Australians, what is WRONG with you?

That is exactly what they want you to think.

They don't want your blood, silly. And from what I've read, the rabies-like virus they can get is rare (http://australianbatclinic.com.au).

There have only been two known cases of Lyssavirus. Both resulted in death, but you know, it's Australia, so even an isolated case has to result in death or unspeakable harm.

Actually, they only want jerri's blood, they'll leave everyone else in the world alone. This is also true for spiders.

There are many deadly things in Australia, but rabies ain't one of them. The bats are however a vector for Hendra virus. They shit on the grass, horse eats grass, becomes sick and can then pass it on to humans and dogs, who can die. So there's that.

Edit: I did try to place a student in an internship working with fruit bats here, turns out to get clearance they had to get rabies vaccinations for the other virus that Sedrine mentioned up thread.

We care very much about not having rabies in Australia and are willing to take whatever measures are required to keep it that way:

Bats. are mostly harmless (and cute). Moths are where it's at, but perhaps not in Australia.
But maybe in Siberia:

Yeah, I love that my "Welcome to Australia" was a stewardess spraying poison in my face and a customs officer looking if I was smuggling flowers or potatoes...

You're less certain about them wanting to suck Jerri's blood?

Fosters.

Insecticide.
But Fosters was a better answer.

Chrome has stopped letting me play videos embedded here from youtube.

Chrome is protecting me.

Shark update: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-12/wa-identified-as-one-of-two-shark-hotspots/4514138

tl;dr when it comes to sharks only one small area of our coastline (that is, the leftmost 40%) is the most dangerous in the world. The rest of our coast doesn't even make the top two most dangerous locations! You have nothing to fear.

Fosters is export* quality beer. Nothing wrong with it!

*export - defined as beer too poor to be imbibed even by Queenslanders; who'll drink beer labelled XXXX for god's sake.