I don’t know if it was those stupid TV ads, but I reckon there were a lot more of us waving Aussie flags on the weekend. And so we should.

As Australians, we have so much to celebrate.

Despite the great Americanisation of our culture, Aussies have not lost the essential qualities that set us apart – mateship, a wicked sense of humour, a belief in helping out the underdog when the going gets tough, and a commitment to community and neighbourhood not seen in many parts of the world.

As a region, the Sunshine Coast is blessed by an enormous army of volunteers who perform millions of dollars worth of unpaid work each year to improve the lives of the downtrodden and help out the victims of life’s toughest hurdles.

You can’t help but be proud to be an Australian when you think of groups like the Glasshouse Mountains State Emergency Service volunteers,
who have been climbing those mountains to rescue people for nearly three decades; those who volunteer at places like Lifeline, the Salvos and Meals on Wheels, and our Street Angels, who keep the kids safe at Mooloolaba and Sunshine Plaza.

As I was driving into work on Saturday, I couldn’t help notice the number of cars with Aussie flags flying high above them. Wouldn’t it be great to see more of that – not just on Australia Day but throughout the year.

When you visit the United States, you can’t help but be impressed by the patriotism there. It seems like every third house has a US flag flying above it, while in every town, they are commonplace not only on government buildings but also small businesses.

There’s something about being proud of where you come from. Australia, as a nation, has a remarkable heritage and history – and a growing reputation in the world for excellence.

Despite being a small nation, we have produced some of the world’s best sports people, scientists, movie stars, musicians and much more.

But further than that, the Aussie is well regarded around the world as a no-nonsense character who says it how he or she sees it.

In the US, if someone tells you they love you or want to work with you on a project, you take it with a grain of salt. Often it’s a throw-away line which comes to nothing.

In Australia, if you tell someone you love them, you can generally bet that it’s from the heart – and a deep expression of genuine regard.

What I love about Australia is the way we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

We are prepared to have a laugh, even if it is at our own expense. Look at the way we celebrate our nationhood, for goodness sakes – with dunny races, cockroach and canetoad quests, and amateur cricket on the beach.

Many commented on the weekend how Australia Day itself was getting a larger following, in much the same way Anzac Day is, with young people leading the way in donning the blue, red and white.

Young faces are painted with Australian flags, while others don hats, tattoos … anything to link them into a community expressing national pride.

It’s awesome to be Australian. We should celebrate it, not just one day a year but throughout the year.

(Click here to see our Australia Day photo gallery)

Aussie dream under threat

The great Aussie dream of home ownership seems to be slipping further away from most of us.

It’s staggering to think that the median price for a home on the Sunshine Coast is now close to that in places like Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

When the average wage is less than $50,000 on the Coast, the prospect of coming up with $400,000 to $450,000 is a tall order in anyone’s language.

The story out last week saying that the Coast was dearer than New York and Sydney, when you compare average wages with average house prices, certainly has sparked debate.

And so it should. Housing affordability is one of the biggest issues Australia faces as a nation – and it is becoming critical on the Sunshine Coast.

While there are many of us who don’t want to see the area become another Gold Coast, there are genuine concerns that if we try to slow the growth too much, we will end up with home prices soaring even further as the laws of supply and demand kick in.

As a region we have a responsibility to the next generation to ensure there are opportunities for them to live here, if they choose.

Developers, the new council and the state government must sit down to identify areas where affordable homes can be provided, not only for our kids, but also for those unable to break into the market on offer now.

It would be tragic if the great Australian dream becomes just that – a dream.