Australia has the highest proportions of pet owners worldwide, reaches record high during Covid pandemic

Pet ownership in Australia was already among the highest in the world before the COVID-19 pandemic but experienced a new boom ever since. There are now (as of November 2022) an estimated 28.7 million pets living in Australian households, up from 20.5 million in 2019 (+40% !). And the proportion of households with at least one pet increased from 61% to 68.7% (+13%), according to Animal Medicines Australia.

Australia has about 13% more pets than people living in Australia. Some people now even starting to have camels as pets.

Dog ownership increased the most.

Over a million additional dogs now live in Australian households compared with 2019, which comes to about 6.375 million dogs. Almost fifty per cent of households owning at least one dog, which is almost a world record¹². 37% of the dogs in Australia have been acquired since the onset of the pandemic.

That makes dogs the most common pet in Australia. There are about 22 dogs per 100 people. Affluent Australians spend more money each year on their pets than the nation does on foreign aid.

By comparison, in Germany there are about 34.3 million pets (+3% during COVID-19 pandemic), but 82 million inhabitants. After the 15.7 million cats, the 10.5 million dogs form the second largest pet-group. But in terms of population, there are almost twice as many dogs in Australia than in Germany.

And you can feel it everywhere. If you walk along the Pacific Ocean, you will see a lot of dog owners, who are walking their dogs of any kind and size (huskies / sled dogs – at 35° C). The long dog leashes of various dogs romping about can then get tangled with each other or even around the legs of uninvolved passers-by when the dog runs after another.

Also, in a residential area, you can barely pass more than 3 houses without get barked at by a dog behind the fence (as there are few people actually walking in Australia, the dog is probably not used to seeing a stranger passing by).

Most communities now require dog owners to remove and dispose of dog waste in public places. Some localities also require that dog owners carry a suitable container (e.g. a poop bag or scoop) to remove dog waste when they walk their dog. Failure to comply may result in a fine of up to $500. And the Australians are also sticking to it. Despite the many dogs, one doesn’t have to fear of stepping into dog-poo, compared to e.g. Berlin …

Dogs are also in the focus of business. There are plenty of pet shops and other shops with more or less meaningful dog articles. It is worthwhile browsing inside. One will be surprised. And what occupies a small corner in a European supermarket fills a whole row of shelves in Australia. Even at Aldi, there are large areas in the cooling area with dog sausage. The first time I did not realize that it was animal food. It looked like a big size sausage for the gastronomy …

Australian households are estimated to have spent over $33 billion on pet services and products in 2022 with food representing 51% of all expenditure, followed by veterinary service at 14%. Dog owners spent the most, with an estimated average of $3218 spent per animal each year³.

The various business ideas around the dog are also amazing. For example, various car wash offer dog-wash parallel to cleaning the car. Both are done by hand. And in the meantime, you can pass the waiting time in the in-house café with a cup of cappuccino.

Also, the mobile dog-wash is very popular. The “dog washing bay” comes to the front door on a trailer of a car and has everything on board. And the dogs are often looking forward to it.

What a dog’s life in Australia ….

1. World Population Review, Dog Ownership by Country ︎
2. World Animal Foundation, Pet Ownership Statistics 2024 ︎
3. Animal Medicines Australia, “A national survey of pets and people” ︎

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Historical background

The origins of Boxing Day can be traced back to medieval England, where the day after Christmas was dedicated to giving boxes of food, clothing, and other necessities to the less fortunate. This charitable tradition was often associated with churches, and it became a way for the wealthy to share their blessings with those in need. Over time, Boxing Day evolved into a day of sports, with fox hunting and other outdoor activities becoming popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Boxing Day in Australia

In Australia, Boxing Day is marked by a unique blend of traditions that reflect the country’s diverse culture. The day often kicks off with the highly anticipated Boxing Day Test cricket match, a tradition that dates back to 1950. Cricket fans gather at iconic venues like the Melbourne Cricket Ground to witness this prestigious event, making it an integral part of the Australian summer.

Apart from cricket, Boxing Day also marks the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. This is one of the most challenging yacht races in the world. Sailors from around the globe compete in this gruelling race, sailing from Sydney to Hobart, Tasmania, battling treacherous waters and unpredictable weather conditions.

Shopping Extravaganza and Bargain Bonanza

Days leading up to Boxing Day, the media whips up a frenzy, tantalizing Australians with the promise of epic discounts. As Christmas Day fades into memory, anticipation builds for the grand shopping spectacle about to unfold. The post-Christmas sales draw hordes of eager shoppers, ready to pounce on bargains spanning electronics to high-end fashion.

The Boxing Match of Discounts

On the big day, every tv-channel is abuzz with reports of epic queues forming even before the stores unlock their doors, and the inevitable mishaps and tumbles that almost always ensue (much to the delight of our sensation-seeking audience).

There is an outlet centre here on the Gold Coast that sells branded goods at (supposedly) greatly reduced prices all year round. Boxing Day at the outlet centre is a spectacle of epic proportions. The atmosphere mirrors a boxing match, but it’s not just prices getting knocked out. It seems to be a retail battlefield where rules are for the weak, and parking is a creative sport.

Chaos Unleashed: Parking Wars

Already early in the morning, car parks are crammed tighter than a Christmas turkey. Vehicles defy logic, squeezing into spaces like sardines. Who needs designated spots?

The outlet centre’s car parks are crammed tighter than a Christmas turkey from the early morning. Enter the four-wheel drive off-road vehicles, embodying the Aussie spirit of adventure. Fearless and determined, these beasts navigate the chaos, finding parking spots deemed impossible (and possibly illegal) by others. Practical solution or Aussie spirit of adventure? You decide.

Community and Festivities:

In addition to sports and shopping, Boxing Day in Australia is often a time for community events and outdoor activities. Families and friends gather for barbecues, picnics, and beach outings, taking advantage of the warm summer weather. Community festivals and events add a festive atmosphere, making this day a time for people to come together and celebrate the holiday season.

