1.Pro-American sentiment in Australia: this one comes from my own point of view. Frankly, I think that the hundreds of thousands of Australians who marched in protest at the invasion of Iraq would find this insulting, as would the same numbers who wrote to the government in protest at the World Trade Agreement (the number of e-mails crashing government systems), likewise the 42% of the population who voted NO to Iraq in a national survey. As I’m sure you are all aware – democracy is a myth. As for the “americanisation” of Australia – well, we all know that American imperialism is alive and well in first world countries, and Australia is no exception. However, as an example, I would like one of you to tune in to the French channel MCM and tell me what percentage of the songs are of French origin, and of that percentage, how many have anything distinctly French about them, aside from the language they are sung in. Unfortunately, youth culture worldwide has become American culture, and we can only hope that, based on the high proportion of youth involved in the above-mentioned protests, that this situation might one day change.
2. Australians are Politically Apathetic: FALSE 16% of Australians discuss politics frequently, compared to 12% in France, 56% are very or moderately interested, compared to 38%, and 50% consider politics to be very important as opposed to 33% in France. 79% of Australians have signed a petition (54% in France), 22% have joined a boycott (13% in France) . However, only 18% have attended a demonstration, compar4d to 33% in France.
3. Australia is Environmentally ‘Unfriendly” TRUE & FALSE
The ecological footprint (based on land area needed to meet demands of consumption of resources and waste, measured in global hectares): Australia 7.6, France 5.3 (less). Worst is USA at 9.7 (no surprise) and best is Italy at 3.8. Australians generate an average of 400kg of waster per person per year, compared to 360 in France. 47% of glass and paper is recycled in Australia, 50% in France. Australia produced three times as much Greenhouse gas emissions as France and 2.5 times as much carbon dioxide. Australia spends .8% of its GDP on pollution control, France 1.4%. based on 1990s surveys, 69% of Australians were willing to pay more taxes for environmental protection compared to 54% in France.
4. Australians are Unhealthy/Obese: TRUE
Australians smoke less (1349 grams tobacco per year, compared to 1912 in France), drink more beer (89litre per year compared to 41) but less wine (21 litres per year compared to 47). Australians drink 2.6 litres per year of spirits and flavoured alchoholic drinks compared to 7.5 litres in France. Overall, Australians on average consume 9.8 litres of alchohol a year compared to 12.9 litres in France (highest in the world). Norwegians drink the least (5.6 litres). 22% of Australian women are obese, and a further 31% overweight (almost doubled since 1980) compared to France 9% and 20% (I think that is fairly obvious if you take a look around . . ). 19% of Australian males are obese, and 48% overweight, compared to France 9% and 34%. Life expectancy is much the same in both countries, however men live a few years longer in Australia.
5.Australians are Racist: FALSE
Australia spends .27% of its gross national income on foreign aid, France .32%. The Scandinavian countries spend the most (between .8 and 1.1). Between 1990 and 1999 Australia accepted 112 000 refugees, lower than France’s 130 000, but considerably more significant if taken as a total percentage of the population, representing 582 per 100 000 as compared to 221 in France. Australia’s net intake of immigrants 1950-2000 represents 23.1% of the year 2000 population as opposed to 7.9% for France. In 2000, Australia’s foreign population was 23.6%, France 5.6%. If we are as racist as we are claimed to be, there must be an awful lot of unhappy immigrants in Australia. Also, 5% of Australians surveyed listed immigrants as undesirable neighbors compared to 13% in France. Twice as many French people listed people of a different race as undesirable as a neighbor. 45% of Australians thought that in times of high unemployment, nationals should have preference for job positions, compared to 63% of French people.
6.Australia is a Safer Place to Live: FALSE
Australia has fewer deaths in motor accidents, but more murders, and more people in prison. The latter may be due to the fact that 3.6% of the Aust. Population uses amphetamines and 17.9% use marijuana as opposed to 0.3% and 4.7% respectively in France.
