is it illegal to drive in thongs in australia

No, it isn’t illegal across Australia to drive in thongs—there’s no footwear SWAT team hiding behind the speed camera. What the law does require is that you maintain proper control of the vehicle, so if your flappy sandals jam a pedal or slip off, you could still cop a fine. It’s also the sort of thing an insurer may frown at if it helps cause a prang—hardly the claim you want to explain. Sensible shoes grip better, pedals behave, and everyone gets home less sweaty and more smug. So yes, legal; wise? Only if your toes aren’t doing the driving.