Writing for inclusivity

Australia is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Write for people from all backgrounds. This includes people with different literacy levels, genders, cultures and abilities, including people who use assistive technology.

Know your audience

Understand who you are writing for before you start. Think about their literacy levels, backgrounds, abilities and the technology they use. Write content that all people can read and understand. The better you know your audience, the easier it is to meet their needs.

Australia is culturally diverse

• 32% of Australians and 29.3% of NSW residents were born overseas
• 3.4% of people in NSW identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• More than 275 languages are spoken in NSW
• In NSW, around 1 in 4 people speak a language other than English at home

These figures show why inclusive content matters. Writing for diversity means people can find, read and act on your content.

People have a range of abilities and needs

Not everyone reads or interacts with content the same way. Design for that range from the start.

• Around 1 in 5 Australians live with disability 
• Disability increases with age – more than half of people aged 65 and over have disability 
• Colour vision deficiency affects around 8% of men and 0.5% of women 

Literacy and numeracy levels vary across the population

Around 44% of Australians aged 15 to 74 have low literacy skills. Around 55% have low numeracy skills. This can affect how people find, understand and use information.

Keep content clear, simple and easy to scan. This supports every reader, not just those who find reading hard.

Australia's population is ageing

• Around 17% of Australians are aged 65 and over
• This share is expected to keep growing in the coming decades

Older readers are more likely to have lower digital confidence, vision changes or hearing loss. Clear structure, good contrast and plain words help them most.

Use inclusive language 

Use language that is respectful and inclusive. Choose neutral terms instead of gendered ones. Avoid words that exclude or stereotype people.

Avoid gendered pronouns

Avoid gendered pronouns such as he, she, him, her, his and hers in general content. Use they, them or their, or rewrite the sentence to remove the pronoun.

Speaking directly to the reader with you can also make content clearer.

Speak to the person, not the difference

Focus on what the person needs to do, not on a label or category. Use plain language and lead with the action.

This helps you write for people with different:

• abilities
• cultures
• beliefs
• politics
• education
• life experiences.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

When writing about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, use terms such as ‘First Nations people’, ‘First Australians’ or ‘Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples’. These terms do not describe a single, homogenous group. Preferences can differ between people, communities and contexts.

Ask people how they want to be described or how they identify where possible.

Use specific language where possible

Use the correct language group name if you know it. It shows respect and is more accurate than a general term.

The Australian Indigenous Languages Database from AIATSIS may help you identify the appropriate local language.

Use 'First Australians' or 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' (note the plural) if you are not sure of the local language group or are talking about multiple groups.

'First Australian' is not generally used to describe an individual.

If appropriate you can use the terms 'Aboriginal peoples' and 'Torres Strait Islander peoples' on their own.

Be careful with 'Indigenous'

While it is Australian Government practice to refer to Indigenous Australians, this is not preferred by many First Australians.

Indigenous is the common term when referring to a business entity or business function.

Indigenous should always be capitalised.

Writing for First Australian audiences

English may not be a first language for many First Australians. Keep sentences short, use plain words and test your content with the audience where you can.

Guidance on how to write for First Australian audiences:

• Indigenous Audience Research – Department of Finance

Use cultural terms with care

Only use First Australian cultural terms when they are accurate and relevant. Used carelessly, they can mislead or cause offence.

Writing for people who speak other languages

Write for people who may speak English as a second, third or fourth language. A few habits make your content easier to follow:

• Keep sentences short
• Avoid idioms and slang
• Use a clear, predictable structure

Content should also be culturally sensitive to people who come from different cultures and may have different expectations of dealing with government.

Resources to help the government meet the needs of multicultural users are available from the Department of Home Affairs.

Translation

Check if translation is needed

Provide translations when there is a clear user need, especially for:

• health and safety
• legal or compliance information.

Use your analytics and community data to find out which content your audiences need most.

Choose the right languages

Use research to decide which languages to translate into. 

Do not rely only on “most spoken at home”.

Write in plain language first

Plain language is easier to translate and understand. It lowers cost and reduces the risk of errors.

Translate meaning, not just words

Make sure the message fits the cultural context. Work with translators who understand both the subject and the audience.

Use accredited translators

Use a NAATI-accredited translator.

Have a second accredited translator review the work. A further check helps you catch errors and keep the meaning accurate.

Make translated content accessible

If you provide PDFs:

• also provide an HTML version
• ensure PDFs meet accessibility standards