Power Family Wanted Down Under

If living in the UK had you feeling the pinch, how far would you go

to give your family the life you felt they deserved?

You could be tempted to move to the other side of the world.

But what if that meant splitting up your close family for good?

Single mum Liz Power

and her children have an incredibly close bond.

We always call ourselves the Power Pack because we're just...

-We're a herd.

-But she's struggling to make ends meet.

I had to ask the school to give Mo a new blazer,

and they very kindly gave her one, because I couldn't buy one.

A trial week in Australia proves a complete revelation.

Oh, my God!

We have a pool under the house.

But will it be worth splitting up her family for good?

Right now, this second,

I don't know if I could move to Australia without Alice.

30 times bigger than the UK,

but with less than a third of the population,

Australia promises a laid-back lifestyle in the sunshine.

Every year, enough British residents to fill 100 jumbo jets

pack away their umbrellas

and fly off in pursuit of a sun-soaked life down under.

But the grass isn't always greener.

Of those that make the move, over a quarter return home.

After a gruelling few years,

Liz Power's determined to make a fresh start

and thinks Australia could be the answer.

But with oldest daughter Alice set on starting art college

in the UK, moving would mean breaking up the close-knit family.

Now, Liz has just one week to see if the country can provide enough

to justify separating siblings on opposite sides of the world.

After 20 hours flying 10,000 miles from London to Melbourne,

the Power family get their feet on Australian soil for the first time.

And all that time in the air's taken a toll on teenage Mo's body-clock.

They gave me a lunch,

and then they gave me a breakfast and I got really confused.

I was like, "Why are you giving this to me?"

And she said, "Well, it's breakfast time."

I was like, "No, you're supposed to give me a dinner."

Poor Mo! But how does mum Liz feel about having made it to Australia?

I feel really nervous.

I feel really a bit scared,

but actually a lot more excited than anything.

I'm a little apprehensive because Alice is at home

and this is the first time we've ever been away without her.

Nerves have set in with Jack, too.

I'm concerned about when we sit down

and look at the financial side of things,

whether we can actually maintain a life out here.

The next week could address everyone's fears,

but will also see Liz decide if she can leave her daughter

Alice behind.

It would be much easier if we get here and say,

"Yeah, it's been lovely, but actually it's not for us."

I don't want it to come to that.

I think this is the start of something new

and I don't want it to stop now.

Where the Powers will eventually call home

all rides on the next seven days.

Back in the UK, the Powers are mum Liz, 16-year-old Jack

and 15-year-old Mo.

They live in Holbeach in Lincolnshire with 21-year-old Alice.

Life for the Powers in this country is all about me working,

them going to school and us standing on the side of a rugby field.

Go on, Jack! No, not in his face.

Since becoming a single-parent family nine years ago,

Liz and her three children have developed an unbreakable bond.

As a family, we are very close because we've been through

a lot together and we've always stuck by each other.

We always call ourselves the Power Pack because we're just...

We're a herd.

And we can't lose a member of the group,

because we wouldn't be able to survive.

But for Liz, a break-up also meant becoming the sole breadwinner,

which has been a tough transition.

One minute you're living a fairly affluent life, owning a house,

having money, having foreign holidays, having big cars,

to suddenly it all going in an instant.

Nurse Liz works around the clock to provide for her family,

but finds her salary just can't stretch far enough.

It's difficult. It's hard. And there isn't any spare and we just manage.

We just do. Every month, we...

You juggle and hope you get to the end of it and get to payday again.

And she feels guilty about the impact this has on her children.

I would just love a better standard of living for them.

I had to ask to school to give Mo a new blazer,

and they very kindly gave her one, because I couldn't buy one.

Trying to keep their heads above water is a daily challenge

and Mo worries about the strain placed on her mum.

All she wants is the best for her family.

And she can't stand that she can't provide for us all the time.

Liz is desperate to give her children

a more financially stable future

and believes Australia might be the place to do it.

Two years ago, she even bought a return plane ticket to check it out,

but not for herself - for daughter Alice, who was then only 18.

I sent Alice out to Australia for a month for her to look around

because, of the three of them, she was the one that was,

"No, I don't want to do it," and, to begin with, she enjoyed it.

