Stephen Family Wanted Down Under


Stephen Family

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Moving your family halfway around the world is a costly decision

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and not just for your wallet. Leaving behind your home,

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friends and family are high prices to pay for a new life.

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But what if your partner also faced giving up the career

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they loved to make your dream come true?

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If you knew emigrating meant never seeing closest family again...

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I have to be realistic that it's quite

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possible my parents wouldn't be able to come out here.

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..and returning home to the life you love wasn't an option...

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We won't be able to just come back to the UK and pick up where we left off.

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..would you risk it all to start again in a country you'd never even visited?

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There is a long tradition of Brits emigrating to Australia,

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searching for a new life.

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37,000 miles of pristine beaches, blue skies

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and vast open spaces are just part of the attraction.

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But with a third giving up and returning home,

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the grass isn't always greener.

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The Stephen family want to find out

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if emigrating to Australia could give them a better future.

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They have one week to experience life down under before they face

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a huge decision - whether to stay in the UK or to make the move for good.

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Their journey to Melbourne in the state of Victoria takes them

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11,000 miles from home.

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After a tiring 23 hours, the consequences of moving

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so far are very apparent.

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The length of the journey does hit home...

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Um... How difficult it would be to keep in contact with family.

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Now we've actually stepped into Melbourne Airport,

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the reality has hit home now.

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It just highlights how this week is such an important decision

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because ultimately it determines the family's future.

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And that is a scary but very exciting prospect.

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From the airport, it's a short journey to their rental home.

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It might be across a dark Melbourne, but it's got the children excited.

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-Oh, wow!

-What can you see, Kerry?

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Oh, wow! Look at all those bright lights.

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It's weird how the world works.

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If it's England now, it's ten o'clock in the morning.

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-In Australia, it's night time.

-11 o'clock at night, yeah.

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Back in the UK, the Stephens, Murray and Kay, live with their

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two children Shaun and Kerry in Bacup, near Rochdale, in Lancashire.

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With Kay working as a solicitor and Murray a fireman,

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they have jobs and a family life they love.

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However, Kay has always dreamt of moving out of the UK, to Australia.

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It's something that's always been there in my mind

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and a desire that's never gone away.

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So it is sheer determination that it's something we want to go out

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there and make an informed decision and sample the lifestyle out there.

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As an active family, the Stephens are convinced Australia would

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give the lifestyle they can only dream of pursuing in the UK.

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It just restricts what we like to do as a family.

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You get ready to go out and then the heavens open up an hour later.

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This isn't a case of the grass being greener on the other side, we can

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see that possibly there's something better than what we have here.

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And that's what all this is about, essentially.

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However, there is one big hurdle to overcome.

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As there isn't a demand for firemen in Australia,

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they're afraid Murray would have to sacrifice the job he loves.

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I know that Murray's a proud man and he will want to be able to work

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and support his family.

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My son loves the fact that I'm a firefighter.

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He loves to tell everyone that his dad drives a fire engine.

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And it's how I replace that that I might find difficult to adapt.

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What bothers me and concerns me and sometimes keeps me

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awake at night is...making that move and it not working out.

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And him being distinctly unhappy.

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By that time, we won't be able to change the past.

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We won't be able to just come back to the UK and pick up where we left off.

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Having left his family and friends behind when he moved from Scotland,

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Murray is painfully aware what emigrating to Australia could mean.

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You can't just drop everything and go at the drop of a hat.

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There is that distance between you. It's not the same.

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As the Stephens have never visited Australia before,

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Kay knows she's risking everything they've worked so hard to build.

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We've got so much to give up as a family -

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great careers, beautiful family home, great family that offer

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so much support, and to give all of that up,

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it's got to be something really, really special.

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They now have just one week to see

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if they really could start a new life in Australia.

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The Stephens have worked hard to build a happy home

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and successful careers, but Kay's belief that Australia could offer

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more is driving her dream, even though it may cost Murray dearly.

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Ahead of them could be the biggest gamble of their lives.

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The Stephens are spending their trial week in Melbourne.

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It's a busy cosmopolitan city, but also well situated for those

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who want to enjoy the beaches and Aussie outdoor lifestyle.

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Perfect for sporty professionals like the Stephens.

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But before that, they've got to settle into their rental home

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for the week and get their first taste of Aussie living.

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OK, then. Let's go and have a look.

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That's a good girl.

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Go in. See what you see.

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Wow!

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Oh, look in here!

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Despite the late arrival, it's sounding like a good start

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and Shaun's already spotted the advantages of being

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in a warmer country.

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We get to have sausages outside!

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-Come on, I'm coming in to give you a big hug.

