Local culture in Australia

Many expats imagine that culture shock in Australia is limited to marsupials, massive spiders and mangled accents. While these points may certainly be among the causes of confusion and disorientation upon arrival, it’s important to realise that a move to Australia can be more difficult than initially anticipated. Symptoms of culture shock, like the loss of identity and loneliness, often befall new expats.

Foreigners sometimes have the misconception that the local culture in Australia is just a midpoint between the US and Britain. The thinking is that, with its sophisticated infrastructure, strong economy and English language, little preparation is needed before relocation, and even less effort is required to acclimatise once on Aussie soil.

Ultimately, even though you may find aspects of life in Australia familiar, there are several nuances you might find complex and that will take getting used to.

Socialising in Australia

Australia is generally an open and friendly destination. People value their relationships immensely, and loyalty to friends and family is paramount. As a result, Australians tend to come across as easy going, which may be misconstrued by some expats as being overly friendly or too informal.

Australians are fond of socialising around the barbecue or over a pint at the pub. People will introduce themselves and greet on a first-name basis. Even walking down the street, it's not unusual to be greeted with a ‘g'day’ from a total stranger or to engage in small talk with a fellow shopper in a grocery store.

Cultural values in Australia

Some expats may be surprised at the extent of the pointed Australian emphasis on equality and the egalitarian spirit. For example, anything that can be construed as bragging or boasting tends to provoke a negative reaction from Australians.

This can be attributed to what is known as ‘tall poppy syndrome’ – the tendency to value unity and uniformity over individual achievements. Anyone perceived as considering themselves better than others is thought of as a ‘tall poppy’ that needs to be cut down to size.

Another related and closely held cultural value is the idea of a ‘fair go'. This is the belief that everyone deserves a chance to achieve success through talent, hard work and effort, not favouritism or social hierarchy.

LGBTQ+ rights and community in Australia

Australia is considered one of the most progressive countries in the world when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. There's also widespread social acceptance of gay marriage, which was made legal in 2017. Same-sex adoption and parenting laws give same-sex couples the same rights as straight couples.

Legal gender can be changed in Australia, though some states and territories have more stringent requirements than others. Some parts of the country legally recognise non-binary gender, which is indicated by an 'X' on the person's identity document (rather than an 'F' or an 'M').

Find out more about LGBTQ+ rights in Australia.

Women in Australia

Gender equality in Australia is, like many countries across the world, a work in progress. Strides have been made towards equality in the workplace, but there's still a fairly wide gender pay gap and a lack of women in leadership positions.

Government initiatives have been put in place to improve representation, and the percentage of female CEOs in Australia is slowly but surely rising.

Find out more about gender equality and women in leadership in Australia.