But news from home that her mum had been in a car crash

changed everything for Alice.

Knowing that she was dealing with those things on her own

and it happening so soon into me being away, erm, it was awful.

I spent the entire holiday wanting to go home.

Returning to England, Alice made it clear -

if the family emigrated, she would be staying home.

Now Liz believes it could be time to make the move,

but pursuing a better future for Mo and Jack will mean testing

the Power Pack's ability to survive if four become three.

I think, ultimately, I will have to decide between them.

And part of me thinks that's a really bad thing to do.

Alice doesn't want them to go,

but agrees with her mum that it could be for the best.

I would never, ever try to stop them from going.

Because I still believe Australia's where they're meant to be.

Jack and Mo know their mum's worried about breaking the bond

they've all come to rely on.

I think it's always going to be hard for Mum, leaving her

because it's one of her children.

If anything happened to her while we weren't there,

it would just break her heart.

Tired of facing financial struggles,

Liz believes Australia could give Jack and Mo a better future.

But leaving Alice could be the end of the road for the Power Pack.

I'll miss her terribly.

She's my dolly.

I don't want her to feel abandoned.

Because I promised I'd never leave her.

For their first ever taste of Australian living,

the family are visiting Melbourne, the country's second-largest city.

Voted the most liveable city in the world

for the last three years running,

it could be the perfect place for the fresh start Liz craves.

The Powers' temporary base for the week

is in the family-friendly suburb of Yarraville,

just a few miles west of the city centre

and straight away they're impressed.

-Oh, wow.

-What?

-Oh, my goodness. Look at this!

-So, like, open.

-Yeah.

-It's all good vibes so far.

Big, open-plan. One big room, kitchen, living, dining.

Everything all in one.

-But Jack's spotted a flaw.

-I'm not sure about the floor.

All carpets to all wood.

But I think we're going to find that in Australia.

A quick look outside puts everyone in a good mood.

It's a teeny, tiny garden, but it's just perfect, isn't it?

-Grapes.

-Grapes?

-What?

-That's just bonkers, isn't it?

-It's not Lincolnshire at all.

-It's not England. THEY LAUGH

But Liz's laughter doesn't last long

when she remembers who they've left at home.

I wish Alice was here. She'd love this. She would love it.

Liz hopes Australia can give Mo and Jack a better future

but, as they make themselves at home,

it's clear they could be on a road to nowhere

if she can't come to terms

with the thought of leaving her oldest daughter behind.

Right now, this second,

I don't know if I could move to Australia without Alice.

The family will soon face an agonising decision.

It's only just hit, but I'm worried about moving so far away.

Leaving everyone back in the UK.

Family is very important,

but so is a future and that's all Mum wants for us.

The best future that we can possibly have.

I suppose the natural order of things is they leave you,

you don't leave them.

So, you know, it's just how in reality that works out.

In the UK, the Powers rent a three-bedroom bungalow in Holbeach.

It's a lovely home and it's really served its purpose for us,

but we've been here two years and it's...

It's not home.

I like quirky houses, really.

I like Victorian houses, but I like quirky houses and this isn't...

this isn't it.

But relying on the local rental market

to find the right house isn't always easy.

I worked out the other day, we've lived...

Since I was born, we have lived in about nine houses or something?

-Seven.

-Er, no. It's nine since Wales.

-Is it?

So in an ideal world,

what kind of house are they hoping to find in Australia?

I don't want a big house. I'd like an open-plan living area.

I like kitchen/living/dining rooms, all in one.

I would like everybody to have their own bedroom,

but other than that, I'm not that fussed.

I'd like it to be easy to look after

and I'd like to be able to hear the sea.

It will look like our house and someone could walk in and say,

"This is definitely the Power style and how the Powers would do this."

-I'd prefer it to be modern.

-I'd prefer it to be old.

-Exactly!

That's right.

-But, yeah, modern. White.

-White?

-And black.

Initially, Liz would rent in Australia

and have £1,300 to spend per calendar month.

To find out what kind of house they could have,

we'll show them three properties.

Two on budget and a third which could be their dream home.

Only after they've seen each one will they find out its value.

The search gets going

six miles northwest of Melbourne city centre in Aberfeldie.

