I see lots of people who work in the UK and return to Australia because it is cold and miserable, and then complain that their work conditions are worse due to someone else or some group (in this article, baby-boomers in general).

The simple solution to this is to try somewhere else -- There are lots of other nice places in the world that have conditions much better than Australia for young professional workers (nice cities in Canada, US etc). In addition, if you are willing to learn a second language, then the scope of nice places to live and work other than Australia is vastly increased.

Natasha,you generalise too much about boomers and X-ers in which the majority of both descriptions, don't fit the profile in which you are defining.Many boomers are not rich or powerful and those who are, will leave their wealth to X-ers.What a bunch of ungreatful whingers.Get real and get a life.

Natasha, you generalise and stereotype too much. I am a generation X and my older sister is a baby boomer, and we have both faced similar difficulties and successes. it's not the generational factor, it's the economy stupid! (thanks Bill). The gen x factor is not the fault of baby boomers, it's the downsizing of jobs, the dumbing down, and de-training of the Aust workforce where the jobs are no longer there for anyone other than who's willing to flip burgers or has a nice cosy job wrapped up. And it's the trend of the govt and the ones that vote for it that keep it going. I have met more gen x and younger that vote for the continuing trend of this govt than baby boomers. They just can't see the connection about what happens in the big wide world and how it has the trickle down effect to them. yes, baby boomers had it all, they were born, they took advantage and are now clinging onto what they had with their dentures. But they didn't invent it or take it away. They just happened to be in the right place at the right time where they prospered. They aren't responsible for anything worse other than making "Forrest Gump" an Academy Award winner. (Which is bad enough)

Di , don't blame the Boomers for the lack of opportunity.Things were much harder in the fifties and sixties.The lack of opportunity is largely a result of socialists policies,ie higher taxes,bloated bureauracies,too many on social security and too much regulation on business.We have become the scared generation that has to consult a lawyer before we breathe.
It is not because of luck, but we have lacked the courage to be more self reliant,and are now paying the cost of living in "The Nanny State" where we have become slaves to the masters of impotence.

I'm a border line on the X'ers and Boomers and so from my perspective of having to live in an interface between those who want to be rich and famous and those who have given up because their superannuation has now become more important than idealism, innovation and incubating and nurturing the next lot of fresh young things wanting to get ahead.

I live and work with balding (and mostly ponytailed) boomers who regular change their vocabs to suit an ever youthful oriented set of ideas and co-workers. It's called "capacity building", "restoration and reform" and dressed up in often ridiculous futuristic language that scares the be-jesus out of the boomers cos it speaks to and pedicts their redundancy.

Over the last 10 years they've done well but they’re now starting to look like that old moldy piece of cheese in your fridge that no-one has the heart to throw onto the 'scrap heap'.
The quicker the x gens can make this happen the happier they become. Its war out there. It’s polite and respectable and even joyous, but it’s a bloody war

Boomers, Xers ... whatever. I feel the main problem with your problem, if you can call it a problem, is that your starting point is all wrong. You have been sucked in by the marketing speak and facile daily newspaper articles that invariably serve up this genre of social slop (read: analysis).

Whether you are in your 20s, 30s, 40s or beyond, Australia, you must realise, is very much the 'arse end of the world'. Opportunity here is limited. It always has been. Do not be fooled by the limited roll-out of satellite TV (10 years+ after it was introduced in other markets) or 3G cell phones or sushi bars on every corner. Australia is backward, narrow and confining for all and sundry.

Focusing on age, and broad-based myths about particular generations hardly addresses the underlying issues that confront this place. Such a task involves more than stamping one's foot and pointing a finger at the people further along in life or those just starting out.

As some other commentators have suggested, a one-way ticket out of here might offer the greatest hope of release and realisation of personal dreams.