Motor Vehicle Deaths per 100 000: Aust 10 (down from 24 in 1980), France 13.7 (down from 20 in 1980)
Prisoners per 100 000: Aust 110, France 80
Homicides per 100 000: Aust 1.5, France 0.7
Crimes per 100 000: Aust 6.5, France 6.2
Victims of Crime: Aust 28.6, France 19.4
7.Australia is a Cheaper Place to Live: FALSE
69% of Australians own their own homes compared to 54% in France, but when you compare this to debt levels, the picture is not quite so rosy with Australian household debt to income ratio being 125% (ie we spend more than we earn). In France this ratio is 76%. Accordingly, Australians only save 3.8% of income as compared to 15.8% in France. We also build bigger houses, with 70% having 5 or more rooms, compared to 36% in France. In Australia, 19% of spending on health is “out of pocket” compared to 10% in France. Australians pay 1% of their income towards health funding, 2% for incomes over $100 000. Full cover private insurance (private hospital, dental, physio, etc) will cost around $50 per week for the entire family (regardless of number of children). A visit to the doctor cost around $22 after reimbursement by Medicare. An average prescription (eg antibiotics) costs around $20
8.Australia is a Happier Place to Live: NEITHER (subjectively)
Based on the World Values Survey:
Happiness: (% responding “very happy”)
Australia 43%, France 25%
Life Satisfaction: Aust 7.67, France 6.29 (score out of 10)
Denmark the highest at 8.2
Financial Satisfaction: Aust 6.4, France 5.9. Switzerland the highest at 7.8
I hardly think the slight differences between the two countries is worth commenting on, is it? Interestingly, in 1990s surveys, 70% of Australians were very proud of their country compared to only 35% of French.
9.Australia is Less Crowded:
Australia’s largest city has 2.1 people per square mile, compared to 53.3 in Paris. 91% of Australians live in urban areas compared to 75% in France.
10. Australians earn/work less/more (depends who you listen to):
Australians work an average of 1855 hours per year, compared to 1590 in France. 48.6% of Australians work more than 40 hrs per week, compared to 21.4% in France. France has one more public holiday, and five days more annual leave. Australia’s unemployment rate is 6.6% compared to France 9.3%, however nearly twice as many youth are unemployed in France. In Australia, unemployment is fairly equal between nationals and immigrants, however in France, twice as many immigrants are unemployed as nationals (I’m sure this comes as no surprise). The per capita average income in Australia is 24 000 international dollars, France 19 600
11. Australians are taxed less/more (as above):
The Australian government takes 31.5% of GDP in taxes, France 45.6%
12. Social Security is Less in Australia: True Supplementary income for families: A single income Australian with 2 children gets 10% more than someone with no children. In France, it is 12.6%. Child support packages earn an extra 6.7% for Australians, and 10.9% in France. As you know, however, we have no maternity leave in Australia (except in government jobs) and two income families earning more than 65 000 a year receive no family benefits. Australia spends 8.3% of its GDP on social security compared 18.2% in France, so while the allowances are less, the benefits are in taxation.
13.Education is Dearer in Australia: UNSURE
59% of Australians go on to university compared to 37% in France, and a higher percentage graduate. The difference in teachers’ salaries between the two coutries is negligible. The Aust government spends 1.6% of GDP on tertiary education compared to 1.1% in France. I can’t find comparisons for the cost of education, but personally, I know that the cost of a university arts degree in Australia is about $15 000, more for degrees such as medicine and law. This can be paid upfront, or deferred until the graduate earns more than $30 000 a year, after which time it is repaid at 1.5% of the annual income, interest indexed to match with inflation. The cost public schooling (primary and secondary) is negligible – uniforms and text books only, however private schools cost between $3000 and $6000 as year. Personally, I am undecided as to whether the standard of education in private schools is better or not.
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Quelqu'un aurait-il une explication? L'air est différent?? A croire que ceux qui sont partis en NZ étaient vraiment passionnés et le restent alors que ceux qui sont en Australie sont blasés et sont peut-être partis seulement vers un utopique eldorado, juste pour le rêve et non pour la réalité ??!!??
