Australian Study Council

Australians are defined as people native to or resident in Australia. Australians are referred to as 'Aussie' and 'Antipodean'. Australians were historically referred to as 'Colonials', 'British' and 'British subjects'. Australian citizenship did not exist before 26 January 1949. Before then, people born in Australia were British subjects. People born in Australia (including Norfolk Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island) on or after 20 August 1986 are Australian citizens by birth if at least one parent was an Australian citizen or a permanent resident at the time of the person's birth.

 

The current Australian population is estimated at 23,751,000 (19 September 2013).[36] This does not include an estimated 1 million Australians living overseas (see above), but it includes the estimated 24% of Australians born overseas (in various nations, but predominantly the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italy, China, Vietnam, India, the Philippines, and Greece). There are an estimated 1 million Australians (approximately 5% of the population) residing outside Australia. The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement facilitates open migration to and from New Zealand.

 

Australians and New Zealanders have a rivalry, especially in certain sports such as rugby league, rugby union and netball. The rivalry is often compared to brothers in the same family competing against each other. Rivalry between Australia and allies such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand is friendly and jocular in nature, as Australians often view these nations as members of an Anglosphere cultural tradition which has significant overlap with their own.

 

Queuing in Australia is the norm, and you’ll see queues for the bus, train and taxi, and one must never break a queue. It is polite to surrender a seat to the elderly, women with babies or the handicapped, although special seats are provided on public transport. Men will not surrender a seat for a woman of the approximate same age. People walk and drive on the left, and pass on the right, whether they are on escalators, walkways, roads or streets.
Men should refrain from being too physically demonstrative with women, and winking or whistling is unacceptable. People don’t usually touch each other other than to shake hands at the beginning and end of a meeting. Good friends often kiss once on the right cheek.

'Please' and 'thank you' are words that are very helpful when dealing with other people, and buying goods or services. When asked if you would like something, like a cup of tea, it is polite to say, 'Yes please', or just 'please' if you would like it, or 'no, thank you' if you do not. When you receive something, it is polite to thank the person by saying 'thank you'. Australians tend to think that people who do not say 'please' or 'thank you' are being rude. Using these words will help in building a good relationship.Australians often say, 'Excuse me' to get a person's attention and 'sorry' if we bump into them. We also say, 'Excuse me' or 'pardon me' if we burp or belch in public or a person's home.