'Aussies do say "G'day." At all levels of friendship, all levels of formality and all levels of family familiarity. The first word between two lovers in the morning is "G'day." The other main greeting would have to be "G'day mate." The reason why this brief greeting has such universal acceptance is simple: it's the flies. The longer your mouth is open the more flies that can crawl in.'

Author Biography

Joseph Kenneth Hunt, is called 'Ken'. According to his mother he was called Ken after his uncle, and because his father is called Joe. Had he been called Joe, he'd have been nicknamed 'Little Joey' (which is a baby roo). During his life Ken has managed a dodgem track, picked fruit, been a messenger boy, painter, accountant, business consultant and owned a general store. Mike Taylor has been a postman, research chemist, patents examiner, science policy adviser, international bureaucrat and energy economist. At one time he was head of the Conservation and Renewable Energy Technology Section of the Department of Primary Industries and Energy in Australia and so proudly introduced himself as 'the chief CRET from DOPIE'.