the troubadour

Yes there I agree. A real issue for advancement to be sure. The good ones with originality and ideas tend to be forced to conform to the norm or ignored or bullied and eventually forced out unless developing a very tough skin.

I don't think I have witnessed another country where the best are not amply rewarded.

Bix

We'll agree to disagree on that one then.

In QLD I find that would be the case in the larger players but even then it's usually used an excuse to delay something they didn't really like or want to do rather than the belief in H&S.

Even the smaller players have quite strict practices in place but not the will or inclination to follow them. One H&S rep on a shift can't watch everyone on site and they resort to pioneer stereotype.

Tradies and warehousing around town are worse than the mines. If something goes wrong it's a case of washing the hands with "they've been trained and weren't following procedures". Of course that is correct but you can take a horse to water......

old.sparkles

What you've just said is exactly what would happen at Mars in the UK and completely the reverse of what I've seen where I'm working.

People having accidents here are covered by workers comp even if it was there fault so to speak. Accidents at Mars would likely result in disciplinary actions for the injured person since you could only usually get injured if you weren't following the SSW's.

Bix

The lack of a class system has already been mentioned and I agree with that.

Other differences I find:

Aussies work to live rather than live to work. They have no loyalty and continuously change jobs which perhaps explains why there are so many part time jobs and of course they love pulling a sickie.

In true pioneer style they are reactive to situations rather than proactive. If something goes belly up they'll deal with it but they won't think about preventing things happening in the first place.

They are very patriotic but dislike what they see as special treatment afforded to aboriginals and as a result resent them.

Before coming to Aus I was told they are very forthright. I've found them to be the opposite. Pussy cats who let anyone walk all over them.

Beyond the footie, the fishing, getting the next slab and fixing an engine with a paperclip is there anything worth worrying about or talking about?

Again I qualify my opinions as being based on QLD and not limited to but in particular to the Far North

BadgeIsBack

Sort of resonated with me.

There is a class system - blue collar, white collar, working class, etc it's just less entrenched - and people mix far more readily - there is often a common denominator running through everything. So you get the cliche of the orchestral conductor who jokes about the football, or a well spoken Toorak art dealer who has a rough side. Country gatherings are always a laugh.

People don't seem to get hung up on the details ,or rather, 'little things' like English people do.

Australians are generally, nowhere near as extrovert or laid back as they, or others think they are. Generally a conformist society - especially in the burbs.

Just when someone thinks Australians can be generalised..there are always, always exceptions.

DC10

This is very true, and especially with anything to do with driving or traffic where the police strict liability view is taken as read and common sense does not enter the equation. In my experience the average Australian also drinks quite a bit less than the average Brit, and is definitely less likely to spend time in a pub. The above is perhaps surprising given the convict/larrakin background. But then Americans are a bit the same

Incidentally unless they have lived in the UK and mixed in the right/wrong circles (depending on your point of view) I don't think many Aussies could comprehend the nastiness with which some middle class Brits sneer about the "convict" or lack of Aus culture things - there's your class system at work again... or maybe I just met some nasty middle class Brits

fish.01

And based on a particular type of person.

I know few people like you describe so it really depends...in fact most I know are nothing like that...similar to the UK, you could define totally different people as being 'typical' depending on your own friends and colleagues. Tough thing to nail down...

NJJ

Cripes how much is the beer in Perth? In Melbourne it's around $10-$12/pint. Only cheaper places are 'pokis' subsidised venues like those ALH joints where it's $8-$9/pint.

Amazulu

We don't have the RSL/Pokies setup in WA (thank f**k) so beer tends to be expensive in pubs and bars. You can pay $16/pint for a Belgian brew in a trendy city bar to $4.90 for Becks down the road from me

ozzieeagle

Upmarket Beer Menu anyone.

We're going here pre the next Melbourne Victory game.

Probably be broke by the time we get to the ground.


http://www.beerdeluxe.com.au/images/...eer%20list.pdf

spouse of scouse

Cooee Zulu - is that $4.90 for a PINT of Becks?! That's a fantastic price - I thought we were doing well with $9 pints of Peroni

We stayed overnight at the Esplanade hotel in Freo - $18 for a pint of Heineken. Robbing bastards

ozzieeagle

It'll be for a stubbie of Australian made under license Becks However according to Choice the Aus versions taste better !

Amazulu

Yes, $4.90 for a pint

I was slightly mistaken as they have a cheap beer of the month. It was local Becks for that price but is now something else (I think Heineken). A place in Boganville (aka Midland) also has a monthly special at $4.90

spouse of scouse

Might have to have a scout around Midland, why should bogans have all the fun?

Swerv-o

This is definitely my experience too. And don't expect efficient or cutting edge processes/solutions.

Pretty much if there's a long winded, backwards or over bureaucratic way of doing something you can pretty much guarantee Aussie companies will have adopted it as best practice.


S