Misconceptions about Australia

[Jennyrosity]

The earlier thread, started by an Aussie about misconceptions about the US, got me thinking. A couple of days ago some friends and I were in an Aussie theme pub for lunch, and we all ordered the kangaroo steaks. The Australian barman commented that he had never in his entire life eaten kangaroo. We were surprised at that, but when I thought about it, I realised I'd never eaten venison or pheasant, two very "English" meats, so it wasn't that odd really. So that got me thinking about other prejudices we have about our Antipodean cousins, such as:
You all say things like "G'day" and "Bonza!"
There are only about 30 people in the entire country.
At some in their lives, each and every one of those will turn up in "Neighbours", or some other Aussie soap.
You make really good bar men/maids.
You are all really chirpy and cheerful. Actually, you'll have a job dissuading me on this one, as every Aussie I've ever met has proved me right. I think it's great though - misery is kinda the base emotional state of each and every Brit, so it makes a nice change.

Anyone got any more?

[SnoopyFan]

I thought kangaroo meat was only used for dog food in Australia?

Seriously, though. Aussies kick ass!

[Wumpus]

Australia is populated mainly by farmers and ranchers. (In fact, Australia has one of the most urbanized populations in the world.)

[1kBR Kid]

There's always the sound of a didgeridoo in the background.

[Scumpup]

My first wife was Australian. Long term exposure to her relatives firmly convinced me that Australians are just rednecks with a prettier accent.

[Jennyrosity]

You all go back-packing and you all end up in the same place. Leicester Square in London. Working behind a bar. At least that's how it seems.

[slortar]

I'm continuously surprised at just how damn big Australia is. I mean, it doesn't look that big on the map. ;)

[Lightnin']

Every living animal and plant in Australia is lethally poisonous, and wants nothing more than for you to die an agonizing death.

[Tapioca Dextrin]

And all Australians are fearless animal handlers, by crikey!

[SirRay]

The biggest misconception is that there is actually an Australia; in fact it is simply the West Island of New Zealand.

The second biggest misconception is that Fosters is Australian for Beer, mate.

[the Scarlet Pimpernel]

An Aussie friend of mine forwarded me an email which purported to be the question-and-answer page from an Australian tourism website. My two faves:

Q: I have never seen it rain on Australian TV. How do your plants grow? (from the UK)
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q: Can you send me the schedule of the Vienna Boys Choir? (from an American, of course)
A: Au-stri-a is that quaint little country next to Ger-ma-ny, which is...oh forget it. The Vienna Boys Choir performs every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.

[porcupine]

Everyone there is named Bruce.

[Caricci]

Lots of Americans think that the accent is just like an English accent.

[mhendo]

Originally posted by Caricci
Lots of Americans think that the accent is just like an English accent. They certainly do. Since i moved to the US, i've been asked innumerable times what part of England i'm from. People get rather embarrassed when i say "The Australian part."

It's important to realise, however, that this is not very much more surprising than an Australian who doesn't know the difference between a Brooklyn and a Baltimore accent. Some Aussie accents do, in fact, sound rather similar to some English accents, especially for people who don't hear such accents every day.

[spogga]

50% of all Aussies live in Mooroolabang Creek just outside Alice Springs and fish all day.
The other 50% wrestle crocs.

[slu]

I am an American who spent a month in Australia and I ate a Kangaroo Steak at a resturant...for what that's worth.

And nobody drinks Foster's in Australia..at least none that I saw.

What the heck was that beer I liked...Twooey's Dark or something like that?? I need assistance!

[mhendo]

Originally posted by slu
I am an American who spent a month in Australia and I ate a Kangaroo Steak at a resturant...for what that's worth.

And nobody drinks Foster's in Australia..at least none that I saw.

What the heck was that beer I liked...Twooey's Dark or something like that?? I need assistance! Possibly Tooheys Old (http://www.lion-nathan.com.au/our+brands/beer/australia/full+strength/tooheys+old.htm), often known as "black" in Australia.

And you're right, hardly anyone drinks Fosters, because it's piss.

[Intaglio]

What are your thoughts on the following:

The Crocodile Hunter

Paul Hogan

Russell Crowe

Mel Gibson

Guy Pearce

Heath Ledger

[SPOOFE]

I've always wanted to take a trip to Australia, but I'm too fat to ride the albatross.

[Chefguy]

All the men are hard.
All the women are easy.
A kangaroo has its own TV show.
They all wear funny hats.
Guyana tastes like shit.

[TheLoadedDog]

I'll have a go at this:
Most people do in fact say "G'day". I use it all the time, but only the occasional old man will say "Bonza!"

Kangaroo meat is used in dog food. In the last few years it's been making more and more of an appearance in overpriced restaurants catering to rich dickheads (the 'roo meat that is, not the dog food - although one wonders).
I've eaten kangaroo only three or four times in my life.

Yes, we are very highly urbanised. Australia doesn't have the same small town culture the US does.

A lot of pubs won't even have Fosters on tap.

We aren't any more friendly and cheerful than anybody else. If you interact with an Aussie, it's probably because either you or the Australian is a tourist, so it'll be a relaxed meeting. Come to Sydney, and you'll see road rage, neighbours poisioning one another's trees for a better view, everybody dragging everybody else to court, grumpy waiters.... the usual.

