ginger ale, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

ginger ale n.

[rhy. sl.]

1. (Aus./US) a gaol.

1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks.
1944		Maurer & Baker ‘“Aus.” Rhyming Argot’ in AS XIX:3.
1983		R. Aven-Bray Ridgey-Didge Oz Jack Lang 29: Ginger Ale [...] gaol.
1992		R. Puxley Cockney Rabbit.
2002		B. Kirkpatrick Wicked Cockney Rhy. Sl.

2. (Aus./N.Z., also steak and ale) bail.

1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks n.p.: Steak and ale, bail.
1967		‘Whisper All Aussie Dict.’ in Kings Cross Whisper (Sydney) xxxv 6/1: ginger ale: Bail.
1992		R. Puxley Cockney Rabbit.

3. (Aus.) a tail.

1983

R. Aven-Bray Ridgey-Didge Oz Jack Lang 29: Ginger Ale Tail.

4. (Aus.) the mail.

1983

R. Aven-Bray Ridgey-Didge Oz Jack Lang 29: Ginger Ale [...] mail.

on someone’s ginger [rhy. sl. = on someone’s tail under tail n.]

(Aus.) following, in pursuit of.

1967		Kings Cross Whisper (Sydney) xxxv. 6/1: Ginger ale, bail. Tail. Shortened to ginger when meant tail. ‘I got the coppers on my ginger.’ [AND].
1971		F.J. Hardy Outcasts of Foolgarah (1975) 82: The legal-eagles are on our ginger.
1977		D. Stuart Drought Foal 224: I’d hate to have a coupler blokes as smart as them two, right on me ginger [AND].