When I arrived in Australia, some 23 years ago, one of the first things I learnt was that sausages were never called bangers. Their colloquial name, all over the Lucky Country, was snags. Never mind why, or what that word means to you in other contexts, in Orstrayia, saussies are snags. Full stop, end of discussion.
The second thing I learnt was that Aussie snags are totally unlike British bangers in content and taste. They have meat in them (lots of it), very little fat, and no bread or other fillers. You either like them, or you give ’em a wide berth. I soon acquired the taste, while Boadicea remained a lover of the English variety and shunned the down-under impostor.
As the years went by, low-fat, heart-friendly snags became the way of things, rapidly followed by the appearance of Skippy snags (bangers made from Kangaroo meat), which also have the advantage of being rather low in cholesterol. I like them, too.
However, nothing is as constant as change. In the last couple of years restaurant and Tavern menus have begun to advertise a new trendy dish – Bangers and Mash. I have heard several patrons ask quietly what a banger is, to be told equally quietly that it’s a snag. Served with onions in onion gravy, or occasionally shredded red cabbage, there is never a trace of peas or other green stuff (or of baked beans). Mashed potatoes, onion/red cabbage and sausages, usually three, in a generous pool of thickish, flavoursome gravy/sauce. That’s it.
I enjoy the meal, frequently, but I sadly regret the passing of yet another dialect word, as Strine becomes globalised. The snags aren’t Halal yet, but no doubt they soon will be.
Boadicea's Chariot 
From snags to bangers… So there is a chance that Australia will become civilised yet. Be optimistic, Mr Bear, they could have started calling them “brats”.
That would have been the wurst outcome! 😉
The salsichas here are all meat too. Don’t think I could go back to a banger.
OZ
My erstwhile mother-in-law used to serve a mean toad-in-the-hole with roast carrots and onion gravy. What’s the Strine for that, I wonder? 🙂
So long as your snags are made of pork, Bearsy, there is little danger of them becoming halal. Not sure about the Skippy snags though.
During our recent visit to Oz, we sampled Skippy snags. Very tasty they were too. We also tried Skippy burgers and camel burgers, both of which were good as well.
Skippy cooked in red wine is particulary scrumptious.
I’ve got it! Toad-in-the-hole is dingo-in-the-dunny. 🙂