No worries, mate? Is Australia's traditionally relaxed attitude in decline?
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There are numerous cliches about Australia, but one that has always held true is a tendency to be relaxed and laid back in the face of any adversity. “No worries, mate,” is almost a national motto. But is that still the case in 2023? An increasing body of evidence suggests that Australians actually have more worries than ever, and that sunny disposition of theirs is in a state of decline. An extreme reaction to extreme circumstances The most obvious sign that Australians are more than capable of worries came during the events of 2020. Now, the entire world was facing an unprecedented challenge, and nobody knew how it would turn out, so it would be unrealistic to expect anyone to simply shrug it off. It would also have been irresponsible in the extreme. Nevertheless, there was a global sense of surprise that Australia adopted such extreme measures as it did in shutting down internally and shutting out the rest of the world. We won’t get into a debate on the rights or wrongs of it here, we will just be glad it is all in the past now. However, with a little reflection, the extreme reaction was really not so surprising. Laid back attitudes aside, anyone who has ever visited Australia from overseas will know just how strict the border control officers are about seeds, plants or anything that could introduce contaminants into Australia’s unique ecosystem. From that perspective it is no surprise that similarly strict measures were taken against a virus carried by humans. Not such a healthy lifestyle We mentioned clichés earlier, and the archetypal image of Australian lifestyle is an idyll of outdoor activities and healthy living. 85 percent of Australians live within easy reach of the nation’s famous golden beaches, and when they are not surfing or scuba diving, they are playing cricket or Aussie Rules football. So much for the cliché. The truth is that Australia is battling an obesity epidemic that is worse than the UK’s and not far behind the USA. Two thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese and a quarter of children. There are numerous public health education campaigns aimed at tackling obesity and promoting healthy eating, including LiveLighter, Tryfor5 and the Healthy Food Partnership to name just a few. Gambling habits are changing Australians gamble more money per capita than any other nation, and the old joke goes that Australians will bet on two flies crawling up a wall. Habits are changing and over the past four years, the number of Australian casino players taking to the internet in search of the highest paying online casinos has risen dramatically. While this process was certainly accelerated by the events of 2020, internet gambling was a reality that was always going to have a major impact in a nation with such a fondness for pokies, blackjack and other casino games. That in itself is no surprise. However, Australia’s passion for gambling has become something of a political football. The government is eager for Australians to lose the tag of “world’s biggest gamblers,” and is seeking to introduce a range of measures aimed at protecting the vulnerable. Now, providing support and protection to problem gamblers is something that everyone can get behind. However, critics argue that some of the proposed measures, such as placing $1,500 daily wagering limits on pokies, will do nothing to protect problem gambling and will only serve to prevent wealthy high rollers from spending their money as they wish. There are no easy answers, and the debate over gambling laws in Australia is one that is set to run and run.