Australian soap operas aren't nearly as popular here as they are in the UK.

It does rain here. It pissed down for three weeks solid here in Sydney a couple of months back, without so much as a five minute break. Up north, they get monsoonal rain.

The Crocodile Hunter and Paul Hogan both suck dingoes dongers.

[Tapioca Dextrin]

Originally posted by Chefguy
Guyana tastes like shit.

Why were you eating a South American country (http://www.guyana.org/) in the first place?

[superstar]

Originally posted by Intaglio
What are your thoughts on the following:

The Crocodile Hunter

Paul Hogan

Russell Crowe

Mel Gibson

Guy Pearce

Heath Ledger

Firstly, most of these people are NOT actually Aussie's. Mel was born in USA & Russell is from New Zealand!
But basically we love our locals that make it big internationally. We're very patriotic about "our" sons and daughters.
The Croc Hunter is a bit embarrasing, Paul is a bit of a try hard, and Guy doesn't even live here anymore.

What about the women. Toni Colette, Kate Blanchett?

[Gangster Octopus]

I am reminded of the Simpsons episode where they go to Australia. In my eyes it was really more of a take on misconceptions about Australia then it was taking a jab at Australia.

[mhendo]

Originally posted by superstar
We're very patriotic about "our" sons and daughters.
The Croc Hunter is a bit embarrasing, Paul is a bit of a try hard, and Guy doesn't even live here anymore.

What about the women. Toni Collette, Kate Blanchett? I certainly agree with you about the women. Toni Collette and Cate Blanchett are fantastic, and there are others like Rachel Griffiths and Judy Davis who are also fantastic.

I'm afraid i'm at something of a loss to understand why so many people are down on Steve Irwin, aka The Crocodile Hunter. I mean, sure he's a bit over the top, but he really knows his stuff and brings a knowledge of the natural world into people's homes. Would people prefer that they put an office-bound professor on TV to talk about reptiles? Irwin's an entertainer, and while he may not be everyone's cup of tea, i think he does his job pretty well.

More embarrassing, i think, is the silly parochialism that infests so much of Australia with respect to our own celebrities. When an Aussie makes it overseas, it seems that many Australians are less concerned with that person's actual accomplishments and abilities than they are with how Australians in general can bathe in the reflected glory.

There is a tendency to focus on how others see Australia, not on how Australia actually is. Many Aussies seem to need this foreign validation to get over some sort of inferiority complex, and i think it's a little pathetic.

If this sort of thing were only restricted to a few insecure individuals, it wouldn't be a problem, but it manifests itself in the news media as well, and too many people just go along with it. This attitude reached a nadir in the media after the 1996 killing of 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania, by a lone gunman. One of the news stories the next day spent five minutes showing how the story had been reported by various news outlets throughout the world, as if it were essential to our understanding and our sense of importance to see some Italian or Geman or American or Korean newsreader talking about Australia.

I'm not down on Australia; i love the place. Nor am i down on Australians in general; i am one, despite my current place of residence. But the seemingly constant need to defer to America and Britain and Europe and Asia for confirmation and validation gets a little boring after a while.

[mhendo]

Originally posted by Gangster Octopus
I am reminded of the Simpsons episode where they go to Australia. In my eyes it was really more of a take on misconceptions about Australia then it was taking a jab at Australia. I loved the Australian stamp on the letter received by Bart: "30 Years of Electricity."

:D

[Bad News Baboon]

Well everyone here nows that you guys have Koalas on every tree.

right? :)

[mhendo]

Originally posted by TheLoadedDog
We aren't any more friendly and cheerful than anybody else. If you interact with an Aussie, it's probably because either you or the Australian is a tourist, so it'll be a relaxed meeting. Come to Sydney, and you'll see road rage, neighbours poisioning one another's trees for a better view, everybody dragging everybody else to court, grumpy waiters.... the usual. This is so true.

I still get the "All you Australians are so friendly" thing from some Americans, and i have to keep telling them that, Paul Hogan image notwithstanding, we do, in fact, have our fair share of unfriendly, selfish assholes (or, more correctly, arseholes). :)

[Chefguy]

Originally posted by Tapioca Dextrin
Why were you eating a South American country (http://www.guyana.org/) in the first place?

That's how they pronounce it...

[mhendo]

Originally posted by Chefguy
That's how they pronounce it... Are you talking about Goanna (http://www.racingshadow.com/albums/Australia2002/Uluru/album33.html)?

If so, it's pronounced pretty much the way it's spelt:

go-anna

[Laughing Lagomorph]

Originally posted by porcupine
Everyone there is named Bruce.

Including the women.

Misconception: All Australians eat Vegemite for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

[Laughing Lagomorph]

Another misconception: that either Sydney or Melbourne is the capital of the country.

[John Carter of Mars]

Thanks to the SDMB, I no longer have a misconception about Australia.

I used to think it would be safe to walk around in the parks there. Then our Aussie members told me about the drop bears. You know, the ones that drop down on the unsuspecting passer-by from a tree limb and rape said passer-by in the ear.

Man, that's freaky! Dunno how you blokes stay down there...