-Dad!

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Everyone seems to have settled quickly into this spacious

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apartment, but Kay and Murray have their reservations.

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The factors are, what we're looking at for money,

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what sort of lifestyle we can have.

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I do believe it's more expensive to live here.

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These are all concerns of mine, really, that obviously

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because of the uncertainty of what I'm going to do

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and whether the money I take in allows us

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to do the same as what we have back home,

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if it is more expensive to live here, that could be a problem.

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We have to be united.

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But if one of us does feel differently,

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then somebody's going to be disappointed.

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And that I do feel nervous about. That does bother me.

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In the UK, the Stephens own a modern four-bedroom house which

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they think is worth £250,000.

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Situated on a private road in Bacup and overlooking the Pennines,

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it's not a home they want to give up.

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If we could pick this house up and fly it over to Australia

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and drop it down, by the seaside, then I think we would be...

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We've really cracked it.

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That's how strongly we feel about doing this because we're prepared to

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leave this property, but what we have said is we'd be prepared to downsize.

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The location of the house might be more important than

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the size of house we have now, to allow us to have that outdoor life.

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We've arranged to give the Stephens

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a taste of Melbourne's housing market.

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We'll show them three typical options based on what

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they want from their ideal home, what they can afford

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and the real price of property down under.

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After seeing for themselves what's on offer,

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they'll find out the price of each of the houses.

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Their search begins in the suburb of Hopper's Crossing, close to

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the countryside and just a 30 minute commute from Central Melbourne.

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This is an area popular with young families.

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This detached four-bedroom house has the size

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and modern style the Stephens are after.

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Will it get their search off on the right foot?

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-It's a lot smaller than ours back home.

-Yeah.

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-It's not got the wow factor at all.

-No.

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It doesn't sound like a promising start.

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Only seeing the problems in a house is never a good sign.

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-We'd need to modernise it.

-Yeah.

-New shower units...

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And the unusual layout doesn't seem to be helping.

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It's a bit like a rabbit warren.

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Watch your fingers. That would be a problem, sliding back and forwards.

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I think it's a security issue as well.

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However, the children are taking a more positive approach.

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-Do you think this would be the kind of bedroom that you'd like?

-Yeah.

-Do you?

-It's bigger than mine.

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-You could have a girly stopover.

-Kerry would like this room.

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Would this be your room?

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And Shaun has spotted something that could change Mum and Dad's tune.

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-There's a swimming pool in the back garden.

-Now we're talking!

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-I didn't notice that.

-Oh, this is deceiving.

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This is the nice part of the property

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and it's not overlooked at the back.

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It ticks more boxes than I thought it would do.

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The pool and spacious garden have certainly won Kay

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and Murray over, but what about the price?

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They may have changed their opinion about this house,

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but can they actually afford it within their £300,000 budget?

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Time to find out.

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What have we got?

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-Yeah.

-I didn't expect it to be quite as much as that.

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-I was thinking more...

-200.

-220.

-Yeah.

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But on something you can just walk in, that would be fine.

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Yeah, if we could walk in, that would be fine.

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Cos the area's really nice.

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It's not a perfect start.

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If Kay and Murray want a house that meets their needs

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and doesn't need work, it could mean stretching their budget.

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Perhaps the second house can come closer to their ideal.

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Just a mile away, also in the Hopper's Crossing area,

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is this detached property.

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With four bedrooms and plenty of living space,

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will it be up to spec for the Stephens?

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Wow!

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Unfortunately, this Aussie-style layout isn't to Kay

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and Murray's taste.

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You're coming in the front door and you're straight into the bedrooms.

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-Yeah?

-Is this a bedroom? It could be anything you want it to be.

-No.

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En suite.

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Some redecoration may be needed,

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but fortunately for Kay, Murray can see beyond the paintwork.

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It's all the same. It's the same colour throughout.

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-I think that's superficial.

-Yeah. We can change that.

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We'd have this done in no time to our own style.

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Can the open-plan living area sway Kay a little further?

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-That's better.

-Yeah.

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-Yeah, I like this.

-I like that.

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-What's behind the door?

-That would be a hiding place for Kerry.

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And there's a room that would go down well with the children.

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-It's really spacious.

-Yeah.

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I think this would be an ideal playroom for the children.

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Yeah, that'll be a massive playroom.

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In fact, Shaun seems to have got everything already worked out.

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-We could have no toys in the bedroom and keep it all in here.

-Yeah.

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And what about the outside playroom? Can the garden seal the deal?

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Come on then. Everyone out.

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-Ooh.

-This is nicely done.

-Look at this!

