Living in Australia: Australian Social Customs

The Australian Government's Department of Immigration and Citizenship has a number of web resources designed to assist immigrants with their attempts to become Australian Citizens.

The Australian Social Customs section lists a number of behaviours the DIC has identified as "normal" or "usual" customs in social situations. For example:

When meeting someone for the first time, it is usual to shake the person's right hand with your right hand. People who do not know each other generally do not kiss or hug when meeting. When you first meet someone, it is polite not to talk about personal matters.

While the site is intended to inform potential immigrants about Australian customs, it could also be a source of information for Humanities students regarding the official government position on certain matters. What does the government want you to understand or believe?

Many Australians live close to the beach and the sea. On hot days, they may wear little clothing on the beach and surrounds. This does not mean that people who dress to go to the beach or swimming have low moral standards. It means that this is what we accept on and near beaches.

I also find the site interesting for the brevity of the information - it mentions the "little clothing" near the beach, but does not mention that the same clothing may be highly inappropriate in other contexts. Such omissions are perfectly understandable - given that the site is clearly intended to provide an overview, rather than a detailed discussion - but there is no link given to detailed discussions held elsewhere.

This site could be a useful resource for anyone studying politics, social sciences or anything to do with Australian customs.