[tavalla]

In between the dropbears, the snakes, spiders, and the platypuses (they're very common, you know, most families have one or two either for pets or to hunt the dropbears, snakes and spiders), I'm surprised any of us make it to adulthood.



[sub]While I won't say shitstirring and bullshit artistry are the national sports, they're close.[/size]

[Ultraviolet]

Opinions about Australia that I have heard from others:

Australians are a bit dodgy and tend toward criminal behaviour, due to the fact that they are all descended from British criminals shipped there.

All Australian men are hopelessly macho and there is a large subculture of "laddishness" there.

[Cardinal]

I know plenty about Australians.

They relocate crocodiles with their co-workers named Bruce before drinking oversized cans of beer with their pet kangaroos and their painted aborigine childhood friends on their 50 square mile ranches while listening to Men at Work.

[kambuckta]

Originally posted by Laughing Lagomorph


Misconception: All Australians eat Vegemite for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Dinner is called 'tea' here, which might well include vegemite, unless you are going 'out for dinner' (at a restaurant) which generally will not have vegemite sangers on the menu.

That being said, there are many, MANY Aussies who grew up on Vegemite on toast for brekkie and Vegemite sandwiches in their lunch-bag at school.

I did. :p

[HPL]

Isn't it true that the entire place is overrun by biker gangs who roam the post-apocolyptic wasteland looking for gas, and only Mad Max can stop them after about 90 minutes of car chases?

:D

[kambuckta]

Originally posted by TheLoadedDog


We aren't any more friendly and cheerful than anybody else. If you interact with an Aussie, it's probably because either you or the Australian is a tourist, so it'll be a relaxed meeting. Come to Sydney, and you'll see road rage, neighbours poisioning one another's trees for a better view, everybody dragging everybody else to court, grumpy waiters.... the usual.


Yeah, but that's Sydney. The rest of us are friendly and cheerful. :D

[kambuckta]

Originally posted by HPL
Isn't it true that the entire place is overrun by biker gangs who roam the post-apocolyptic wasteland looking for gas, and only Mad Max can stop them after about 90 minutes of car chases?

:D

Oh INDEED we are beseiged by outlaw bikies....the very worst are the members of the Ulysses (http://www.ulysses.org.au/about.htm) gang. They terrorize the rest of us honest citizens with their 'disgraceful' behaviour, and careen through the countryside like packs of wild animals.

Except these bikers are probably not looking for the gas (petrol here by the way HPL) so much as the dunny.

:D

[Jervoise]

Originally posted by mhendo
If this sort of thing were only restricted to a few insecure individuals, it wouldn't be a problem, but it manifests itself in the news media as well, and too many people just go along with it. This attitude reached a nadir in the media after the 1996 killing of 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania, by a lone gunman. One of the news stories the next day spent five minutes showing how the story had been reported by various news outlets throughout the world, as if it were essential to our understanding and our sense of importance to see some Italian or Geman or American or Korean newsreader talking about Australia.

I'm not down on Australia; i love the place. Nor am i down on Australians in general; i am one, despite my current place of residence. But the seemingly constant need to defer to America and Britain and Europe and Asia for confirmation and validation gets a little boring after a while. There is much continued commentary to the supposed inferiority complex Australia suffers as a nation. However, I would contend that it is a phenomenon much diminished in recent years -- some commentators argue the Sydney Olympics marked a major turning point in this regard. (Besides, I think the apparent "problem" was more a mistake of judging the nation's feelings by the character of its tabloid and television media reporting.)

Other misconceptions:

Vegemite. Bleh. I don't believe I've eaten a vegemite sandwich in my life.

The rural Australia thing, compounded by the myth of the Aussie Outback. It makes for terribly nice stories, but ignores the fact that Australia is an intensely urban, coastal society.

Americans understand, but some others fail to comprehend the sheer distances involved in travel between Australian population city. Here's a bright spark (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/10/21/1034561445517.html) from Germany who thought he could traverse the Canning Stock Route in three days armed with 10L of beer (it actually takes three to four weeks -- and much more beer).

The Queen as Head of State. The UK has no law-making authority over Australia. There is substantial misconception as to the true independence of this nation.

[pingalondon]

Originally posted by Narrad
The Queen as Head of State. The UK has no law-making authority over Australia. There is substantial misconception as to the true independence of this nation. [/B]

I have had to explain this to a lot of people too, along with the fact that we have our own constitution and haven't just directly adopted the conventions of the British.

The one that has made me laugh (I was so thrown by it, I couldn't respond any other way) was being told 'you're very sophisticated for an Australian'!!!!

[Laughing Lagomorph]

Originally posted by kambuckta
...

That being said, there are many, MANY Aussies who grew up on Vegemite on toast for brekkie and Vegemite sandwiches in their lunch-bag at school.

I did. :p

No doubt that is true but my completely anecdotal and unscientific survey of Australians I've known indicates attitudes towards Vegemite closer to Narrad's.

[pencilpusher]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by porcupine
Everyone there is named Bruce.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Laughing Lagomorph
Including the women.


I thought the women were called Sheilas. :dubious:

[ralph124c]

Why does anybody go to the "outback" (no, not the crappy steakhouse chain in the USA)? From what I see, it is barren, dry, and hot-sounds like a place to avoid!