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I like the fact that I wouldn't have to cut the grass.

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Well, I'm glad you've pointed out the positive to start with,

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because I'm suddenly coming crashing down.

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It was ticking the boxes, but you can't change this.

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-This is just not a good space...

-No.

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..outdoor space for the children to play. It's too small.

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Nice try, Murray.

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But I think that's a little too much positive spin on a garden

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with no grass. Perhaps the price can make things more appealing.

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They did all like the inside space.

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Here we go then. Let's see how much it is.

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285.

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That's just below their 300,000 budget.

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It's another 45,000 on top.

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I think for that amount, I'd want a few more boxes to be ticked.

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Again, Kay hasn't been impressed, but as the one driving this move,

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shouldn't she be convincing Murray, not the other way round?

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Can the last house make any difference?

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Situated in the growing suburb of Point Cook, it's closer to

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the beach and the city centre, with plenty of schools and parks.

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This is a popular area.

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On paper, this newly built four-bedroom house has

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everything the Stephens want, but will it be to their liking?

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-Oh! Ha-ha! Oh, wow!

-Oh! Right!

-Look at all those shoes in here!

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-A walk-in wardrobe.

-Look at the smile on Kay!

-Yeah.

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You've got all your shoes on there as well.

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Oh, I don't know about that.

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This is ticking quite a few boxes so far.

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-The rooms are lovely and spacious.

-You've no net curtains on these.

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We've got rid of the net curtains!

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-Yeah, this is it. This ticks the boxes for me.

-Yeah. Definitely.

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It's our decor, it's what we like.

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At last, the modern living they wanted.

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Even little Kerry's tastes are catered for here.

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-Oh! My bed!

-Could this be a princess room, Kerry?

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That will be my bed.

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Oh, yes!

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-Oh, definitely!

-This is the area we would love to have.

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Spot on, the colour scheme, everything. It's just walk-in.

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And you've got so much of your living space outside.

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Yup. This house seems to be exactly what the Stephens want.

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Or did I speak too soon?

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-It's like a goldfish bowl.

-Yeah.

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Comparing from back home,

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we can sit out the back and there's nobody looking into our garden.

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Well, there's certainly nobody looking in the windows like that.

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Every window, you look out, you'd be waving to them.

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You need the net curtains in here!

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Now, this house with the privacy of the first house, possibly,

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at the back would have ticked all the boxes.

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-Yeah.

-Yeah.

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This house seemed the perfect family home,

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but this aspect has put Kay and Murray off.

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But what if this is the best they could afford on their budget?

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Everything rests on the turn of this card.

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Hmm. Give us a carrot and then pull it away.

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That's a blow. It's at least £60,000 over budget.

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This has put a...reality check on it.

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-Mmm.

-What you can get for what we've got back home.

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We simply couldn't afford

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that on the salaries that we are on at the moment.

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-Come on, then, kids.

-Come on, guys.

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Has the harsh reality of house

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prices in Melbourne burst Kay's bubble?

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The first house made a splash with its large garden

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and swimming pool, but was let down by the interior.

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In contrast, the second appealed to everyone

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but the small garden made it a no-no.

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And although the third house was close to being perfect,

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it was far above their expected budget.

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So, after a day of house-hunting,

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had the Stephens been convinced their future lies down under?

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Our vote is...

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-Undecided!

-Undecided!

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-Value for money is disappointing.

-Yeah.

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If we could plonk our house down here, I would be voting Australia.

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But we've got to get the house right for ourselves.

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So that's why I'm undecided.

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After years of dreaming,

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Melbourne's high property prices were a real wake-up call for Kay.

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But could the benefits of living down under be worth going

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the extra dollar for, especially the famous outdoor Aussie lifestyle?

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Back in Lancashire, the Stephens love to spend time outdoors

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together, but struggle with the unpredictable weather.

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-We love the great outdoors.

-Yeah.

-I love horse riding.

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Murray would live on the golf course.

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And Shaun can't stay away from the rugby.

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What we enjoy, both together as a family and individually,

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is the great outdoors.

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So we're sending them to Werribee Open Zoo for a grand day out and

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if there's one thing you can rely on in Australia, it's sunny days.

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-Animals!

-Look how close they're getting!

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-Oh!

-Oh, look at that. Oh, wow!

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-Zebras!

-Zebras.

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How cool would it be, Shaun, to come out here through the school holidays?

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-Cool.

-And be able to experience this?

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I wish I could do it every day.

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Cos it's peaceful.

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It looks like Shaun's already been won over.

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And his sister's not far behind.

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-Kerry, look at this big rhino.

-Oh, look at this.

