What defines someone who has assimilated into The Aussie Culture.

Here are a few that may start off a checklist :

1/ Have watched The Wallabies play in a local pub with other footie fans

2/ Have drunk cask wine.

3/ Have been to the beach early in the morning.

4/ Have been or are in debt.

5/ Know neighbours names, have had social times with them, have helped them or been helped out by them.

6/ Currently have or have had an Aussie flag.

Sprintcyclist wrote on Jul 31^st, 2007 at 8:45pm:

What defines someone who has assimilated into The Aussie Culture. Here are a few that may start off a checklist : 1/ Have watched The Wallabies play in a local pub with other footie fans 2/ Have drunk cask wine. 3/ Have been to the beach early in the morning. 4/ Have been or are in debt. 5/ Know neighbours names, have had social times with them, have helped them or been helped out by them. 6/ Currently have or have had an Aussie flag.

peculiar list.

1. renonuce old customs and adopt Anglo-Aussie customs.

2. Has picked up our unique language and uses it.

3. Never speaks original (non english) language in public.

4. In sport always goes for Australia and not another country.

5. Is never a Bastard to anyone.

6. Must like Beer.

Oh my God, can u guys make Australian culture sound any more superficial??

so someone isn't considered Australian unless he hangs out at the pub and drinks beer? wow, so i guess all those recovering alcoholics better get their citizenship status revoked.

seriously guys, if ur going to come up with a list, make it have something more substantial. the way u guys are going on, it makes it sound like our culture has no real meaning or purpose.

It doesn't. We are a multicultural society. Apart from a few basic values like 'live and let live' (even that can be argued against), there is nothing that even comes close to linking us all and making us unique as a group.

---

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Govt-gags-debate-on-citizenship-test/2007/08/08/1186530404066.html

The government has moved to gag debate on its proposed citizenship test and rush it through the lower house of parliament.

Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey moved a motion in parliament that will halt debate on the bill at 1pm (AEST) today at the latest, and send it to a vote.

The government used its numbers to pass the motion, despite Labor objections.

"This government is holding this parliament in contempt," opposition trade and regional development spokesman Simon Crean said.

"It is abusing every process known to reasonable decision making."

Labor is supporting the government's plan to make citizenship applicants sit a test on Australian values and history, but has moved amendments to make sure migrants receive enough free English training to pass the test.

The computer-based citizenship test will consist of 20 multiple choice questions that will assess knowledge of Australian history, culture and values.

freediver wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2007 at 4:32pm:

It doesn't. We are a multicultural society. Apart from a few basic values like 'live and let live' (even that can be argued against), there is nothing that even comes close to linking us all and making us unique as a group.

That is wrong in so many ways that it's not even worth discussing.

7/ has patted a kangaroo

8/ Has camped out.


Skeptic - feel free to add to the list.
Easy to criticise, hard to create

How about we start with what you think is the most significant way DT?

Quote:

That is wrong in so many ways that it's not even worth discussing.

Sorry, but I disagree. It's shallow to expect all Australians to drink beer or to watch footy. If 'throwing a shrimp on the barbie' is the requirement to be an Australian, then consider my citizenship revoked. I wouldn't want to be part of a culture that's so utterly shallow.

No, there has to be a more uniting characteristic. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has it right:

Quote:

Australian values include:    * respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual    * equality of men and women    * freedom of religion    * commitment to the rule of law    * support for Parliamentary democracy    * a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, fair play, compassion for those in need and pursuit of the public good    * equal opportunity for individuals, regardless of their race, religion or ethnic background

But other than that, we Australians are completely different in what we we eat, watch, play, read, what we like etc etc.

It's interesting that the immigration department list attempts to strike a balance between public good and individual rights. Most statements like that place too much focus on individual rights.

May i ask,  what benefits do Black Africans bring to our society other that crime, disease and welfare dependence?

Jobs, their culture and an opportunity to grow up as Australians.