[SanibelMan]

I think the way many Americans think of Australia can be summed up by visiting Outback Steakhouse. (http://www.outback.com/) (Extra Credit for Aussie Dopers: Learn everything you need to know about Texas by visiting Lone Star Steakhouse! (http://www.lonestarsteakhouse.com/))

I know until recently, I was under the impression that Australia, along with most of Europe, was far more liberal/leftist politically than the United States. Then I learned about your PM and how while no one in Australia seems to like him, no one wants to vote him out of office either. So now I'm not quite sure what to think. Even your compulsory voting hasn't meant change. (Many people here think that if everyone voted, leftist third parties would have more power because it would force people to vote who are otherwise too disgusted by the two main parties to vote. I don't agree, but that's a perspective.)

[Governor Quinn]

There appears not to be a Universery of Woolamaroo.

There's no difference between Australia and New Zealand (about as true as saying there's no difference between Canada and the US).

The Prime Minister is a beefy, almost-rustic individual who loves kicking foreign schoolboys. (I can't testify about the schoolboy-kicking part, but this site (http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/gallery/gallery.html) seems to suggest that they aren't beefy, and it appears that many of these men didn't represent rural areas.)

[Governor Quinn]

Having bothered to look it up, it appears that almost every PM since 1950 has represented suburban districts.

[SanibelMan]

Some of those guys are rather interesting...

Billy Hughes seems to have aged rather quickly during his term, and also gone casual.

Did Stanley Bruce work for Eliot Ness?

John McEwen looks like Australia's version of Nixon.

And that picture of John Howard cracks me up. Was he farting at that moment?

[Governor Quinn]

Well, Billy Hughes had a very long parlimentary career (51 years, the Australian record), so I suspect that the photos of him come from different points in his career.

How about William McMahon, or John Gorton, or George "I Want More Beef" Reid, or Joseph Lyons?

[sirtonyh]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kambuckta
That being said, there are many, MANY Aussies who grew up on Vegemite on toast for brekkie and Vegemite sandwiches in their lunch-bag at school.

I did. :p [/QUOTE

I can't even begin to express my deepest, sincerest sympathy for you. That Vegimite is just nasty, nasty stuff :rolleyes:

Deepest condolonces that your country was the birthplace of Kylie too ;)

[mhendo]

Originally posted by Narrad
There is much continued commentary to the supposed inferiority complex Australia suffers as a nation. However, I would contend that it is a phenomenon much diminished in recent years -- some commentators argue the Sydney Olympics marked a major turning point in this regard. (Besides, I think the apparent "problem" was more a mistake of judging the nation's feelings by the character of its tabloid and television media reporting.) I don't doubt that you're right about this. I left two months before the Olympics, and haven't been back since.

But i'll be there in November and December--Aussie Dopefest anyone?

[mhendo]

Originally posted by SanibelMan
I know until recently, I was under the impression that Australia, along with most of Europe, was far more liberal/leftist politically than the United States. Then I learned about your PM and how while no one in Australia seems to like him, no one wants to vote him out of office either. So now I'm not quite sure what to think. Even your compulsory voting hasn't meant change. (Many people here think that if everyone voted, leftist third parties would have more power because it would force people to vote who are otherwise too disgusted by the two main parties to vote. I don't agree, but that's a perspective.) On a certain level, there is a stronger social liberal strain, and there's much less of the anti-government libertarianism that is a key part of American political life.

It's certainly not true that compulsory voting means that the leftist party will always win power; take a look at who Australia's Prime Ministers have been since WWII--the majority of the time, they have been conservatives. And nor do third parties really have that much of an influence on Australian politics, with a couple of exceptions.

First, whenever the conservatives are in power, there is in effect a third party involved, because conservative governments (at the federal or state level) generally consist of a coalition between the more urban Liberal party, and the rural-based National Party. The term used to describe these governments is, unsurprisingly, The Coalition Government.

Secondly, third parties and independents can often have a considerable amount of influence in the Senate, which is elected by a system of proportional representation. There are 12 senators from each of the six states, and two from each of the mainland territories, for a total of 76. Groups like the Green Party, and quite a few independent senators, have been important figures in helping to stop or push through legislation over the past few years.

I think the key things that makes Australia seem more left or liberal than the United States are:

1. an absence of fundamentalist religion, especially on an organized, political level, compared to the United States.

2. a commitment, even among many conservatives, to some key aspects of the welfare state, such as a single-payer health system, decent public transport, and an adequate welfare system. Although many of these things have taken quite a hit over the past decade or so.

Perhaps one final anecdotal observation is in order. I know quite a few thoughtful, intelligent, politically-aware people in Australia who vote for the conservative coalition, and not one of them would even contemplate voting Republican if they moved to the United States.

[mhendo]

Another popular misconception about Australia is that we know how to keep track of our Prime Ministers.

The case of Harold Holt (http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/years/1967/holtswim.htm) seems to suggest otherwise.

:D

[SanibelMan]

Originally posted by Governor Quinn
Well, Billy Hughes had a very long parlimentary career (51 years, the Australian record), so I suspect that the photos of him come from different points in his career.