Boxing Day in Australia encapsulates a rich tapestry of traditions, blending historical roots with contemporary celebrations. From the cricket fields to the shopping malls, this day reflects the diverse interests and passions of Australians. As the nation continues to evolve, Boxing Day remains a cherished holiday, offering a unique blend of sports, shopping, and community festivities. Whether cheering for their favourite cricket team or scoring a great deal at the sales, Australians embrace the spirit of Boxing Day.

The post Boxing Day: Traditions, History, and Celebrations in Australia appeared first on GoAustralia.

News headlines

„France beats the Matildas 2:0“
“AFL grand final loss to the Eagles at the MCG reopens old Magpies wounds”
“The Suns didn’t match the Tigers’ offer”
“Wallabies need to add points to progress against Pumas.”
“An end-of-season Test match between the Kangaroos and Tonga is set to be rubber.”
“Wallaroos get their revenge on World Cup hosts Ireland”
“Jillaroos rookies out for more highlights”
“Aussie Pearls win first world sevens title”
“Iran make play for Socceroos’ young gun”
“Joeys qualify for under-17 world champs”
“Aussie Sharks swoop on silver in World Cup”
“Australia’s Opals beaten 73-71 by Serbia”
“Sutton camp eye new Rabbitohs deal soon”
“Roos call looms for Roosters Mitchel”
“Dragons thump Broncos”

Can you identify the sport from the team name?

These nicknames all sound the same to me. I wonder if you would be able to answer these questions:

1. Do the Wallaroos, Jillaroos, Socceroos, Rabbitohs and Kangaroos play the same sport? ¹⁾
2. And are the Matildas, Goannas and Kookaburras all women’s teams? ²⁾
3. Do the Sharks, Stingers, Crocs, Barramundies and Stingrays all compete in water sports? And which kind of water sport? ³⁾
4. Furthermore, do the “drop bears” compete in Quidditch (Harry Potter’s favourite sport)? ⁴⁾
5. In addition, which cities represent the following rugby teams: Broncos, Cowboys, Titans, Rabitohs, Panthers, Roosters, Dragons, Eels, Sea Eagles and Tigers? ⁵⁾

At the end of this article, you will find the answers.

Australian regions have even more interesting, confusing and funny names, such as: the mighty mozzies (see this Guardian article).

Australians aren’t afraid to have a laugh with their team names, with classics like the Cockroaches and Cane Toads gracing the State of Origin. Yes, you heard it right – those are real team names, not the punchline of a bad joke!

Australian International Team Names Quiz

Think you’ve got what it takes to remember all of Australia’s national sports team nicknames? Give it a go, but don’t be surprised if you’re stumped – even my Aussie wife and I couldn’t get them all right!

Have fun!

1. Wallaroos = Rugby Union Women
   Jillaroos = Rugby League Women
   Socceroos = Football (Soccer) men
   Rabbitohs = Rugby League Men South Sydney
   Kangaroos = Rugby League Men
2. Matildas = Football (Soccer) Women
   Goannas = Basketball Men (deaf)
   Kookaburras = Field hockey Men
3. Sharks = Water Polo Men but also Lacrosse Men
   Stingers = Water Polo Women
   Crocs = Basketball Men U21 but also Handball Men or Lacrosse Men U21
   Barramundies = Ultimate frisbee mixed
   Stingrays = Ultimate frisbee Women U23
4. The „Drop bears“ are really the national Quidditch Team of Australia
5. Brisbane Broncos
   Townsville Cowboys
   Gold Coast Titans
   South Sydney Rabitohs
   Penrith Panthers
   Sydney Roosters
   George Illawarra Dragons
   Parramatta Eels
   Manly-Warringah (Sydney) Sea Eagles
   Wests Tigers (Inner West und Western Sydney)

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If you want to come to us and you are on the connecting road from the motorway, you first have to drive around 6 of these roundabouts. It’s like a round of roundabout roulette, where you’re betting on getting through without being hit by another car.

As in many countries around the world, roundabouts are becoming increasingly popular with traffic planners in Australia as they are believed to have some advantages over conventional intersections:

Roundabouts: A round thing for traffic flow

1. Safety First: Roundabouts are great at reducing accidents. That is a good thing because we all know how much of a headache dealing with accidents can be (literally and figuratively).
2. Improved Traffic Flow: Roundabouts keep the traffic moving, like a good dance party. There are no stop signs or traffic lights to slow things down, so you can just keep on rolling.
3. Reduced Congestion: Roundabouts can help reduce traffic congestion, which means less time spent sitting in traffic and more time enjoying life.
4. Lower Cost: Roundabouts can save money because they require less infrastructure and maintenance than traditional intersections. Who doesn’t love saving a few bucks?

Great for Cars, Not so Great for Pedestrians and Crowded Cities!

1. Increased Complexity: Roundabouts can be confusing for some drivers, especially those who are directionally challenged. It’s like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube while driving.
2. Pedestrian Perils: Pedestrians might have to dodge traffic to get across a roundabout.
3. Larger Footprint: Roundabouts require more space than traditional intersections. But that can be a challenge in densely populated areas with limited space.
4. Gridlock Gremlins: While rare, roundabouts can get clogged up if too many cars try to enter at once or if people forget how to yield, which can be a recipe for chaos (or at least some honking).

Roundabouts reduce speed – sometimes quite abruptly

OK, the theory sounds pretty good: roundabouts are supposed to reduce the risk of accidents. But I wonder if anyone can explain that to the hoons in Australia. Because on Saturday and Sunday nights, the roads get wild and crazy. These incapacitated racers have only one goal: to pimp their modified cars and race around. And that works great on wide roads, as long as it weren’t for those damn roundabouts…

After every weekend, at least a few traffic signs on the six roundabouts on our arterial road are flat as a flounder. The city council then puts them back up the following week, but the next weekend the madness starts all over again. The hoons will probably even brag about their “adventure” when a roundabout suddenly emerges from the darkness and their spoilered and roaring vehicles are suddenly abruptly slowed down to a standstill.

