I am not alone. While some people are in the camp of “I address everyone,from the prime minister to my garbo,as mate”,others abhor saying “mate” as twee,or too Strine,or fake. Or emotionally invasive.
I actually like the term. I love it when I hear other people use it. A colleague used to go up to a workmate and say,loudly and affectionately,“Maaaate ...” It was fun,and it suited him.
But it feels awkward when I hear myself say it. It’s like a studious former prime minister Kevin Rudd uttering “fair shake of the sauce bottle”. Mate,it’s just not “me”.
My family and I aren’t posh. We speak in standard Australian,if not broad,Paul Hogan-style accents. We say “dairnce” not “dahnce”,and castle,as in the short “a” in match,not cahstle.
But curiously,we’ve just not ever referred to people as “mate” or “hun” and we don’t say “thanks love” when buying ham at the deli.
Those terms have always sounded a bit alien to me.