Interpersonal Skills Stack Exchange
Interpersonal Skills Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [australia]

Questions that have a specific focus on people in the Australia or Australian culture.

For questions relating to Australian society or culture. Or to specify the geographical region of the questioner to help provide context.

36 questions
57
votes
18 answers

How to ask your girlfriend to pay her share of the rent when she moves in?

I am on the cusp of moving to a new part of the country (1000km from my current location) and start a new job. I have just signed a lease to an apartment (that I am able to pay by myself if need be) and have suggested to my girlfriend to move in…
Programmer
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53
votes
11 answers

How do I politely end a cold call I've received?

I've kept my phone numbers out of the public domain now, as I really do not like being cold called by businesses or charities. I have found that I used to try and be polite, but then the person calling me would try to get a foot in the door by…
user57
50
votes
6 answers

Using reserved "disabled parking" with a disability people cannot see

I have a disability that cannot be seen (diffuse scleroderma and a recalcitrant and relapsing polymyositis). I seem to walk around ok, but my muscles are wasted and continue to rebuild and waste, making it difficult for me to walk long distances and…
user57
48
votes
10 answers

How do I convince my parents that I'm doing my best in class?

I'm in middle school, and by my school's standards, I get fairly high marks (90%, maybe a bit above or below). However, my parents believe that I'm not doing my best. I'm also undergoing exams, and my parents say that if I get below 96%, I'll be…
bio
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47
votes
13 answers

How can I politely refuse to help classmates with their work?

I am the smart guy at school and people always want my help. I don't want to be rude, but they pester me and I try to escape but I can't -- I end up spending a lot of time helping them to do a homework task that they were supposed to do themselves,…
user8979192
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38
votes
3 answers

How do I get my neighbour to stop disturbing with loud music?

I live in an apartment, and my neighbour who is retired, lives by himself, and partially deaf likes to play loud music most days per week (morning or evening). This completely stresses me out, and can’t function at home while this loud music is…
A Stressed Neighbour
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37
votes
7 answers

How to manage someone flirting with my partner at a party?

When at a party with my partner, someone was flirting with him and kept putting her hand on his leg. I found myself becoming very jealous, but didn't say anything, and got more and more angry, as he just kept laughing and seemed to enjoy the…
user57
31
votes
9 answers

How can I tell my aunt that I won't be 'Santa' next year

My family has a very large Christmas get-together every year in which there is a tradition where one of the cousins (aged 20-30) will dress up as Santa (Edit: "Santa" for this is very gender neutral - I am a guy, but anyone could be "Santa") , read…
Jesse
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28
votes
8 answers

Is it rude to use a driveway to turn around in the road?

In Australia when I want to turn around in a street I sometimes use the driveway of private houses to turn in and then then back out again and go the reverse direction on the road. When I go in I don't go past the first 5m of the driveway where the…
Darryn Brisdaz
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25
votes
1 answer

What is the etiquette for smalltalk in a workplace when the context and person is always the same?

Every single day at 3:45 PM Bob rings the doorbell at work. Every single day I answer the door and hand Bob a small amount of paperwork. Every single day there is about 10 seconds as Bob flips through the paperwork checking that everything is in…
Jesse
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22
votes
4 answers

What is the etiquette regarding ordering food at a restaurant if someone is late?

When at a restaurant with a group of friends (3 or more), and one person is running late, what is the etiquette around ordering before everyone has arrived? Considering that with an especially large group (6+), we will be taking up a fairly large…
Fodder
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20
votes
7 answers

Managing a bad temper in close relationships

I've always had a short fuse. I've been quick to rise and lose my temper, but on the flip side I'm quick to get over it when others lose their cool. The problem is that others usually are not, especially if they are on the receiving end of it.…
user57
20
votes
3 answers

How do I explain to family members that I don't like to be greeted with a kiss?

I have an Asian background, and I live in Australia. My husband is European, and at family gatherings, his family members tend to greet me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, which makes me uncomfortable, but I have learned is customary in some…
Fodder
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19
votes
1 answer

Lift etiquette - Should I talk to people who get in our lift?

We have lifts in our apartment block. Our lift goes to approximately 13 apartments, which is not a huge number. Some people I recognise, as they've owned their places since it was built (like me), but some of the apartments are rented out and the…
user57
17
votes
2 answers

Confronting a friend about a betrayal of a confidence

I had, what I thought, was a close friend. I told her something in the strictest of confidence and made it clear that it was personal and not to be repeated and that I had told no one else, which was true, no one else knew. I then went to our…
user57
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