As a citizen of all three nations being compared here....
Let me just say that, as a devotee of warm weather,
IMHO Australia has by far the nicest cimate of the three.
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"Australia's not a paradise but it's a really good place. That's why so many New Zealanders come here"
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Well, mainly Kiwis come to Oz because they can find a job and make more money (and keep more of it) than they can in N.Z.. And the winters are not so harsh over most of Australia as they are in N.Z..
The retired kiwis come mostly for the improved climate.
I make it a rule not to hang out in cities any more than I absolutely have to, but, having visited all of Australia's major cities, it's obvious that any of them FAR surpass Washington D.C. as a place to live.
Even Canberra, with its concentration of deranged politicians, has nothing like the violence of D.C..
However, there is no doubt that Australian cities are suffering from more crime of a violent nature than previously. Drugs and gang rivalry are responsible for much of the increase in criminal activity.
Also, the point to be made with the "Stealbacks" initiated by the Howard government is that they have had no positive effect on the violent crime rate in Australia. None whatsoever. Millions of tax dollars squandered and over 600,000 firearms destroyed with nothing to show for it but a lot of persecuted lawful gun owners and a misinformed public.
As for Australia's 'dangerous animals', I live in an area where the ratio of venemous/ non-venomous snakes is quite high.
I do see venomous snakes from time to time. They do not terrorize me.
In central Oz, I am in far greater danger of being mugged by a drunken/violent Aboriginal than of being snake-bitten.
The same applies to crocodile attacks, which are not that uncommon in the north of the N.T..
Don't do stupid things, and the crocs won't have a chance to attack you.
Swimming in any waterway with connection to saltwater or camping on the banks of a stream constitutes stupid behaviour in crocodile country.
So, yeah, Aussie Wheels....tone it down a bit, please.