The average Australian

Give the average Australian a comfortable cottage, a motor car, and a reasonable income, and he is content. He does not require luxuries, and he sees no point in wearing himself out quickly in the search for wealth. Advanced social legislation is an important part of Australian life. The trade union was established early among the sheep shearers and coal miners. The closed shop and collective bargaining are accepted principles. A comprehensive system of social security is in force. Wealth and income are more evenly distributed than in the United States.

All kinds of outdoor sports are popular. Horse racing is a national sport, and most Australians participate in state-operated lotteries. In all the coastal cities and town surf bathing is extremely popular. Tennis, bowling, yachting, skiing, and similar sports have large followings. A maximum of holidays with week ends beginning at Saturday noon provide much time for gardening, sports, and relaxation. An abundance of waterfront and other land has been set aside by each population center for public recreation purposes. Movies and radio provide entertainment and education for millions. One of the strictest voluntary radio codes in existence is in effect.Life in Australia is very much like life in the United States and Canada, whether it be in the city or in the country. Australian conditions are particularly like those in the southwestern United States, where large modern cities are in close juxtaposition with farm and range country as well as with large tracts of unoccupied land. The recent occupation of both areas by similar people and also the similar physical environments help to make Australia like the American Southwest.