Where "Wowser" Comes From
A "wowser" is a self-righteous killjoy — someone who seeks to prevent others from enjoying themselves, particularly in relation to alcohol, gambling, or other pleasures the wowser considers sinful. The word originated in Australia around 1899. John Norton, editor of the scandal newspaper Truth and an energetic enemy of moral reformers, claimed to have first popularised the term, a claim supported by the Oxford English Dictionary. Norton's own folk etymology — that "wowser" stood for "We Only Want Social Evils Remedied" — is almost certainly a post-hoc invention.
The wowser was a recognisable social type in the late 19th and early 20th century, associated with temperance movements, Sunday observance campaigns, and opposition to public entertainment. Australia's wowser era produced some genuine legislative results: six o'clock closing of hotels — the "six o'clock swill" — survived in some states until the 1950s and 1960s. Today "wowser" is applied more loosely to anyone who objects to others' fun, and has largely been replaced in everyday speech by the phrase "fun police."
Source: Wikipedia — "Wowser"
"Don't be such a wowser, have another drink and enjoy yourself."
How Aussies Actually Use It
A "wowser" is the natural enemy of the classic Aussie larrikin — someone easygoing and fun-loving. Calling someone a wowser is a way of accusing them of being a killjoy, a spoilsport, or overly strait-laced about other people's harmless fun.
It's most often aimed at people who object to drinking, gambling, or general merry-making, and carries a distinctly Australian flavour — you won't hear "wowser" much outside Australia and New Zealand.
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