Humility and authenticity are strong values in Australian culture. As such, Australians are down-to-earth and are always aware of not giving the impression that they think they are better than everyone else. They also tend to value sincerity, humor, and informality, while they hate pretentiousness. The constitution guarantees religious freedom and, although there is no official national religion, Australia is generally described as a Christian country.
British colonists introduced the Anglican belief system in 1788, and three-quarters of the population continue to identify with some form of Christianity, predominantly with the Catholic and Anglican religions. Until recently, almost all businesses were closed for Christian religious holidays. Australian stories and legends have cultural meaning independent of their empirical truth or falsehood. However, multicultural politics has been dominated by a culturalist philosophy in which linguistic and lifestyle diversity (food, clothing) has been more easily recognized than the structural economic difficulties of some groups of immigrants.
Australians have a particular affinity for surfing lifeguards, and surfing lifeguards have a revered status in Australian culture. There is significant variation in ideas about good parenting, reflecting the diverse cultural values and traditions of parents' ethnicity. Increasingly, works by Aboriginal authors and others from diverse cultural backgrounds are being published and appreciated. The culture of companionship, combined with that of the original convict and then the colonial culture, has created an irreverence towards established authority, especially if it is pompous or disconnected from reality.
The relatively sunny climate has facilitated the image of a sporting, outdoor and beach-loving culture represented by images such as that of the tanned Australian surfer. While heavily influenced by Anglo-Celtic origins, Australia's culture has also been shaped by multi-ethnic migration that has influenced every aspect of Australian life, including business, the arts, cuisine, sense of humor and sporting tastes. In addition to alcohol, Melbourne is also passionate about coffee, and you'll find a great coffee culture wherever you go. The colonization process caused Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations to suffer widespread violence and the dispossession of their lands, fracturing and marginalizing their communities and cultural identities.
Relevant social welfare issues include rising unemployment, an ageing population, child care, assistance to people from diverse cultural backgrounds, assistance to people in remote areas, and poverty. For much of the nation's history, it has focused on the assimilation of different cultural groups to the dominant traditions of British Australia; however, in the early 1970s, a more pluralistic policy of multiculturalism took center stage. Australia's culture is primarily a Western culture, originally derived from Great Britain, but also influenced by the unique geography of Australia and the cultural contribution of Aboriginal people, Torres Strait Islanders and other Australian peoples. Despite the focus on cultural diversity, the Anglo-Celtic heritage continues to dominate most institutional aspects of society, including the media, the legal system, public education, and the health care system.
Other etiquette rules, aside from tips, align quite closely with those of the United Kingdom and the United States, such as waiting in line, manners and being punctual, so there shouldn't be much of a culture shock. The degree to which a person integrates indigenous cultural behaviors, beliefs, or traditional social codes into their lives also differs from one individual to another. .
