Agree with this. Fight fire with a flamethrower.

So very true.

I am having a (quite amusing) battle of the countries with one of our guys in finance who has told me 'we let anyone in these days' when I told him of our citizenship application.

I give as good as I get and have already told him that he is more 'Queen' than our Queen and should not be allowed the day off for her birthday.

It is a regular occurrence and one that I look forward to when I go into the finance office to fight my corner in the Pommie bashing session. I can see him all geared up for it, his little glasses steamed up, tapping his pen on the desk thinking of stuff to say.

His latest comeback was 'I need a translator for your accent' I am planning my response to him next time I go to his office.

To be honest, it isnt meant nastily, he enjoys it and I fight back and I enjoy it, he was a bit stand-offish when I first met him and not very helpful but now its great- we have a laugh.

But I can understand how hard it must be to have boundaries crossed when racism is involved.

Another path the OP could take is to rely on that old fallback - the outright lie. He could tell this bloke that his family have been in Australia for 200 years and it was just his generation that was born in England. The twat isn't to know one way or the other is he and it would stop any bullshit about being a real Australian, etc. He could just refer to his fictional 5th great grandfather who built Brisbane, etc.

Which I thought was a way of life back in the UK ? Maybe I've been away too long. Still my formative years were easy preperation for here. In fact I had to and still have to hold back sometimes... especially with new banterers as I tend to over do it.

.

I sense the OP's issue and situation is something different and beyond this. Could be wrong though. I'd love to have the opportunity to take the perpetrators head to places it's not been before.

He could say he is the tenth cousin of Ned Kelly and in fact, it was down to him that pies became successful.

A very vocal minority have a HUGE chip on their shoulder, im not sure if it is a superiority or an inferiority complex to be honest.

Tell him not to be such a noxious bogan.
Tell him he's lucky to have an english workmate because you raise the tone of the establishment.
That's what I do anyway.

Tell him that you know he secretly dreams of being English and living in the Mother Land.

Tell him that jealousy is an illness so get well soon turd legs. Buy him a 'Brit Box' full of English memorabilia such as the following:

1. A model of a London bus
2. A ticket to Buckingham Palace
3. A post card of the Queen
4. A Diamond Jubilee mug
5. A Wills and Kate wedding mug
6. An Olympic Games mug
7. A map of the London Underground
8. A small specimen pot with some dust from the London Underground or someones lungs or something.
9. A photo of white dog turd - exclusively from Acton Town
10. A box of PG Tips
11. A jar of Marmite
12. A copy of The Sun newspaper
13. An Oyster card
14. A large Union Jack
15. The lyrics to the National Anthem and a recording of it.

Present him with this box and gather round an audience of all workmates and management, try and manage to squeeze a few tears out at your sheer generosity and nod around in approving fashion and then relish in the knowledge that everyone will think you are a fab good all round guy.

Or nick something from the boss's desk and put it in his locker.

Like the devious thinking, could back fire though, risky.

Set his favourite desk item in jelly like they did with Gareth Keenan's stappler in the Office

Choose a nice green jelly. The tell him its only a triffeling matter but the person who did it should be taken in to custard-y

Great series!

I agree with this.

I actually think there is no need for constant (negative) banter and 'fighting fire with fire' (etc). If this is necessary, then I would question the person/people and the workplace culture. Not every Aussie is an up and at him 'banter' extradinaire...

You have to decide whether the bloke is really worth it or not.

There are plenty of people out there who will take an interest in (for fun or otherwise) where you come from without banging on about it and leaving a doubt as to their real motive, negative or positive.

Of course, if it doesn't effect a person, then it's all water off a duck's back.