in article , A Mate at
wrote on 12/14/04 7:05 PM:

Freda's spot on about tipping. It's rare except in silver service
restaurants - or when someone renders service well above and beyond what
they had to. And that's the way Australians would like to keep it!!!


I agree entirely and, as otherwise posted, much prefer this system.
However, a word of warning to Aussies in N.A. - like it or not (I don't!),
the practice is quite different here as it is in many other parts of the
world and Aussies have an unfortunate and undeserved reputation for being
"tight as the bark on a tree" because of their tipping practices. When in
Rome....