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Five fundamental freedoms
All Australians are entitled to freedom of speech, association, assembly, religion, and movement. Australians are free, within the bounds of the law, to say or write what we think privately or publicly, about the government, or about any topic. We do not censor the media and may criticise the government without fear of arrest. Free speech comes from facts, not rumours, and the intention must be constructive, not to do harm. There are laws to protect a person's good name and integrity against false information. There are laws against saying or writing things to incite hatred against others because of their culture, ethnicity or background. Freedom of speech is not an excuse to harm others. We are free to join any organisation or group if it is legal. We can choose to belong to a trade union or to a political party. Having and debating points of view allows for a healthy and strong democracy. We are free to meet with other people in public or private places. We can meet in small or large groups for legal social or political purposes. Being able to protest and to demonstrate is an accepted form of free expression. Protestors must not be violent or break laws such as assaulting others or trespassing on private or public property. People can change governments in a peaceful way by elections and not by violence. Australia does not have an official or state religion. The law does not enforce any religious doctrine, however, religious practices must conform to the law. We are free to follow any religion we choose. We are also free not to have a religion. We can move freely to and from all states and territories. We can leave and return to Australia at any time. Some migrants may have conditions placed on their visa until they become Australian citizens.
Laws and Customs
- Smoking in any place that is not indoors is not allowed. Additionally, there is no smoking in work places hotels or airports, public transport, taxis, shopping centres. If you are at someone else's home and you wish to smoke, it is common practice to go out of doors, as many Australians find cigarette smoking offensive.
- No drinking alcohol in public areas such as parks, beaches etc.. But you can drink inside your home, in a licensed restaurant or in a pub. Drink driving over the legal limit of .05 is a very serious offence. Fines starts at AU$ 75 for public places and go into there thousands for drink driving. To buy alcohol and tobacco you need to be 18.
- It's obvious but.., you can not sell or produce illegal drugs. The consumption is tolerated but reprehended, in case of foreigners it can lead to jail and deportation.
- You can't sell anything on the streets including to other business without a license. For example, you can't catch a beautiful fish and sell it to a restaurant, or produce food in your home to sell to the general public. There are heavy fines to do so. Anything you plan to sell will require a license, except in markets or garage sales.
- Riding your bicycle without a helmet and driving a car without seat belts attracts a fine. Bicycles are considered vehicles in Australia, and car drivers are expected to consider you as another vehicle and give space to you, however this does not always occur. You must also signal with your arms when turning right or left and stop at intersections and signals just like a car does. Bicycles are not allowed on motorways or high speed freeways. In the big cities there are exclusive bike lanes for you to ride.
- Not to pay your fines, may lead to bigger and bigger fines, and confiscation of your assets to cover it in case you don't have money, or even prison. If you leave Australia and leave unpaid fines, when you return in the far future you may have a very big surprise - if they let you return!
- It is prohibited by law to work in Australia with a Tourist Visa.Working without the correct visa may lead to prison and deportation. Student visas holders can apply for a permit for part time work (20 hours per week). There are holiday working visas, which give permission for some countries who have agreements with Australia to work for a certain period in Australia. Overstaying your visa in Australia may bring fines or deportation. If you intend to extend your stay in Australia, you must visit an Immigration office before your visa expires.
- Touching a person without consent is considered invasion of privacy and physical aggression that can lead to prosecution. Women are treated equally to men, and unwanted touching or affection will most certainly lead to police intervention.
- Getting rid of trash, or throwing anything on the streets including cigarette buts attracts fines.
- Racial, Religious and discriminatory matters, are passive of prosecution and even jail. Also, when you plan to photograph someone you don't know, ask their permission before do so. Supplying phone numbers and addresses without a persons' consent can also lead to prosecution by breach of the privacy act. Discriminating on Sex, colour age and race, is a legal offence.
- Pedestrian Crossings and traffic lights must be obeyed. Red means stop and Green means go. You must always look before you cross the street. If you are driving the car, you must always give way to pedestrians, even if they happen to cross against a red light, otherwise you may hit the pedestrian, and you will probably be considered at fault.
- Greetings. Men usually shake hands (firmly) the first time they meet. Women may or may not shake hands."How do you do", "Good morning" and "Good afternoon" are formal greetings. Usually young people just say "Hello" or "Hi".
- Punctuality. It is considered extremely rude to be late. If you are delayed, you should telephone ahead to explain and to ensure the person you are visiting, is still able to make the appointment.
