Reaction To 5 Strengths of Australia that No One Talks About 

As am Australian I like school uniforms. They take away peer pressure, and the 'need' for expensive fashionable clothes that many can't afford and that add nothing to your education.

Mate, if I ever get called Mr "Smith" I'm looking around for my Dad.

One positive about school uniforms is the teachers can look across a playground at lunchtime and see who the strangers are very easily! Much safer for the kids

A lot of schools run a second hand shop with school uniforms to keep the cost down.

Strangers will call you by your first name and friends will call you by your nicknames which is sometimes funny because the "nickname" can usually just be the last name

The german man speaking sounds like his parents gave him a better gift than objects. What a lovely Man!

I’m from Australia and many lower income areas in my city the schools often have colour codes rather than strict school uniforms. Eg if the school colour code is navy and yellow, then as long as the students wear a polo shirt for example, that is yellow and navy on bottom which can be track pants, dress pants, shorts etc and navy jumpers or hoodies. That way the kids have pride in their school colours but parents can purchase the appropriate coloured items at inexpensive chain stores.

I spent 3 months in hospital just over a year ago and I was always called by my Christian name, by doctors, nurses and everyone I came in contact with. It actually made me more relaxed. I was 67 at the time. I strongly support school uniforms as it puts everyone on the same level, otherwise you have rich kids wearing designer clothes and the kids coming from struggling home wearing cheap clothing or hand me downs. Wearing uniforms not only gives a sense of belonging but it stops discrimination.

Aussie here, I remember as a kid being jealous of overseas kids at school that I saw in TV shows or movies who didn’t have uniforms. But then my mum said that it made it easier for people who didn’t have a lot to spend on clothing (in hindsight prob us at the time!) and I never complained again, and I actually think that one little comment gave me whole new perspective on life: prob just the right comment at the right time

I was a nurse for 10 years and we all called the patients and other workers at the hospital by their first names. If there were several people working in the ward with the same name we'd say "Jane the nurse" or "Jane the cleaner" or the patient "Jane in bed 7". If we had to tell a patient that a doctor would be coming to review them we'd simply say "Doctor Samantha will be with you shortly". We just used the word "doctor" to identify her role, but still called her by her first name. Then when she came to see the patient they'd often just use each other first names - the patient wouldn't call her "doctor", just usually "Samantha" or she'd say "Just call me Sam".

In Aus - for most public schools, Kids school uniforms are mostly polo shirts and sports shorts or track pants in the school colours - for my kids, I can buy their uniforms from every discount department store that exists.

I went to see a doctor yesterday (a specialist in Melbourne) who was about 35 years old. I'm 70. He introduced himself (and shook my hand with) "G'day Lindsay, I'm Dean". That is normal. None of this "I'm Dr So-and-so" crap. The CEO's of the life insurance companies I worked for were addressed by their first names, even by the cleaners in the evenings. You can be respectful without being deferential.

Here in Queensland (and I don't know about the other states) every school has a uniform shop. People whose kids have moved on donate the uniforms to this shop. They are then sold on at a fraction of the cost of new uniforms. The school at which I teach has brown shoes as part of the uniform and these can be difficult to find at a retail store but are abundant at the uniform shop.

Works in reverse too. I recently had to see a specialist neurophysiologist - he introduced himself with: "Hello, I'm Jeff". Where else in the world would that happen?

The "card only accepted" popped up during covid times. Most have now gone back to accepting both cash and card

Yup, most Aussies tend to be informal in most situations. There are times when formality is a requirement, of course - when in a court of law is the most obvious example. The matter of compulsory school uniforms is a long-time thing. Agreed, having it cuts down on at least one avenue of bullying. I should add that occasional "non-uniform" days can be a thing - my old high school did this as a means of collecting money for charity. With the last few, Australia is an extraordinarily inventive country. Not only big picture things like Black Box flight recorders, inflatable escape slides, WiFi or Google Maps, but plenty of "small" things as well, like twist tops or improved ringpulls.