Roundabouts: confusion about right of way and lane choice

It is not only on hoon nights that there are problems around roundabouts. When driving at roundabouts, many people don’t seem to know exactly who has the right of way or which lane to take. And often they forget to indicate. This confusion increases with the size and complexity of the roundabout, especially if there is more than one lane going in the same direction.

Yet the rules to follow on a roundabout in Australia are actually quite simple:

Rules on the roundabout

Probably the most important rule is that you must always give way to vehicles already on the roundabout. In addition, you should only enter when there is a sufficient and safe gap in the traffic, and of course always drive clockwise around the island.

If the lanes leading to the roundabout are marked with arrows, you must follow their direction.

If you intend to turn left:

1. Approach the roundabout in the left lane or lanes.
2. Blink left as you approach the roundabout.
3. Continue to signal to the left as you leave the roundabout.
4. Switch off the indicator after you have left the roundabout.

When driving straight ahead on a roundabout:

1. Approach without indicating.
2. However, turn left when exiting if appropriate.
3. Switch off the indicator when you have exited the roundabout.

To turn right:

1. Approach the roundabout in the right-hand lane or lane.
2. Blink to the right as you approach the roundabout.
3. Continue to signal to the right until you are ready to leave the roundabout.
4. Blink to the left before leaving the roundabout.
5. Switch off the indicator after you have left the roundabout.

However, every day we see people entering the roundabout in the left lane and then turning right. Or they indicate right but turn left or go straight ahead. And very often, when entering the roundabout, people do not pay attention at all to the vehicles in the roundabout that have the right of way. Basically, one must always drive carefully and defensively at roundabouts.

If you ever wonder why it’s called roundabout or traffic circle and not squareabout or traffic hexagon – now you know: it’s all about going clockwise around the island, not wildly geometric.

And if you are really unsure which direction to take at the roundabout, just take the exit back home and try again tomorrow.

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Schooners, Pots, and Middies, Oh My: A State-by-State Breakdown

First up, we have the good old ‘schooner’. This name is used in most parts of Australia, but the size can differ depending on the state or territory. In New South Wales, a schooner is usually around 425ml, while in Queensland and the Northern Territory, it’s a slightly larger 425-450ml. Meanwhile, in Western Australia, it’s a slightly more modest 375ml and in South Australia only 285ml. Confused yet? Don’t worry, we’re just getting started.

Next, we have the ‘pot’, which is commonly used in Victoria and Tasmania. A pot is usually around 285ml, but some places might serve a smaller ‘pony’ which is around 140ml. If you’re in Queensland, a pot is called a ‘middy’ and is around 285-310ml, while in South Australia, it’s a ‘pint’ that comes in at a similar size of around 425ml.

Yards of Beer and Other Monstrosities: How Much Can You Handle

But wait, there’s more! In some parts of New South Wales, you might come across the ‘handle’, which is basically a pint-sized beer glass with a handle (who would have guessed?). Then there’s the ‘butcher’, which is a pint-sized glass with a handle and a dimple on the side – this one is common in South Australia and Western Australia.

Finally, we have the granddaddy of them all – the ‘yard’. This monstrosity is usually only found at university bars or pubs that cater to rowdy backpackers. It’s a full yard (that’s 1.4 litres!) of beer served in a tall, skinny glass that you need both hands to hold. It’s not for the faint-hearted (or the sober) and it’s not really Australian, but it’s definitely a sight to behold.

So there you have it, folks – a brief overview of the many and varied beer sizes you might encounter in Australian pubs. Of course, the best way to truly understand the nuances of this complex and fascinating topic is to hit up as many pubs as possible and conduct some in-depth research.

It’s important to keep in mind that while we’ve provided a general guide to beer sizes in Australian pubs, the actual experience you have may vary. Each pub and region may have its own unique conventions and interpretations of the various names and sizes. Additionally, some pubs may even have their own unique glassware that doesn’t fit neatly into any of the standard categories. So, the best advice we can give is to be open to trying new things, ask questions if you’re unsure, and most importantly, enjoy yourself! After all, beer is meant to be enjoyed in good company, regardless of the size of the glass. Cheers.

The post Beer Sizes in Australian Pubs: A Comprehensive Guide to Confusion appeared first on GoAustralia.

No overseas travel without a return visa

You have to be careful. Don’t go on holidays or visit your relatives abroad and then realize when checking in for the return flight that you are no longer allowed to fly back to Australia. At the latest, after the Australian federal government refused to let its own citizens into the country during the Covid 19 pandemic, we know that Australia’s immigration regulations are not to be trifled with.

However, both my Outlook calendar and an email from the Department of Home Affairs alerted me in good time that if I intend to re-enter Australia after 22 March 2023 and retain my right to work and permanent residence, I should be in possession of a Resident Return Visa.

Application is straightforward

The application was done online and was not particularly difficult to complete. Again, you had to answer various questions, but the core question was “Has the applicant stayed in Australia for a total of at least 2 years in the last 5 years?“. You also had to answer various questions about a possible criminal past (as I already did for the partner visa) and about any military training (e.g. basic military service with the German armed forces). Any supporting documents must be enclosed, whereby I attached the same documents as 5 years ago, as nothing had changed.

However, one was told several times that you had three days to pay the visa fee of AUD 425. Before that, the application would not be processed, and if the application was rejected, you would not get your money back.

How this high fee of AUD 425 is made up (it is even more expensive with a paper application) or why it is so high is beyond me. If you can’t or don’t want to pay it, you have to stay in the country. I then better paid for it online as well.