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Don't wake it up because it's sleeping.

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This is a far cry from what they're used to in Lancashire.

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And the Stephens are making the most of it.

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In fact, it's inspired Murray to rethink his career.

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I'm going to work in a zoo. An open-range zoo.

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Cos we've got plenty of practice cos we've got a couple of monkeys.

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Nice try, Murray! But I don't think zoo keepers are on the wanted list.

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Look, Kerry. They're all waiting to meet you.

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Moving to Australia has always been about being able to enjoy

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an outdoor lifestyle and today has shown exactly that.

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I'm an animal lover and I grew up on a farm.

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And I think Shaun and Kerry are having an amazing experience

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and absolutely loving it as a family. We're all enjoying this.

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This is something we'd never get the opportunity to do back home.

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This is what I would truly love Shaun and Kerry to be able to grow up

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and experience.

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This is the outdoors. This is what we love as a family.

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However, remembering her childhood has reminded Kay what she'd

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be leaving behind.

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I do go through periods where I'm thinking about my parents

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and my family and Murray's family.

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I secretly hope that if my parents were able to make the journey,

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they might fall in love with Australia.

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But I have to be realistic that it's quite

0:21:390:21:41

possible my parents wouldn't be able to come out here.

0:21:410:21:45

Moving so far from loved ones is always going to involve heartache.

0:21:510:21:55

The Stephens have to decide

0:21:550:21:57

if that pain is worth the life they'd be gaining.

0:21:570:22:00

Based on the Australian lifestyle, we are voting for...

0:22:000:22:05

ALL: Australia!

0:22:100:22:12

We've looked at what we did back home and it's always...

0:22:130:22:18

90% of the time, the weather's not there.

0:22:180:22:22

As a family, we're an outdoor family.

0:22:220:22:26

And being out in Australia will allow us to do that.

0:22:260:22:29

And spend more quality time together in the outdoors.

0:22:290:22:33

It's been a truly amazing experience today.

0:22:330:22:35

After an ideal day under the Aussie sun,

0:22:390:22:41

that's a much happier set of Stephens.

0:22:410:22:44

And the family lifestyle seems tailor-made for them,

0:22:440:22:47

if Mum and Dad can find the work to afford it.

0:22:470:22:50

But for Murray, that could mean facing a heartbreaking challenge.

0:22:500:22:55

In the UK, both the Stephens have careers they love.

0:22:550:22:59

Kay works as a criminal lawyer and Murray is a fireman.

0:22:590:23:03

However, as his job is currently not in demand in Australia,

0:23:030:23:07

Murray believes he might struggle to continue his career.

0:23:070:23:10

The chances are I'm not going to be able to be a firefighter,

0:23:100:23:14

so that's going to be a very difficult hole to fill.

0:23:140:23:17

It's something that I love doing. I'm giving up so much.

0:23:170:23:22

It is a good feeling and it would be very hard to fill that gap.

0:23:220:23:27

And it's not just Murray's career that's at risk.

0:23:270:23:31

Kay would not be able to work

0:23:310:23:32

as a lawyer in Australia without retraining.

0:23:320:23:36

To help her explore her job prospects, we've arranged

0:23:360:23:39

for Kay to meet with Helen Fatouros, who is also a public prosecutor.

0:23:390:23:43

On any given day, advocates from my team are in this court,

0:23:430:23:46

the Magistrates Court,

0:23:460:23:48

across at the County Court or even in the Supreme Court.

0:23:480:23:51

And if you were working with us,

0:23:510:23:54

you'd be doing work in all of those three courts.

0:23:540:23:56

They're a hop, skip and a jump away from each other.

0:23:560:23:59

Meanwhile, with Shaun and Kerry being looked after by a childminder,

0:23:590:24:03

Murray is off to find out about his chances of getting work

0:24:030:24:06

as an Aussie firefighter.

0:24:060:24:08

The service's recruitment manager, Martin Penrose,

0:24:080:24:11

knows exactly what is required.

0:24:110:24:13

In terms of our criteria, it's fairly straightforward.

0:24:130:24:17

The first is that you need to be a permanent resident in Australia

0:24:170:24:22

and the second being that you need to be capable of getting a heavy

0:24:220:24:26

vehicle licence, have a driver's licence, here in our state.

0:24:260:24:29

If we were to move over here, my wife obviously is the permanent

0:24:290:24:34

visa holder to come out here, I would have the same rights as her.

0:24:340:24:37

So if I move out here, I'd be able to apply immediately

0:24:370:24:40

when we came here.

