Australia is a product of a unique blend of established traditions and new influences.

The countrys original

inhabitants, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, are the custodians of one of the worlds oldest
continuing cultural traditions. They have been living in Australia for at least 40 000 years and possibly up to 60
000 years.
The rest of Australias people are migrants or descendants of migrants who have arrived in Australia from
about 200 countries since Great Britain established the first European settlement at Sydney Cove in 1788.
In 1945, Australias population was around 7 million people and was mainly AngloCeltic. Since then, more
than 6.5 million migrants, including 675 000 refugees, have settled in Australia, significantly broadening its
social and cultural profile.
Today Australia has a population of nearly 23 million people. At 2009, abou 25.6 per cent of the estimated
resident population comprised those born overseas. Australian Bureau of Statistics projections from the 2006
census of the numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people suggest and Indigenous population of
575,552 people at 30 June 2011.
Many of the people who have come to Australia since 1945 were motivated by a commitment to family, or a
desire to escape poverty, war or persecution. The first waves of migrants and refugees came mostly from
Europe. Subsequent waves have come from the AsiaPacific region, the Middle East and Africa.
Migrants have enriched almost every aspect of Australian life, from business to the arts, from cooking to
comedy and from science to sport. They, in turn, have adapted to Australias tolerant, informal and broadly
egalitarian society.
The principles and shared values that support Australias way of life include:
respect for equal worth, dignity and freedom of the individual
freedom of speech and association
freedom of religion and a secular government
support for parliamentary democracy and the rule of law
equality under the law
equality of men and women
equality of opportunity
peacefulness
a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces tolerance, mutual respect, and compassion for those in need. Australia
also holds firmly to the belief that no one should be disadvantaged on the basis of their country of birth, cultural
heritage, language, gender or religious belief.
An egalitarian society
In most practical ways, Australia is an egalitarian society. This does not mean that everyone is the same or that
everybody has equal wealth or property.
But it does mean that there are no formal or entrenched class distinctions in Australian society, as there are in
some other countries. It also means that with hard work and commitment, people without high-level
connections or influential patrons can realise their ambitions.
All people in Australia are encouraged to learn English, which is the national language and an important
unifying element of Australian society.
However, languages other than English are also valued. In fact, more than 15 per cent of Australians speak
languages other than English at home.
The most commonly spoken languages after English are Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and
Mandarin. Australians speak more than 200 languages, including Indigenous Australian languages.
While English is Australias national language, there are certain words and expressions that have become
regarded as uniquely Australian through common usage. Some of them might seem strange to non-
Australians.
The use of these colloquial or slang words, often coupled with an Australian sense of humour that is
characterised by irony and irreverence, can sometimes cause confusion for international visitors.
Australia is a predominantly Christian country, with around 64 per cent of all Australians identifying as
Christians. However, most other major religious faiths are also practised, reflecting Australias culturally diverse
society.
Australias earliest religions or spiritual beliefs date back to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,
who have inhabited Australia for between 40 000 and 60 000 years. Indigenous Australians have their own
unique religious traditions and spiritual values.
Australia has no official state religion and people are free to practise any religion they choose, as long as they
obey the law. Australians are also free not to have a religion.
Historically, there has never been a cuisine typically regarded as Australian. Instead, Australian fare has
evolved with the distinct layers of flavours that each new culture has added. Particularly in northern Australian
restaurants kangaroo, buffalo, crocodile and emu can often be found on menus.
Despre australieni trebuie sa spunem ca formarea poporului a fost posibil prin politica de invadare.
Astfel, aborigenii care triau iniial pe teritoriu au fost nlturai pentru a face loc colonitilor albi.
Australia este considerat o ar nclinat spre masculinitate. Valorile nvate nc de la coal, deprinse
din jocuri i mai trziu de la locul de munc sunt cele conform crora oamenii trebuie s tind spre cel
mai inalt nivel i c nvingtorul ia totul.
Limba englez este limba naional, deci este de asteptat ca in comportamentul lor sa se regaseasca
influente germanice, precum o gandire preponderent bazata pe logica, obiectivitate.. Cu toate acestea si
alte limbi sunt utilizate.De fapt, mai mult de 15% din australieni vorbesc alte limbi la domiciliu. Cele mai
des vorbite sunt italian, greac, cantonez, arab, vietnamez i mandarin. Exist anumite cuvinte i
expresii specifice care ar putea prea ciudate pentru straini. Utilizarea acestor cuvinte colocviale sau de
argou, de multe ori mpreun cu un sim al umorului tipic, care este caracterizat aparent prin ironie i
lips de respect, poate provoca, uneori, confuzie pentru vizitatori internaionali.
Australia este o societate relativ lipsit de clase sociale si la fel este i limba. Nu prea exist variaii
regionale, presiuni ale claselor asupra modului de a vorbi. Majoritatea australienilor i spun prietene,
chiar de la prima ntlnire.
Le place s-i fac autocritic, dar suport greu s fie criticai de alii. ns australienilor nu le plac i nu
au incredere nici n cei care i laud in mod constant sau cu prea mult entuziasm. Prea multe laude
determin creterea pretentiilor, iar australienii ursc s se fac presiuni asupra lor.
Cldura provoac n multe zone o tendin spre apatie i tergiversare. Partea ntunecat a existenei
australiene nu trebuie ignorat: ei consuma mai mult alcool i calmante pe cap de locuitor dect orice
alt ar vorbitoare de limba engleza. Politica lor rasial a fost n mare parte un eec, prin urmare
aborigenii se afl ntr-o situaie critic. Cu toate acestea, australienii rmn nite oameni foarte
optimiti.