After only one day, I received written notification that the Resident Return Visa had been granted. At least it was quick. But it can also take 4 months if questions arise during the processing.

But why the Australian federal government requires such a visa in the first place makes no sense to me. You already have a permanent residence permit, your personal data is stored with the Australian federal government and every entry and exit is registered. Only for a holiday in New Zealand, for example, do you need such a return permit. Incomprehensible!

Understanding the background of the Resident Return Visa

I spent a lot of time researching the meaning and purpose of this visa on the internet. In vain. The Australian Federal Government is very cagey when it comes to the rationale behind government rules and actions. Yet we hear time and again that rules and regulations are more likely to be accepted and followed if they are understood. But that doesn’t seem to have sunk in everywhere yet.

I have only found general blah-blah about the background:

“The Australian government’s immigration policies are designed to control the movement of people into and out of the country. The Resident Return Visa is one way the government can regulate the entry of permanent residents who have been away from the country for an extended period of time.

By requiring a Resident Return Visa, the government can ensure that permanent residents have maintained a close and continuing relationship with Australia during their absence. This helps to protect the integrity of the country’s immigration system and prevent fraud or abuse.

Additionally, the Resident Return Visa is designed to protect the rights of permanent residents who have established a life in Australia. It ensures that they can return to the country and continue to live and work as a permanent resident, even if they have been away for more than five years.”

Well, the ways of government are unfathomable. Nothing happens by chance, everything makes sense one day … or not.

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Australians love to talk about property, whether it’s at a family barbecue, school pick-up or in the office kitchen. A 2019 study by HSBC Bank found that Australians spend more hours talking about the property market than they do at the gym or talking to their parents.

Your own house – The Australian Dream

Australia’s founders believed that Australia should be better than the United Kingdom. They wanted a society that was not divided by class. In short, they wanted equality of opportunity for all. They believed that the dividing line where division was most pronounced was property ownership. Therefore, everyone should be able to own the house in which they lived.

In the English cities, land tenure laws and vast church lands prevented many people from ever owning their own property. This was not the case in Sydney and Melbourne. In Melbourne in particular, there was a rapid subdivision of land in the 1850s.

Before universal male suffrage was introduced in South Australia in 1856, land ownership was a way to gain a voice in the political process. This lineage continued even when the colonies stopped applying property requirements for the right to vote.

Australians have taken this to heart to this day, including in cultural classics like “The Castle“. In the film, a homeowner, Darryl Kerrigan, denounces a large corporation that wants to buy his house. In court, he reminds the audience that a house is not just bricks and mortar, but also memories of a life built together. It is, moreover, a place where one can imagine one’s future.

A survey by the Australian National University found that more than three-quarters of Australians still consider home ownership to be part of the Australian lifestyle. Many people here continue to think that owning your own house or flat is what makes you a full citizen.

Housing becomes more and more unaffordable

However, house prices have risen much faster than incomes. A few decades ago, the price of a normal house was only two or three times the average income. Now it has gone up to ten times the average income, at least in Sydney. It’s much harder for young Australians to buy a house these days, and it now takes up to 10 years just to put down a deposit.

A study by a sociologist at La Trobe University in Melbourne is titled “Nobody’s Home”. The name suggests that when the sociologists rang the doorbell to ask about their homes, the home owners were in all likelihood couples working full time (or more) to pay the mortgage on a house they hardly spend any time in. Nevertheless, the Australian dream of home ownership is still a very lively hope in the minds of many people, even people who for the moment find it very hard to see how they are going to attain it.

Urban sprawl

The Australian dream of home ownership combined with a growing population is also leading to rapid urban sprawl. The city fringes are being expanded by the release of affordable land and by large residential districts. When approaching one of Australia’s large megacities by plane, Europeans are surprised at how long it takes to fly over the populated parts of the city before coming in for a landing.

For example, Melbourne is about three times the size of London and yet has only a third of the population. Melbourne does not have a fixed, permanent city boundary. More than 50 suburbs have been bolted on to Melbourne since 2006, with so much to follow. Just 1% of the grasslands that spread across Melbourne to Victoria’s western fringes before European arrival now remain.

Home ownership is the Great Australian Dream. Yet despite its decline consistently making front page news, many still aspire to owning their own land and castle.

Home ownership to accumulate wealth

The 1980s was a time of structural change in Australian home ownership. The financial industry was deregulated. Two-income households were the norm, making mortgages easier to obtain. Rising interest rates were followed by drastically falling interest rates.

The changes in the availability and cost of finance had a major impact on the housing market in particular. Before deregulation, housing was geared towards homeowners. Property investors who took out a bank loan had to pay a significant interest rate premium on their loans.

However, with the equalisation of interest rates, the targets for home ownership shifted. Houses were increasingly bought for their exchange value – they were used as leverage to accumulate wealth. More and more people invested in housing, including their own homes, to accumulate wealth. This continued to increase in the 1990s and 2000s.

Real estate prices among the top in the world

Due to a variety of factors (low interest rates, eager investors, tax breaks and foreign investment, to name a few), Australian real estate has become some of the most valuable in the world. A two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat in Sydney is worth more than a renovated 13th century chateau with nine rooms and 7 500 square metres of parkland in France.

Those who invested their money in residential property in the 1990s enjoyed phenomenal returns. In 1993, the average values for houses and flats in Australia were $111,524 and $123,840 respectively. By 2018, houses had seen a 412% increase in value and flats 316%. Assuming the same projected growth rate, a report projects that by 2043, houses in Sydney will be worth more than $6.3 million on average, while properties in Melbourne are not far behind at $5.8 million.

Record low interest rates have pushed Australian property prices up 22 per cent in 2021 – the biggest increase in three decades.

