[QUOTE=Martini Enfield]
And pretty much every Aussie in the thread came in and said the cites were crap and that we weren’t expected to tip.
Which were all aimed at Tourists, who are accustomed to tipping in their own countries anyway. As I repeatedly said in the last thread, no way are we going to turn down free money from Americans who want to give the waiter another $15 or $20 for just doing his or her job anyway.
I am doing my best to avoid language that might get this dragged into the pit, but the last time I checked you don’t live in Australia and have never even visted the country, which means you’re talking out your ass. Kindly refrain from making Bold Statements Of Fact about subjects that you do not have any first-hand experience with, and more specifically, kindly refrain from telling those of us who live in a particular country “How things actually work”, especially when you’re basing said information on a Google search which has already been discredited by the people who actually live here. TheLoadedDog, for example, has already said tipping isn’t expected here (in this very thread!)..
[/QUOTE]
Since several other Aussie dopers have chimed in, and to *some degree * have verified this :
Spoons:. “In restaurants, no server has refused one, but my Australian business associates whom I have hosted have informed me *that tips are not absolutely necessary, * as they are in North America.”
Kayeby: “Most restaurants are familiar with tipping, but nobody *expects * a 20% or even a 10% tip” (Italics mine, much snipping)
I never said Tipping was required or *expected * like here in America. And, I wasn’t getting my info from “dodgy tourist handbook”- it was from Official Australian Cites- aimed at Tourists & Visitors sure, but even at their fellow Aussies from another area- not just Americans. None of those said that tipping was required- just that it was getting “more common in the better restaurants”. And, not just for Americans. For all visitors, inlcuding other Aussies. None were aimed at just Americans, either. In fact, many Aussies visit other areas of their island continent, and many other nationalities come there. Not just “rich yanks”. If an official governement tourist site was found giving advice just so that the locals could fleece rich yanks, there’d have been a few outcries by now, eh?
And, sure Martini Enfield- you live there. But you also a dedicated diehard anti-tipper. That just might color your perceptions and your posts a bit, eh? I mean, If I was known as a dedicated and diehard nudist, and I claimed that dudes here in California went around nude most of the time in good weather, and you posted cites that showed that nudity was rare here- would you expect everyone to beleive me- the extemely biased local- or you, the unbiased foriegner?
Here’s some cites:
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Australia_and_Oceania/Australia/State_of_New_South_Wales/Sydney-1869538/Local_Customs-Sydney-Tipping_and_Prices-BR-1.html
These first are from Sydney residents: "
TIPPING: is seen as optional courtesy depending on the expense of a meal and/or quality of the service. Australia has minimum wage standards higher than most countries so that staff do not rely on the tips of customers. The most common tipping is for restaurants and taxi drivers. ."
“Tipping is growing in popularity but I don’t do it as a local.”
"No service charge applies in Australia. Tipping is not mandatory but a 10% tip in restaurants and hotel bars is normal for good service. "
“It is not necessary to tip in Sydney. People however often do tip waiters or taxi drivers and hotel staff for good or thoughtful service usually 10% for a food bill …”
“These days, tipping is expected in most restaurants in Sydney. As a rule leave 10%, but if you really did have bad service and bad food, forget the tip. There are still some people around who think that because waiters are often paid relatively well that a tip is not necessary, but it doesn’t hurt to give a “bonus” when you have had an enjoyable experience”
"Tipping is not expected but welcomed for good service "
"You do NOT need to tip in restaurants, hotels, etc. "
From an Aussie in Mackay "My tip here is don’t tip. It’s really not worth it as wherever you go it wont be expected. "
From a Canberra Aussie: "It’s not compulsory to tip in Sydney, but it’s encouraged whenever you receive good service. 10-15% is adequate. You will not be hassled or treated with disdain if you don’t give tips. "
Here’s from an official Sydney site:
http://www.sydneyontheweb.com/essential_info/tipping.shtml
"Tipping is not required at restaurants or hotels. However, a 10% tip is widely accepted as a standard for good restaurant service. "
And here’s what Wiki sez:
"In Australia, tipping is traditionally not common and, beyond the hospitality industry, almost no service providers will expect a tip. Employers pay a sufficient wage and do not expect employees to supplement their income with tips. *However tipping is becoming increasingly common at some establishments (particularly restaurants, cafes, upmarket hotels, and nightclubs) in large tourist cities such as Gold Coast, Sydney or Melbourne, with 15% expected for exceptional service. * In recent decades, tip jars have increasingly become common in hospitality establishments, even in suburban areas of these cities. However, even in these establishments, tipping is often still seen as being an optional personal choice. " (italics mine)
So, it seems like there’s a lot of room for debate on the “tipping in Down Under” question, with some *local residents * saying anything from “These days, tipping is expected in most restaurants in Sydney” to "You do NOT need to tip in restaurants, hotels, etc. " But everyone seems to agree that Tipping is more common now that it used to be.
So, Martin- no, I don’t believe you. You’re very clearly biased. I do beleive other Aussies, and not just “tourist guidebooks” (*none * of which I have cited)- and I am sorry to say that other than "it’s getting more common"and “it’s not nigh-required like in the States” there is no consensus at all. Some say “it’s expected but not required” some say “it’s getting more common but not expected”. 
In America, a business would get into real trouble if they tried to cut into a servers CC tips due to “charges”. OTOH, there are sometimes “tip-backs” that are all but 100% mandatory to the busboys, etc.