I'm not one to compare prices. You would go crazy trying to figure what "that" would cost in Canada. For the most part some things are less expensive in Canberra, most things are more expensive but taxes are already included and tipping isn't expected (or understood) so it all works out. But there is one item in Australia that I cannot reconcile on the price / quality continuum... Coffee.
A coffee in Australia costs $5. You can order it in any number of frothy varieties, none of which resemble anything black and hot. The only order that looks like a pot of coffee would be "long black", but if you order it that way you can't get cream to go with it and if you ask for milk they will run to the microwave and curdle it before serving it to you.
As a comparison I can buy 3L of gasoline in Australia for the cost of a coffee. Mackenzie can play 27 holes of golf at the Federal golf club for $4.50! Malcolm plays an hour of tennis for $3 and Shannon develops 50 pictures at Big W for the same price as that good old lukewarm buttermilk that they try to pass off as a cup of Joe!
My guess is if there is a revolution in Australia it will either be over the outcome of the state of origin rugby match or the cost of coffee. Most likely the revolution will be be avoided because it's just too darn hot here to get quite so worked up or because the paper work required to organize an uprising in Australia would be enough to put even the most ardent revolutionary onto a more productive pursuit.
Overall, I have to respect a country where the cost of coffee rates as a major problem.