Housing affordability decreases

The increase in property prices has also been accompanied by an increase in debt. This brings with it the risk of financial instability if borrowers are unable to service the debt. At the same time, housing affordability in Australia has largely declined since the early 1980s and has deteriorated more than in other comparable countries. According to a 2021 housing affordability survey, the median house price to annual income ratio in Australia’s major cities is 7.7 times, compared to 4.8 times in the UK and 4.2 times in the US. In Sydney it is 11.8 times and in Melbourne 9.7 times.

The ratio of house prices to incomes and rents is at the upper end of OECD countries compared to long-term averages.
Even though interest rates are at record lows, the rise in prices relative to incomes has meant that the ratio of household debt to income has also almost tripled over the past 30 years. Australia has thus moved from the bottom end of OECD countries to the top end.

This makes it much more difficult for first-time buyers to enter the property market. Deteriorating affordability is also leading to increasing wealth inequality.

And governments’ housing policies reflect the interests of those who already own. And their interest is not that property prices fall …

Real estate industry is “big business” in Australia

To realise the Australian dream or to increase one’s wealth with real estate, one usually needs the services of a real estate agent. In Australia, around 600,000 houses and flats were sold in 2021. In Germany for example, on the other hand, there were around 752,300 sales in 2020 with a population around 3.3 times as large!

Making big money with commissions and fees

With an average of two to three percent of the sales price, the commissions to be earned are a strong incentive to join the business. The two to three per cent commission does not usually include advertising costs either. Depending on the rate and the placement of the advertisements, this can amount to several hundred to thousands of dollars. Especially for more expensive properties, there may also be a sliding scale of commissions. For example, one may receive 2.5% for the first $850,000 and 10% thereafter. This is another incentive for any real estate agent.

Landlords also use real estate agents

And if you can’t afford the Australian dream of owning your own home, you have to rent. For this, too, you usually need the services of a real estate agent (or rental agent). A rental agent usually manages the rental process, i.e. they market the property, show it to tenants and finally fill the vacancy. Once a tenant has signed a lease, the agent’s job is done. After that, one has to deal with the property manager. However, many rental agents also take on property management. Rental agents are typically paid a fee of one month’s rent for finding a tenant. If the agent then continues to manage the property, there is usually a fee of 10 to 15% of the monthly rent.

Tenants are not customers

In this context, the estate agent’s client is not the tenant, but the property owner. At this point, one often becomes aware of just how lowly renters are viewed by the real estate agents who depend on them for income.

Every tenant knows a horror story (so do we) – agents demanding excessive repair and cleaning costs from deposits; surprise evictions; agents ignoring repair requests while a property literally decays around its tenants. But only a fraction of tenants file an application with a court. Such an application takes time and money that most people don’t have. And in a dangerously tight rental market, tenants are afraid to complain. Anyone can be evicted at any time. And when it comes to re-letting, the agent just gets another commission.

Many estate agents just want to sell or let the property as quickly as possible and collect the commission. In doing so, some are merely a salesperson subordinate to the actual real estate agent with less training and qualifications.

According to president of the Real Estate Institute of NSW (REINSW), Leanne Pilkington, a barista selling a $4 coffee often undergoes more training than a real estate agent selling a $4 million home in Sydney. You can get a licence to print money in just three days to work as a real estate agent …

The post The Australian Dream – Australia’s property frenzy appeared first on GoAustralia.

If you spend more time in Australia than just on a short holiday or business trip, you might notice that the fuel price is very low in Australia in comparison to most countries in the world and that there are many big cars on Australian roads. Especially the omnipresent ute. Furthermore, a “hoon-culture” of “car-enthusiasts” is very distinct. Does all that have an effect on the average fuel economy. I wanted to find out.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) published 2019 a report, which – among others – adresses this question (“Fuel Economy in Major Car Markets: Technology and Policy Drivers 2005-2017“). That report investigates the fuel economy of newly registered light-duty vehicles (LDVs,) across the world from 2005 to 2017. LDVs are a category defined as passenger cars, passenger light trucks and light-commercial vehicles below 3.5 tonnes. For a better readability I will use the term “car” for LDV.

Average fuel consumption among the highest in the world

The average fuel consumption between countries differs substantially among countries, ranging between 5.2 l/100 km and 8.9 l/100 km. A big difference can be seen between

• advanced economies with a fuel price below USD 1/l –
  Australia, Canada and the United States, where average fuel consumption is in the 7.9 to 9 l/100 km range

and

• advanced economies with fuel prices above USD 1/l –
  European Union, Turkey, Japan and Korea, where fuel use per kilometre ranges between 5.2 and 6.5 l/100 km.

Australia consumes more than the global average car fuel consumption, reflecting larger and, therefore, less efficient vehicles.

Australia in 2017 had an average fuel consumption of 7.9 litres/100 km whereas e.g. Germany had 5.9 l, Italy 5.2 l and the USA 8.6 l/100 km. That means that Australian cars burn about 52% more fuel per 100 km than cars in Italy and 34% more than in Germany.

Heavier and larger vehicles

Advanced countries with relatively low population density and low fuel prices have larger shares of SUV/utes than other advanced economies. This is the case especially for Australia where about 30% of car sales were large SUV/utes (like e.g. Ford F-150, Toyota Hilux, BMW X5, Isuzu D-Max or Audi Q7) in 2017. In the same year, small SUV/utes (like Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V) accounted for 29% in Australia. Whereas the European Union, Japan and Korea, with much higher population densities and higher fuel prices, have smaller vehicles. In Japan, large SUV/utes had only 2% market share and small SUV/utes were just 9% of car sales in 2017. Large SUV/utes accounted for less than 5% of the car market in Germany, France, Korea and United Kingdom.

Also, vehicle weight is closely correlated with fuel use. 70% of new cars sold in 2017 in Australia weighed more than 1 400 kilograms. This ranks Australia among the world’s highest average vehicle weight markets. In contrast, around 70% of new cars in France and Italy weighed less than 1 400 kg, ranking them the most fuel-efficient among the countries assessed.