I had a friend from Germany stay with me once a few years back. He was almost horrified by the way the staff at the local supermarket would talk to people. They were friendly and chatty, and he didn't like it. Cracked me up. He said where he's from, you'd be lucky to get eye contact from a staff member 😂

Born in UK, went to Aus in 1977. Was quickly amazed by how friendly Aussies are, and once people get to know you even in a short time, they are the most helpful people you can imagine, often you don't need to ask for help, if they see you doing something someone will always ask you if you need some help, it's a strong cultural norm there. The other thing I love is how common it is for Aussies to 'say it like it is', they don't like BS, straight talkers to the point, I loved that. And anyone will talk to you anywhere as if they've always known you. All the things this guy says are correct. Aus is also having many problems these days with high costs of rent, food etc but the Aussie character remains. And they still love a beer or two and a BBQ :)

I'm a high school teacher in Australia and uniforms are also important from a security perspective. If we see someone walking around the school not in uniform (student) or badge (staff or visitor) we can question them. Also, uniforms can help identify students outside of school, if something happens to them to/from school or if there is some misbehaviour!! Also, some people in Australia are always saying how behind we are to the rest of the world but I've travelled widely and it's certainly not always the case - I went to Japan 15 years ago and it was so difficult to withdraw money from a local atm as a tourist but even banks from different Japanese regions didn't "talk" to each other. A friend who works there recently told me that not much has changed. On the other hand, I think we're moving too fast sometimes. I find myself asking if they still accept cash? Many festivals seem to be card only especially. Restaurants/cafes are a mixed bag. An outspoken Aust MP recently complained about not being able to pay for a coffee with cash at Parliament House. And not too long ago one of our major telcos had a disruption (phones, internet, point of sale) and so many people were not able to buy anything. They weren't carrying any cash either. I always try to have at least $50 in my bag, just in case...

As a young man I was used to the formal address my European parents taught me. But my boss at my first job told me straight away: “It’s Gerald - not ‘Mr Smith’ mate. That’s not how we talk here.” That was almost 40 years ago.

I'm going back to cash where possible. Card and digital is so much easier but now we are getting charged surcharges for using cards.

Most schools here in Australia have bags that are part of the school uniform as well as hats, heaven forbid you forget your hat at home in summer, you will be confined to a place called the shady area, usually a space between 2 buildings flocked with trees casting shade over the whole area, it's for your protection

I bought a Heineken in Australia and had to search for a bottle opener at home which I eventually found after a big search. In Australia there now push back against the “card only” rule.

Most schools don't change uniform styles or colours often so there is a place for second hand uniforms being bought or exchanged.

When it comes to uniforms, I think they are a big pro from the point of view of a student and a parent. I preferred a uniform as a kid, and as a parent, it is far easier buying uniforms when they outgrew them as there are no choices to be made. It also meant that you were buying fewer clothes in general for your kids because they only needed clothes for the other two days of the week. Using first names on a professional became the norm in the 2000s I think? I worked in a Solicitors office and we began addressing letters with first names (depending on the client) in the 2000s rather than Sir/Madam. Again, it depended on the particular Solicitor as one stuck with the Mr and Mrs for a while longer than others, but ultimately it came to first names. And for me personally, when dealing with the Dr or the Bank, those people introduce themselves with their first name.

Australian public schools uniforms are generally polo shirts, fleecy tops, trousers or shorts of certain colours so they can be purchased anywhere.

At the Australian school I work at, primary, we have specific designs to our uniforms, available at a school supplier. For disadvantaged students the school can apply to 'State School Relief' on their behalf, and they will receive money towards school uniforms and supplies. Our Parents Club will also sell second hand uniforms at a discounted price. Some families when they leave or kids grow out of their clothes, will donate to the school, we then pass the uniforms on to any students in need. If any students are still in need of a uniform, the school will find some way to help them.

Thanks for watching my video, mate! Even though I personally really can't see it anymore 😂 Stay safe!