The area offers a village feel with parks and shops,

and with schools and a hospital close by,

it could be perfect for the children and nurse Liz.

Wow, look at these really old trees. Really old trees.

Thumbs up for the trees, but will the house be quirky enough for Liz?

-Oh, now this is light and airy, isn't it?

-This is lovely.

-It's lovely.

-Oh!

-Look at the fireplace!

-Sounds positive so far.

Still not sure about the flooring.

It's like a kitchen with a bed plonked in it.

I'm sensing Jack has an issue with wooden floors.

On the whole, though, this three-bedroom house is looking good.

My goodness, how many rooms!

It looks really small at the front and quite dark,

and then you come in here and it's just not, at all.

But a look at the bathroom divides opinion.

-No.

-This is a really nice-sized bathroom.

-Do you think? I don't.

-I don't think so at all. I think it's tiny.

-Yeah.

-Compared to the rest of the rooms.

-Yeah, compared to the rest.

I mean, it's functional and it's got everything you need.

But given the other room sizes, this is tiny.

Hopefully the living area with the open-plan living Liz wants

will appeal to everyone.

Oh, my goodness. This is huge!

-Oh, that's...

-And there's a kitchen.

-This is nice.

-Open-plan living.

-This is excellent!

-What about those floors, Jack?

-I don't actually mind the flooring though.

-Oh, good.

-Because...

-SHE LAUGHS

-No, it's just like...

-Cos it works in here, doesn't it?

-Yeah, exactly.

And downstairs lies something which will literally

take everyone's breath away.

-What...? You're not going to believe it.

-No! No way! No, it can't...

Oh, my God!

No.

It wasn't on their wish list, but this house has its own pool.

This can't be ours. We have a pool under the house.

-This has got to make Alice want to come out here.

-How bizarre.

I was just thinking exactly the same thing.

I thought, "This'll bring Alice out."

With Alice never far from everyone's thoughts,

the family explore the garden.

Oh, look, Jack. We're going to have to get a goat.

And you've got some stuff at the end

so you can plant all your little plants, Mum.

That'd be perfect for you.

-Little veg patch.

-I'll be too busy in the pool.

I won't be doing any gardening.

But before Liz gets carried away, the family need to find out

whether their £1,300 rental budget could afford a house like this.

How much do you think this is worth then, Mo?

It's going to be at least... erm...two grand.

-I think it might even be more than that.

-Three. Yeah.

-I think it might be 1,500, maybe.

-Pounds.

Time to find out.

I don't want to look!

-What?

-Oh, that can't be right.

That's insane. That's bang on our budget.

SHE LAUGHS It can't be!

We can afford a pool in our house.

Oh, my God.

That's amazing. I'm really, really surprised at that.

Really surprised at that.

It looks like the rental market in Melbourne

might offer a lot more value for money than the Powers get back home,

and they've still two more properties to view.

The next is in the coastal suburb of Williamstown,

a listed heritage area 30 minutes' drive from the city centre.

It's popular with families,

but will this three-bedroom period house please the Power Pack?

I'd say it was compact, but you know what it's like.

-They just keep going, don't they?

-Let's hope Liz is right.

-The same floors again.

-Don't mention the floors, Mo.

-Same high ceilings.

-Oh, wow.

-It's beautiful.

Victorian seaside. This is what it looks like in all our seaside towns.

This is lovely.

It's perfect for Liz, but with those wooden floors everywhere,

maybe not for Jack.

-I like a more modern house.

-Too old for you, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Whereas I feel completely at home here.

Liz and Jack's opinions on decor are definitely conflicting,

and things go from bad to worse in the bathroom.

Oh, my goodness.

-Wow.

-It smells old.

-It smells old?

-I like the bath.

-I love this room!

-But I can feel beside me, you absolutely hate it.

-Hate it.

This definitely isn't the modern look Jack's after.

I mean, who steps up steps and gets into a bath?

Honestly, it's like I'm going to sing as I get into the bath.

-It's just...

-Please don't.

-..fab!

-Please don't.

-# I'm going to take a bath... #

But Liz's jovial mood doesn't last when she admits the bathroom

reminds her of the family house they had to sell.

That's why I'm having a little moment about it, because it just...