Furthermore, the report also found that city cars in the Europe Union are 15% more efficient than comparable ones in Australia. In general, it can be said that average fuel consumption in advanced economies with fuel prices above USD 1/l is more efficient than in similar vehicle size market segments in economies with fuel prices below USD 1/l.

Fuel economy improvement rate slowed down

Between 2010 and 2017, the overall average fuel consumption in advanced economies with fuel prices above USD 1/l improved by 15% and in advanced economies with fuel prices below USD 1/l improved by only 9.5%.

However, between 2015 and 2017 the average fuel economy improvement rate slowed down to 1.4% per year globally. And in advanced economies even to only 0.2% per year. Key drivers of the recent developments include the rapid decline of diesel sales in several major vehicle markets. This is most notable in Europe. Worldwide, 76% of new Cars sold in 2017 were petrol ones and just under 17% were diesel.

The growing consumer demand for larger vehicles is also a major determinant. Australia has had a particularly high market share of SUVs and utes, closing in on 60% in 2017.

Mandatory fuel economy standards have an effect

The fuel economy improvement rate of countries after implementing fuel consumption standards or efficiency-based purchase incentives was nearly 60% higher than countries without standards and incentives. The higher improvement rate is also reflected by the higher market share of electrified cars (hybrids, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles). Regulated countries are amongst others Canada, China, European Union, Japan, Korea or the United States. Wheras Australia has no regulations but some incentives like Brazil, Chile, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey.

Fuel saving technology – turbocharging

Turbochargers enable the recovery of energy from exhaust gases. This allows the engine to operate closer to its optimum efficiency throughout the drive cycle. In addition, vehicles with the same power rating can be produced with smaller engine displacement and lower engine weight, further reducing fuel consumption.

Nevertheless, the diffusion of turbochargers in petrol engines is lower in Australia where engine displacement remains far larger than elsewhere. The lower share of turbocharged petrol vehicles in Australia may be partly due to lower fuel octane values.

Electrification is going to be crucial

The electrification of cars is going to be crucial to ensure that fuel economy can be effectively improved. Countries that currently have high average fuel consumption values, like Australia, could benefit the most from electrification since electrified vehicle efficiency is less dependent on size and weight.

The uptake of fuel saving electric powertrain technologies (hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric) is higher in countries with regulations and incentives than those without. The market share in 2017 for electric powertrains only reached 1.1% in Australia where there are no federal fuel economy regulations, though several states provide incentives up to 4% of the vehicle price (Queensland Government, 2018; NSW Government, 2018).

No clear policy towards electrification

Unfortunately there is no clear policy in Australia regarding electric vehicles (EVs). A patchwork of conflicting regulations and road-user taxes between states and territories is inhibiting take up of EVs.

The Australian federal “emissions reduction minister”, Angus Taylor, has ruled out policies used elsewhere to drive EV uptake. These policies might include direct subsidies to consumers or a ban on new fossil-fuel car sales from 2030 or 2035 as promised in countries including the Germany, the UK, India, Thailand and Japan. Instead, the Australian federal government is spending billions of dollars on subsidies for the enormous twin cab utes that dominate Australian car sales.

However as of May 2021, Canberrans who buy electric and other zero-emissions vehicles automatically receive two years’ registration for free. The Australian Capital Territory already waives stamp duty for clean cars, and has promised households and not-for-profit organisations interest-free loans of up to $15,000 to buy them.

On the other hand also in May 2021, the Victorian parliament passed the country’s first road user charge – a tax on every kilometre driven – for EVs and hybrids. The Victorian government argues that it had to impose a new tax on EVs because drivers of those vehicles don’t pay fuel excise. This makes about as much sense as taxing nicotine patches on the basis that those giving up smoking aren’t paying tobacco excise any more.

But the New South Wales government just announced it will waive stamp duty on electric vehicle purchases and provide subsidies for 25,000 new purchases as part of a $490m strategy to drive uptake of EVs.

Conclusion

The 2019–20 Australian bushfire season was a major climatic event and the largest wildfires Australia has ever seen. At the same time, Australia is among the countries in the world with the highest average fuel economy and CO2 emissions per km. To change this is to increase the number of electric vehicles. A road user charge for electric vehicles should be many, many years off. Not now and not before Australia has a reasonably priced electric vehicle market and the right level of supply. The uptake of EVs needs to be encouraged.

The post Fuel economy and fuel price – big cars appeared first on GoAustralia.

So what is Vegemite, and why is it so special?

Vegemite is a spread for sandwiches, toast, crumpets and cracker biscuits. Maybe you remember the song “Down Under” of the Australian band “Men At Work”. The lyrics depict an Australian man travelling the globe, who meets people who are interested in Australia. The lyrics include a prominent reference to a Vegemite sandwich:

Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six foot tall and full of muscle
I said… Do you speak-a my language?
He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich

Possibly you know the British Marmite. Vegemite is similar in consistency and taste (although many Australians would probably heavily dispute that). It was developed in 1922 by Cyril Callister and originally made from leftover brewers’ yeast extract obtained from the Carlton & United brewery. The spread has various vegetable and spice additives and is salty, slightly bitter, malty, and rich in glutamates – giving it a savoury flavour similar to beef bouillon. It contains 3.45% sodium, which equates to a salt content of approximately 8.6%.

Vegemite was launched in 1923 by the Australian company Fred Walker & Co. The name was selected by Fred Walker’s daughter. In 1925, Walker had established the Kraft Walker Cheese Co. as a joint venture company with the US-American J.L. Kraft & Bros to market processed cheese and in 1935 he used the success of Kraft Walker Cheese to promote Vegemite. In a two-year campaign, it was given away free with Kraft Walker cheese products.

