# Misconceptions about Australia **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 19, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586 "2003-09-19T13:20:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/81 "2003-09-23T01:22:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mhendo \* > **Yeah, that was a pretty ridiculous comment.** I meant by the Aussie coach, of course, not by **calm\_kiwi**. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Ironikinit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Ironikinit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ironikinit)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/82 "2003-09-23T06:28:01Z")
I canā€™t say if itā€™s a misconception or not, but Iā€™ve heard a couple times now that, well, I maybe better quote my source: ā€œI heard Americans treat women alot better then us Aussies doā€¦ā€ which was posted by somebody I donā€™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. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/83 "2003-09-23T08:13:59Z")
jjimmā€™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. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/84 "2003-09-23T08:27:53Z")
So, is it true that gravity works backwards down there? ---
**Author:** ![tavalla](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tavalla/32/89_2.png) [@tavalla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tavalla)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/85 "2003-09-23T12:28:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ironikinit \* > \*\*I canā€™t say if itā€™s a misconception or not, but Iā€™ve heard a couple times now that, well, I maybe better quote my source: ā€œI heard Americans treat women alot better then us Aussies doā€¦ā€ which was posted by somebody I donā€™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. \*\* Whyā€™n hell do you think Iā€™m in love with an American? šŸ˜ƒ 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 Iā€™m in Victoria, I donā€™t buy it nearly so much, since itā€™s next door to impossible to get it here. Itā€™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. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/86 "2003-09-23T13:39:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ironikinit \* > \*\*I canā€™t say if itā€™s a misconception or not, but Iā€™ve heard a couple times now that, well, I maybe better quote my source: ā€œI heard Americans treat women alot better then us Aussies doā€¦ā€ \*\* Old joke: Aussieā€™s idea of foreplay - ā€œAre you ready, Sheila?ā€ ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/87 "2003-09-23T14:54:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by amarone \* > \*\*Old joke: Aussieā€™s idea of foreplay - ā€œAre you ready, Sheila?ā€ \*\* No, no, no. Itā€™s ā€œAre you _awake_?ā€ And if youā€™re a Tasmanian, itā€™s ā€œAre you awake, mum?ā€ šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/88 "2003-09-23T15:14:20Z")
Theyā€™re [so gay](http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,7351084%255E1702,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/89 "2003-09-23T15:29:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ironikinit \* > \*\*I canā€™t say if itā€™s a misconception or not, but Iā€™ve heard a couple times now that, well, I maybe better quote my source: ā€œI heard Americans treat women alot better then us Aussies doā€¦ā€ which was posted by somebody I donā€™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, iā€™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 canā€™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 ā€œtreat better.ā€ 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. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/90 "2003-09-23T19:08:48Z")
From what Iā€™ve seen of Australian men ā€“ which is a fair bit, although I havenā€™t actually dated any ā€“ Iā€™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 ā€œprotected.ā€ (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 havenā€™t been there (yet), so Iā€™m probably looking at a skewed sample of Australians, namely the ones who were traveling themselves. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/91 "2003-09-23T20:52:43Z")
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. Whatā€™s that old saying? Yanks are bastards because theyā€™re overpaid, oversexed and over HERE. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/92 "2003-09-23T21:13:10Z")
Re **kambuckta** ā€™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 MPā€™s opened fire when they failed to gain control. One Australian was killed and several woundedā€¦ Bear in mind the site linked is a bit one-eyed, but itā€™s historically interesting that Australian and US troops opened fire on each other in WWII. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/93 "2003-09-23T21:42:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mhendo \* > \*\*Are you talking about [Goanna](http://www.racingshadow.com/albums/Australia2002/Uluru/album33.html)? > > If so, itā€™s pronounced pretty much the way itā€™s spelt: > > go-anna \*\* Yeahā€¦that. Never saw it spelled out, so was taking a stab at it. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/94 "2003-09-23T21:45:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bruce\_Daddy \* > \*\*Theyā€™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 ROCKā€¦17% of us are gay. Whoooooo-hooooooo. Any bloody wonder I canā€™t find a straight bloke. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![cajela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cajela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cajela)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/95 "2003-09-24T02:17:20Z")
**kambuckta** , is calling dinner ā€œteaā€ a Melbourne thing? In Sydney and Canberra you wouldnā€™t catch anybody under 60 saying that. And kangaroo is good eating. Itā€™s often cheaper than lamb. But not so easy to find; it does seem to vary by state. Iā€™ve eaten a fair bit on and off, and itā€™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. Iā€™m also surpised at ā€œeven my dog wonā€™t eat vegemiteā€. Our cats adore it; they make a concerted effort to steal our brekfast vegemite toast. Itā€™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 ā€œAustralian Balletā€ and ā€œAustralian Operaā€ 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. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/96 "2003-09-24T11:42:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*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. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/97 "2003-09-24T12:04:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cajela \* > \*\ ***kambuckta** , is calling dinner ā€œteaā€ a Melbourne thing? In Sydney and Canberra you wouldnā€™t catch anybody under 60 saying that. > > And kangaroo is good eating. Itā€™s often cheaper than lamb. But not so easy to find; it does seem to vary by state. Iā€™ve eaten a fair bit on and off, and itā€™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 ā€œteaā€ 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 ROCKā€¦17% of us are gay. Whoooooo-hooooooo. \*\*Okay, this caught me a little by surprise. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/98 "2003-09-24T12:42:52Z")
Well, iā€™m 33, and it was always ā€œteaā€ when I was growing up in New South Wales. Iā€™ve succumbed to the ā€œdinnerā€ thing now though. ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/99 "2003-09-24T12:46:56Z")
Although it getā€™s a bad rap, **vegemite** is actually pretty tasty in the right quantities. So far every foreigner Iā€™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. šŸ˜ƒ Vegemite on toast is my 2nd favourite breakfast food. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586/100 "2003-09-24T13:17:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*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 ā€œAustralian Balletā€ and ā€œAustralian Operaā€ 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. Itā€™s shocking, absolutely shocking! > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mecaenas \* > Although it getā€™s a bad rap, **vegemite** is actually pretty tasty in the right quantities. So far every foreigner Iā€™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. šŸ˜ƒ > > Vegemite on toast is my 2nd favourite breakfast food. Doh! šŸ˜ƒ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misconceptions-about-australia/202586.md?page=6)