Power distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and
organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally. Australia
scores low on this dimension (36). Within Australian organizations, hierarchy is established for
convenience, superiors are always accessible and managers rely on individual employees and teams for
their expertise. Both managers and employees expect to be consulted and information is shared
frequently. At the same time, communication is informal, direct and participative.

Individualism
The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a society
maintains among its members. It has to do with whether peoples self-image is defined in terms of I
or We. In Individualist societies people are supposed to look after themselves and their direct family
only. In Collectivist societies people belong to in groups that take care of them in exchange for loyalty.

Australia, with a score of 90 on this dimension, is a highly individualistic culture. This translates into a
loosely-knit society in which the expectation is that people look after themselves and their immediate
families. In the business world, employees are expected to be self-reliant and display initiative. Also,
within the exchange-based world of work, hiring and promotion decisions are based on merit or
evidence of what one has done or can do.


Masculinity
A high score (masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition,
achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner or best-in-the-field. This value
system starts in school and continues throughout ones life both in work and leisure pursuits.
A low score (feminine) on the dimension means that the dominant values in society are caring for others
and quality of life. A feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and standing out
from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue here is what motivates people, wanting to
be the best (masculine) or liking what you do (feminine).

Australia scores 61 on this dimension and is considered a masculine society. Behavior in school, work,
and play are based on the shared values that people should strive to be the best they can be and that
the winner takes all. Australians are proud of their successes and achievements in life, and it offers a
basis for hiring and promotion decisions in the workplace. Conflicts are resolved at the individual level
and the goal is to win.

Uncertainty avoidance
The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the
future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? This ambiguity
brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with this anxiety in different ways. The
extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations
and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these is reflected in the UAI score.

Australia scores a very intermediate 51 on this dimension.

Pragmatism
This dimension describes how people in the past as well as today relate to the fact that so
much that happens around us cannot be explained. In societies with a normative orientation most
people have a strong desire to explain as much as possible. In societies with a pragmatic orientation
most people dont have a need to explain everything, as they believe that it is impossible to understand
fully the complexity of life. The challenge is not to know the truth but to live a virtuous life.
Australia scores 21 on this dimension and therefore has a normative culture. People in such societies
have a strong concern with establishing the absolute Truth; they are normative in their thinking. They
exhibit great respect for traditions, a relatively small propensity to save for the future, and a focus on
achieving quick results.
Indulgence
One challenge that confronts humanity, now and in the past, is the degree to which little children are
socialized. Without socialization we do not become human. This dimension is defined as the extent
to which people try to control their desires and impulses, based on the way they were raised.
Relatively weak control is called indulgence and relatively strong control is called restraint. Cultures
can, therefore, be described as indulgent or restrained.
With a high score of 71, Australia is an indulgent country. People in societies classified by a high score in
indulgence generally exhibit a willingness to realise their impulses and desires with regard to enjoying
life and having fun. They possess a positive attitude and have a tendency towards optimism. In addition,
they place a higher degree of importance on leisure time, act as they please and spend money as they
wish.