We found this piece in the press recently, and are still trying to decipher what it means! We don’t speak Australian, so interpretation is left open. Answers on a postcard……………….:
"Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) have recently felt the need to defend it’s safety record, after charges that the airlines aren’t being regulated to required standards. CASA’s Director of Safety, Mick Toller quoted that accident rates have dropped significantly in the last 10 years and that Australia’s airlines are at least twice as safe as European and North American airlines.
He also responded to the media coverage by saying, "Let’s not treat aviation as a tall poppy, but support and encourage what is one of most successful, vibrant and important industries."
And they tell us that you can smoke poppies too!!
Tall poppies : successful people
Tall poppy syndrome : the tendency to criticize successful people
http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html#…
Thanks for such an interesting blog, keep up the good work.
The tall poppy syndrome is regularly blamed for many things that go wrong in Australia, and at the same time is a very defining cultural trait.
It is a tendency to cut down to size people who are perceived as being more successful, or smart, or achieving more than the average. You could say that this is an undesirable side-effect of Australian egalitarian values.
This is also a major difference between Australia and the US. While striving for success in anything you do is central to the American ethos, and success is correspondingly celebrated, success in Australia may be looked at suspiciously, with the notable exception of sports and entertainment.
For a good introduction to Australia for non-Australians, I would recommend "In a Sunburned Country" by Bill Bryson, published under the title "Down Under" outside of the US.