Blasko wrote on Nov 3^rd, 2007 at 6:21pm:

Jobs, their culture and an opportunity to grow up as Australians.

Jobs? Dont you mean welfare? And if they do get jobs, its unfair to those who were born here who are unemployed at the moment.

What Culture? Running Guns and drugs, Tribal Warfare and low health standards?

Grow up as Australians? You might take the Jiggaboo out of Africa but you wont take Africa out of the Jiggaboo.

That's a bit of an absurd question to begin with. All immigrant groups have tended to come from tough backgrounds. Australian society has never been an exclusive club for only the rich to buy into. What did the original convicts bring to Australia? They brought disease, crime and dependency. Of course back then it was dependency on mother England because they didn't know how to get by in Australia. By those standards, today's immigrants are great. Australian culture has always been about knocking down the sort of snobbery oozing from Dude's question.

Quote:

Jobs? Dont you mean welfare? And if they do get jobs, its unfair to those who were born here who are unemployed at the moment. What Culture? Running Guns and drugs, Tribal Warfare and low health standards? Grow up as Australians? You might take the Jiggaboo out of Africa but you wont take Africa out of the Jiggaboo.

I wonder if you'd like to go out into the middle of a busy street and state your opinions out loud. Because you seem awfully harsh in an anonymous forum. I doubt you'd be like this in public.

Hey I got a question for you.

Do you have government statistics backing you up?

Blasko wrote on Nov 5^th, 2007 at 9:26pm:

I wonder if you'd like to go out into the middle of a busy street and state your opinions out loud. Because you seem awfully harsh in an anonymous forum. I doubt you'd be like this in public.

No i have more sense than that. ::)


Quote:

Hey I got a question for you. Do you have government statistics backing you up?

HA! Like the Govt would admit something like that.
But here is an example for you.

www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22698351-661,00.html

If you ignore the racist rhetoric and the attempts to characterise all by the actions of the few, you realise the truth is quite different:

http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1185325096

Migrants are better educated, more law-abiding, are generally healthier and less dependent on welfare than the average Australian-born citizen, a new report reveals.

Migrants are required to pass a series of health checks before acquiring temporary or permanent status in Australia.

The report found migrants have a lower hospitalisation rate than Australian-born citizens.

UNE professor Jim Walmsley, co-editor of the report, said there was no evidence of a "migrant underclass" or "ethnic enclave ghettos" in Australia and the report "dispelled a number of myths about the impact of migrants on the host community".

"On the contrary, the available evidence overwhelmingly supports the view that migrants to Australia have made substantial contributions to Australia's stock of human, social and produced capital," Prof Walmsley said.

---

If anyone has failed to assimilate, it is people like Dude. His family has probably been here for generations, yet he still openly rejects aussie values.

if migrants are that way, even by the study of a probable leftie, it is due to Aussies stringent migration requirements.
eg, offshore processing of boat people.
I propose we improve our standards as regards migration.
many other countries have regretted their laxness in this area.

You will learn the hard way Farkin Dickhead, I wont help you in your hour of peril.

http://news.smh.com.au/ethnic-groups-want-citizen-test-changed/20080102-1jt5.html

Ethnic groups have backed an overhaul of Australia's new citizenship test after reports that one in five applicants are failing it.

Of the 10,636 people who have taken the test since it was introduced by the Howard government in October, 2,311 - about 20 per cent - failed.

Candidates must take a 20-question quiz on Australian history, values and way of life, and show adequate competence in the English language.

The West Australian newspaper reported that new Immigration Minister Chris Evans would review the citizenship test in the wake of the failure rate and could make substantial changes to it.

NSW Anti-Discrimination Board president Stepan Kerkyasharian was critical of the test's content, saying it should rely less on culture and more on practical knowledge about Australia.

"Let's have a test that's practical, that basically finds out whether someone knows enough about the political system," he said.

