''Australians'' fervent belief in luck is deeply etched in our consciousness. More than with the citizens of other countries, it affects the way we see most things. When someone escapes serious injury or death in an accident, we remark on how lucky they were. We don''t say they were unlucky to have had the accident in the first place.''

In ON LUCK, Anne Summers explores the gambling culture that is so intrinsic to being Australian, corruption in business, the economy, our obsession with being ''The Lucky Country'', and which Australian city is the best example of a place that has relied on its luck and lost.