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[ansontan2000]

I was joking. We don't see you as scary..except for that time you liberated East Timor, but nobody really hates you guys anymore thanks to your investments in Indonesia

[Max White]

Yea, we have made a few... mistakes. Both with over seas policy and onshore, but I would like to think we aren't perceived as scary.
Maybe a little offensive at times, but we aren't likely to invade anybody without provocation... Or the US doing it first.

[Blargityblarg]

I'd not list East Timor as one of those mistakes, though.

[Jimmy]

Thought experiment: USA/China go to war. Where does Australia land politically?

[Max White]

With the US of A and economically in the dog house. China vs USA is a loose/loose for us.

[Darvi]

With the US of A and economically in the dog house. China vs USA is a loose/loose for us.

Yeah tying up that mess would be a major hassle.

[ed boy]

As someone who is technically Australian (I was born there and have a passport, but haven't lived there since I was two), I feel that I should know more than I do about Australian politics. What really throws be off is that the liberal party is less liberal than its opposition.

[Max White]

You just have to remember that 'liberal' actually means right wing over here. In that way, the liberal party is more liberal than labor, and much more liberal than the greens.

[Edmus]

Thought experiment: USA/China go to war. Where does Australia land politically?

We would land hard on our face. Joining the US will lead us unto Chinese occupation. Joining China all our citizens would flip shit but I doubt the US would invade us for the amount of support they would lose. Lose/Lose.

[Max White]

I doubt that China would so easily occupy us, at least not for certain. Not with the unholy behemoth that is the modern US military on our side ready to play 'Mutually assured destruction' game.
I would be interested who else would get in on the action though. Best Korea would be with China for certain, so I guess that means SK would be with us? They have reason to not want China marching south, right?
No idea who from Europe would come help, if anybody...

[alexandertnt]

As someone who is technically Australian (I was born there and have a passport, but haven't lived there since I was two), I feel that I should know more than I do about Australian politics. What really throws be off is that the liberal party is less liberal than its opposition.

Liberal = conservative, liberal = Liberal. Its the little/big L rule. The Labor party are bording right of center too, so in Australia if it sounds left its right and if it sounds right its right.

Our politics is confusing, but seeing a non-Australian conservative (eg a Republican) rage against the Liberal party is always entertaining.

a bunch of arrogant racist busy-bodies meddling in their business.

Hey! Were not... um... erm...
...
God damn it.

[Darvi]

It's much easier to grasp when you remember that Australia is opposite-land.

[Max White]

Yea, pretty much.
Only place where calling somebody a 'stupid bastard' is actually a term of endearment. No wonder the rest of the world thinks us so offensive, we only want to show our love!

[Mech#4]

Hn... with immigrants we do have room for lots of more people though I would suggest that Australians tend to be rather against urbanisation.
I think we're used to the idea of living in a large house with a front and back yard, grass lawn and enough space for backyard cricket or possibly a pool. Apartments are viewed quite negetively. I know in the country areas like Wonthaggi and Inverloch the local population rather dislike the heavy development towards new houses in the area. There was protest and unrest over the development of a desalination plant in the area to increase Melbournes water supplies during dry summers. I understand it's not being used right now because we have about 80% water in reserve.

Eh... I dislike to say it but there's also a fair amount of distrust against non-caucasian people, asian people especially. This is most likely lingering effects from the White Australia policy along with distrust brought about by WWII, Vietnam and so on. It's less of a problem the closer you get to the centre of the cities due to greater diversity but in the country it's more present. The nearest example I can give (living around Melbourne) is Box Hill which has gained a rather negative reputation because it's a large centre for asian culture and people. The population there has increased quite noticebly in the last 20 years.

At university there are a lot of international students, studying in Australia then moving back home. It's quite incredible the diverse amount of people and there seems to be very little to no conflict amongst the students on the matter.



Oh, and I'll bother with our politics when they all stop arguing like children. ("You said this, you said that. Blah blah blah")

[Reudh]

Hn... with immigrants we do have room for lots of more people though I would suggest that Australians tend to be rather against urbanisation.
I think we're used to the idea of living in a large house with a front and back yard, grass lawn and enough space for backyard cricket or possibly a pool. Apartments are viewed quite negetively. I know in the country areas like Wonthaggi and Inverloch the local population rather dislike the heavy development towards new houses in the area. There was protest and unrest over the development of a desalination plant in the area to increase Melbournes water supplies during dry summers. I understand it's not being used right now because we have about 80% water in reserve.

Eh... I dislike to say it but there's also a fair amount of distrust against non-caucasian people, asian people especially. This is most likely lingering effects from the White Australia policy along with distrust brought about by WWII, Vietnam and so on. It's less of a problem the closer you get to the centre of the cities due to greater diversity but in the country it's more present. The nearest example I can give (living around Melbourne) is Box Hill which has gained a rather negative reputation because it's a large centre for asian culture and people. The population there has increased quite noticebly in the last 20 years.

At university there are a lot of international students, studying in Australia then moving back home. It's quite incredible the diverse amount of people and there seems to be very little to no conflict amongst the students on the matter.



Oh, and I'll bother with our politics when they all stop arguing like children. ("You said this, you said that. Blah blah blah")

Most definitely. You'll find the younger of us Australians don't tend to be racist unless they're bogans. My primary school was a very diverse mix and I was not bullied once; when I moved to a largely homogenous primary school that's where the teasing for being a redhead began.