by Shane Carrow
Prime Minister – the head of the federal government. While the Queen is technically Australia’s head of state, represented by the Governor-General (who is in any case appointed by the PM), in practice Australia is entirely independent and the Prime Minister is the nation’s leader
Red Rooster – roast chicken fast food franchise
rego – car registration and license plate number
RFDS – Royal Flying Doctor Service, a non-profit air ambulance service for remote areas
ropeable – extremely angry
SAS – Special Air Service. An elite special forces unit, named after the British SAS
sealed road – a bitumen or asphalt road, as opposed to a road of sand, dirt or gravel; equivalent to “metalled road” or “paved road”
servo – service station or petrol station
SES – State Emergency Service, a volunteer organisation which assists professional agencies during and after declared disasters, natural or otherwise. Recognisable by their orange jumpsuits. Not to be confused with the SAS, an elite military unit.
smoko – smoke break (in the workplace); falling out of practice as smoking rates decline
stickybeak – an inquisitive or prying person; also a verb meaning look, i.e. “go have a stickybeak around the place”
stockman – mounted livestock worker on Outback cattle stations, i.e. a cowboy or cattle wrangler
stroppy – cranky or argumentative
sunnies – sunglasses
suss – suspicious, as in “it looked pretty suss”; also to infer or discover, as in “go and suss it out”
thongs – flip-flops, and the cause of many a humourous misunderstanding with Australians overseas
tradie – tradesman, or more broadly any blue-collar worker
ugg boots – sheepskin boots traditionally considered daggy and associated with bogans; becoming popular overseas as a luxury fashion item, which Australians find hilarious
uni – university
unsealed road – a dirt, sand or gravel road, as opposed to a sealed road
ute – utility vehicle (pick-up truck)
VB – Victoria Bitter, Australia’s best-selling cheap beer
WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education; the high school exams and scores which determine university placement in the state of Western Australia
Woolworths or ‘Woolies’ – one of two dominant national supermarkets, the other being Coles
