People

Probably the best way to describe the Australian people in a single word would be ‘accepting’.

Most visitors to Australia comment on the relaxed and friendly character of the people. They also note how easily Australians include people from other cultures into their local communities.

One nation, many peoples

Modern Australian society is a sophisticated mixture of cultural influences. Beginning with the rich heritage of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who trace their history back to ‘the Dreamtime’, through to the more than 200 nationalities represented in Australia today, multiculturalism has become a distinct part of the Australian identity.

Australia has seen incredible migration from overseas for more than 50 years. Originally, immigration was predominantly from the United Kingdom but, after World War II, grew to encompass people from Europe and the Middle East and, later, Asia and the Pacific. More than 20% of the 20 million people living here were born overseas.

Sense of identity

Australians have a strong sense of identity. We see ourselves as an egalitarian society in which everyone has the right to be heard. Freedom of speech and freedom of religion are key elements of this. Aussies, as we like to call ourselves, are generally happy, hard-working, and inventive (the cochlear implant, the black box flight recorder and the orbital engine are just a few examples of Aussie inventions).