An Australian has blasted ‘tall poppy syndrome’ in the country and claims he was forced to flee overseas because of the ‘ridiculous’ level of tax. 

Adrian Mudronja, a forex trader originally from Adelaide, felt overwhelmed and decided to move to Dubai in 2023.

Once a plumber, he had relocated to the Gold Coast a year prior after changing his career to trading and launching a business, only to face harsh realities.

‘If you think for a second [the Australian] government cares about you, you’re wrong,’ Mr Mudronja said in a TikTok video. 

Known professionally as AJ Currency, Mudronja argued that Australia’s tax system made it so that business owners earning significantly were effectively working for free for more than half the year.

‘Why would I work six months for free? That makes no sense, so what do I do? Move to Dubai.’

The founder of the proprietary trading firm FundedX, Mudronja criticized Australia’s tax rates on income and business, calling them ‘ridiculous’.

‘It’s absolutely absurd,’ he said. ‘It makes no sense.’

Adrian Mudronja (pictured), a forex trader who grew up in Adelaide, said the Australian tax system forced him to emigrate

Mr Mudronja founded FundedX, a proprietary trading firm

Individuals are taxed under a progressive tax system in Australia, with the rate increasing as income rises. 

The United Arab Emirates, in comparison, does not levy income tax on individuals. 

In Australia, the standard company tax rate stands at 30 percent, though businesses with an annual turnover of less than $50 million can benefit from a reduced 25 percent rate.

In contrast, the UAE imposes a corporate tax rate of nine percent on income over AED 375,000 (approximately AU$157,000), while income below that is taxed at zero percent.

The entrepreneur also said he found those who lived in Dubai and South-East Asia celebrated success, while in Australia ‘people bring you down’.

‘If you get to a point where you are doing well in Australia, people bring you down. That’s the sad thing,’ Mr Mudronja said.

‘Instead of building you up, and getting motivated, and wanting to succeed alongside you, they want to find any reason to bring you down instead.’

Mr Mudronja said ‘if you’re winning’ in Dubai or South-East Asia, ‘people are excited for you’. 

Mr Mudronja pictured in his new home city of Dubai

‘They want to see you win, they want to win as well, and they want to see how they can collaborate with you and make money with you,’ he said.

Despite his complaints, he told his followers he ‘loves’ Australia and returns frequently to visit friends and family.

‘I really love the Gold Coast,’ he added.

However, he felt Australia ‘forced’ him to leave and he can’t see himself living back home full time. 

Social media users agreed with Mr Mudronja, claiming the taxes were too high.

‘The Australian government are legal thieves,’ one wrote. 

‘So true,’ another chimed in. ‘I now hate Australia, especially Victoria. We have our own business and it seems we earn a lot, but we are so broke with all the taxes.’