How about William McMahon, or John Gorton, or George "I Want More Beef" Reid, or Joseph Lyons? Yes, I think George Reid was William Howard Taft's understudy.

William McMahon - Australia's first Zombie PM. Never let it be said that Australians are against alternative lifestyles - especially those without life at all.

Joseph Lyons... I don't know what that look on his face is, but between that smirk and his hair I'm guessing he got laid just before they took that picture.

And I hope John Gorton got a good taxidermist for whatever's on his head.

[Governor Quinn]

One example of third-party power, albeit one that might be obscure to most Dopers:

In the mid-1950's, a group of trade union officials and politicians in the ALP (largely in Victoria and Queensland) split off over Communism and organized the DLP. For the next 20 or so years, they survived through a deal with the Coalition, in which (in exchange for support the DLP's positions on defense and parochial aid) the DLP gave preference votes to the Coalition.

Therefore, mhendo, you forgot a third method of third-party influence: influence by extortion.

[mhendo]

Originally posted by Governor Quinn
One example of third-party power, albeit one that might be obscure to most Dopers:

In the mid-1950's, a group of trade union officials and politicians in the ALP (largely in Victoria and Queensland) split off over Communism and organized the DLP. For the next 20 or so years, they survived through a deal with the Coalition, in which (in exchange for support the DLP's positions on defense and parochial aid) the DLP gave preference votes to the Coalition.

Therefore, mhendo, you forgot a third method of third-party influence: influence by extortion. Yeah, i suppose i should have mentioned the DLP. But in my experience, hardly any Australians--let alone foreigners--know anything about this sad episode in our political history.

[Governor Quinn]

I know about, and I'm a foreigner, but, then again, I'm also nuts.

[i like bacon]

i think vegemite must be an acquired taste, a friend in oz sent me a couple of packets, tasted like motor oil to me. took me 20 minutes to eat my toast, and half was given to the dog (she wouldn't eat it either)

so how often you all go walkabout?

[i like bacon]

i think vegemite must be an acquired taste, a friend in oz sent me a couple of packets, tasted like motor oil to me. took me 20 minutes to eat my toast, and half was given to the dog (she wouldn't eat it either)

so how often you all go walkabout?

[tavalla]

Originally posted by ralph124c
Why does anybody go to the "outback" (no, not the crappy steakhouse chain in the USA)? From what I see, it is barren, dry, and hot-sounds like a place to avoid!

Visiting the Outback Steakhouse while I was in the US was fun, actually. I took a great deal of delight in taking a red pen to one of the menus... :D

'Barren' is selling the real outback a bit short, IMO. Dry and hot, yes, but certainly not barren - there is life there, and quite a bit of it.

It also has a beauty all its own - stark and harsh, but still beauty.

[Shalmanese]

Originally posted by kambuckta
Except these bikers are probably not looking for the gas (petrol here by the way HPL) so much as the dunny.

:D [/B]

They could always check the Online National Public Toilet Map (http://www.toiletmap.gov.au/)

[kambuckta]

Originally posted by Shalmanese
They could always check the Online National Public Toilet Map (http://www.toiletmap.gov.au/)

Oh, that is bewdiful!! The first line that jumps out at you on the website is: Please be patient. :p

[amarone]

Originally posted by pingalondon
The one that has made me laugh (I was so thrown by it, I couldn't respond any other way) was being told 'you're very sophisticated for an Australian'!!!! Another one from The Simpsons - sign on the Australian Cultural Exhibition: Cart Yer Arse Right In.

[Tal]

I remember having a conversation with someone once about my old car.....it's 32 years old (yup, still running!) and the guy made some comment about me having to drive on dirt roads all the time.......i couldn't get my head around the fact that this guy genuinely thought we don't have paved roads and highways etc in australia! please! we're a very modern coutry.

I think another misconception is that australians aren't that bright...aussies have invented some of the coolest things out there.

Lawnmower
Hills Hoist Washing Line
CPAP machine (for treating sleep apnea)
Black Box Flight Recorder
rats.....there are some other good ones i can't think of right now.

I would also like to add that quite a bit of the leading medical research is done right here in australia!

now if you base your opinion on aussies by our movies, i don't blame you for thinking we're a bunch of twits..... i HATE the way aussie movies make us all look like idiots

[Tal]

oh.....here's some more

- bionic ear
- the Ute (you americans would call it a truck)- electric drill
- latex gloves
- Xerox Photocopying
- refrigeration
- wine casks
- penicillin

apparently we also invented nanotechnology (http://www.questacon.edu.au/innovaus/c1s1_038.html) (i thought the Borg invented that :D)

[T. Slothrop]

all really chirpy and cheerful
Nah, I've seen my Auntie Jean scold fish.

[Jennyrosity]

About the supposed Australian sense of inferiority - check out www.satirewire.com for the article titled "Australia Gets Drunk, Wakes up in North Atlantic". This made me howl.

Also, I love Aussie actors. Unlike Brit actors who make it big in Hollywood, they manage to do so while still retaining some credibility. Obviously, I'm thinking about people like Rachael Griffiths (love, love LOVE her!) and Guy Pearce, rather than Mel Gibson and Paul Hogan!

