in article , Freda at
wrote on 12/14/04 6:35 PM:


BTW tipping is not usually done in Australia as
most people are on an award or EBA
(Enterprise Bargaining Agreement).
You may tip in restaurant if you so choose.
Most Australians try not to tip and actually
dont like the practise when travelling overseas.
Freda

Boy am I with you on this - however, it is worth remembering that most
Australian service employees make something like a liveable wage, unlike in
most "tipping" countries (in Nova Scotia, for example, the "minimum wage,"
known as "award wage" in Australia, is under $7 an hour). The first few
days I spent in Aus were a little bit of sticker shock until I realized "the
price you see is the price you pay" (here, the GST of 15% and an expected if
not mandatory 15% gratuity isn't).

Yes, tip if you like - nobody will be insulted - but nobody will spit in
your coffee if your bill is $48 and you want change back from a $50.