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 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.
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’!!!
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.
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!
I think the way many Americans think of Australia can be summed up by visiting Outback Steakhouse. (Extra Credit for Aussie Dopers: Learn everything you need to know about Texas by visiting Lone Star Steakhouse!)
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.)
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 seems to suggest that they aren’t beefy, and it appears that many of these men didn’t represent rural areas.)
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?
[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. **[/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
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:
an absence of fundamentalist religion, especially on an organized, political level, compared to the United States.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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)
**[/QUOTE
