinion all the way through has been slightly different to Saimah's.

She's been looking back at what we've got in the UK.

I'm looking at what we could achieve in Sydney.

I know there's no comparing Blackburn to Sydney.

I do know that.

I just couldn't equate to how houses could be so much more expensive,

so I thought this was an impossible dream.

I think the reality check gave her that figure at the end,

which meant she was a lot more confident

in what we were going to be doing in Sydney and what we'd be able to achieve.

I said to Asrar afterwards, I felt like I was having palpitations.

My heart was really beating because I thought,

"Blooming heck, we're really going to have to make a serious decision now."

Do we want to live in Sydney? Is that a lifestyle we want for ourselves

and, more importantly, for our children?

It's been a really amazing week, this week, in Australia.

We've had fantastic experiences, with a few ups and downs.

Now it's time to vote.

-Australia!

-Undecided!

-You're undecided?

-I'm undecided,

because even though I know we can make it work,

having all the finances sorted out,

and knowing that the housing is affordable, as well,

I'm just still a little bit concerned about...

..how this might strain on our family life

-and just the change.

-BABY CRIES

If it isn't broke, maybe we don't need to try and fix it.

You've gone Australia.

As the week went on, we found that we could live here and afford to live here

and still maintain the lifestyle that we've got in the UK, if not better it.

I know you've got concerns over...

..whether we've got the community base here,

but I think we can find that in Sydney,

not necessarily in the area that we've been this week,

but within Sydney, I think we can find it.

Despite the promise of better incomes and Asrar's best efforts to win her round,

Saimah still needed convincing

before she was ready to leave behind her life in Blackburn.

They've been home for nearly two months now,

so I've come to find out,

has anything changed for the Hussains?

Saimah, how did you find the whole Australian experience?

It was fantastic,

and I do worry that I come across as a little cold,

because I am that pragmatic

and I do have to be objectionable

about whether it's going to be a good experience, a bad experience, whether we can afford it,

whether the lifestyle is for us, what we're giving up here.

Blackburn is holding you back, isn't it,

because you're happy here?

Who'd have ever thought?!

-But you are!

-Yes.

-And you're honest.

-Yes.

So Saimah is dead set on the UK. But what about Asrar?

I'm still in the same boat I was in Australia, living the dream!

But I think if we do get a job offer in the future,

we'll seriously consider it,

especially when you put in the other factors, like the good weather,

-the good life that we experienced there.

-Yes.

You can't ignore them.

So, if that huge job did come your way,

would you be happy to make the move?

It's difficult for me to definitely say yes.

With my logical head on, I think definitely, yes, it is.

But overall, having lived the life that I've lived here and been completely satisfied,

-I really don't feel that I need to go to Australia for anything more.

-Yes.

For me, there would be no regrets if we stayed here.

But if a fantastic offer came for Asrar and we didn't take it,

there'd be massive regrets on his part.

I really hope that it all works out.

Perhaps if that job offer does come in,

I'm not sure if I came back in a year whether you'd be here!

You're right. I'm absolutely not sure either where we'd be, Nikki.

Is it going to be Blackburn, Sydney, or is it going to be something else? We'll have to wait and see!

-I'm sure wherever we'll be, we'll be happy and that's the main thing.

-Yes.

That's for sure!

So Asrar's still keen to consider a new life Down Under for his family

if the right job opportunity came long.

For Saimah, she loves her life back here in the UK,

but would support her husband if it was the perfect job.

For now, they're very happy with their life here in Blackburn.

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