[Ironikinit]

Misconceptions Australians have about Australia:

Queensland is backward and rabidly right wing. Well, Brisbane isn't, anyway. There's a determined-seeming socialist party that's constantly wallpapering the Central Business District with posters alternately denouncing the US and celebrating whatever third world revolution that's having an anniversary that week. I seem to be able to purchase or see about anything I want, and the library system is fair.

The press has a lot of freedom. From an American perspective, the media is hamstrung by defamation laws. People seem to think that these laws prevent frivolous lawsuits. I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know. They do interfere with people saying what they really think in print, though.

Religious fundamentalism isn't common in Australia. Well, not like in the US, no, not at all. However, I've read a couple sceptic sites that mention fundamentalist movements in Australia. My wife's aunt subscribes to Creation magazine, which is published by Answers in Genesis. It's not much compared to how things are in the states, but Australia, the US, and South Africa are said to be the three westernised nations that have the biggest creationist contingent.

[everton]

Originally posted by Tal
Lawnmower
Hills Hoist Washing Line
CPAP machine (for treating sleep apnea)
Black Box Flight Recorder

oh.....here's some more

- bionic ear
- the Ute (you americans would call it a truck)- electric drill
- latex gloves
- Xerox Photocopying
- refrigeration
- wine casks
- penicillin
The lawnmower was invented by Edwin Beard Budding, from Stroud, Gloucestershire in 1830. The Victa two-stroke petrol rotary lawnmower was invented by Mervyn Victor Richardson of Sydney in 1952, but that's hardly the same thing is it?

Various claims have been made for the invention of photocopying – they can't even agree on a date. Some say the photocopier was invented in 1900 in France, or the USA in 1910 or in 1938, or 1947. Chester Carlson is usually credited with inventing xerography, and he was from Seattle.

Nobody invented penicillin, and although Adelaide-born Howard Florey played a key role in developing the practical application of it, the discovery itself was made in London by Alexander Fleming, who was Scottish. The relevant Nobel Prize was shared by Fleming, Florey and the Berlin-born Ernst Chain.

I certainly agree that if people assume Australia is a backward country full of thick people they're far off the mark, but could you provide some cites for your specific claims rather than just throw them out as facts?

[Tal]

oh please! since when was this a SERIOUS thread??

[Jennyrosity]

Thank you Tal. May I suggest that those of you looking for a frank and serious discussion on national identity take yourselves off to Great Debates?

[jjimm]

One major misconception many people have about Australia is that Skippy-like hyper-intelligent kangaroos go to fetch help when their human friends get injured, then lead rescuers to the prone human.

Hang on a minute... (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3127814.stm)

[everton]

Originally posted by Tal
oh please! since when was this a SERIOUS thread??
I'll rephrase my post then: you're full of shit Tal. That better? :)

Top story jjimm.

[mascaroni]

Australians are all descendants of convicts.
How come their accent isn't like Scouse then?

[Shade]

Originally posted by Chefguy
Guyana tastes like shit. Hang on, was that supposed to be a pun on guano?

[Rabid_Squirrel]

From superstar
Firstly, most of these people are NOT actually Aussie's. Mel was born in USA & Russell is from New Zealand![Underlining for emphasis]

The hell he is! That bugger is your problem and you can keep him!

:)

[calm kiwi]

They are sore losers :D http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2003/09/10/1063191458949.htm

[London_Calling]

The one I come across most frequently at the moment is perpetrated by Oz’ralians themselves, namely that they still play Rugby down there . . .

[mhendo]

Originally posted by calm kiwi
They are sore losers :D http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2003/09/10/1063191458949.htm Yeah, that was a pretty ridiculous comment.Originally posted by London_Calling
The one I come across most frequently at the moment is perpetrated by Oz’ralians themselves, namely that they still play Rugby down there . . . Very droll.

I know the Wallabies haven't been doing too well this year, and i wouldn't bet on them to win the World Cup, but i'm afraid that it might be jumping the gun just a little bit to declare the death of Australian rugby.

Particularly when the Doper's name suggests that he lives in a country--nay, a hemisphere--that hasn't yet managed to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy.

[mhendo]

Originally posted by mhendo
Yeah, that was a pretty ridiculous comment. I meant by the Aussie coach, of course, not by calm_kiwi. :)

[Ironikinit]

I can't say if it's a misconception or not, but I've heard a couple times now that, well, I maybe better quote my source: "I heard Americans treat women alot better then us Aussies do..." which was posted by somebody I don't know very well on another message board. A guy I worked with who used to be in the US Navy claimed he had a lot of romantic success in Sydney because Australian women preferred foreign men but he claimed a lot in general.

[Jennyrosity]

jjimm's story made me feel really guilty about my 'roo dinner the other day. I hear by solemnly swear that from this day forward I will never eat Skippy again.

[JThunder]

So, is it true that gravity works backwards down there?

[tavalla]

Originally posted by Ironikinit
I can't say if it's a misconception or not, but I've heard a couple times now that, well, I maybe better quote my source: "I heard Americans treat women alot better then us Aussies do..." which was posted by somebody I don't know very well on another message board. A guy I worked with who used to be in the US Navy claimed he had a lot of romantic success in Sydney because Australian women preferred foreign men but he claimed a lot in general.