"It shouldn't be a test of culture but a test of knowledge.

"I'd like to see a citizenship test which is easy to administer, easy to take part in, not sort of couched in high-level English terms, and a test about the political system in Australia and what every day life in Australia is about, not about what happened 20 years ago in some cricket match."

I wonder how successful people who failed a driving test would be if they lobbied to have the test made easier?

Speaks English with an Australian accent.
Understands strine.
Has an aversion to elitism and egotism.
Knows what "a fair go" means.
Understands the Australian love of sport.
Puts Australia and Australians before any other nation or nationality.
Is patriotic but doesn't show it.
Well there's a few that come quickly to mind.

Doesn't the 'fair go' bit contradict your other requirements?

No.

Citizenship review may axe sport, dates

http://news.smh.com.au/citizenship-review-may-axe-sport-dates/20080129-1onz.html

Questions that ask would-be citizens to recall historical dates and sporting trivia appear set for the axe under a review of the Australian citizenship test.

The review, announced on Tuesday by Immigration Minister Chris Evans, will examine whether some test questions are inappropriate and whether the level of English required to pass is set too high.

It also will determine whether the test is deterring people from taking out Australian citizenship after a drop in applications since its introduction by the Howard government on October 1.

The Rudd government has ruled out scrapping the test but says it wants to ensure the quiz is not an "artificial barrier" to citizenship.

Senator Evans said he believed some test questions were inappropriate, particularly those that asked applicants to recall the names of famous sportspeople or historical dates such as the year the Australian flag was first flown.

"I think it's really important that new citizens have an understanding of our democracy, how it functions, (and) have an understanding of the values of Australia," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"It's important to understand about the right to vote, about the rule of law ... the role of the police, that we don't tolerate violence.

"Whether or not they need to understand the history of Walter Lindrum's contribution to billiards in the 1930s and 40s I'm not so sure."

The test is done through a computer and the government believes this may be confronting to some people, particularly those without formal education.

"I know my dad would find the idea of a test on a computer quite confronting," Senator Evans said.

There were suggestions the level of English required to complete the test may be set too high - close to the level of a native speaker.

Civil Liberties Australia said the test had been clearly skewed to disadvantage refugees and humanitarian immigrants.

"Cricket is not a high priority, when just eating and surviving is all they have time for," president Kristine Klugman said.

"The test needs to be reviewed on the basis of its purpose and the equity with which it achieves this purpose - it's hard to see how it is needed now when it hasn't been for the past 60 years."

---

Citizenship test 'must be in English'

http://news.smh.com.au/citizenship-test-must-be-in-english/20080130-1p1u.html

The federal opposition doesn't want would-be citizens to take the Australian citizenship test in their native language.

Refugees and humanitarian entrants from countries such as Sudan, Afghanistan and Iraq are failing the test at rates far higher than applicants from industrialised nations, departmental figures show.

"For it to be conducted in anything other than English flies in the face of the purpose of the test," Senator Ellison told AAP.

"If the immigration minister is seeking to increase the success rate of refugee and humanitarian entrants, we support that.

"But he should be looking at measures to provide further assistance to refugee and humanitarian entrants, not a wholesale watering-down of the test."

There was no evidence of widespread failure rates making people unable to gain citizenship, Senator Ellison said.

Although the information booklet on which the test is based comes in foreign languages, citizenship applicants must complete the actual test in English.

Before the test's introduction in October, applicants for Australian citizenship took an English test conducted by a departmental interviewer.

A person must have lived in Australia for at least four years before being eligible to sit the citizenship test.

Senator Ellison rejected suggestions the test had deterred people from taking out Australian citizenship, saying its impact needed to be judged over a longer term.

Immigration department figures show the number of people applying for citizenship slumped from 13,930 in August last year and 21,110 in September to just 2,170 in October and 3,400 in November.

as far as i'm concerned

if you speak the language

follow australia in sport

and would support asutralia befroe anyone els ein a war

you are australian.

