No entry stamp in Sydney?

Exactly, I never said it's a guarantee. It may be surprising to some but it is common knowledge to millions of visa applicants, consular officials etc worldwide. Again, citizens of poor countries can understand better...

A wealthy country like France for example is concerned with illegal immigration of people from India and so on when they apply for a visa. So if a French consular official sees that I, an Indian, have travel history from, say, Australia and the U.S. and have not overstayed my visas in those countries, he can be a little more confident that I won't overstay in France. The US and Australia also have strict visa conditions so just having been issued a visa from these countries says something - which is why many countries exempt visas if you hold a visa from another country.

I defer to your experience - coming from a "respectable" Western nation, I have no knowledge of being suspected or rejected, or even looked at sideways.

Although for my first couple of passports (1973 onwards), we were not allowed to visit North Vietnam ... we were at war, so I guess that's quite understandable.

Even little old tin pot NZ is concerned about visa applications from Indians. And you can bet that visas from other countries won't hold much sway with our Immigration service.

Not sure who would drive all the taxis in Melbourne if we didn't let the Punjabi in ... they certainly dominate that demographic. Which is neat because we can talk about cricket.

Me personally still find it suss OP wants stamps - never heard its relevant to have an Oz stamp some how helps getting into somewhere else. Sure probably having a Libian or Syrian stamp as examples may be in certain places a negative.

Me personally still find it suss OP wants stamps

I think that's rather an insult of one of our well-known brethren (and who has clearly explained his reasons) ... I would like a stamp too ... am I suss?

This is clearly a case of shutting the door after the horse has bolted. Why not just ask at time of entry you would like a stamp. But it won't open doors. I am with gcnxxxx.

No need to heap poop on a regular though ... take it easy.

I entered two visa exempt countries in the last five weeks and got stamps both times. Without even asking. And one of those countries has done away with Arrival cards.