Why'n hell do you think I'm in love with an American? :D


About the 'roo meat - availability depends a lot on where you live. When I was in South Australia, it was available at the supermarket. Now I'm in Victoria, I don't buy it nearly so much, since it's next door to impossible to get it here.

It's pretty good, actually - very low in fat & cholesterol, nice gamey sort of flavour. Being so low in fat, you do have to be careful cooking it, though, otherwise you wind up with something with the texture of leather.

[amarone]

Originally posted by Ironikinit
I can't say if it's a misconception or not, but I've heard a couple times now that, well, I maybe better quote my source: "I heard Americans treat women alot better then us Aussies do..." Old joke: Aussie's idea of foreplay - "Are you ready, Sheila?"

[mhendo]

Originally posted by amarone
Old joke: Aussie's idea of foreplay - "Are you ready, Sheila?" No, no, no.

It's "Are you awake?"

And if you're a Tasmanian, it's "Are you awake, mum?"

:D

[Bruce_Daddy]

They're so gay (http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,7351084%255E1702,00.html)

[mhendo]

Originally posted by Ironikinit
I can't say if it's a misconception or not, but I've heard a couple times now that, well, I maybe better quote my source: "I heard Americans treat women alot better then us Aussies do..." which was posted by somebody I don't know very well on another message board. A guy I worked with who used to be in the US Navy claimed he had a lot of romantic success in Sydney because Australian women preferred foreign men but he claimed a lot in general. Yeah, i've heard this often enough to suggest that, whether the accusation is true or not, plenty of people believe that it is.

As an Australian man who has lived at least two years of his adult life in each of England, Canada, and the United States, i really can't say that Australian men seem any more or less respectful of women than the men from these other countries. Sure, some Aussie men are assholes and treat women like shit, but this is far from a peculiarly Australian phenomenon.

It also depends on how you define "treat better." For some people (men and women), treating a woman well involves buying her lots of gifts, making good money, and carting her around like a trophy. For others, it means respecting her intellectually and treating her as an equal, rather than as an appendage who cooks your meals and cleans your house. And there are plenty of positions in between. Just depends who you talk to, i guess.

[Fretful Porpentine]

From what I've seen of Australian men -- which is a fair bit, although I haven't actually dated any -- I'm inclined to agree with mhendo. If anything, they seem more egalitarian-minded than American guys, many of whom still operate under the assumption that women need to be "protected." (I have never, for instance, met an Australian who thought it was anything other than perfectly normal for a young woman to be traveling alone in foreign parts, whereas many Americans react with a mixture of amazement and concern.)

Of course, I haven't been there (yet), so I'm probably looking at a skewed sample of Australians, namely the ones who were traveling themselves.

[kambuckta]

During WW2 the young Aussie chicks would hang-out at the ports waiting for the boatloads of American servicemen to come in for some R and R. My mum tells lots of stories about how lovely and polite they were, but I think it had more to do with the sailors bringing stockings and chocolates to woo the Aussie sheilas. They were better paid than our fellas.

And of course, the Aussie blokes absolutely hated them with a vengeance.

What's that old saying? Yanks are bastards because they're overpaid, oversexed and over HERE. :D

[TheLoadedDog]

Re kambuckta's last post, the Americans on this board might not be familiar with a particular historical low-point between our two nations: The Battle of Brisbane (http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/battle-brisbane.htm).
The US MP's opened fire when they failed to gain control. One Australian was killed and several wounded...
Bear in mind the site linked is a bit one-eyed, but it's historically interesting that Australian and US troops opened fire on each other in WWII.

[Chefguy]

Originally posted by mhendo
Are you talking about Goanna (http://www.racingshadow.com/albums/Australia2002/Uluru/album33.html)?

If so, it's pronounced pretty much the way it's spelt:

go-anna

Yeah....that. Never saw it spelled out, so was taking a stab at it.

[kambuckta]

Originally posted by Bruce_Daddy
They're so gay (http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,7351084%255E1702,00.html)

Yeah, just listening to this little gem on the radio at the moment.

We ROCK.....17% of us are gay. Whoooooo-hooooooo.



Any bloody wonder I can't find a straight bloke. :D

[cajela]

kambuckta, is calling dinner "tea" a Melbourne thing? In Sydney and Canberra you wouldn't catch anybody under 60 saying that.

And kangaroo is good eating. It's often cheaper than lamb. But not so easy to find; it does seem to vary by state. I've eaten a fair bit on and off, and it's certainly ecologically a good thing. Much easier on the land than sheep. And excellent with black bean sauce or in a red curry. mmm, getting hungry.

I'm also surpised at "even my dog won't eat vegemite". Our cats adore it; they make a concerted effort to steal our brekfast vegemite toast. It's the salt, I assume.

And the one that annoys me - the British idea that Australia is a country of lager louts; poor-cousin colonials with no manners or sophistication or education. So names like "Australian Ballet" and "Australian Opera" are enough to cause incredulous laughter. The way Australia is presented in the British tabloid press is just amazing - you have to laugh. Or cry, if you take it too seriously.

