Australia is a tolerant, diverse society with people from many different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. We come from all corners of the world. About 45 per cent of Australians were born overseas or have a parent who was. Although English is the national language, in our homes we speak 226 languages, the most popular are Italian, Greek, Cantonese and Arabic. 

Our rich cultural diversity is reflected in our food, which embraces most of the world’s cuisines and artfully fuses quite a few of them. You’ll find European flavours, the tantalising spices of Asia, Africa and the Middle East and bush tucker from our backyard on offer everywhere from street stalls to five star restaurants. Tuck into Malaysian or Thai takeaway, dine out on perfect Italian pasta, do Spanish tapas and feast on chinese yum-cha/tim-sum. You might even find a Kopitiam shop in suburban Melbourne!  You can also embrace our melting pot of cultures in the many colourful festivals. See samba and capoeira during the South American festival, dance behind the dragon parade during Chinese New Year or stroll through streets transformed into a lively piazza during the annual Italian celebrations. In Australia, we are free to express and maintain our cultural and religious traditions. The freedom and equality we enjoy in Australia depends on everyone supporting our democratic way of life and helping to maintain Australia’s tradition of acceptance, inclusion and fairness for all.

The variety of clothing worn reflects Australia's diverse society. We tend to dress casually or informally for comfort or according to the social situation or climate. Many people also choose to wear traditional clothes, which may be religious or customary, particularly on special occasions. Clubs, movie theatres and other places may require patrons to be in neat, clean clothing and appropriate footwear.

When meeting someone for the first time, it is usual in Australia to shake the person’s right hand with your right hand. Many Australians look at the eyes of the people they are talking with, as a sign of respect and to show that they are listening. 

We say “Please” when asking for something or for a service and say “Thank You” when someone helps us or gives us something. Not saying please and thank you will be seen as impolite. We say “Excuse me” to get someone’s attention and “Sorry” when we accidentally bump into someone.

We try to be on time for meetings and other appointments. If you realise you are going to be late, try to contact the person to let them know.

Many common Australian expressions or slang may seem strange to people new to Australia. If you are unsure what an expression means, it is acceptable to ask. Some common examples are:

·           Bring a plate – when you are invited to a social or work function and asked to "bring a plate", this means to bring a dish of food to share with other people.