Australians are 'dumb', agents told

Indian call centres are teaching their staff that Australia is the world's 'dumbest continent' where people 'drink constantly' and are 'quite racist', reports News.co.au.

Indian-based helpline operators are also warned that Australians are 'touchy' about their pets. They are also instructed it's OK to hang up on Australians who use the 'preferred term for us' - 'brown bastards'.

News Track India reveals that a trainer was quoted saying: “Technologically speaking, they're somewhat backward, as well. The average person's mobile would be no better than, say, a Nokia 3110 classic.”

According to the Adelaide Now, the instructions come straight from the classroom curriculum for trainee employees at India-based call centre giant, Delhi Call Centre.

The sweeping stereotypes are part of the company's 'cultural training' programme which claims to teach new employees 'communication skills' to help them connect with and better understand the social nuances of its prospective Australian customers.

One of the Mother Jones magazine's writers, journalist Andrew Marantz, spent weeks undertaking training in India with locals at the Delhi Call Centre, reports the Herald Sun.

He revealed that other workers said they were taught how to convince unsuspecting people to give them credit card details.

“They tell you their information over the phone and you don't even write it, you just write the credit card. Next week they disconnect the phone,” they said.