[everton]

Originally posted by cajela
The way Australia is presented in the British tabloid press is just amazing - you have to laugh. Or cry, if you take it too seriously.
Yeah, you might want to have a word with Rupert Murdoch about that.

[Jervoise]

Originally posted by cajela
kambuckta, is calling dinner "tea" a Melbourne thing? In Sydney and Canberra you wouldn't catch anybody under 60 saying that.

And kangaroo is good eating. It's often cheaper than lamb. But not so easy to find; it does seem to vary by state. I've eaten a fair bit on and off, and it's certainly ecologically a good thing. Much easier on the land than sheep. And excellent with black bean sauce or in a red curry. mmm, getting hungry.I seldom hear anyone say "tea" over here in the west, either.

Also, with the exception of a faw restaurants, kangaroo meat is sold only as pet food here.

Yeah, just listening to this little gem on the radio at the moment.

We ROCK.....17% of us are gay. Whoooooo-hooooooo.Okay, this caught me a little by surprise.

[TheLoadedDog]

Well, i'm 33, and it was always "tea" when I was growing up in New South Wales. I've succumbed to the "dinner" thing now though.

[mecaenas]

Although it get's a bad rap, vegemite is actually pretty tasty in the right quantities. So far every foreigner I've seen who has tried vegemite spreads thick layers of it onto their toast or sandwich then wonder why their head implodes after taking a huge bite. :D

Vegemite on toast is my 2nd favourite breakfast food.

[London_Calling]

Originally posted by cajela
And the one that annoys me - the British idea that Australia is a country of lager louts; poor-cousin colonials with no manners or sophistication or education. So names like "Australian Ballet" and "Australian Opera" are enough to cause incredulous laughter. The way Australia is presented in the British tabloid press is just amazing - you have to laugh. Or cry, if you take it too seriously.

It's shocking, absolutely shocking!





Originally posted by mecaenas
Although it get's a bad rap, vegemite is actually pretty tasty in the right quantities. So far every foreigner I've seen who has tried vegemite spreads thick layers of it onto their toast or sandwich then wonder why their head implodes after taking a huge bite. :D

Vegemite on toast is my 2nd favourite breakfast food.

Doh! :D

[Jervoise]

More breaking news from Australia!

Not only are 17 per cent of us gay, but we lead the world in ecstasy use (http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,7351084%5E1702,00.html)! This place is becoming one great big disco!

Which would explain, I guess, the way everyone was bumping about and gurning wildly in the office today.

[Jervoise]

Crap, wrong link (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/24/1064083044396.html). I blame the government.

[Zorro]

Two women are sitting in a pub in Yarralanga Creek, when a drunken bloke walks up to them.

_ Which one of you two Sheilas fancies a shag?

The two girls look at each either looking a little uncertain for a couple of seconds and one of them says:

_ Weeeell, it's not what I had in mind but you've talked me into it, you smooth-talking bastard!

[Rune]

Originally posted by mhendo
No, no, no.

It's "Are you awake?"

And if you're a Tasmanian, it's "Are you awake, mum?"

:D A Tasmanian gal, Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, is about to marry the Danish crown prince, become crown princess and the next queen of Denmark. Should we be absolutely terrified?

How do you guys hang on down there on the bottom of the Earth? Do some of you sometimes fall off?

- Rune

[mhendo]

Originally posted by WinstonSmith
How do you guys hang on down there on the bottom of the Earth? Do some of you sometimes fall off?

- Rune Hey, it's not Australia that's on the bottom.

Link (http://www.flourish.org/upsidedownmap/hobodyer-large.jpg)

:D

[Godfrey Daniels]

Originally posted by Lightnin'
Every living animal and plant in Australia is lethally poisonous, and wants nothing more than for you to die an agonizing death.

So is the ominous silence in response to this post to be taken as an affirmative? I've heard that funnel-web spiders can actually bite through shoe leather!:eek:

[BobLibDem]

Don't the drains all swirl in the opposite direction down there?

[calm kiwi]

We can't tell because we are busy washing in the opposite direction.

[Shirley Ujest]

The water does flow funny down there.

When Australia's flush the toilet, instead of swirling one way, it spouts water upward. It's call the Australian Bidet :D


Shirley's thoughts on Down Under:

When every Aussie is finished cattle ranching, running over Caine Toads, drinking loads of beer, hunting kangaroo and croc's, they are mining for opals or surfing.

[mhendo]

Originally posted by Shirley Ujest
When every Aussie is finished cattle ranching, running over Cane Toads, drinking loads of beer, hunting kangaroo and croc's, they are mining for opals or surfing. This post reminds me:

If you want to see a reeeeeeaaallly funny film about Australia, check out the documentary "Cane Toads: An Unnatural History." It had me in stitches.

[Shirley Ujest]

Mhendo that is where I got the Caine Toad image from. I had a nice beer buzz whilst watching this at an art house fest.

And, by the by, I heard a blurb on this some time back and it's always niggled me.

That lady who claimed her child was stolen by dingoes ( A Cry in the Dark) ...I heard that they found remains of a human in the area that the baby was suppose to be near.....any futher info on this?

Did this woman ever get a better hair cut than the one Meryl Streep had in the movie? :D