Rich source of Vitamin B

1939 Vegemite was officially endorsed by the British Medical Association as a rich source of B vitamins. Rationed in Australia during World War II, it was included in Australian Army provisions and by the late 1940s was used in nine out of ten Australian homes. Today it far outsells Marmite and other similar spreads in Australia. The country’s residents consume 22 million jars a year. The billionth jar was produced in October 2008. Only 2 percent of it is sold outside the country.

How to eat Vegemite?

A common way of eating Vegemite is on toasted bread with a layer of butter or margarine. If you try the savoury spread the first time, have in mind that due to its strong flavour only spread a small amount of it on your toast. Foreigners often made the mistake of applying the paste too thickly (it’s not peanut butter). Australians are fast to tell you. In 2020 American actor Tom Hanks (in Coronavirus isolation in Australia) was publicly criticized for spreading Vegemite too thickly.

The actor Hugh Jackman, an Australian, once demonstrated on a US-American Show how to really eat Vegemite.

A Vegemite sandwich may consist of two slices of buttered bread, Vegemite, and cheese, but other ingredients such as lettuce, avocado and tomato can be added as well. But there are many more variants with Vegemite, like cheesy scrolls, curry, vegetarian pho or a Singapore blue swimmer crab … Try it.

How does it taste?

Well, that’s a tricky question. The majority of Australians love it. I personally believe you have to grow up with Vegemite to appreciate it. I don’t know many non-Australians who favour that yeast spread.

U.S. President Barack Obama, in response to a question in March 2011 during a joint visit with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard to a high school in Virginia, gave his impression of Vegemite by stating “It’s horrible”. Following a description by Gillard, he said: “So, it’s like a quasi-vegetable by-product paste that you smear on your toast for breakfast – sounds good, doesn’t it?”

The Australian actor Hugh Jackman once compared it to something scraped off the floor of a gas station.

In a 2013 episode of his show, the US-American comedian and television presenter Steve Harvey was offered a jar of Vegemite by an Australian audience member. After tasting a small amount of it, he stated: “Vegemite sounds like a pesticide. That’s about damn near what it tastes like.”

When I was a teenager back in Europe I had about 16 budgerigars (an Australian parrot found wild throughout the drier parts of the country) in an aviary. At one stage a budgie became sick and the vet gave the bird a medicine that looked and smelled like Vegemite (I clearly remember the smell). Now I have the feeling it was even Vegemite. Australian birds need an Australian rich source of B vitamins :-).

Vegemite is a taste that frankly defies description. If you want to experience Australia, you honestly have to try it and form your own opinion.

An Australian icon owned by Americans

It seems like a lot of Australians didn’t realize the fact that Vegemite actually has not been wholly Australian-owned since 1935. Even though it is an Australian icon, the truth was bitter to some as its taste, Vegemite has for decades been American-owned.

After visiting America, in 1926 Fred Walker formed a joint venture with Kraft Foods – the Kraft Walker Cheese Co. – to manufacture Kraft Processed Cheddar. When Fred died in 1935, Fred Walker & Co. was merged into Kraft Walker.  From that point on, the spread was partly American-owned.

In 1952 the company became Kraft Foods Limited. Subsequently, the US company acquired the rest of the Australian ownership, which at the time was sitting at just under 50 per cent.  As a result the Kraft logo appeared on the Vegemite packaging for the first time.

After that, tracking the ownership of Vegemite becomes complicated, as Kraft became involved in a complex series of take-overs, mergers and sell-offs. At the end of 1988, Philip Morris purchased Kraft for US$12.9 billion. The following year Kraft merged with Philip Morris’s General Foods unit. Further corporate deals ensued and in 2011 the company split into two divisions, the one newly  named Mondelez International becoming proprietors of several of the Australian brands. Including the beloved Vegemite.

Bega Cheese Limited purchased the brand in 2017, bringing it under Australian ownership for the first time in over 90 years.

Criticism

The Australian entrepreneur Richard Harold ‘Dick’ Smith once said about Vegemite “I used to love it but now I know it’s American owned I just can’t eat it”. The deal that has returned the Australian icon to Australian hands (BEGA) has delighted Dick Smith. Though Bega too has dabbled with foreign ownership, with the New Zealand company Fonterra at one time owning part of the Australian cheese-maker. However, Fonterra sold its 9 per cent shareholding in 2015. It seems that Vegemite is safely back in Australian hands – at least until the corporate merry-go-round starts again.

Vegemite was mentioned in the original version of John Williamson‘s song “True Blue“. He removed the reference in a later version of the song because Vegemite was not Australian-owned. According to Williamson’s website, it was “carelessly sold off (‘like sponge cake’) to the multi-national Kraft”. Williamson apparently didn’t know that already in 1952 it was carelessly sold off, long time before he wrote his song …

Miscellaneous

In April 1984, a 115-gram (4.1 oz) jar of Vegemite became the first product in Australia to be electronically scanned at a checkout.

Vegemite is banned from Victorian prisons, with the bans beginning to come into effect from the 1990s, to prevent inmates from brewing alcohol using the paste’s high yeast content, despite the fact that Vegemite contains no live yeast.

Since 2020 Vegemite is available in a squeeze top bottle in supermarkets across Australia. But being an Australian icon, changes are not always welcome. Critics were quick to slam the product with many accusing the manufacturer of tampering with the signature recipe to make it thin enough to squeeze. They probably forgot that already in 1996 a toothpaste-like ‘travel tube’ was released.

You find a lot of clothing in Australia with the Vegemite symbol on it. The Australian retailer of clothing “Best and Less” has a whole Vegemite collection for the family and the Australian sneaker brand “Volley” offers a “Vegemite heritage” shoe …

The post Vegemite appeared first on GoAustralia.

