In Australian culture, the Aussie Battler, who must work hard at a low paying job to earn enough money, is actually well respected by Australian society at large as they stoically face financial hardships. The concept of an "Aussie battler" is an example of self-aggrandizing language, designed to counter feelings of stigma or inadequacy, and to bolster confidence in being a member of the Australian underclass. It refers to an Australian who continues to struggle in the face of hardship. It is a term of respect and endearment, not simply used to assess someone's financial situation -- the ordinary working-man earning a living against the odds.
In Australian English, the concept of a "battler" is a power word similar to the concept of the "hardworking family". It is used by various political personages and entities for their own purposes. Where in one context a person may use the term to refer to people of low socioeconomic status to call for greater welfare, others may use it to refer to a family saving for a private education to call for government payments to private schools.
The Aussie battler is at the core of the Australian national myth and is an indelible part of the national psyche. The battler is more than merely a hard-working bloke who never earns his due, the battler is the salt of the earth, the foundation of a frontier society. The battler is not resigned to the hard grind of life but unaware of it, considering it his due without a trace of bitterness. Trundling forward with unstoppable force and strength coupled with humility and a blood, sweat, and beer approach to life. The battler is the quintessential 'little guy' with an indomnable spirit and a bottomless well of 'fight'.
Unfortunately some are defined as "battlers" without fitting the above definition, because of the different interpretations of "earning enough money." Anecdotal evidence (see external links) has shown that some "battlers" earn more than the average wage, but see expensive homes and consumer goods as necessities. As a result, they have very little disposable income after servicing debts for these items. Despite the self-inflicted hardship, the myth of the "battler" remains.
Since the election of the conservative coalition government under the leadership of John Howard in 1996, the phrase has been adapted within Australian political discourse. Howard scored a sweeping victory at the 1996 elections by winning over many traditional Labor voters, a group which increasingly became termed the "Howard battlers" by both political scientists and journalists.