What if you don't care about sport?

freediver wrote on Nov 8^th, 2007 at 11:17am:

If you ignore the racist rhetoric and the attempts to characterise all by the actions of the few, you realise the truth is quite different:

Tell that to the people in places like Balga, Girrawheen and Ballajura in Perth, whos kids get beaten up and whos houses get broken into by these violent pricks.
I reckon give them 1 chance if they stuff up send them back to their war torn shacks.
The government is not going to admit they are letting violent scum into Australia. If they want to help the aborigines so much bugger these individuals of and use the money to build more houses and schools in aboriginal communities. They have more rights to our tax $$$ than war bred imports.

hi,
i'm almost 60yrs, now.
all i can tell you is:
this country was better in every way 30yrs ago.
we've become a dumping ground for other countries.
not good, and never will be.
dr9.

A dumping ground? You mean like for criminals and prostitutes? What happened to the good clean white folk who originally settled here?

People who assimilate into our Aussie culture

Speak English with an Australian accent.
Understand strine.
Have an aversion to elitism and egotism.
Know what "a fair go" means.
Understand the Australian love of sport.
Put Australia and Australians before any other nation or nationality.
Are patriotic but don't show it.

Seems to me the administrator has a poor understanding of History and is just trying to inflame others who dissent from his/her pov, with racist taunts and negativism.

So for an older immigrant who cannot drop a foreign accent, it is impossible to assimilate?

If you define "assimilate" as being totally Australian, unrecognisable as anything else.

Grendel wrote on May 3^rd, 2008 at 12:34pm:

Put Australia and Australians before any other nation or nationality.

What about religion? What if ethnicity is mixed up in religion (AKA Jews).


Quote:

Are patriotic but don't show it.

I guess I should stop taking out my umbrella with the Australian flag then.

Grendel wrote on May 5^th, 2008 at 1:46pm:

If you define "assimilate" as being totally Australian, unrecognisable as anything else.

What if you can still recognise someone as northern European, or Greek, or African? Acceptance of other cultures is part of Australian culture. That is why we eat dim sims.

Assimilation and homogenisation are not the same thing. It is pressure to homogenise that many people came to Australia to escape. Just about everyone who expresses concern about assimilation really wants some form of homogenisation, but they are the ones who do not understand Australian culture. They are the ones trying to import those parts of European culture that were detested by their ancestors. They are the ones trying to undermine Australian culture.

Blasko bought an umbrella to prove his/her patriotism...  I don't think someone who doesn't believe there is an Australian culture would do that.  (But perhaps someone unassimilated to the culture would.)

As for AKA Jews  how about AKA Muslims?  Islam is not merely a religion.  What is your point apart from creating strawmen?

Everyone is unique admin, you cannot homogenise them.  They can however assimilate into a culture or way of life.  You do know that as you wrote they are not the same.  Therefore we agree it seems.

So what do you want from assimilation then?

Obviously you are assuming something there admin.

So asking an open question reveals an assumption? Please explain how that works. What am I assuming?

Or you could just answer the question.

You are pretty nervy and rude for an administrator.

I am answering the topic.

I didn't say I favoured assimilation.

Your question assumes I do.  Why else would you ask what I want from it?

Do you favour assimilation?

Grendel wrote on May 7^th, 2008 at 2:59pm:

Blasko bought an umbrella to prove his/her patriotism...

I'm a man, thanks.


Quote:

I don't think someone who doesn't believe there is an Australian culture would do that.  (But perhaps someone unassimilated to the culture would.)

I don't need to prove my patriotism to you. I have an umbrella as opposed to little flags on cars. So what?

Quote:

As for AKA Jews  how about AKA Muslims?  Islam is not merely a religion.  What is your point apart from creating strawmen?

Firstly, you said that a person who had assimilated into Australian culture put Australia and Australians before any other nation and nationality. Those are easy options. I'd say the majority of immigrants who consider themselves Australians put Australia before any other country.