0:24:400:24:42

Pretty much, if your wife's been granted permanent residency,

0:24:420:24:46

and if that flows through to you as well,

0:24:460:24:49

and you're over here and able to get through our process, you can apply.

0:24:490:24:53

What about my age? How will that affect me for getting into the Australian fire service?

0:24:530:24:58

Basically, on our next course, we've got seven people over the age of 40.

0:24:580:25:04

The key is, as long as you keep yourself fit and competent

0:25:040:25:07

and you're able to do the job, we look at all-comers.

0:25:070:25:11

That's good news, if Murray can pass the fitness test.

0:25:110:25:15

But it also depends on Kay getting work as a lawyer.

0:25:150:25:18

Back at the office, she's giving Helen the third degree.

0:25:180:25:22

If we were going to use you in the capacity of an advocate,

0:25:220:25:25

you'd have to qualify appropriately through the Legal Services Board.

0:25:250:25:31

And look, I don't know the exact details of all of that,

0:25:310:25:34

but with your experience,

0:25:340:25:36

I'd expect that there'd be an exemption process of some sort.

0:25:360:25:39

It might not be across the board, like you might have to do

0:25:390:25:42

some additional training, it's probably likely you would.

0:25:420:25:45

So salary-wise, what kind of salary would I expect to be on,

0:25:450:25:49

given my qualifications and experience?

0:25:490:25:51

Our pay scale's in Australian dollars.

0:25:510:25:54

They start for advocates, from around 66,000 a year,

0:25:540:25:57

through to 125,000 a year.

0:25:570:26:00

But it's likely that you'd be earning more than what you're

0:26:000:26:04

-earning at the moment.

-OK. When do I start?

0:26:040:26:07

That all sounds promising, but Kay's sensed a problem.

0:26:070:26:10

I'm up here with enthusiasm and now I'm going to come crashing down.

0:26:100:26:14

I want you to be enthusiastic, but one of the realities

0:26:140:26:17

-is at the moment, it's a slightly cold employment market.

-Right.

0:26:170:26:23

But I say persist.

0:26:230:26:25

And as long as it takes for you to do what you want to do,

0:26:250:26:28

doesn't matter really, it just means it might take a little bit longer.

0:26:280:26:31

-Based on my CV, would you consider me for a position here?

-Yes, I would.

0:26:310:26:35

It's been a day of ups and downs for Kay.

0:26:350:26:39

Although she could earn more with only a little retraining,

0:26:390:26:42

finding work might be a struggle.

0:26:420:26:45

Meanwhile, Murray is meeting with expat Malcolm Bruce,

0:26:450:26:49

who's going to put his fitness and firefighting skills to the test.

0:26:490:26:53

Murray's certainly been put through his paces,

0:27:050:27:08

so has he got what it takes?

0:27:080:27:10

You can see you've got a bit of experience

0:27:100:27:14

and you've done some of that stuff before, so, yeah.

0:27:140:27:17

-Looked pretty good there.

-Thanks for that.

0:27:170:27:20

The thing that is in the back of my mind because of the cost

0:27:200:27:23

of living in Australia is what sort of salary would I be on?

0:27:230:27:27

As a fully qualified firefighter, you can earn up to...just over 66,000.

0:27:270:27:33

Leading firefighter, it goes up to 76,

0:27:330:27:36

so there's a fairly decent jump there.

0:27:360:27:38

And then station officer, goes up to 86,000.

0:27:380:27:42

That could mean earning almost £20,000 more than his current salary.

0:27:420:27:47

It seems Murray's career hasn't gone up in flames.

0:27:470:27:50

Knowing now that I can come over to Australia

0:27:500:27:53

and I can continue my career, it's overwhelming.

0:27:530:27:59

The carrot is now within reach.

0:27:590:28:01

And when Murray meets up with Kay,

0:28:020:28:04

she's eager to know what he's found out.

0:28:040:28:07

If you get your visa to work down here,

0:28:070:28:10

I could start a recruitment process on your visa.

0:28:100:28:15

So it's not a problem.

0:28:150:28:17

And the good thing is once I'm qualified,

0:28:170:28:19

-it's a lot more money as well.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

0:28:190:28:23

The sticking point here though might be

0:28:230:28:25

because here in Victoria State,

0:28:250:28:29

we've got a recruitment freeze.

0:28:290:28:32

But it's still good.

0:28:340:28:36

It's positive to know that if we were to get the finger out,

0:28:360:28:40

then it would be possible.

0:28:400:28:42

You can see with the expression on your face,

0:28:420:28:44

I think that's amazing that we've got some inroads now.

0:28:440:28:48

I'm so pleased.

0:28:490:28:51

It's a positive end to a crucial day.