As an Aussie nurse, I would usually address someone much older than me as Mr or Mrs until told otherwise but now I am 50yrs old, I tend to use their first name.

I love the convenience of digitalisation. I’ve bought and sold a house and all contracts were emailed to me and then I was able to digitally sign them. Of course you have to visit your lawyer initially for proper identification and after that it is all done online via email. Payment for house sale was received digitally within one hour of the property settlement, straight into my bank account via the PEXA system. So convenient ! So much better than the old days of receiving cheques, banking them and waiting for the money to clear. I rarely use cash these days. I love the convenience of tap and go, either with a card or your phone.

I am an Australian woman, and am astonished by what the German young man spoke of about his country. It sounds archaic, much as it was in this country long ago. Things are so easy to get done here and paying by card or cash works either way, and you do practically everything online. All doctors at the surgery visits or when I have had operations in hospital call us by our first name which is great for patient staff relations. In hospital when the nurse attends you they ask your name, birthdate etc personally to be certain it is you they will be treating. School uniforms in high school but not in primary school. I got sent home from school to change my clothing in the 60’s for wearing a black, wide cord mini when I was 12!

As a teacher, when the Principal would walk into the classroom, I'd have to work hard to remember the Principal's last name to tell the class "Say Good Morning to Mr/Ms..." We staff just used first names with each other, which is why I struggled for a moment to recall the Principal's last name. It was a friendly atmosphere for staff working together. Edited to clarify that students didn’t use first names with teachers.

Most people have covered the uniform subject in the comments but I’d like to add that a lot of public schools (primary in my experience) have their own volunteer run Uniform Shop. The markup was kept very low & the shop was open in the morning a few days a week. There were second hand options & if you really struggled, you could get assistance for uniforms. Most uniforms have the school crest on the polo/shirt but local shops usually carried the plain polo for a cheaper option✌🏼

During covid retailers wouldn't except cash due to "infection risk" and some businesses have stayed with that idea

Using school uniforms helps level out obvious class differences. Not only that It shows you are a part of a community. It also shows respect for the school and community you belong to. You are more likely to identify as a member of that school and your behaviour is better because you wear your school on your shirt.

As a child in Australia in the 1970s every adult was Mr & Mrs. The change to first names was progressive and I remember being shocked when our prime minister, Bob Hawke, was adressed by his first name. Curiously, a decade ago journalists were still being trained to use Mr & Mrs. Some organisations were still using Mr & Mrs until relatively recently. As a single woman, I was often miffed by the assumption I was a Mrs as if there was no other option. My mum however insisted on writing "Miss" on all letters as, in her mind, there was no such thing as a Ms and I was obviously a spinster to her. 😅

In Australia, parents on lower incomes receive fortnightly payments for their children, and lump sums to help with education expenses, like technology and uniforms. Extra support is available through Government schools for families who are struggling, so the children don’t miss out on food and special educational experiences. Aside from the social aspect, it’s far better to have a set uniform, even cost wise, as less clothing needs to be purchased for growing children. Schools often have pre-loved uniforms for sale at the beginning of term as well.

Australia is egalitarian. We don’t have a class system. You can be the richest person in aus, the Prime minister or a homeless guy and you’ll either be called, mate, your first name or your nickname lol Everyone is your friend until you find out you don’t like them lol and you’ll know if someone doesn’t like you unless you’re really thick

Things are generally informal in Australia. When I first started work in the 70’s I called my boss Mr or Mrs. i called our neighbours by Mr and Mrs. i still find it difficult calling them by their first names and I’m in my 60’s.

With digital upgrades it would be nice for people to have both old school and modern systems for peace of mind and comfort. Australia just tends to take things away sometimes without proper education or concerns of citizens.

Aussie here. A lot of places stopped accepting cash during covid for "hygiene reasons" and while most places now accept both, there certainly are a few that just never started accepting cash again. It's a guaranteed way to piss off old people though if you don't. I generally just have cash on hand in case I spot somewhere charging a surcharge for card. 95% of places will take both, but even small pop up markets and charity muggers etc tend to have little card readers now. It's getting to the point where not accepting cash is probably about as common as places not accepting cards.