Do you know where Abbotsbury, Berala or Tempe are? Or Greenwich, Balmoral, Waterloo, San Souci and Pyrmont? No? They are suburbs of the same city that also has Bondi, Botany, Manly and The Rocks. But you won’t find the name of the city in the postal address of Australia. You write a letter to Abbotsbury NSW 2176, Berala NSW 2141 or Tempe NSW 2044. Unless you are very familiar with the postcodes of Australia you wouldn’t have a clue that you are actually writing to an address in Sydney. And the postcodes themselves also don’t give you much reference. For example, Gosford, which is about 75 km North of Sydney has the postcode 2250 while Bangor, a Sydney suburb, has the postcode 2234.

Same name, different suburbs, different state

So it pays off to know a bit about the postcodes of a postal address in Australia and where the connected suburbs approximately are. Australia’s early settlers liked to name their towns and suburbs for connections in the Old Country (Britain). Thus, Australia is sprinkled with Richmonds, Kensingtons, Windsors and Brightons. Mistaking one for the other could cost you the price of your letter or parcel never arriving or of booking your holiday accommodation in the wrong town.

Richmond

E.g. Richmond was clearly a favourite of the founding fathers – there’s one in almost every state! Just 3kms from the Melbourne CBD, Victoria’s Richmond (Postcode 3121) it’s only a short stroll from the famous old Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). NSW’s Richmond (Postcode 2753) is a little town 63kms north-west of Sydney in the greater Sydney area at the foot of the Blue Mountains and the nearby town of Windsor. Richmond (Postcode 5033) in South Australia is an inner suburb of Adelaide. There are also two Richmonds in Queensland. One is a small town in the west of the state with wide streets and big skies and the other is a suburb of Mackay.

Kensington

Kensington is another well-loved name across the country. The NSW Kensington (Postcode 2033) is located midway between the Sydney CBD and Bondi Beach. Just 4kms from Melbourne CBD, Victoria’s Kensington (Postcode 3031) is a leafy village with beautiful period houses (Victorian and Edwardian), while South Australia’s Kensington (postcode 5068) is a suburb 5kms east of Adelaide with a population of 1,769.

Manly

While Manly in Sydney might be famous, it has a lesser-known cousin in Queensland too. A beachside suburb 17 km north-east of Sydney, NSW’s Manly (Postcode 2095) has some of the most expensive houses in the country. Not surprising when you consider the beautiful sandy beaches and the fact that you can cruise across the bay to work in the CBD. The Queensland Manly (Postcode 4179) is 19kms east of the Brisbane CBD and features Australia’s biggest boat harbour.

Brighton

Just like the original in the United Kingdom, Australia’s Brightons are all located by the water. Victoria’s Brighton (Postcode 3186) is a bayside suburb 11kms from the Melbourne CBD while South Australia’s Brighton (Postcode 5048) is a coastal suburb with a great beach and famous jetty. 19kms from Brisbane CBD, Queensland’s Brighton (Postcode 4017) is a sleepy seaside suburb with cycling tracks, wetlands and paths.

Postcodes by state

You might have noticed, that the postcodes of Sydney all start with a “2” while Brisbane postcodes starts with “4”. The first one or two numbers usually show the state or territory that the postcode belongs to:

While the first number of a postcode usually shows the state or territory, the second number normally shows a region within the state. However, postcodes with the same second number are not always next to each other. For example, postcodes in the range 2200–2299 are split between the southern suburbs of Sydney and the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie regions of New South Wales. Postcodes with a second number of “0” or “1” are almost always located within the metropolitan area of the state’s capital city.

Postcode-system can be complex

Postcodes in Australia can be quite complex, especially in country areas. E.g. 2570 belongs to twenty-two towns and suburbs around Camden, New South Wales, and all have different names (BELIMBLA PARK 2570, CAMDEN 2570, CAWDOR 2570, GLENMORE 2570, ORANGEVILLE 2570, WEROMBI 2570 etc. etc.). Some postcodes cover large populations (e.g., postcode 4350 serving some 100,000 people in Toowoomba and the surrounding area) while other postcodes comprise only a very small population. And some places do not have a postcode at all. These are typically remote areas with little or no population, e.g. Wyuna in Queensland does not have a postcode.

The correct address number and street is essential

Now we learned that using the correct postcode in combination with the matching state or territory in Australia is essential. But equally important is the right street address which is the house or building number followed by the name of the street. If you live in an apartment building you have to add the unit/letter-box number followed by a slash before the street number. For example “217/3 Smith Street”.

A complete postal address in Australia requires the name, an address number, a road name, a locality (suburb) name and a state or territory name:

Since it is unusual in Australia to put your name on the letter box or anywhere else on your property, Australia Post (and other delivery services) won’t have a clue who actually lives there. So if there is not the correct street address on the mailing it won’t reach you. Furthermore, it will end up in a wrong letterbox. Since we moved to Australia we have received a lot of mail for people totally unknown to us. Or for people who once lived at our address and had their mail only forwarded for 3 months, since forwarding mail with Australia Post is really expensive. In addition, some of that mail seemed to be important i.e. from financial institutions, insurances and government departments.

And such mail often doesn’t get returned to the sender and simply ends up in the bin.

So make sure that your postal address in Australia is 100% correct. In addition, you can check online with Australia Post, if your address combination does exist.

The system of house numbering

The system of numbering the houses in Australia follows the Australia/New Zealand standard (AS/NZS 4819:2011) for Rural & Urban Addressing. It calls for lots and buildings on newly created streets to be assigned odd numbers (on the left) and even numbers (on the right) when facing in the direction of increasing numbers (the European system).

The rural addressing numbers are generally based on a distance from the starting point – usually a road intersection – with odd numbers on the left and even numbers on the right. For example the address “435 Logan Road” will be 4.35 km from the starting point of the road or an intersection with a major road. This system has the advantage that it is readily locatable by emergency service responders and service delivery providers.

The post Postal address in Australia – you have to get it right appeared first on GoAustralia.