Why not ask an assimilated person to put nation before religion? For example, Jains aren't allowed to kill anything or anyone. If it comes to a war, they'll stay out of it. Doesn't that seem ludicrous to you? If they were truly assimilated Australians, they would put nation before religion wouldn't they?

Secondly, my point is that some people consider ethnicity to be integral to their lives. Jews for example. If they feel more Jewish than Australian, so what?

No.
But given the choice between Multiculturalism and Assimilation I would.

What form of assimilation would you choose over multiculturalism?

::)

What forms do you have on offer?
Or are you unaware Australia has already had 3 forms of settlement policy?

Grendel wrote on May 3^rd, 2008 at 12:34pm:

People who assimilate into our Aussie culture Speak English with an Australian accent. Understand strine. Have an aversion to elitism and egotism. Know what "a fair go" means. Understand the Australian love of sport. Put Australia and Australians before any other nation or nationality. Are patriotic but don't show it. Seems to me the administrator has a poor understanding of History and is just trying to inflame others who dissent from his/her pov, with racist taunts and negativism.

I'd say that's pretty much they way it is.


Quote:

So for an older immigrant who cannot drop a foreign accent, it is impossible to assimilate?

That's clutching at straws, Freediver.  I know people who migrated from the UK 50 years ago and you can still hear the Manchester or Liverpool accent and they call themselves Aussies and would never want to go back to rainy old Blighty.   They do say that they have "lost" their accent and would probably sound Aussie back in the UK.  Their kids have an Aussie accent.  ;D

One GREAT thing about Australia is that migrants don't all sound "Aussie" (Hoges) like anybody who lives in America for 5 minutes assumes the Yank accent.  We should be grateful ... we have a very colourful accent in Australia!  :)

Grendel I'm just trying to figure out what you mean by assimilation. Without getting specific it's just meaningless waffle. Like saying 'wouldn't it be nice if we could all just get along'.

freediver wrote on May 7^th, 2008 at 9:26pm:

Grendel I'm just trying to figure out what you mean by assimilation. Without getting specific it's just meaningless waffle. Like saying 'wouldn't it be nice if we could all just get along'.

Assimilation = BECOME an Aussie.   Forget the Old Country.  Difficult for new Immigrants but it was their choice.

My ancestors arrived here in the 1850's ... Gold Rush ...  I can't think of why they did this.  They were Scottish and (from research) quite well off.  Maybe my GGGrandfather was an "adventurer"?  More likely a young man (25 with wife) who just decided he wanted to go to "Australia" and, once here, never went back through lack of parental funds. The parents did come out to visit for 6 months in the late 1800's.  I found that fascinating as the cost must have been prohibitive for normal people and the trek so long.  Anyway ....

This does not answer WHY other migrants came to Australia to "seek a new life" after WW2.   Those immigrants MADE Australia. We needed more people and they were very welcome.   The Greeks and Italians and others settled very well.  They assimilated.

Moving along to 2008 .......

What's the problem?  Let it all hang out?  

Greeks and Italians came mainly in the Assimilation policy days.  Some did.  Some didn't.  Hence we have Greek and Italian clubs and suburbs.  Soccer teams and the associated ethnic violence.

Who were Italians barracking for during the last World Cup?  It wasn't the Australians.

Even some workplaces populated almost exclusively by migrants.

If people choose to come here we should expect them to become Australian after all this is Australia.

Grendel wrote on May 7^th, 2008 at 10:03pm:

Greeks and Italians came mainly in the Assimilation policy days.  Some did.  Some didn't.  Hence we have Greek and Italian clubs and suburbs.  Soccer teams and the associated ethnic violence. Who were Italians barracking for during the last World Cup?  It wasn't the Australians. Even some workplaces populated almost exclusively by migrants. If people choose to come here we should expect them to become Australian after all this is Australia.