In our town ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS public and private had compulsory uniforms. There was no option - there had never been an option - we were used to it so it was no problem.

In Australia, there are shops that give you discount if you pay cash instead of card and if you pay by card, you might charge extra too (all these usually can be seen at the cashier counter. As for first name, yes, we are that causal. Even in business emails, we address "Hi John," instead of "Dear John" nor "Dear Mr Smith". Even addressing the church pastor, can be just first name instead of Pastor John or Pastor Smith (but of course, this depends on each church's practice. So happened the 3 churches [different denominations] I had attended over the past decades, just first name.

There are usually second hand school uniforms available at most schools for those who do not have the means to buy new ones.

There is a choice of using either cash or paywave , during COVID it was preferred that customers use paywave.

Yep, wearing uniforms levels the playing field to some extent at school, but kids will always find a way to bully others. I was bullied for 3 years at primary school and it certainly left a scar - but that didn't stop me bullying my siblings or (to my absolute shame!!) making fun of a disabled kid. These days I have chronic illness and use a mobility scooter, so it's come full circle, I reckon! As for cash, some places refused to accept it during the first year or so of the pandemic, but generally you should be able to use it anywhere because it's legal tender.

Most schools have 2nd hand clothes you can purchase from the local school shop. I hate wearing them BUT it puts everyone on even plan. Plus you can identify each other easily in public so if ever in trouble, you can be contacted via the school.

At school we had a clothing pool where used uniforms were donated back to the school and they were sold at a lower price. Cash is still king. The Optus outage late last year showed that.

Some notes from an Aussie, organized by segment: 1. There are a few instances where people will address you by your surname, but the only one I can think of at the moment is when you're in trouble for something. Places like doctor's offices and government places may call you by your full name, especially if there's another person with the same first name also waiting to be called. 2. School uniforms aren't as strict as I've heard they can be in the rest of the world, here you have a few choices for each piece; t-shirts (long or short sleeves) and bottoms (long pants, shorts or skirts) are the normal ones, with there sometimes being a couple of variations for the optional jackets or hats. The schools have fairly loose restrictions on what shoes you can wear (usually just that the need to be actual shoes and not slippers or something). The only time I didn't have a choice in what to wear at my school under normal circumstances (as far as I can remember, at least) was my gym uniform in high school. 3. Some alcoholic drinks (mostly beers and ciders, I think) do still have the more traditional lids, so it would be a good idea to at least have a bottle opener at home if you drink those sorts of things. 4. Dealing with the government can be extremely slow, it took me a few months to get accepted into something a few years ago and a few people were amazed at how fast it happened when they heard about it. 5. Before COVID it was a lot more common to allow either cash or card, but during the pandemic we switched to heavily preferring card over cash out of necessity.

Post Covid, Australian retailers are really pushing cashless transactions. A lot of the cashiers no longer even ask is that cash or card anymore, just push the EFTPOS device across the counter with the charge already rung up. They get a bit hufffy when I say, “no I’m paying cash”. Earlier this year while travelling interstate I dined at a cashless restaurant, the no cash sign was very small and located at the checkout. Not at all obvious upon entry. I’ve always preferred cash ( I find it easier to budget by withdrawing what I need and when the cash is low I modify my spending) and was completely caught off guard.

By memory the last time I adress a boss by their last name ,was way back in 1978, School uniforms are great , gives kids a sense of equality

Uniforms are good not only in making every one equal in what they wear but it’s also to teach them to follow rules like wearing a uniform for work.

If any shop refused to take cash, I'd go somewhere else. Cash is legal tender, if shops refuse to accept it they obviously don't want your business.

Australian here! During Covid we were VERY strict with everything including the reduced use of cash to minimise the spread of covid. Coming out of the Pandemic many of these places continued to be cashless venues and still are because it made sense since so few people even carried cash anymore.

