Australia does not have tipping in it's culture. We pay our wait staff fair and reasonable rates (legally mandated btw).
I don't really think our food costs are too much higher than the USA. And people eat out ALOT here.
Food tastes good, service is good. People want to come back.
Please expand your horizons.
But the societal norm is to still expect to tip 15% (although some would say 20%) in tips.
Japan, on the other hand, has incredible service and absolutely no tips.
Most people I know in Melbourne who worked in restaurants said they got less than minimum wage with cash in hand. Almost all these people were on a working holiday visa or students.
Interestingly waiters tend to ask Americans for tips in France, while they don’t expect anything from Europeans, that’s because American tourists tip when they travel there.
The solution is to stop tipping.