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Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

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Old Oct 14th 2010, 2:51 pm
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Default Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Weighing up both the attitudes and politics of the two countries, would Australia be considered more to the right than the UK?
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Old Oct 14th 2010, 3:47 pm
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Depends on the state, Queensland for example could be classed as far right wing

Overall I find Australia a rather liberal society actually. I heard so many scare stories like the one about the Queenslanders before I went over but the reality is I find Aussies not all that different to us Poms < apart from Queenslanders >
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Old Oct 14th 2010, 3:47 pm
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

I think these days, both countries are fairly middling.
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Old Oct 15th 2010, 9:41 am
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Originally Posted by Jon77
Depends on the state, Queensland for example could be classed as far right wing

Overall I find Australia a rather liberal society actually. I heard so many scare stories like the one about the Queenslanders before I went over but the reality is I find Aussies not all that different to us Poms < apart from Queenslanders >
I think it is quite conservative in parts but it depends what you mean by conservative. Some of the family values I recognise and have come acustomed to might be considered a bit strange by people who fight that sort of thing = perhaps it is a good thing. Australia seems to enjoy tokens and display of remembrance and traditionalism. But just when you think it is very conservative, there is an outbreak of liberalism.

However...naturally, conservatism does not preclude liberalism!
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Old Oct 15th 2010, 1:44 pm
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

conservative and australia are two words that dont belong in the same sentance!.

The first time I heard adverts on the radio in the middle of the afternoon for viagra style products it was a suprise.

Political correctness has also never really arrived here, or it arrived, was poked with a stick a bit and then ignored.
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Old Oct 15th 2010, 8:30 pm
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Originally Posted by dave99
conservative and australia are two words that dont belong in the same sentance!.

The first time I heard adverts on the radio in the middle of the afternoon for viagra style products it was a suprise.

Political correctness has also never really arrived here, or it arrived, was poked with a stick a bit and then ignored.
I'll second that! We had to quickly change radio stations each time that ad was on when we were over there so as to avoid any awkward questions from our young girls We also couldn't believe how much swearing there was on the radio! Our girls commented on it too
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Old Oct 15th 2010, 8:40 pm
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

I would say that if you are talking about conservative with a small c, then in some ways Australia is more conservative than the UK.
I have worked at Erotica in the UK, along with a couple of smaller shows, and Sexpo in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, and the difference between the punters is very noticeable. We have a table of toys at the front of the stand. In the UK punters are happy to pick them up, see what the different buttons do and have a laugh with their mates/partner and with the staff on the stand. In Australia people avoid the table like the plague and seem scared to talk to the staff. Brisbane and Perth were the worst, with one of the girls working on the stand being asked by a woman visiting the show what the girl's mother thought of her working there! People pay to go to Sexpo and I would hope have a pretty good idea what to expect to see inside, yet you wouldn't think so from some of the reactions I saw.
Given the number of adult shops in Australia, I was surprised to see such a conservative attitude from so many people.
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Old Oct 16th 2010, 1:09 am
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Well, some sectors of Australian society are conservative, others are very liberal. Probably no different to anywhere else. Rural areas are a lot more conservative than urban areas which is a well known phenomenon.

I think as a whole though, from what I've heard about other comparable countries, Australians are a little less concerned or uptight about whether things may offend, perhaps a little less self conscious in some aspects of their behaviour.

This does not mean that they don't care who they offend or lack respect for other people, but just the way it is here. It is a huge load off your shoulders in life if you don't have to feel overly anxious about how others perceive you and just be who you are.

This is what is meant by 'laid back' when describing Australians, people are very down to earth on average and don't take themselves or things overly seriously.
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Old Oct 16th 2010, 8:58 am
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Originally Posted by BenandPam
I would say that if you are talking about conservative with a small c, then in some ways Australia is more conservative than the UK.
I have worked at Erotica in the UK, along with a couple of smaller shows, and Sexpo in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, and the difference between the punters is very noticeable. We have a table of toys at the front of the stand. In the UK punters are happy to pick them up, see what the different buttons do and have a laugh with their mates/partner and with the staff on the stand. In Australia people avoid the table like the plague and seem scared to talk to the staff. Brisbane and Perth were the worst, with one of the girls working on the stand being asked by a woman visiting the show what the girl's mother thought of her working there! People pay to go to Sexpo and I would hope have a pretty good idea what to expect to see inside, yet you wouldn't think so from some of the reactions I saw.
Given the number of adult shops in Australia, I was surprised to see such a conservative attitude from so many people.
Originally Posted by ProudVIC
Well, some sectors of Australian society are conservative, others are very liberal. Probably no different to anywhere else. Rural areas are a lot more conservative than urban areas which is a well known phenomenon.