The shift into less formal terms of address in Australia (ie. first names) happened in the 60s and 70s. Through the 50s and mid-60s it was still Mr This and Miss or Mrs That. Similarly, at about the same time, Miss and Mrs switched to Ms..

There are alot of places that will charge you to pay by card but they need to show that upfront or at the eft machine. You will notice these are the smaller to medium businesses. The larger places generally have charges absorbed in the costings.

In Australia some people refuse to shop at places that refuse cash and some shops only accept cash, in an attempt to discourage the future ban of cash. Usually the only people who say Mr, are school children while at school, however words such as doctor and sir, or young girl if the lady is old (It will give her a few chuckles. The term madam is frowned on) are occasionally used. I find it equalises all people, sex and ages. Even though uniforms do quell some of the bullying, students can still buy secondhand uniforms, and schools still hold a few days a year that are uniform-free, so disparity still does happen. Taxes are pre-filled online, only requiring a check (unless you own a business) before submitting, and bills etc can all be done online, however many of the elderly feel left out and have a difficult time trying to successfully organise necessary day-to-day requirements in person or via phone. They also fear using cards online.

I'm a fairly old bloke, but am always addressed by my first name, in any situation from a bank to a hospital, and I really like it. Mr and Sir can be used without any respect and first name or "mate" can be very respectful.

A very very interesting video. Thank you to both of you , young men. 🤗🤗😘

Australian here - whilst some people prefer cash, majority pay with card now. It can be loaded on our phones so we don't even need the physical card if we forget it. Our drivers licenses are slowly being moved digital now too.

Most schools have clothing pools so 2nd hand uniforms could be passed on. I prefer uniforms, it does save on the cost of clothing. My daughters High school was not available outside of the school and it was expensive if not for the clothing pool. My daughter was gifted a new uniform by the school when I was struggling and I topped it up from the clothing pool. Kids dont care where their uniform is from so long as its not hanging together by a thread. Primary school (k-6) have moved away from a formal uniform of dress for girls and collared shirts n pants for boys to a more informal uniform of polos and shorts unisex. Some schools have skorts for girls, but most are just general shorts for all. My daughters suffered the dress and wore either trackpants or bike shorts underneath to stop the boys from pulling up girls dresses.... yes after 50years, its still a thing in school lol.

I just love the straw hats that go with the school uniforms

This was a really interesting video. It's not till you travel that you realise things about your own country (Australia). Going through Europe, I realised that Australians really love good coffee from a coffee machine. Everywhere. It's a must.

I'm Spanish but I live in Australia. For public transport you can even pay with your phone like a debit card. You do it again when you arrive at your stop, so the system calculates how much your trip was, and you get charged accordingly. You don't need to carry cash. School uniforms are quite easy going and comfortable. You can buy them second hand at the same school, even the backpacks are part of the uniform. You can find them in many cheap shops too. Schools aren't checking the logo. Your medical records are also in the system, and doctors can interchange information by e-mail. You can update almost everything online.

I’m an Australian retired nurses/midwife. We are taught to respect our elders. When a person is admitted to hospital the young ones we usually call them mate as a friendly way to talk to the, people that are older they are asked in their paperwork what they prefer to be addressed as and we take not and follow their lead. 2 school I’ve always been an advocate for school uniforms. Now days the uniform is usually T-shirt of a particular colour which a school emblem is sew onto. Shorts of the school colours white or grey socks depending on the school and winter is scivy and pants with a jersey. All can be bought at cheap shops. Shoes are usually black gym shoes of any kind. Except in posh private schools. We have gone nearly totally digital here which was an out come of the pandemic. We can use acrobat platform to sign with our fingers however I don’t know any where that won’t take cash.

