Australian Thoughts and Issues
Melbourne, Australia

As you can tell, we’ve been rather lazy the last two weeks in terms of blogging. Perhaps this is due to the fact that our visits to Sydney, Tasmania, and Melbourne have been reminding us of home more than anything else.

Hanging out in Sydney and Melbourne, visiting the sites and attractions, enjoying meals and walks with friends, has all been quite relaxing and undemanding. We’ve enjoyed great weather, welcome accommodation from friends (thanks again Janet, Annie and Chiang), and lots of catching up with old classmates and travel buddies.

It’s probably fair to say that we haven’t been finding much in the way of cultural variation between what we’re used to back in the Pacific Northwest, and what we’ve been experiencing here Down Under. Of course, there are some unique distinctions, but compared to our experiences during the last five months in Asia, our time in Australia has made us marvel at the similarities between North American and Australian life.

Of course, none of this is really that surprising, but it is curious to see how two continents that are so far away from each other can develop along such parallel paths. I’m sure there are several Aussies out there who are indignantly asking, “What, are you implying that we’re similar to Americans?” I would submit that yes, in more ways than some people would like to admit, there are more than just a few similarities. Interestingly, we have yet to meet an Aussie who has a positive view of America in general. In general, the dynamic seems similar to the viewpoints held by many Canadians.

There have been many indications that demonstrate to us how much Australia seems to follow the United States’ lead. An environmental scientist we met explained how environmental legislation isn’t usually initiated in Australia, but typically follows American environmental policy. An Australian columnist describes how Aussie president John Howard’s chances at re-election are intimately tied to the results of the U.S. election in November. An Australian Defense Force pilot tells us how Australia’s ties to the American Armed Forces are critical for training, supply, and military support structures. These are just a few of what I would guess are hundreds of examples of this dynamic.

There are several issues in the current Australian headlines that are similar in many ways to what we see at home. One of the hot topics is the whole counter-terrorism issue; there is apparently a White Paper in progress that is supposed to provide an evaluation of Australia’s preparedness against a terrorist attack. The Australian government took the unpopular approach of supporting the U.S. occupation in Iraq by sending Australian troops to Iraq as well. Because of this, there seems to be a degree of unease among some Aussies that there is risk of a terrorist attack in Sydney or Melbourne one day perhaps. The tragedy of the Bali bombing in October 2002 in which many Australians were killed is still fresh in people’s memories. The recent tragic terrorist activity in Spain highlights the potential consequences of supporting the Iraq war, something that many writers in the Australian papers are referring to these days.

Australia’s proximity to Indonesia and SE Asia seem to bring around a relatively unique set of immigration issues. According to several, John Howard and his government took advantage of an opportune situation with the Tampa freighter incident. It is definitely difficult to know how to prevent hundreds of potential asylum seekers from swamping Northern Australian shores with boats without looking somewhat heartless or inhumane. There are no easy answers there, but this is definitely something that has a potential impact on every tax-paying Australian.

There are many on-going issues happening with the native people of Australia, the Aboriginals. On-going land claims, the history of an attempted genocide, and the issue of aboriginal “stolen generations” are continuing to put pressure on the Australian government for answers; again, none of which are easily forthcoming. The continual battles between indigenous Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders and the Australian government underlines the fact that Australia is a relatively young country built on the backs of immigrants, colonists, and transportees. There were centuries of history in history before the first criminals were brought over from England; as in North America, it seems that this history can’t be dismissed too easily.

More locally focused, we have been seeing a lot of press about gang and mafia-type activity in the Melbourne area that is reminiscent of the criminal activity you might find in Central L.A. A whole string of recent high-profile criminal assassinations tied to crime families has been painting this very livable and pleasant city with an ugly shade. As with every growing city, there is always a certain degree of crime and misconduct, but the current crime stories in the Melbourne news sometimes make me think of Al Capone in Chicago.

Finally, it must be pointed out that many Australians take their sports really seriously. Australian Rules Football, Rugby, and Rugby League are all huge activities with huge throngs of fans and supporters. There have been many “footy” stories recently involving allegations of gang rape, drug taking, brawling, and other dubious activities that have definitely cast a pall on football’s reputation. We enjoyed watching the crowd as well as the game at a Rugby League match between the Roosters and Bulldogs; unfortunately, a brawl erupted in the stands that resulted in several injuries to fans and officials. Let it never be said that Australians aren’t passionate about their sports teams!

As always, these are all generalizations and impressions that we’ve noticed and thought about in our short time here. These issues are far more similar to what we experience in North America than in any other country we’ve visited on this trip so far. It’s curious and refreshing to see, all at the same time. Ah well, at least if there is an issue that can’t be explained, Aussies can always blame it on the dingo!

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