Ambo
Paramedic, or the ambulance they turned up in.
"The ambos had him patched up before the second half."
Work
Words for tradies, smoko and chucking a sickie. Many job titles get shortened with -o or -ie on the end, like ambo and sparky.
As good as one man short
Someone so unproductive that having them on the team is the same as being one person down.
"He's as good as one man short."
Bludger
Someone who avoids work and lets others carry them.
"Bloody bludger."
Bundy
Bundaberg Rum, made in Bundaberg, Queensland. Usually drunk with Coke. Also a time clock at work that you punch in and out on.
"Don't forget to punch the bundy when you knock off."
Chuck a sickie
Take a day off work pretending to be sick.
"I'll chuck a sickie."
Earn a crust
Make a living. "What do you do to earn a crust?" means what is your job?
"So what do you do to earn a crust?"
Firie
Firefighter.
"Firies are already out there."
Flat chat
As fast as possible, or extremely busy.
"Flat chat since Monday."
Garbo
Garbage collector.
"Garbos came at five. You're too late."
Hard yakka
Hard physical work.
"Shifting that slab was hard yakka, I need a sit down."
Journo
Journalist.
"Journo from the local rag."
Knock off
Finish work for the day. Also: steal something, or a fake copy of something.
"What time you knocking off?"
Not here to fuck spiders
I'm here to get on with it, not muck around.
"Mate, I'm not here to fuck spiders. Let's go."
Piss in someone's pocket
To suck up to someone.
"Stop pissing in the coach's pocket and train harder."
Piss-farting around
Wasting time, mucking about.
"Stop piss-farting around and get in the car."
Postie
Postal worker, usually on a little red motorbike.
"Postie left a card."
Sickie
A day off sick when you're not sick. Chucking a sickie is a fundamental right of all Aussies.
"Tez chucked a sickie and turned up on the news at the cricket."
Smoko
A short work break, smoking or not. Also see: Smoko by The Chats
"Smoko?"
Sparky
Electrician.
"Get a sparky out."
Tradie
A tradesperson: plumber, sparky, chippie and so on.
"Tradie doing the bathroom next door."
Tradie's laptop
The pokies. Poker machines at the pub or club.
"Down the pub, working on the tradie's laptop."