Australia is particularly nanny-staty, ayup. Lest you forget, they're the ones trying to set up the Big Internet Wall, and there's a reason people were so easily-fooled into thinking they were banning A-cup porn for being too reminiscent of child pornography. Also, they are crrrrrazy about people speeding.
(On the other hand, they have messed-up-but-more-or-less-functional health care and probably the best post-secondary program I've seen in a country - your student loans are repaid by a garnishing of a certain percentage of subsequent earnings, and only if you earn a certain amount per year.)
(On the other hand, they have messed-up-but-more-or-less-functional health care and probably the best post-secondary program I've seen in a country - your student loans are repaid by a garnishing of a certain percentage of subsequent earnings, and only if you earn a certain amount per year.)