Key Points

• The Australian National University (ANU) research found that women with foreign accents are perceived as less employable compared to men with similar accents.
• Australia is a linguistically diverse country, with nearly 25% of the population speaking a language other than English at home, based on the 2021 Census.
• While anti-discrimination laws in Australia prohibit bias based on age, disability, race, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation in areas like education and employment, these laws do not cover discrimination based on accent, even if it is linked to race or social status.