I bought a house without even visiting the solicitors offices or the bank. All signed online

I'm from the Southern US. The "older generation" is usually addressed as Mr. Smith or Mrs. Jones. I prefer this because it shows respect for our age and experience. Young adults I have not met before addressing me by my first names seems like an overstep. Regarding cash/credit - in the US most restaurants will take both. Some small diners or mom&pop restaurants will charge a 3% fee for credit cards, to cover the fee the cards charge them. Conversely, there is a growing number of shops and cafes that will ONLY take cards, so they can avoid the need for somebody to carry cash to the bank.

I work for a local authority (district council) in NewZealand, and write letters, sometimes with infringements included, and these are addressed to the recipients first name.

Been in Western Australia since 1989, originally from London. I was 21. Even back then it was first name basis-so different from the uk. It was a bit strange at first-but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Much more friendly. And gotta love a twist top- a twistie

Hello! I love your channel!! I have a doctor ( GP) I get telephone appointments.. when she calls she says ' hello its dawn' .. very friendly... most people are

I work in a nursing home and we have devolved all the way down to using our resident's preferred nicknames exclusively. It has reached the point that if we need to get an agency nurse in for a medication shift, she needs to have a staff member nearby to 'translate' what resident's will answer to compared to their actual name.

Uniforms are also a safety thing, especially at high/ secondary school, so you can tell who should and shouldn't be there.

When i started work in the 60s, i was on first name basis when there were only the two of us in the office and "Sir" or "Mr ..."when a third party was present.

You should always know who is really your friend by the energy between you rather than how long you've known somebody.

The interesting thing about the word 'mate' is that Aussies will immediately see through someone who is ingenuine, calling them mate and will have no hesitation in say 'you're not my mate' which usually puts that person in their place immediately. School uniforms are a game leveller and while I don't know of many public schools (government schools) that have uniform shops - maybe if they do they are run by the P&C (parents and citizens group), whereas in private education, the school uniforms are so astronomically expensive, the schools will always run a Uniform shop which includes second hand uniforms. I was on a single income when my daughter was at school and we were fortunate to gain a scholarship for her to attend a performing arts school. The initial outlay for uniforms was difficult but those ladies who ran the uniform shop were so sweet to me. They knew my daughter was forever losing bits and pieces of her uniform and usually they ended up in their lost property, so they'd give me a call. If she lost something, I just needed to let them know and they'd keep an eye out for a second hand item for me and let me know when it came in. On the aspect of calling people by their first names, I think the last time someone referred to me by my title and surname was when I was on jury duty several years ago, which I'm fine with. The only thing I take exception to is that over the last decade or so, journalists started referring to our Prime Minister as "Mr' so and so and now it's down to their first name. I just think that's rude. I'm ex service though, so maybe it's just a hang up from always addressing people in authority respectfully (whether they deserved it or not).

Many Australians are now carrying cash and trying to use it again because the cashless system makes things like rural small town markets, craft stalls, selling second hand items from your home or homemade crafts and homegrown foods and products difficult. So we all want cash phased back in and don’t want to lose it. If you have a strong cash economy, keep it. It’s a good thing we discovered

CASH or digital? GOVT, I demand a free choice. NO GOVT CONTROL.

The school I worked at in Australia if a family was struggling the school would secretly kit the child out with a uniform for free. The other students never knew.

I grew up with uniforms. Shirts, tie, tights, pinafore, blazer and beret. Makes sense to me. You have pride in your school. No twist lids overseas?? Amazed me that the USA didn't have tap and go when we did.

Ausgranny here... yeah we think of everyone as a mate and take you at face value until you stuff up. Some businesses won't accept cash so I don't go there. It's about choice, ya know!!?? School uniforms are an excellent idea, even though I hated them when in school.. As for digital things, computers are doing a great job of taking jobs. I would strongly recommend keeping some cash handy, if you can. Computers are good. When they are working. But when they fail an upgrade, get hacked, lose power for whatever reason??? We're up the creek and the computer is now a boat anchor ⚓!!! Cheers mate!!! 🇦🇺🇦🇺🤶👋👋👋👋🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

In Australia there is a difference between being friendly and wanting to be friends, being actual friends. We value loyalty we give every one a fair go, but do the wrong thing repeadly by us, you will know about it. We prefer friendliness but sometimes you just can't be, when that is the case, be a friend to all and hang around none. When you hang around none, that is the time, you get to focus on what you need to do and live, you can stay focused on who and what you need to. For us its about being true blue, dinky di Aussie....or fair dinkum, when that is the case, friends are family forever.