Everything about it the coving, the light fittings, everything.

Then that's another reason why we shouldn't get this one,

because it's too similar to our other house

and Australia's about getting a new chance and new experience.

-New start.

-Yeah.

-A new start.

Mo's determined to keep the mood upbeat and, moving on,

something finally impresses Jack.

-This is better.

-OK, I'm liking this. This is nice and modern. I like this.

OK, if we just have this side of the house, that'd be great.

Yeah, we'll lock this door and keep you that side.

Keep me that side!

Despite first impressions, a complete tour of the house

has proved there's something for everyone.

And even in the wet weather, the garden looks OK, too.

Oh, this is a lovely space, isn't it?

Well, it's just another sitting room,

cos you could use it whatever the weather.

-Yeah.

-This house is beautiful.

Initially, this house left Jack cold,

but discovering the modern living area means even he

would happily call it home.

But can they afford the house that offers the whole family something?

-I think about 2,500 per month.

-Do you?

-Yeah.

I think it's going to be more than the last house,

just because it's so close to the sea.

I think 2,000.

The family's budget is £1,300 per month.

What? No. That can't be right.

The last house was beautiful, don't get me wrong,

but I just see myself living in a place like this.

Cos we've rented so many houses, it's always, for us, finding the new house

that's at the right price and hoping this one would be the last one.

And maybe one in Australia would be it.

This house has captured Mo's heart, but there's still one more to view.

Situated in Kingsville, one of the most affordable inner suburbs,

we found a Victorian four-bedroom property

with plenty of room for Alice to visit.

It's got old and new interiors, so could be everyone's dream house.

-It's big.

-See again, it doesn't look like...

-What it looked like from the outside.

-At all.

Although there is an upstairs level,

the bedrooms are on the ground floor.

This is an artist's house.

-And you've got a walk-in wardrobe in here.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

-Wow.

Lovely. I'd be tempted to use this as a lounge, not a bedroom, but...

But it's weird that these two bedrooms are downstairs

when we know there's an upstairs.

-Yeah.

-Makes me wonder what is upstairs.

-Yeah.

Not so fast, Liz. There's still plenty to see downstairs.

-I like this house cos it's old-fashioned. It's Victorian.

-Yeah.

I'm not too sure about it.

-This could actually be in England. It doesn't feel Australian.

-No.

Again, Jack's not convinced.

Perhaps the kitchen will win him over.

-This is nice.

-This is lovely.

I mean, this looks like it's come out of some turn-of-the-century

industrial kitchen and then there's this lovely big cooker and...

That's fab.

Mo and Liz are happy, but what about Jack?

I don't like how dark it is throughout the house.

-And the garden's an issue too.

-I don't know.

It feels slightly weird, this garden.

-It is very pretty, but feels cramped.

-Yeah.

Given what we've seen before, it feels quite cramped.

It's just a very different property.

Moving upstairs though, the house reveals a potential hidden gem.

Oh, wow.

Look at this. It's like a studio.

What a great space.

-This is really nice.

-This really changed my opinion of the house.

And Liz thinks it could be a selling point for art student Alice.

If Alice saw this she'd... definitely move to Australia

and take over the top floor of the house.

Despite sounding like the dream home on paper,

this home was slow to sell itself,

but discovering a potential room for Alice has won Liz over, at least.

But will discovering what it costs change everything?

I think it's going to be the least of all of them.

I'd be surprised if it's more than the last house.

-So about 1,000?

-Maybe, yeah.

-Hm.

-Or maybe 1,200.

-No!

-Oh, my goodness.

-Really?

-£340 over budget makes this the dearest property of the day.

-What?

Why?

-It must be that area.

-Yeah. It must be.

-That's really shocked me.

-That's a lot of money, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Property hunting has been thought-provoking for the Powers.

The first house was bang on budget

and the family were stunned to discover

they could afford a house with a pool.

With a mix of old and new,

property two caused conflict between Liz and Jack,

but was close enough to budget to convince Mo

they could afford a better home down under.

But the dream house didn't quite live up to expectations.

And discovering it was £340 over budget

was a real surprise for everyone.

Based on the houses that we've seen today,

we have to decided to vote for...