0:28:530:28:56

However, as Kay and Murray would both need extra training, with

0:28:560:28:59

no guarantee of work at the end, could they really risk emigrating?

0:28:590:29:04

Based on our job experiences today, we are voting for...

0:29:040:29:08

BOTH: Australia!

0:29:120:29:14

Murray's good news is a huge boost to Kay's hopes for emigrating,

0:29:210:29:25

but her work prospects look far from certain.

0:29:250:29:29

With so many question marks hanging over their move,

0:29:290:29:32

it's vital the Stephens find out if they can afford it or not.

0:29:320:29:36

Key to the family being able to make the move is getting the best

0:29:380:29:42

price for their UK home.

0:29:420:29:43

Here we go, then.

0:29:430:29:45

So we sent round two estate agents to give us their valuations.

0:29:450:29:49

Is it worth anywhere near the £260,000 the Stephens

0:29:490:29:53

would like to achieve?

0:29:530:29:54

My first impression of the property is as you come in,

0:29:540:29:57

it's very spacious, open...

0:29:570:30:00

KERRY: Why did she just go in without us?

0:30:000:30:03

Beautiful landing. Nice light fitting. Very elegant.

0:30:150:30:19

That took a bit of fitting.

0:30:190:30:22

Princess room! The fact this is a double room is an advantage.

0:30:220:30:27

Is that my double bedroom?

0:30:270:30:30

I would expect a property of this type,

0:30:310:30:34

size and condition to achieve in the region of £235-250,000.

0:30:340:30:38

For a quick sale,

0:30:380:30:40

I think you're looking at offers around the 220 region.

0:30:400:30:43

220?

0:30:430:30:45

I would value this property at £250,000.

0:30:450:30:49

For a quick sale, it would be lower than that, maybe 240, 230,000.

0:30:490:30:54

-That is a huge drop.

-And this is the problem.

0:30:560:31:00

The Australian prices have gone up and the UK's gone down,

0:31:000:31:03

so the difference between has separated it,

0:31:030:31:07

so therefore the house that we're going for would probably have

0:31:070:31:11

to be a lot smaller, so we'll have to be prepared to downsize.

0:31:110:31:14

That's the sacrifice I think we're going to have to be ready for.

0:31:140:31:18

And I think you're right about that.

0:31:180:31:20

Murray and Kay might be prepared to live in a smaller

0:31:200:31:24

house in Australia, but there's also the question of living costs.

0:31:240:31:28

We've prepared a comparison of day-to-day prices to see

0:31:280:31:31

if the Stephens could afford the move.

0:31:310:31:34

-So we start with the weekly shopping list.

-Yeah.

0:31:370:31:43

There just seems to be a real disparity in the figures here,

0:31:430:31:47

where these items are concerned.

0:31:470:31:50

-Yoghurts, fruit...

-But yet the vegetables are cheaper.

0:31:500:31:56

So that's an extra 50... £55 per week.

0:31:560:32:02

That's a sizeable increase in the weekly food bills.

0:32:020:32:06

Not an ideal start.

0:32:060:32:08

Our joint income is...

0:32:080:32:11

-£5,577.75.

-Yeah.

0:32:110:32:13

Our potential earning is considerably more here in Australia

0:32:130:32:17

than it is at present.

0:32:170:32:19

-Just over 21,000, joint income.

-Well, that's...

0:32:190:32:24

That's amazing, to what we thought we'd earn.

0:32:240:32:27

An extra £21,000 per year is great news, but taking the higher

0:32:270:32:32

cost of living into consideration, how do the numbers add up?

0:32:320:32:36

It appears that we will be roughly

0:32:360:32:40

-£14,500 better off.

-That is amazing!

0:32:400:32:44

That is fantastic! That figure, I did not expect that at all.

0:32:440:32:49

That would maybe mean we could buy...

0:32:490:32:52

-spend more on a property than...

-Considerably more.

-Yeah.

0:32:520:32:56

That all sounds very promising and I think I can guess which way

0:32:560:33:01

they might vote.

0:33:010:33:03

Based on the cost of living, we are voting for...

0:33:030:33:06

BOTH: Australia!

0:33:100:33:13

Those figures are really exciting and encouraging and positive.

0:33:140:33:20

So the financial side of moving to Oz shouldn't be the barrier now.

0:33:200:33:25

I think it's all pointing towards the families, really.

0:33:250:33:30

Murray's convinced the numbers do add up for the Stephens.

0:33:340:33:38

And Kay's dream looks like it could be affordable after all,

0:33:380:33:41

if she can find work.

