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• Australians like to ‘take the piss’ out of each other which involves making derogatory jokes about someone to their face. One’s ability to receive the joke without taking offence is a point of esteem. Alternatively, to say the same joke while the person is absent would be seen as nasty instead of jovial.
• Most Australians are typically quite physically active and show enthusiasm for outdoor activities.
• Drinking alcohol is very popular in Australia. People often tend to begin drinking at young ages (under the legal age of 18), and therefore parties fuelled by excessive drinking are common among much of the youth. If you wish to excuse yourself from drinking, do so on personal grounds rather than for a reason that criticises the Australian love of alcohol. In Australian culture, drinking alcohol to the point of severe inebriation can be a point of pride, hilarity and status among their friends. Unlike other cultures in which being drunk can be shameful, Australians may happily brag about how much of a ‘big night’ they had.
• It is illegal to smoke in many public places in Australia, including restaurants and bars.
• ‘Mate’ can refer to both men and women, although is most commonly used to refer to men. The term carries a sense of loyalty and obligation to do the right thing by one’s friend.

Showing Cultural Sensitivity Towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

It is very important to show sensitivity and recognition of the unique experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as they differ significantly from the non-Indigenous Australian population. The intergenerational trauma and lasting impacts of colonisation means many Aboriginal Australians have differing lived experiences in contemporary Australian society. Historical dispossession, cultural domination, loss of traditional lands and the fracturing of families and communities have lasting effects on the lives and identities of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Further, ongoing institutional racism and marginalisation has impacted many individuals’ relationships and experiences with the non-Indigenous population, the Australian state and social institutions.

Traditional Indigenous worldviews continue to inform the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s cultural identity, roles and relationships, as well as their connection to the land. Importantly, the Indigenous custodian connection to land informs many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s view of the moral legitimacy of Australia as a modern state, the way it was formed and their position within it. Recognition of Indigenous sovereignty remains a highly sensitive topic in Australian society. However, there is growing public acknowledgment that Indigneous sovereignty has never been ceded. This means that First Nations peoples never came to any agreement which conceded their lands.

Ultimately, there are many complex cultural sensitivities regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culture and affairs in Australia. However, the following are some basic points to consider:

• It is important to recognise that there is no singular, homogenous ‘Australian Indigenous culture’. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities are extremely diverse, with differing languages, generational histories, cultures and experiences.
• The terms ‘Indigenous’, ‘Aboriginal’ and ‘Torres Strait Islander’ are commonly used in contemporary Australia. However, it is important to note that these names are the legacy of colonisation. Before, during and after invasion, the First Nations people of Australia identified themselves by their country such as Darug, Gandangarra, Tharawal, Eora, Kamilaroi, Wiradjuri, Bundjalung and so on.
• It's becoming more common to refer to places by their traditional Aboriginal names, e.g. ‘Eora’ (Sydney), ‘Naarm’ (Melbourne), ‘Meanjin’ (Brisbane). Making an effort to do this is advised where possible.
• Australia's First Nations population constitutes two distinct cultural groups – 1) Aboriginal and 2) Torres Strait Islander. Therefore, be aware the term ‘Aboriginal’ refers specifically to the Aboriginal people of mainland Australia and does not necessarily include Australia’s other Indigenous population — Torres Strait Islanders.
• The term ‘Indigenous’ is generally used when referring to both First Nations’ people of Australia. It is most commonly used by the Commonwealth Government and in formal contexts to refer to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at a national level.
• Some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are opposed to the term ‘Indigenous’, as it generalises the diversity of cultures it refers to in the Australian context. Avoid using this term to refer to an individual. It is advised to use ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’ or ‘First Nations’ where possible.
• Outdated terms such as ‘full-blood’, ‘half-caste’, ‘quarter-caste’ and ‘quadroon’ are extremely offensive and should never be used when referring to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person.
• Though a common terminology among many organisations, there is a cultural shift away from using acronyms, such as ATSI, TI, TSI. These and other abbreviations of ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’ should also be avoided.
• Never use the words ‘Aborigine’, ‘Aborigines’ or ‘Abos’. These terms are extremely offensive, and reflect the terminology used in the periods of colonisation and assimilation. Instead, use ‘Aboriginal’ or ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’.
• The first letters of ‘Aboriginal’, ‘Torres Strait Islander’ and ‘Indigenous’ should always be capitalised.
• A person’s perceived ‘Aboriginality’ should never be judged by their skin tone. The generational effects of colonisation means complexitions vary significantly across the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. It is also common for many Aboriginal people within the same family to have different complexions to each other.
• It is extremely inappropriate to comment on the colour of a person’s skin in reference to their Aboriginal identity. Never comment that someone ‘does not look Aboriginal’ because they have a fair complexion.

This information is produced by the Aboriginal Services Branch in consultation with the Aboriginal Reference Group. It was retrieved from the NSW Department of Community Services.