Cracked pepper - I’m not Australia bashing – really! But!

As a self-proclaimed foodie or as we say in Danish – Et mad øre – I must comment on the absurd use of cracked pepper that is common in Australian restaurants.
I assume someone has been to Europe and during this trip they were offered cracked pepper from one of those long pepper thingies you often see in Italian restaurants. This has obviously impressed this person to such a degree that they decided that they just had to adopt this tradition. Unfortunately they absolutely missed the point and in the most American of ways took it to the extreme. By taking it to the extreme I mean that in most Aussie restaurants, you are offered cracked pepper from a very phallic looking pepper thing just as the plate hits your table, before you have been given the chance to taste weather you food needs it or not! I mean, really, that is so disrespectful to the chef, the costumer and the food, that it leaves me speechless!