-Australia.

-UK.

-Really?

-Mm-hm.

-Why?

It's just the houses, I didn't think they were modern enough.

Like, the first house, I preferred that,

but it was away from everything.

What I really liked about them was the open-plan living space

that, you know, we could have that, that we don't have in England.

-The prices surprised me so much in Australia.

-Me too.

I like the idea of that.

Although Jack wasn't sold, seeing the kind of homes

they could afford in Australia was a welcome surprise for Liz,

fuelling her yearning for a new beginning.

But Liz knows if she's to escape her financial struggles in the UK

and give Mo and Jack the life she believes they deserve,

the pressure's really on for her to find a well-paid job.

You sit yourself down.

In the UK, Liz is a children's ward sister

in a hospital near Peterborough.

Are you ready?

There are days where it's the worst job in the world

and you do home and think, "That's it, I'm never going back.

"I can't do this. I'm not tough enough."

What's in here?

'And then the next day, you come back'

and something really beautiful happens and you just think,

"I couldn't do anything else."

THEY LAUGH

But doing a job she loves doesn't always pay the bills.

The cost of living in this country has got higher and higher

and I don't get any help other than my salary.

I earn too much for any help, but not enough to manage.

OK, won't be a minute. Bye.

Liz is hoping she'll increase her earnings in Australia,

so today's crucial if she's to make her dream a reality.

I'm feeling really nervous today.

I'm feeling like an awful lot rides

on what happens over the next few hours.

She's meeting Naomi Mackenzie, associate unit manager

in the paediatric unit at Austin Hospital in Heidelberg.

-Hello, Liz. I'm Naomi.

-Hi there. Nice to meet you.

-Shall I show you round?

-That would be lovely.

Naomi's role is similar to Liz's in the UK.

But there are some differences when it comes to shift patterns.

Have you ever worked 12-hour shifts straight?

-So you have two shifts a day.

-No.

-No?

-No.

-It's too exhausting.

-Yeah.

-Is that what you do?

-Yeah, we do.

I work seven to 7.30.

Shorter shifts could be a definite plus.

Jack and Mo are anxious to find out

how they might fit into Australian school life.

We've arranged for them to visit Maribyrnong College,

a popular choice for international students.

Rugby-mad Jack gets a tour of facilities at the sports academy.

You could spend nearly a third of your week in here,

training and preparing and learning the skills of being an athlete.

And you do your normal academic subjects, your English

and your PE and your geography, that all happens.

I dream of being able to do something like this.

Add more sports to my lifestyle and school time.

So just hit the bottom.

Worried about having to start afresh making friends,

Jack's also grateful for the chance to meet some fellow students

and join in training

given by Australian rugby star, Nic Henderson.

Mate, you've come to the right place

in terms of coming to Melbourne, Victoria.

I mean, it's probably the sporting capital of Australia.

Meanwhile, Mo's discovering the school plays

to her passion for performing arts.

Assistant principal Danni Angelico has invited her to rehearsals

for their annual production.

So today we're just starting to rehearse the opening number

and we're going to do some singing and some dancing.

-So if you want to join us, that'd be great.

-Yeah, that'd be really great.

-Fantastic.

-Thank you.

There's no time for stage fright as Mo pitches in.

# This time, baby, I'll be bulletproof... #

With rehearsals wrapped, Mo proves a hit with students.

-How long have you been in Australia for?

-Three days.

-Do you like it?

I haven't really seen much yet, but I like it.

You have a school with a stage, that's good enough!

Do you have a lot of classes doing theatre?

-Um...

-It's an elective.

-Yeah, it's an elective.

In about Year 9 and 10.

Theatre studies aren't yet an option at Mo's school in the UK,

so realising she could combine her passion

with her education's a real incentive.

But she knows if mum Liz can't find work,

if could be the final curtain for a life down under.

Everything really relies on this part of the experience, really.

And I'm just very scared that if it doesn't work out then

we'll be very heartbroken.

-Liz, this is Paula who's head of human resources here.

-Hi, Liz.

-Welcome.

-Back at the hospital,

Liz has hooked up with human resources executive Paula Jeffs.

Liz knows she'll need to register as a nurse in Australia

before looking for work, but she's keen to find out

about the potential opportunities.

