Where Are the Australia Day Lessons for Strata Buildings?

Or, is a more ‘Australiana' strata approach needed ...

As we celebrate our national day this week, I wonder how we might capture the our unique national spirit in strata title to make strata a truly Australian experience for everyone. So, here are some thoughts and ideas about an ‘Australiana’ strata style.

[6.00 minutes estimated reading time, 1187 words]

Introduction

Tomorrow, the 26th of January is Australia Day.

It marks the day on January 26 1788 when Sir Arthur Phillip raised the British flag at Warrane (Sydney Cove) to claim this land as a British Colony.  It is a public holiday on which many traditional, non-traditional, formal, and informal events take place.

And, whilst for many Australians, the celebration marks a sense of patriotism for the pioneering spirit and achievements of the people who have come here from all over the world over the last 250 years or so, for indigenous Australians it represents something quite different and is often referred to as Survival Day [or Invasion Day in more radical circles] and it is not celebrated. 

In fact, there are usually protests on Australia Day which attracts international interest as this article from the BBC from 2021 ‘Australia Day: Thousands defy Covid rules in 'Invasion Day’ protests’ describes and there’s even an ongoing campaign to change the date.

So, it’s a day that’s full of success, pride, celebration, controversy, and, conflict, that this country has and continues to deal with in our unique way.

This makes me think of strata buildings [which can be kind of the same] and what lessons there might be in the Australian experience of its national day for strata stakeholders and how they might adopt a more ‘Australiana’ style approach to strata.

What does it mean to be Australian?

For me, the starting point is to try and determine what it means to be Australian.  And, from those things, we can develop principles to apply to a more ‘Australiana’ styled strata way.

But, I’m not actually qualified to answer the question about what it means to be Australian.  So, I’ve turned to a great article written by Annabel Crabb for the ABC News called 'What makes an Australian? Probably not what you think’.

Annabel qualified on the topic as an ABC writer and presenter who has covered Australian politics for 20 years as a news reporter and columnist.  She is also the creator and presenter of Ms Represented, presenter and writer for the ABC-wide Australia Talks project, and co-host of the initial and 2021 return series of Tomorrow Tonight, with Charlie Pickering. She has written and presented the documentary series on life inside Parliament The House, With Annabel Crabb as well as six seasons of ABC's Kitchen Cabinet, for which she received two Logie nominations in 2013 including the Graham Kennedy Award For Most Outstanding New Talent and Most Popular New Female Talent. Annabel is also the host of the ABC Australian history and food series, Back In Time For Dinner and Further Back In Time For Dinner. She is a regular face on ABC TV's election night and Budget broadcasts and has a long history of appearances on ABC's Insiders program, including a stint as acting host in 2019.

So, here are my key takeaways from Annabel’s article about what it means to be Australian.

1.     Despite a populist history of larrikins, rule breakers, pioneers, and other unruly heroes, when asked, most Australians say the key element of what it means to be Australian is ‘Respecting our institutions and laws’. 

So, we’re a country of rule followers. Especially when the rules are applied fairly and evenly as the recent Australian Open dramas over player vaccination illustrated.

2.     A person’s birthplace is largely irrelevant to being Australian with things like their attitude towards ‘Feeling Australian’ and ‘Appreciating the environment’ being much more important indicators.

So, it’s more about the ‘vibe’ as infamously explained by Dennis Denuto in the Castle.

3.     Australians are insecure about their national spirit, feeling that others would probably see them as less Australian than they actually felt and uncertain about how to display or prove their commitment.

So, we’re shy about showing our Australian-ness and worried about how people will view us.

4.     Belonging to a country [or anything else] is a complicated business that doesn’t follow simple or uniform rules that can be logically or universally applied.

So, there’s not one or any clear formula or path to being an Australian.

You can also look at another perspective on what it means to be Australian from Buzzfeed in their multimedia feature This is Australia in 2016 which echo these themes.

Plus, here’s what the Australia Day Council says about The Story of Australia and their video montage of different Australians.

So, what does an Australiana style strata look like?

If we want to apply the things that make us Australian to strata [effectively Australianising it] what would we do?

Firstly, if we’re a nation that respects rules and fair treatment for all; then we’d reinforce and support the concept of clear strata rules that make common sense applied fairly to everyone by doing things like:

• giving everyone equal access to strata information,

• explaining the strata laws, by-laws and rules that apply,

• using more common sense when making decisions,

• giving everyone a fair go, and

• not selectively enforcing strata laws, by-laws and rules.

Secondly, if someone’s background is less important than their attitude, we wouldn’t make assumptions about different strata stakeholders based on external factors and we’d take the time to understand their views and attitudes to strata issues [and why they hold those views] by doing things like:

• welcoming strata newcomers who don’t understand what any of it means,

• understanding that busy people who can’t devote time or attention to their strata buildings are still important strata members,

• recognising that Investor strata owners can legitimately want to make money from their strata apartments by spending less and more slowly,

• realising that younger people are looking for different things in their strata environments,

• accepting families that are trying to make lives in high-density strata buildings, and

• seeing to it that older and more vulnerable strata owners and residents who need more care and time get those things.

Thirdly, realising that strata stakeholders may feel insecure, or even embarrassed, about their interest in their strata building [or their lack of strata interest or knowledge] and need to be given the space to get over those insecurities and embarrassment, we’d do things like:

• not shutting down questions and enquiries that seem basic, uninformed, repetitive or [even]ignorant,

• explaining things thoroughly and often,

• allowing everyone to express views, opinions and ideas,

• going over the basics [even when strata committee members and other strata owners may know those things], and

• being patient.

Fourthly, understanding that every person’s journey into and through strata land is different and valid, we’d make space for everyone who enters.  

After all, I don’t need to look far to find strata people who are involved in small or big ways that serendipitously ended up there by accident, odd circumstances or events, necessity or pure chance.  It was definitely not my plan in law school to become a strata legal specialist … but it happened.

Conclusions

I’m not saying we need Australiana heroes like Paul Hogan, Ernie Dingo, Chips Rafferty, or Adam Goodes running strata buildings. 

But, it won’t hurt to adopt a more uniquely Australian approach to how we deal with strata buildings, strata people and strata issues.

January 25, 2022

Francesco ...