TALK IS SHEEP
ACCENT WORLD’S BEST, BAA NONE
COOMERA tattooist Max Siaopo often cops it from mates about his thick Kiwi accent – but he’s had the last laugh.
The New Zealand accent has been rated the sexiest in the world.
Speaking in Upper Coomera, which has the largest community of New Zealanders and Maori of any suburb in Queensland, Mr Siapo said the result of the extensive Big 7 Travel Poll came as a surprise.
“Well, they’re only telling the truth. Used to being number one,” he joked.
“Really though, I would never have thought. You hear American, British, Spanish (are the sexiest).”
The Coomera man was looking forward to hitting back at his friends, who jokingly call him “Yogi Bear” because of his distinctive accent.
Mr Siaopo’s wife Jodie Siaopo said as an Aussie woman her husband’s accent drew her in immediately when they first met.
“It was attractive, yeah,” she said.
Mr Siaopo chimed in: “You passed that test.”
The couple were not shocked to hear the Aussie accent only managed fifth place.
“I think it’s the twang. It brings it down. But the further you are into the bush, the stronger the accent is,” Mr Siaopo said.
Pimpama’s Jacqui Christensen is an Australian dating a New Zealand man.
She (unsurprisingly) agreed the Kiwi accent was dead sexy.
“I probably should say yes because my boyfriend is from New Zealand,” she laughed.
Nevertheless, Ms Christensen said her partner’s “confidence” struck her, rather than his top-rated accent.
“I think if you’re confident it doesn’t matter what accent you’ve got.”
The Kiwis managed to beat out the South Africans, Irish and Italians, who polled second, third and fourth.