0:33:410:33:44

But they both know there's one thing they can't put a price on -

0:33:440:33:48

the pain of leaving their family behind.

0:33:480:33:51

Kay knows that giving up her family,

0:33:530:33:55

who have always lived close by, would be difficult for everyone.

0:33:550:34:00

So to help the Stephens see how they might cope with emigrating

0:34:000:34:03

and to get a different view of Melbourne,

0:34:030:34:06

we've arranged for them to spend the day with Amelia and Jed Martin.

0:34:060:34:10

Amelia moved from the UK 14 years ago

0:34:100:34:13

and should be able to address Kay

0:34:130:34:15

and Murray's concerns after a spot of sailing in Melbourne harbour.

0:34:150:34:19

This is the life!

0:34:190:34:21

We don't do this very often in Bacup.

0:34:220:34:26

It's a great way to relax and watch the world float by.

0:34:260:34:30

But concerns soon bob to the surface.

0:34:360:34:40

It's a whole mixed bag of emotions, at this moment in time.

0:34:400:34:44

I'm close to my parents, as is Murray with his side of the family.

0:34:440:34:48

Yeah, it does sort of...

0:34:490:34:51

My family have been really good at making plans to come here

0:34:510:34:55

and visit now and again, opened up their little world of,

0:34:550:34:58

"Oh, we could get on a plane. We could spend 20 hours on a plane."

0:34:580:35:02

My dad's been really good at doing that. They enjoyed coming out here.

0:35:020:35:06

I'm feeling apprehensive for a number of reasons

0:35:060:35:09

because of the impact it will have on family here,

0:35:090:35:13

the children because they are so close to grandparents.

0:35:130:35:17

The impact it will have on my parents, Murray's side of the family.

0:35:170:35:20

The first seven years were quite topsy-turvy,

0:35:200:35:24

whether we want to stay here or not getting homesick,

0:35:240:35:26

getting over it and being OK, then getting homesick again.

0:35:260:35:30

You get used to it

0:35:300:35:31

and people accept that you're not going to be there for everything.

0:35:310:35:34

You actually get bored of the emotion of being homesick all the time.

0:35:340:35:37

You end up going, "I can't keep being homesick all the time",

0:35:370:35:40

and you get more involved will this side of life.

0:35:400:35:43

I'm still trying to keep an open mind

0:35:430:35:45

and not let my heart rule my head and that's particularly important.

0:35:450:35:50

There's so many factors to consider.

0:35:500:35:52

With so much riding on this move,

0:35:520:35:55

it seems Kay and Murray have a tough decision ahead of them.

0:35:550:35:58

A day out with new friends gave a glimpse of a bright future in Australia,

0:36:020:36:07

but it also reminded Kay of how much she would miss her loved ones back home.

0:36:070:36:12

So will seeing messages from them put an end to her dream?

0:36:120:36:16

We've prepared a DVD of thoughts from family and friends back home.

0:36:180:36:23

It could be an emotional experience but Kay and Murray have decided

0:36:230:36:27

to watch it with the children to see how they feel about moving.

0:36:270:36:30

Hello, everybody, I hope you're all enjoying yourselves.

0:36:320:36:37

Hi, Kay, hi, Murray, hi, kids, I hope you're having a wonderful time.

0:36:370:36:40

Murray is the best brother you could ever wish for.

0:36:430:36:46

He's fun, he's loving, caring.

0:36:460:36:49

He's a smashing bloke, a true professional.

0:36:500:36:54

He's a great colleague, a great friend.

0:36:550:36:58

Probably the most competitive person I've ever met in my life.

0:36:580:37:02

He's never beaten and he's never wrong, for some reason!

0:37:020:37:06

Well, the grandchildren mean everything.

0:37:070:37:10

Both Shaun and Kerry are just so active round our place here

0:37:100:37:14

that it's wonderful.

0:37:140:37:15

Funny and cute!

0:37:180:37:19

Well good, well good is one of the expressions.

0:37:190:37:23

They can go, but...

0:37:250:37:26

I know I jokingly said that both Murray and Kay can go

0:37:270:37:30

but leave the grandchildren, but I don't really mean that!

0:37:300:37:33

I think it is an amazing opportunity

0:37:350:37:39

and I'm obviously thinking about the friendship I've got with her.

0:37:390:37:44

Oh, I'd miss them hugely.

0:37:440:37:47

Because it is the other side of the world.

0:37:490:37:52

We will miss you, but we certainly wouldn't try to stop you going,

0:37:530:37:57

that's for sure.

0:37:570:37:58

I hope you've given it a lot of thought

0:38:000:38:02

and you've got to think about what you're giving up here.