- Social invitations. Whenever you receive an a social invitation it is good to reply quickly. On a written invitation, "RSVP," means, "Please reply" by the date that is stated.
When you are invited to join friends for an outing to a restaurant or the theatre you will usually be expected to pay for your own meal and/or tickets. If the friend offers to "shout" then this means that they will pay for you. If you are in doubt, ask.
- Servants. If you are used to having servants to do most of your work, you may find the Australian way of life a little difficult at first. In Australia, it is not considered shameful for anyone to do manual work and males often share in the housework. A person sometimes employs a cleaner, who comes once a week to clean the house, but Australians usually do most of the housework, child care and gardening themselves.
- Bring a plate
You may receive an invitation to social function where you are asked to bring a plate. This may seem strange but it is an acceptable way to entertain.., "Bring a plate", means "bring a plate of food" as a contribution to the meal - don't just bring an empty plate!
- B.Y.O ? Bring your own. If you are told that a party is BYO it means that you are expected to bring your own drink - soft drink or alcohol. Some restaurants are also BYO. At these restaurants it is acceptable to bring your own alcohol, usually wine or beer. Soft drinks are normally available from the restaurant. Australians drink a broad variety of refreshments. Water is not automatically brought to tables in restaurants. Just ask for water and it will be brought.
- Conversation. If an English speaker is speaking too fast ask them to speak a little more slowly. Some questions are not asked in Australia unless you know a person very well or unless you are related to them. For example: don't ask someone their age (especially an older person) and don't ask men or women how much money they earn.
Questions about the cost of a person's house and the cost of the various things they own are considered impolite in Australia. If you would like to know the cost of something, ask the question in a general way. For example, you could say, "How much does the average house cost in Brisbane?"
- Saying thank you. If you are invited to a party celebrating someone's birthday, or for Christmas, take a small gift. If you are invited to a meal and you drink alcohol it is common practice to take a bottle of wine to contribute. If you do not drink alcohol then it is not necessary to do this. It is never necessary to give expensive gifts, but a small souvenir from your country, a box of chocolates or a bunch of flowers would be received with delight.
Thank you is a phrase used often in Australia. It is usual to say thank you even for small favours done by people who are just doing their jobs (eg shop assistants or waiters).
- Australians usually have two or three names. The last name is their family name or surname while the first one or two names are their given names.
On all official documents it is important that you always use your name in the same order. As different cultures adopt varying practices in relation to names many people underline their family name, eg Sue Ling Chee. This is also why some Australians may have difficulty remembering your name..
- Meals and table manners
Australians eat three meals a day: breakfast (7 am-8 am), lunch (12 noon-2 pm) and dinner or "tea" (6 pm-7 pm, sometimes later), supper - (late evening) usually after an evening social event is only tea and coffee and a light snack.
Australians do not eat with their fingers. They use knives, forks and spoons at all times. Do feel free to ask your host if you prefer to eat according to your own country's custom. There is no cultural significance in eating with left or right hand in Australia.
If you have medical, dietary or religious reasons for not eating certain foods, explain this to your hosts when you accept their invitation to dinner. It is the Australian custom to offer food or drink only once. If your first reply is "No" out of politeness, your "No" will probably be taken literally and food may not be offered again.
- Tipping is not the usual custom in Australia except in the more expensive restaurants. In these situations, people usually tip the waiter or waitress about 10% of the bill, if the service has been satisfactory. Tips are not given in cafeterias, or in fast food shops (like Macdonald's etc). Sometimes the small change is given to the taxi driver. Hairdressers do not expect a tip.
- Shouting. The Australian custom of shouting means that if someone buys you a drink you are expected to shout him or her back by buying his or her next drink.
- Bargaining. You can't bargain in Australian shops for food items. Goods are sold according to the prices at which they are marked. However for household items eg washing machines and motor vehicles - some shops will offer discounts for cash or, if you ask, they might match or better another stores price. In some street and weekend markets you may be able to bargain.
- What not to do in public. It is against the law to be drunk, to swear, talk indecently, urinate or behave in a sexually indecent way in a public place. There are also local council regulations against spitting. If you need to clear your throat or nose, use a handkerchief or tissue.
- Mothers and babies. Most large department stores and toilets in public buildings have a mothers' room where you can sit and feed your baby quietly and change soiled nappies. It is increasingly common for women to breast-feed their babies in public.
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