Let's ask one thing Grendel.  When did your ancestors come here?
 IF your respond that they were the Original Owners I will throw up!  Seriously.

Ancestors?
If I had ancestors here I'd be Aboriginal.

Relatives came here in the early 1900s.

Which is mostly irrelevant.  My parents were Australian by birth and they were brought us Australian.  But aware of their heritage.

Grendel wrote on May 7^th, 2008 at 10:20pm:

Ancestors? If I had ancestors here I'd be Aboriginal. Relatives came here in the early 1900s. Which is mostly irrelevant.  My parents were Australian by birth and they were brought us Australian.  But aware of their heritage.

Ah, but the Aboriginals were (and are) nomads, before there was a sea between Terra Australis and Asia they walked and walked  and ..... found a good place to camp and hunt.  Oddly, they haven't moved on much. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Australis

So, like I am, you are Indigenous (born in Australia)?

The only reason you don't know your "heritage" is because you haven't asked your parents.   It does NOT matter.

As you and  your parents age, they may feel more inclined to seek out their "roots" as it were.  It doesn't make them less Aussie but we ALL came from somewere to this Great Land and it is History and something you should be proud of.

My ancestors were Scottish, why my GGrandather travelled all this way, leaving his parents back there with no way of going "home" ever again, I have no idea. I'm glad he did though.  

I do wonder, sometimes, why I feel a faint feeling of sympatico for pictures of the Scottish mountains and lochs, but then realise that Australia has them too ..... and I feel happy and at peace.

I have looked a this thread for the 1st time this morning, and reading from 1st to last post uninterrupted is great.

You get to see how things get steered in certain directions, and peoples opinions are scrutinized to the point that they end up attempting to defend themselves against something that was possibly misinterpreted.

I don't know what reference material you guys use, but my dictionary defines 'assimilation' as "the process in which individuals or groups of differing origins take on the basic attitudes, habits and lifestyles of another culture".

On the basis of that definition, assimilation gets my vote.

Greeks and Italians came mainly in the Assimilation policy days.

What was the policy?

Greeks and Italians came mainly in the Assimilation policy days.  Some did.  Some didn't.  Hence we have Greek and Italian clubs and suburbs.  Soccer teams and the associated ethnic violence.

Those clubs, including the German ones, are what makes life in Australia interesting. It's a good thing they set them up. I can't remember the last time I heard of Italian or Greek gangs causing trouble.

Who were Italians barracking for during the last World Cup?  It wasn't the Australians.

Who cares? I wasn't barracking for the Aussies either. I couldn't be bothered watching it.

Even some workplaces populated almost exclusively by migrants.

Who cares? They are contributing to our society.

If people choose to come here we should expect them to become Australian after all this is Australia.

They are Australian. You are the unaustralian one.

Which is mostly irrelevant.  My parents were Australian by birth and they were brought us Australian.  But aware of their heritage.

Grendel didn't you just say they should forget the old country? Isn't that a bit hypocritical?

"Assimilation policy"

Admin...  "What was the policy?"

No wonder debate is so slow and pointless here.

As for the rest of the stupidity that admin thinks is debate.  What a waste of time.  Seems logic and English are beyond his capabilities.  How so admin?  Just read your argument.  ::)

Neferti...  "The only reason you don't know your "heritage" is because you haven't asked your parents"

I do know my heritage.  But I'm Australian.  Never said I didn't.