0:38:020:38:06

However, I know whatever decision you make,

0:38:060:38:10

it will definitely be in the best interests of your family,

0:38:100:38:13

so good look, guys, and I hope it all works out, either way.

0:38:130:38:18

If it's right for you, both of you, and the grandchildren,

0:38:200:38:25

then, as we've said, you must seriously think about it.

0:38:250:38:29

Just keep safe, be happy, look after each other,

0:38:310:38:35

and take care all the time.

0:38:350:38:38

Love you to bits.

0:38:380:38:39

-And we're only a phone call away.

-Absolutely!

0:38:390:38:43

You feel, in a surreal way, that you're away having a break...

0:38:510:38:54

..but when it shows you that...

0:38:550:38:59

your mum and dad,

0:38:590:39:02

my dad, Audrey, it's mixed emotions, isn't it?

0:39:020:39:09

Because you feel that the people we care about and love

0:39:090:39:13

are all 100% behind us and they want

0:39:130:39:17

us to get the best out of life.

0:39:170:39:20

Yeah, of course they do, they want what is best for us

0:39:200:39:24

and it just reminds us of everybody that we know and love back home.

0:39:240:39:29

The reality of leaving family and friends is always painful,

0:39:330:39:37

especially for children,

0:39:370:39:39

but it's just one of the pressures weighing on Kay and Murray's minds.

0:39:390:39:43

After an eventful week in Melbourne,

0:39:430:39:45

it's time for the Stephens to make their final vote.

0:39:450:39:48

As their trip draws to a close, there's still a lot to think about.

0:39:480:39:52

The last seven days have certainly opened Murray's eyes

0:39:520:39:56

to the kind of life they could all lead.

0:39:560:39:59

It's been an amazing journey from the start.

0:39:590:40:02

We've done so many things.

0:40:020:40:04

When I was a child, I remember being by the seaside.

0:40:040:40:07

It was on my doorstep

0:40:070:40:08

and we often used to run down after school for an hour before tea.

0:40:080:40:13

It's something I would like the children to experience.

0:40:130:40:16

I know in the nine years Kay and I have been together,

0:40:160:40:19

I could count on one hand how many times we've gone to the seaside

0:40:190:40:23

and this could be something that we could do every day.

0:40:230:40:27

The eyes have been opened to what sort of life we could have as a family.

0:40:270:40:32

But the idea of leaving everyone behind is creating massive doubts

0:40:320:40:36

for both Kay and Murray.

0:40:360:40:38

I'm so, so close to my parents.

0:40:380:40:40

It's funny how the tables turn

0:40:420:40:44

because my parents have always been there for me.

0:40:440:40:46

They've said, look, you're free to make whatever decision you please

0:40:460:40:50

and we will support you, no matter what.

0:40:500:40:53

But I still do feel that I want to be there for them

0:40:530:40:57

and you can't at the other side of the world.

0:40:570:41:00

It hits home how far we're going to be away from them.

0:41:030:41:07

When I saw Shaun getting upset...

0:41:070:41:09

..you keep wondering if you're doing the right thing.

0:41:110:41:15

It is still a battle in my mind.

0:41:150:41:17

The heartache of that against wanting to do what's right for my family

0:41:210:41:27

in terms of my immediate family now, Murray, Shaun and Kerry.

0:41:270:41:32

Now, as they come to make the final crucial vote,

0:41:320:41:35

have they been convinced their future lies in Australia,

0:41:350:41:40

or is the other side of the world just too far from those they love?

0:41:400:41:44

Based on our week in Australia, we are going to choose to live in...

0:41:440:41:50

ALL: ..Australia!

0:41:540:41:57

-What did you vote, Shaun?

-Australia.

0:42:000:42:02

-Did you?

-I love Australia!

0:42:020:42:07

Why have you voted Australia? What do you really think?

0:42:070:42:10

Because every night we could go out and play football

0:42:100:42:16

and run along the streets and play games and everything.

0:42:160:42:21

Well, I couldn't have put it better myself.

0:42:210:42:25

-Were you 100% sure on your decision there?

-I am.

0:42:290:42:35

I feel the same in my heart as I do in my mind now.

0:42:350:42:40

I'm just glad that we're united as a family

0:42:400:42:43

and I think that's what's so important above everything.

0:42:430:42:47

After facing the emotional and financial costs,

0:42:510:42:55

it's a unanimous vote from the Stephens for a new life down under.

0:42:550:42:59

With the difficult decision behind them,

0:42:590:43:01

it's time for the next part of their journey to begin.

0:43:010:43:05

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0:43:080:43:12

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