Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

Many Australians have said that the states should be abolished altogether and have one big Australia. I don't think those people are being very realistic or are not familiar with some geographic basic facts. Unlike, New Zealand, which can function as a unitary state, Australia is far too vast to be one.

Besides, Australia is a classic federal country where the parts of the federation, ie. the states, predate the federation itself.

Having said all this, do the states mean anything at all to an average Australian? I'm sure that given the huge size of Australia your local community means very much to you but I just don't believe the states have anything endearing about them. I'm sure that every Aussie is proud to be an Aussie and proud of his home town or village but that intermediate level surely can't mean that much to anyone? I may be wrong on this one though. I won't be ashamed to admit I'm wrong if someone comes along and tells me how proud he is to live in a state x which is so much better than state y.

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

I'm not an average Australian (in fact I'm not Australian at all yet) but....

yes the states are pretty important. When I arrived I immediately considered myself a Victorian, for which you need no formal documentation! Many Aussies identify with their state, in fact people are still considered products of their state long after they have moved interstate.

There are also several stereotypes associated with each state just like there are with countries in Europe, which people happily use to rib each other.

BB

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

I like being a Victorian. As well as having the coolest nickname the state is one of the better managed ones (although I guess may not have always been the case).

When I come back from other states I always feel pleased to be back in Victoria. It feels like home. As said above you can feel Victorian without necessarily being an Aussie.

As for getting rid of the states. Bad idea. Centralised government will favour Sydney and the rest of the country will lose out. The much touted duplication will still exist after centralisation except it'll be worse as there will be an additional level of management and it'll be unelected.

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

It certainly means something to the average Australian, but to me, as a Brit, it means bugger all.

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

Yes, would always put the fact we live in Queensland before Australia. Don't really know why.

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

What:confused:

I don't think being called mexicans is very cool

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

I think this is an excellent point. Even if it was made by a Victorian.

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

I cant imagine being anything but a marone. How would we decide the state of origin?

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

This is my 2nd time living in Australia, I spent 5 years in QLD in the early 90's and have only just returned. This time I'm in NSW due to the right job coming up at the right time, but I'll always have an affinity to QLD, back them in sports (especially State of Origin, which they hardly ever won when I lived there), and if I retire in Aus, I hope it will be in SE QLD.

I also have friends in QLD, but so far only colleges (mostly migrants) in NSW.

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

Better than banana-bender, cockroach, crow-muncher, sand-groper.

Apple-muncher or Taswegian is okay though.

Mexican, much more exotic and hence cool. :p

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

I've noticed how patriotic each state is about their beer.

In Vic it's VB, in Queensland it's XXXX, in NSW it's Tooheys, in Tassie it's either Boags or Cascade depending whether you're in the North or South.

I was in a pub near Toowoomba asking what beers did they have. Woman says 'what would you like', I asked for a Coopers, she says 'sorry we only have xxxx bitter or xxxx gold' - in that case why ask me what beer did I want? I also got into a discussion with a couple of Queenslanders which is better - XXXX or VB. I had to agree with them, XXXX is better than VB :p

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

SA - Coopers and WA is Swan.

One thing I've noticed since living here in the 90's is the number of overseas beers which have become popular, in some ways its a shame, anyway I'm off for a Corona ;)

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

Cause you might be driving of course :)

Not sure about regional areas, but I find a lot of the patriotism has died in the big cities over the last 10-20 years. You are often more likely to find a died in the wool VB drinker in Brisbane than a XXXX drinker. Or a belgium beer or whatever.

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

Although of course you do get asked by the folks back home whether you drive to work in a traction engine and enjoy brass bands :)

Re: Do the states mean anything to you identitywise?
 

Just for info..

Corona I beleive is imported from Mexico. Its a marketing man's dream...in Mexico its normally considered the cheap stuff that they give you in all inclusive hotels, over here through marketing they are knocking it out for $8+ a bottle in pubs! And the reason for the lemon/line in the top - to try to keep the flies away from the top in Mexico, nothing to do with taste.

Heinieken and Becks are made in Sydney by Tooheys as is XXXX Gold and Hahn.