I'm amazed to hear that physical forms are still used for insurance and other contacts in Europe. We've accepted digital contracts for over a decade now.

In Oz we dont call everyone by thier first name because we are best friends but because we are not stuffy or too formal… usually it is by natural preference and mutual agreement…we are good at putting others at ease not being stuffy!

I've been a nurse for 45 years. I work with the elderly and its always Mr or Mrs. It depends on respect.

When I started high school in middle class Melbourne in 1973 even the girls wore ties as a part of out winter uniform, hated the tie! But at least I can still tie a Windsor knot 😂. I wore a uniform every day, especially high school. There would be trouble if you tried to add any personalisation to it and you would be sent to the office. The girls also had dress inspections (so sexist when I look back) and they would measure how short our dresses were from our knees. We just rolled the waist back up afterwards and would have the shortest dresses that were just covering our knickers. It was all about being rebellious against authority and we had a lot of fun getting away with anything!!

I mean Aussie schools have uniform suppliers for new uniforms same as UK but also the schools have a uniform shop where you can sell your old uniform back to the school (only a little back) and the school will sell these as second hand options. Now sometimes it's easy to tell if a kid is wearing a new uniform or second hand the first few weeks so some kids still get bullied. As to shoes usually the shoe has a rule of black (preferably leather) shoes with no logos visible for day to day, and runners/sneakers for PE class - so you probably only get made fun of for your PE shoes.

My mother came from NZ in the late 60's when she was in her 40's. It took her a long time to become accustomed to having the office junior call her by her first name, as she was actually the girls immediate boss

Australian school teachers are usually referred to as Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms. Some Places in Australia only accept cash.

As far as i am aware, in Victoria, school uniforms have always been compulsory in high school. Compulsory primary school uniforms came in eary 90's to try to prevent bullying on who was wearing the latest "trendy" clothing.

The informal thing is new in Australia. I’m 41. We used surnames and titles when I was a kid. Boomers changed it. I remember my mother telling me she hated being called “Mrs. ….” It made her feel old. Most boomers felt that way. So we just stopped doing it.

I recently attended a large craft show in Sydney where some vendors only accepted cash or card, few accepted both. Only a card could be used to pay for food and beverages, and some also imposed a minimum spend.

In far north Queensland here primarily school kids don't even have to where shoes

Exactly.People should get to choose freely between using cash or credit.But the Government are pushing towards a cashless society. I went to an event the other day at a stadium and they only excepted credit.I see this happening in more and more places. I,Myself, prefer to use cash.

Our school in QLD Kindergarten till year 12, students were told to call teachers by their first names. No one was above someone else

Car insurance and house insurance are done online, they send you an email with a link, bingo done. You can choose to have it automatically deducted from your account, monthly or annually

Uniforms are also good for safety reasons here in Australia because I heard that over in America there was a high school shooting incident and the gunman was able to filter out with the students because they didn’t have a uniform and got lost in the crowd in all the fear and confusion. That’s scary.

As an Australian nurse my default is to call any patient younger than me by their first name and anyone older by their title and last name unless asked to do otherwise. Almost everyone older would say something like, “Oh, call me Nellie!”

Since Covid, Australia is mostly cashless. Most places will accept cash. In Sydney you tap your card, including phone or use an Opal card. You can either top it up at a ticket machine or if you are a regularly user, you can opt for auto top up from a nominated account. You can also buy a single ticket from a ticket machine for train or light rail.

School uniforms- yes! It’s great… you can usually buy 2nd hand good condition uniforms- also in a crowd you can identify the school someone goes to straight away if there is mischief etc… I may / may not have liked that years ago

5:05 we call those Twist Tops