We've got 110 public hospitals across metropolitan and rural Victoria,

so there's a lot of nursing positions

and UK nurses are very attractive to us.

That's great news for Liz, but she also needs to know what

kind of role she might qualify for in Australia.

Looking at your resume, it does appear to map really nicely

to what we call an associate nurse until manager role.

The competition that you've got, though, is high,

because there's a lot of people who are in the system already

waiting for those roles to come up.

One of the things that you might want to think about is applying

for a role as a senior nurse and get in the system.

Once you get into the system, into a ward and see what's going on,

then you're really able to compete.

That's not such good news.

If Liz wanted to find work quickly,

she'd have to take a step back from the more senior role she's used to.

Maybe a bit of time off from the managerial side

would be a nice change,

but I think just because I'm bringing my children over here

for a better standard of living than we have at the moment,

it's just whether that financially that would be really viable.

While she would gain more time with the children,

Liz is worried that the financial implications could derail her dream.

So your salary would be close to 80,000 per annum.

If you were translating then into what you're more qualified for,

the associate nurse until manager role, you'd then start to earn

three or four dollars more an hour on top of that rate.

Even undertaking a more junior role, if Liz worked full-time

in Australia, she'd earn almost double what she does in the UK.

It's a great result,

and one she can't wait to share with Jack and Mo.

Hi, how did you get on?

-Really good.

-Good day?

-Yeah.

-Cool. Erm.

-I had a really good time in there. Really nice ward.

-Good.

Lovely staff.

And looks like, yeah, I could get a job here quite easily

and the salary looks really, really, really good.

-Something that we could live on in Australia?

-Definitely.

-Yeah, and some.

-Awesome.

I'd say the deal is pretty much done

as Liz chooses between work in Australia or the UK.

So based on what I've seen today, with regarding my job,

my decision is...

Australia.

Knowing she could find well-paid work in Australia

is a massive relief for Liz

and puts her one step closer to giving Jack and Mo

the fresh start she believes they deserve.

But will the reality of an Aussie lifestyle

live up to their expectations and put to bed Liz's doubts

about leaving Alice to survive

without the other members of the Pack?

To get a taste of what life could be like down under,

the family take advantage of Melbourne's bike share scheme

to explore the city from the saddle.

We look like a little biking crew.

-What, like the Tour de France?

-THEY LAUGH

There are over 50 bike stations throughout the city,

enabling locals to pick up and drop as they please

and for sports-mad Jack, it's just perfect.

Oh, this is lovely.

-Oh. Oh, yes. Mmm.

-MO LAUGHS

The bike ride's been a resounding success.

I last rode a bike 14 years ago and fell off. But that was good.

Well worth getting back on again.

After all that exercise, it's time for some rest and relaxation.

And what could be more chilled-out than a gondola ride?

Beautiful. That will shut Jack out.

Do that now, and then you can't see Jack.

This man-made lake is in Melbourne's botanical gardens.

Feels like it should be a million miles away from a city,

-and then you look over there...

-And you can see the city.

Mo and Liz are enjoying the ride, but Jack's gone under cover.

I don't think he's talking to us.

Sorry. I was just admiring the inside of the...umbrella.

The family round off their day with time out in the gardens

and reflect on the lifestyle Australia could offer.

Every weekend like this would be cool,

instead of being at home stuck in the rain.

-'Like we are sometimes in the UK.'

-Two can play at this game!

I really enjoyed it and I really hope that Mum and Jack enjoyed it too.

It's just paradise really.

But even though she's had fun, mum Liz is now becoming torn.

I'm really in two minds about Australia today.

As beautiful as it is and as lovely as the sunshine is,

I can't honestly say whether this is the right thing for us to do.

I really... I don't know.

Liz is used to having all three of her children close to hand.

And the reality of permanently being on the other side of the world

from daughter Alice is beginning to hit home.

I think that would be something that we'd really need to think about.

Is this enough to give up what we've got in England?

And it's stopped being about the money now,

it's more about our family life.

Jack knows his mum's struggling without his older sister.

It's definitely been hard on Mum not seeing her this week

and doing all the things without her.

But having fallen for the country, Mo's being more practical.