Hi, I'm new here. This is my first post and it's a topic close to my heart.
My parents came here in 1961 from Italy with a 1yr old (me). I believe we are a good example of successfully assimilated immigrants. We are Australian citizens (since 1965) and have always worked hard, pay taxes, vote, speak English and love our home, Australia......without surrendering the food, language and temperament of 'the old country'. My dad loves watching NRL and AFL, cricket, and drinking a good beer. Mum always took us to the coast and stayed in caravans every summer holidays. We love our BBQ's and get together often with my Aussie in-laws. Success I guess is measured by the outcome. When everyone feels happy, all needs are met and there is mutual respect, that's success. Therefore my family has assimilated into our (their) Aussie culture.
Cheers. B.  ::)

Welcome to OzPolitic Bliss, and thanks for your input. It's good that you don't feel obligued to give up everything about the old country to become part of the new country, as some would demand.

freediver wrote on Aug 18^th, 2008 at 11:00am:

Welcome to OzPolitic Bliss, and thanks for your input. It's good that you don't feel obligued to give up everything about the old country to become part of the new country, as some would demand.

i agree with FD.. hell, we love eyebrows!!!

dont fret. i got em myself, from a jewish ancestor.....

Hello freediver and thanks for your warm welcome. After many years of feeling pulled between two cultures and never belonging completely to either, I've finally worked out that myself and many others like me are a sub-culture. When I was able to identify and understand that I felt empowered to say what I really felt, ie: I feel Australia is like my adoptive mother. She took me in and lovingly gave me everything I needed to have a good and secure future and I love her for that. Italy I see as my biological mother, who loved me, gave me life but adopted me out. I love her for my heritage and in part making me who I am today. Now I feel more grounded.
Cheers, B.

LOL................hello imperial and thanks, not only for your welcome but also for throwing in a generalisation. LOL   ;D

Hi Bliss,

Welcome. Nice of you to share and to give us a glimpse into your background and family. It's great to see that your family aren't obligated to discard the "old life" when coming here.

Perhaps they should scrap the aussie values test and just place a few Borg at the immigration desk when you arrive?

My ancestry on almost all sides has been here since the 1850's, and I personally don't feel any need to ask anyone to 'assimilate', nor do I think there's any homogenous 'Australian culture' that they could assimilate to anyway. Australia is a fairly individualist society, and the fact that about 25% of us were born overseas anyway means that the vast majority of us simply do not share the exact same culture. I noticed this even as a child growing up, that even though other kids were 'Aussie' like me (as opposed to the greek, korean and italian we had in our class) we still didn't share the same culture fully, only to a very limited extent.

Only people who don't fit into the "real Aussie" claim that there is no "real Aussie".

I don't actually know what "real Aussie" or "Genuine Aussie" is, but I agree, I probably don't really fit into it, and I suspect neither do a lot of other Australians.

i lament the demise of the 'old' australia. but it isnt the fault of immigrants. they do not shape the nation. it is the hidden agenda of our governments puppeteers that have changed us forever..

native french will soon be a minority in france. some other european natives already are.....one wonders why this has been designed? of course, it is about controling nationalism. it is about control of citizens for a world government.

jordan484 wrote on Aug 20^th, 2008 at 11:44am:

Only people who don't fit into the "real Aussie" claim that there is no "real Aussie".

Even most 'real Aussies' are prepared to acknowledge the reality of our multicultural scoiety Jordan.

roflmao aboo..

"Perhaps they should scrap the aussie values test and just place a few Borg at the immigration desk when you arrive?"

If you can't pass that simple test you don't really want to be Australian.

My ancestry on almost all sides has been here since the 1850's, and I personally don't feel any need to ask anyone to 'assimilate', nor do I think there's any homogenous 'Australian culture'
that they could assimilate to anyway.

Probably because your family have always lived in an enclave or failed to associate with or become Australian.

Australia is a fairly individualist society, and the fact that about 25% of us were born overseas anyway means that the vast majority of us simply do not share the exact same culture.

Then why stay here?  Why come here?  Surely if you don't want to be Australian you'd be happier elsewhere.

I noticed this even as a child growing up, that even though other kids were 'Aussie' like me (as opposed to the greek, korean and italian we had in our class) we still didn't share the same culture fully, only to a very limited extent.

rotflmao  they were what?   greek?  Korean? Italian?  hmmm....  thanks for proving my point.