[woofa.express]

Those tight arse Australian’s.

We have 2 good rail trips in Australia. Firstly Sydney- Perth and secondly Adelaide to Darwin and return of course. Both trips take one through arid and desert country. Unlike Europe and North America no snow capped mountains. The distances are 2670 miles and 1800 miles respectively. The Adelaide Darwin train is known as the Ghan, named unofficially after the camel train drivers of the 1800’s to 1928 when the first train service operated. In addition to Afghanistan they also came from Pakistan. Today you will find some of their descendants living in the little town of Marree, 400 miles north of Adelaide with a population of 150.
In 1997 a new service went into operation, powerful locos and luxurious carriages. It was officially named the Ghan.The Sydney Perth service, known as the Indian Pacific named after the oceans at each end. Both the Indian Pacific and Ghan are expensive. The cheapest Ghan fare is 2,800 aud and by comparison the cheapest airfare is 260 aud.
Much in Australia is expensive. Here is why. Employers are compelled to pay a minimum wage and that is 19 aud per hour and for casual an additional 25%. Permanents get 4 weeks holiday on full wages with a 17 and half percent holiday loading. We don’t have cheap labour,even imported Asian labour to be used where we have labour shortages are paid the same rates as locals. All receive a good wage regardless of what work they do. New Zealand is the same. No workers wage is dependant on tips and for this reason we do not tip. When paying an account it is not even a consideration nor is it expected by the provider.
When we travel to Europe or America or anywhere for that matter we just don’t tip. It mostly never enters our mind, we simply don’t think about it. For this reason we are often known tight arses. I would guess some of us are but it is just something that we are just not accustomed to.