I love my family. I love my friends.

But if it's not going to get me the future I want,

then I don't see the point of staying in a country

where I'm not going to go anywhere.

As the end of their trial week creeps closer,

it's clear the family will face an increasingly difficult decision.

But for now, it's time to see

whether the Australian lifestyle has lived up to expectations.

Today, we're going to vote for...

-Australia.

-Australia.

I think we've had a great day. We've seen the city.

The weather's been fabulous.

We don't really go out in the weekends together as a family.

-I think here, we'd be able to do that.

-I just love it here.

You know I love it here, it's just so much better than England.

A trio of votes for Australia is a great result.

But while falling in love with the lifestyle's all very well,

for the move to happen, Liz needs to be 100% certain

the country really can deliver the financially secure future

she's holding out for.

To help calculate how their figures might fare in Australia,

we've prepared a cost-of-living comparison.

Right, then, guys. Well, this is the moment of truth, really.

To see whether it's viable or not.

Stage one is a look at the weekly shop.

How can Marmite be cheaper in this country? That's amazing.

-Mince is cheaper, much cheaper.

-£2.88 for cheese.

It's cheaper, much cheaper here.

That's it, cucumber's dearer. 7p dearer. So what does that make?

-£99.84.

-Per month, that's just under £20 less than they spend in the UK.

That's slightly surprised me,

because I thought groceries were dearer out in this country.

Seeing their food bill won't be higher is an encouraging start.

But will the same be true when it comes to the bigger bills?

The family's calculations are based on the first property they viewed.

95.67.

Gosh, that's cheaper, council tax. Water's more, 90 for water.

-The mobile phones double, 30.68.

-But it's swings and roundabouts.

Look at that. Fuel.

So for the car, 198.8 instead of 300.

In the UK, Liz juggles money to meet monthly outgoings

of just over £2,500.

She's been praying things would be easier in Australia.

Total for Australia is £2,885.

So basically, it would cost £300 a month more to live here.

-But how come? Because... Everything's cheaper.

-Not everything.

Where have we dropped a lot of money?

The rent, significantly, is more.

Fearing a move would be financially impossible, Liz gets Jack

to calculate how much higher her salary would be

each month down under.

The income here in Australia is 3,577.

And that's minus 2,450.

1,127.

No, do that again. That's not right.

That can't be right. 3,577.

-Yeah.

-Minus 2,450.

-Is?

-1,127.

It's not a mistake.

And Liz is stunned to realise she'd earn

£1,000 more each month in Australia.

I don't get what that means. DOOR CLOSING

I work so hard in the UK.

I love my job so much.

Inside, the penny drops with Mo

as Jack explains how much more their mum could earn.

A grand.

Per month? Why aren't we here already?

I was justifying myself in thinking it's a few hundred pounds,

but actually that's not what it's about.

It's about leaving friends and family

and the whole lifestyle at home...

that I love. I do love it.

But I can't pay my bills.

And I can't give them what they want and what they need.

With her mind racing,

Liz rejoins the children to work out how much they'd actually have

left over when they subtract potential outgoings in Australia.

It is 802.8.

Mm-hm.

-Don't do your smug look!

-Well calculated, Mo!

It's an impressive sum of money.

We would be just over £800 a month better off living as we live now.

Except we'd be able to pay all the bills. And over the year...

It's just over 9,500.

And you know what that is? That is a deposit on a house. In a year.

It's been an emotional afternoon,

but the financial facts suggest the Powers' money worries

could be a thing of the past if they moved to Australia.

Based on the figures, we have decided to vote for...

-Australia.

-Australia.

I think that's pretty easy.

I think any of us would have been stupid to choose England.

I am still shocked by the figures, but I'll get used to them.

We'd have so much more money here to play about with.

-If we needed it.

-Yeah.

With Australia promising the Powers

the financial security Liz has been longing for,

it looks like a new beginning for the family

is definitely within reach.

But the decision to move is far from made.

Liz now faces having to choose between fortune and family.

She sits down to watch messages

from loved ones back home with Mo and Jack.

Hi, Liz. Hi, Jack, hi, Mo.

ALL: Hi, Power Pack.

Hi, guys. I hope you're having fun.

