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It's not a bad place

By Alan Austin - posted Wednesday, 15 February 2012


It's not a bad place to live. The small city of Nîmesin the South of France. One early experience was a bullfight in the l'arène romaine – the ancient Roman stadium– followed by a late night drinking Pastis in the streets, dancing in cafés and meeting friends of the in-laws-to-be.

Difficult to say what was more striking – the differences between Nîmesand Melbourne or the similarities. In both places people gather outdoors regularly. Think Moomba, footy finals barbecues, the Grand Final parade, the Melbourne Cup, the formal apology in Federation Square and fireworks on the Yarra.

People in both places enjoy dining with friends, especially outdoors. Both are tourist destinations and keen to make visitors welcome. How did you enjoy the bullfight, I was asked.

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"Well, the score at the end was 6-0," I reflected. "Personally I prefer a more even contest. Maybe 3-3 or 4-2 would have been more entertaining."

This is the upside of migration, of course. All things new in a place where you understand little of the conversation and none of the conventions. Like being a kid again with discoveries and excitement every day – provided you have someone to hold your hand. (Fortunately my wife has two children.)

The downside is missing Australian family and friends, the sunshine, the fruity wines, live sport and barbecued roo fillet.

Distance from friends is of course less problematic in the digital age. With email, cheap phone schemes and free voice and video links some expats actually find themselves closer to family.

Fortunately footy and cricket are available live by internet radio. An ad-infested version of Channel 9's Test broadcasts can been seen via an Indian website. You have to get up early for the afternoon footy. But the cricket in England, South Africa and the West Indies is in our daytime. So it evens out.

The internet enables work in Australia from virtually any location. Where contact with colleagues is mainly electronic we can be separated by a partition, a suburb or a hemisphere.

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Okay, a journalist abroad misses the natter in cafés, at parties and on live radio. But virtually all print is accessible. Most radio programs can be heard live or by podcast.

Important TV programs or news events can be found online if needed. And not just Australian TV – which turns up another advantage of living abroad. I have discovered Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert in the US. How did I survive without them?

The news clipof Australia's Prime Minister being dragged shoeless by a grim security guy on Australia Day circulated widely. Worthy of reflection.

Australians are closer to their representatives than here in France. It is not difficult for Aussies with a viewpoint to confront their local MPs – or even party leaders.

This is not the case in Europe. In late 2008 every French citoyen was outraged at a law requiring cars to have a fluorescent safety vest visible from the outside.

"Just call your MPs and tell them to fix it or you will vote them out," I suggested helpfully. "If no-one wants the law, they have to change it."

"Ah, it doesn't work this way, Alaahn."
"Why not? This is the birthplace of modern democracy."

"Ah, vous ne comprenez pas."

They got that right. I still don't.

Australian MPs, in contrast, pay close attention to opinion polls and routinely respond to voter inquiries.

Unfortunately Australia's political process is less well served by the commentariat than in Europe and elsewhere. News reporting is characterised by levels of inaccuracy, sensationalism and sometimes just plain fabrication unknown outside Australia.

Take that Channel Nine clip, for example:

"An angry, raging mob …" No, it wasn't. They were loud and assertive. But it wasn't rage.

"A moment of terror captured here on Julia Gillard's face." No. She was grinning.

"It was then the violence broke out." No, it didn't. Not one blow struck. The only physical contact was by the police.

Fabrication is even more endemic in Australia's print media – where there are no visuals to disprove the mendacious commentary.

Last September a Federal Court judge found Herald Sun columnist Andrew Bolt guilty of offensive conduct because of two articles which "contained errors of fact, distortions of the truth and inflammatory and provocative language."

The judge identified 20 erroneous statements, some of them "grossly incorrect". "Untruths are at the heart of racial prejudice and intolerance", he concluded.

In Europe, and I suspect most civilised nations, a columnist found guilty of 20 factual errors – in two articles – would be looking for a more suitable job. A spruiker at le carnaval perhaps or maître d' at un bordel. In Australia they become associate editor and are given a TV show.

The Australian people deserve better. The Aboriginal people attacked in the Herald Sun did nothing to warrant all those fabrications.

Australia's politicians and civic authorities also deserve better. They are not a bad lot, generally speaking. That news clip shows the Prime Minister's immediate reaction when warned of imminent danger: "What about Mr Abbott? Where have you got him?"

Without a moment's hesitation. No doubt [Opposition leader] Mr Abbott would have done the same had the roles been reversed.

Those observers here in France aware of global issues certainly believe Australian politicians have served well – especially in economic management.

"L'une des plus performantes des pays développés",wrote one observer – one of the best performed in the developed world. Another described economic indicators Downunder as 'presque idylliques' – almost perfect. Le Figaro characterised Australia as"le paradis".

Plus Australia has alluring tourist destinations, top quality food and wines and that amazing sunshine.

It's not a bad place to live either.

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About the Author

Alan Austin is an Australian freelance journalist currently based in Nîmes in the South of France. His special interests are overseas development, Indigenous affairs and the interface between the religious communities and secular government. As a freelance writer, Alan has worked for many media outlets over the years and been published in most Australian newspapers. He worked for eight years with ABC Radio and Television’s religious broadcasts unit and seven years with World Vision. His most recent part-time appointment was with the Uniting Church magazine Crosslight.

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