Home / Lifestyle / Expat Blasts Aussies for 'Friendship Snobbery': Locals Accused of Excluding Newcomers
Expat Blasts Aussies for 'Friendship Snobbery': Locals Accused of Excluding Newcomers
25 Aug
Summary
- British expat claims Aussies refuse to let newcomers into their social circles
- Compares Aussie approach to more inclusive UK culture
- Expat says she's not alone in experiencing this "gatekeeping of friendship groups"

According to a British expat who has lived in Australia for the past 15 years, Aussies are guilty of "friendship snobbery" and often refuse to let newcomers into their tight-knit social circles. The expat, named Layla, says she has noticed this "gatekeeping of friendship groups" during her time in the country, and it is a stark contrast to the more inclusive culture she experienced growing up in the UK.
Layla explains that in the UK, it is common to meet new people and quickly integrate them into one's friend group, inviting them to events and activities. However, she claims the opposite is true in Australia, where new acquaintances are often kept separate from established social circles. "You meet someone you get along with, you are introduced to all their friends, but you never crossover," Layla says. "You're over there, they're still all over there. You don't fully get invited to anything that they're all doing."
Layla insists this "gatekeeping" of friendships is not limited to her personal experience and says she has heard the same complaints from other British expats living in Australia. Many Australians online have also agreed with Layla's assessment, admitting they have noticed the same trend of keeping different friend groups separate.