my sister arranged the wedding

of her daughter with style. After the service we went to the reception where we were served punch and cold water until the dinner was to be served. Only about two or three of the majority made it on to the guest list and so the gathering was a gathering of the minority. Didn't the two or three whinge when they had to wait for the free grog! And as for water and unalcoholic punch? What sort of wedding is this? And as for decanting the beer into a glass and sipping in a sophisticated manner? Maate gimme a keg and a sausage sandwich any day.
The minority can fight back. Democracy has done wonders for the majority but the tide must turn. The sad and unintended legacy of the Whitlam era was to turn us in to a nation of boors and unsophisticated spongers not only at government level but as a society. Before the Whitlam era we went to "dinner". We were invited as guests and we turned up. After 1973 we no longer invited people to "dinner". We began to provide a venue for a barbecue and people were invited on a bring your own basis. Really, how course is that? One of the cool things about PNG is that they still have a "guest" and "dinner" and "host" respect for tradition. Might PNG try to do some "capacity building" in Australia in the area of manners and style and etiquette?