I think the same attitude exists in Australia. Lots of people start small businesses, but the actual startup scene is very small. People who do go out on their own tend to stick to established business models. Nothing wrong with that I suppose but it inevitably leads to less innovation. The other factor here is the almost total absence of VC funding. Startup culture needs a critical mass of entrepreneurs and money.

[edit] - the other big issue in Australia is there's less social tolerance for businesses failing.