“I do not pretend that I have led a blameless life, or that one fault justifies another, but the public in judging a case like mine should remember that the darkest life may have a bright side...” ShouldMayWisdomRememberSidesCasesMinesJudgingFaultsAustraliaJustifyBright SideBlameless Author:Ned Kelly
“By way of personal instinct, I have an inherent distaste for grandiose rhetorical statements, which don't have any substantive dimension to them” WayHumorInstinctStatementsDimensionsAustraliaInherentRhetoricalGrandioseDistaste Author:Kevin Rudd
“Ice ages have come and gone. Coral reefs have persisted.” AgeGoneIceReefsIce AgeCoral Reefs Author:Sylvia Earle
“Never complain, never explain personal motto of” HumorComplainingAustraliaMottoPersonal Motto Author:Kerry Packer
“A couple from Sydney or Melbourne might leave on the same day for their holiday: the wife might go sun-bathing at Surfers Paradise, in Queensland, the husband ski-ing in the Snowy Mountains. A lucky country.” CountryHumorMightFunnySunWifeCoupleLuckyHusbandMountainParadiseHolidayAustraliaSkisSydneyBathingSurferQueenslandSnowyMelbourneSnowy Mountains Author:George Mikes
“Australia objects to the mini-skirt not on moral but on economic grounds. Australians are no prudes and the lovely, healthy, sporty Australian girls have no reason to hide their knees and thighs. However, the mini-skirt is disastrous for the wool-trade.” ReasonHumorFunnyGirlMoralEconomicObjectsHealthyTradeLovelyKneesAustraliaNo ReasonAustralianSkirtsThighsWoolPrudes Author:George Mikes
“Australians are decent people with the right instincts and they wish everybody well; but if all is not well, it is none of their business and they will not lose too much sleep over it. The shrug of the shoulders has become - only temporarily, I daresay - the national gesture of Australia.” PeopleIfsWellsHumorFunnyWishLosesSleepToo MuchInstinctShouldersDecentAustraliaOver ItGestures Author:George Mikes
“There are many non-intellectual countries; Australia is one of the few anti-intellectual ones.” CountryHumorFunnyIntellectualAustralia Author:George Mikes
“I asked many friends if Australian anti-intellectualism was still a living force and they all told me it was. If you are above average intelligence, hide this embarrassing fact.” IfsStillsFactsHumorFunnyForceAverageAustraliaEmbarrassingAustralianIntellectualismMany FriendsAbove Average Author:George Mikes
“In the field of snobbery, Australia is an underdeveloped country; even a few British ex-colonies, regarded as under developed in all other respects, could export a great deal of snobbery to Australia and still have enough to spare for their own, internal needs.” NeedsStillsCountryEnoughHumorFunnyDealsFieldsBritishInternalsAustraliaSparesExesColonySnobberyUnderdeveloped Countries Author:George Mikes