-Liz is our NHS direct, isn't she?

-Yeah.

THEY LAUGH

My mum is my biggest inspiration in life.

She has such a way about her.

Mo tries to be friends with everyone,

-which is really good.

-She's a really good people person.

Jack, as long as his hair is straight

and it's, you know, looking beautiful...

They mean everything to me, those three. I would do anything for them.

It wouldn't be the same when we're doing the family thing,

but if it's the right thing for them, then we'll support it all the way.

Yeah, definitely.

Yeah, Liz is like the sister I've never had.

Erm... Well, we're all family really, aren't we?

It will be the hardest thing saying goodbye to them.

Because I love them dearly.

But it will be the right thing to do if they want to go.

Obviously, we're going to miss you loads,

but we'll be there for you whatever you decide.

I think the only thing I can say is you've got to follow your hearts.

But don't forget all of the people who love you back here.

Just remember that it's not just about a bit more money

or nice warm sunshine, it's about the people

that you share your life with.

And there's a lot of people back here that love you all very much.

And we would really miss you.

I love you all and I want you to be happy.

And I want you to have new experiences.

And I want you to make this decision based on that and not what's here.

I would really miss you guys. It will be the hardest thing ever.

SHE CRIES

-It's tough to watch, isn't it?

-Yeah.

I went to bed last night thinking,

"Yeah. I'll be all right today, because I know my decision.

"I know what I think we should do."

And now I feel the opposite again.

But it's hard, isn't it?

Whether that compares to what we have at home.

Can we actually, physically do it?

Can I actually...

..walk away from Alice?

Hearing those words of support

has been heart-wrenching for the whole family.

As their final decision edges ever closer,

will the realisation of how much they'll be missed back home

mean their dream disappears?

The past week has given the Power family a chance to explore

the reality of starting afresh on the other side of the world.

Well, it's not been an easy ride at all, this week.

There's been times when I've just wanted to go home.

Not because it's horrible here at all,

but because I feel like I'm being too challenged.

Despite being out of her comfort zone,

parts of the week have given Liz confidence

Australia could be for them.

The reality check, the salary one, just hit me like a ton of bricks.

It was a fantastic thought that, you know, I'd go to work,

come home, and not worry about which bill to pay.

The trip's also removed some of Jack's concerns.

I was worried about exclusion from people.

And not feeling the community.

But after speaking to the kids at the school,

it's kind of settled those worries.

For Mo, the experience has seen a dream come true.

We'll be able to live in a beautiful house

and the sun will be great, just as a bonus. And I'd love the school.

It's just endless, the list really.

But the week's also magnified what it would mean to live

on the other side of the world from loved ones.

It makes me really upset because I realise how far away

I am from my grandparents, who I love so much.

And then my sister, who I can't imagine living without.

For Liz, the fear of leaving daughter Alice in the UK

has been a dilemma she's battled all week.

Fundamentally, your children are supposed to leave you.

You're not supposed to leave them. She's my baby.

Even though she's a grown-up girl of 20, she's one of the Pack.

Liz, Mo and Jack face an agonising choice -

whether to remain the tight family unit of four they all love

and rely on, or whether to pursue the financially secure future

they're dreaming of.

You're not supposed to know what the future brings.

It would be rubbish if you did. But actually, sometimes

it would just be really nice for someone to say,

"Yeah, no, this is a good idea

"because it's going to work out fine."

At this stage,

only the Powers can predict where they'll ultimately call home.

After much soul-searching, it's time to make up their minds.

Based on everything we've experienced this week,

we have decided to vote for...

-Australia.

-Australia.

-Australia.

Great, innit? Good decision.

Good decision.

I'm just so excited. I'm so glad you two have chosen it, too.

It feels weird thinking about moving.

The bottom line is, it's going to give you more.

It's going to be better for you guys.

I think the problems that we've got with who we're going to leave

in England, the whole business with Alice, we'll just work it out.

We will work it out.

It just seems like the right thing to do right now.

After years of struggling to get by in the UK,

Liz has decided the financial gains Australia offers

are just too great to turn down.

We wish her, Jack and Mo the happy future they deserve. And who knows?

Perhaps when Alice finishes university,

she just may decide to join them.