I think as a whole though, from what I've heard about other comparable countries, Australians are a little less concerned or uptight about whether things may offend, perhaps a little less self conscious in some aspects of their behaviour.

This does not mean that they don't care who they offend or lack respect for other people, but just the way it is here. It is a huge load off your shoulders in life if you don't have to feel overly anxious about how others perceive you and just be who you are.

This is what is meant by 'laid back' when describing Australians, people are very down to earth on average and don't take themselves or things overly seriously.
Some cliches there...but I think Australians are very tolerant and this tolerance is grossly misunderstood and labelled all sorts of things by harried Europeans. 'Lazinesss'...'apathy'...The sterotypical loud Aussie is not as ubiquitous as I think is made out. Some things they take very seriously, and why not?

Sexpo. hmm....in my backpacking year, I had a gig as a sex toy travelling salesman...I hit every shop in Brisbane and made one sell. I also went to all the brothels and found it a huge hit that the girls couldn't believe that I was asking them to cough up...Down in Melbourne, I've just met a bloke who runs the family porn and paper's business. Good bloke.
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Old Oct 17th 2010, 12:52 pm
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Originally Posted by MrsE
I'll second that! We had to quickly change radio stations each time that ad was on when we were over there so as to avoid any awkward questions from our young girls We also couldn't believe how much swearing there was on the radio! Our girls commented on it too
America has viagra adverts too and they're far from what I'd call liberal. Perhaps Australians are more libertarian than actually liberal.

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Old Oct 18th 2010, 1:44 am
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Originally Posted by COF
America has viagra adverts too and they're far from what I'd call liberal. Perhaps Australians are more libertarian than actually liberal.
Again that is a massive generalisation.

There are parts of the USA that are more Liberal than the entire UK.

Several American states have legalised gay marriage, and Oregon has legalised euthanasia.
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Old Oct 18th 2010, 1:48 am
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Originally Posted by Mr Grumpy
Again that is a massive generalisation.

There are parts of the USA that are more Liberal than the entire UK.

Several American states have legalised gay marriage, and Oregon has legalised euthanasia.
Yes, the reailty of America is vastly different to their international image/reputation.

They truly are a melting pot of ideas, opinions, cultures etc, and apart from some glaring issues, kind of work well.
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Old Oct 18th 2010, 1:48 am
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Originally Posted by ProudVIC
Well, some sectors of Australian society are conservative, others are very liberal. Probably no different to anywhere else. Rural areas are a lot more conservative than urban areas which is a well known phenomenon.

I think as a whole though, from what I've heard about other comparable countries, Australians are a little less concerned or uptight about whether things may offend, perhaps a little less self conscious in some aspects of their behaviour.

This does not mean that they don't care who they offend or lack respect for other people, but just the way it is here. It is a huge load off your shoulders in life if you don't have to feel overly anxious about how others perceive you and just be who you are.

This is what is meant by 'laid back' when describing Australians, people are very down to earth on average and don't take themselves or things overly seriously.
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Old Oct 18th 2010, 4:25 am
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Default Re: Is Australia a more conservative country than the UK?

Originally Posted by ProudVIC
Well, some sectors of Australian society are conservative, others are very liberal. Probably no different to anywhere else. Rural areas are a lot more conservative than urban areas which is a well known phenomenon.
I think as a whole though, from what I've heard about other comparable countries, Australians are a little less concerned or uptight about whether things may offend, perhaps a little less self conscious in some aspects of their behaviour.

This does not mean that they don't care who they offend or lack respect for other people, but just the way it is here. It is a huge load off your shoulders in life if you don't have to feel overly anxious about how others perceive you and just be who you are.

This is what is meant by 'laid back' when describing Australians, people are very down to earth on average and don't take themselves or things overly seriously.
I agree. Rural areas are where the real trouble lurks. All of the most inward-looking redneck chav/bogan illiterate aggressive drunken racist morons I have ever bumped into are always from "small towns". I would say there is more difference between a small town and a metropolitan area within a country, than there is between two totally different countries' metro areas.
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