Prev
Next

No holds barred for racism in Australian politics

Pino Migliorino

by Pino Migliorino

12 Aug 05:40am

Must Reads

The Rinehart whine came straight from the heart - this is a caption

The Rinehart whine came straight from the heart

134

Julia Gillard is on the highway to the danger zone - this is a caption

Julia Gillard is on the highway to the danger zone

161

Friday dilemma: Should smacking be illegal? - this is a caption

Friday dilemma: Should smacking be illegal?

163

Filed under: Asylum Seekers, Discrimination, Election 2010, Immigration, Multiculturalism, Racism

131 comments

One in four Australians experiences some form of racism. (“The People of Australia”, AMAC, April 2010).

Asylum seekers protest aboard a vessel in Indonesia. Photo: Getty Images

83% of Australians agree that there is racial prejudice in Australia (“Challenging Racism, The anti-racism research project”, Prof Kevin Dunn et al, October 2008).

In his discussion of different kinds of racism, Prof. Kevin Dunn includes amongst them that which protects “privilege” usually as perceived by the White establishment.  The “quality of life” arguments of the current political debates around population are dangerously close to the privilege arguments of racism.  Words such as conformity to “Australian” ways of life are being aired bravely.  As Dunn points out, assimilationist positions are inherently anti-multicultural.

The fact is that all of the above positions and tensions are part of a multicultural society.  As long as we do not enshrine any of such positions as policy, we can engage with these in our journey towards arriving at plurality, which is at the heart of multiculturalism.  The problem is that population, asylum seekers and climate change have become vehicles of creating “otherness”, the “out- groups” as Dunn calls them, the dichotomy between the “hosts” with their privileges and entitlements, and the unwelcome guests who will strip then of these.

Teun A. van Dijk (“Elite Discourse and Racism”, Approaches to Discourse Poetics and Psychiatry edited by Iris M Zavala et al) discussed the impact of public discourses, in particular the media, upon affirming and propagating racism in the Netherlands and in Europe.  The discussion resonates in the current Australian election discourses.  Ethnic minorities are rendered invisible and are being spoken about.  They are rarely seen in the media and do not publicly respond to the many interpretations of them that are created on a daily basis by politicians and media commentators.  The only way they can make themselves visible is to do something outrageous.  This will only affirm the imagery of them as destructive and anti-social, thereby legitimising the public discourse of them as “out groups”.

Dunn draws our attention to the similarity of the “belonging” arguments to the ones used to “outgroup” Aboriginal Australians where they were stereotyped as alcoholics, welfare dependent and therefore failing to “assimilate”.  He identifies most anti asylum seeker opinion as “anti- Muslim” sentiment.  Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s article in The Age on Saturday 7 August did not even pretend to camouflage this association.  She rationalised anti Muslim sentiment with a range of arguments including cultural suitability and host privilege. 

Racist attitudes are influenced by a range of factors including education, experience of cross cultural interaction and socio economic status. It is thus more about perception than based on facts.  A recent survey by Dr Katherine Betts found that residents of inner city areas were least against population growth compared to people who lived in regional Australia. Thus the desire for reducing the entry of foreigners is not based on the experience of congestion in which case one would expect that the inner city dwellers would be most opposed to a Big Australia.  Such facts strike at the heart of the vacuity of the current scapegoating of foreigners.

We do need a bi-partisan approach to population growth. We do need to respond to the challenge of climate change.  However racism is not the solution.  What we most urgently need is a mature multicultural policy that will recognise the inevitable tensions of plurality and seek to find strategies by including these in strategies and interventions. 

In my Foreword to the Population and Immigration issue of the Australian Mosaic, I pointed out that “in many instances immigrants are better prepared to demonstrate good environmental behaviour, having past experience in saving resources in harsh environmental or economic climates”.  Perhaps the cultures that are arriving in Australia have something to teach us. They may offer us wisdom and knowledge to adapt our over consuming lifestyles to the new reality of the planet.

Like the planet’s new reality, there is a new racism as well.  Scholars such as Dunn seem to describe new racism as a pseudo rational discourse that presents cultural differences as impossible to surmount, therefore giving permission for discussion about issues of conformity, suitability, conflict and negative effects on the existing privileges of the host populace.  The insidious aspect of this discourse is that it can pit immigrant groups themselves against each other as if there were degrees of migrancy and belonging. 

The accountability for lack of services, housing and infrastructure lies with the politicians and the government.  It seems that since One Nation, racism has become mainstream in Australia and, as Rob White and Santina Perrone (“Racism, Ethnicity and Hate Crime”, Communal/Plural 2001) pointed out in their research on Melbourne youth gangs, it is now a taboo to call a racist a racist.

The continuum of the imperialist discourse from the engagement with our Indigenous Australians and now to the new migrants indicates that it is not the so called emerging new issues of resources, infrastructure and the like that is driving the debate. It is repackaged intolerance and racism wrapped in garish colours of environmental and humanistic concerns. 

Human beings desperately throw their lives at the mercy of open seas to escape what must surely be worse than the dangers they face on their horrendous journeys.  If indeed we are arguing about humanitarian and pro planet stands, about integrity of process and the like, it is baffling that our stance is “Stop the Boats” or “Protect our Quality of Life”, as if Australia has the capacity to decide its quality of life unrelated to the rest of the planet.

Most commented

353Lay off the tatts and have a debate about the real issues
304Dog ownership laws a load of total bullpit
286Why do our universities teach shonky "magic"?
232I'm Labor, I'm pro-life and I'm no political hypocrite
226Is an act of crime ever too trivial for investigation?
225Home births are prone to many complications
213Blame no one – and everyone – for the Oz Day debacle
185A fair day's pay for a fair day's play

131 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Eric says:

      06:48am | 12/08/10

      The biggest form of racism in Australia is that directed against white people by politicians, academics and the media. Stereotypes of us as racist bogans, xenophobes, bigots and the like are rife in public discourse.

      Any attack on white Australians is considered legitimate. Who wil speak up for us?

      Reply

    • Davida says:

      09:13am | 12/08/10

      So true Eric.  I cannot remember the last time I saw a white politician, academic or member of the media.  Honestly, given the atrocities against the white people you speak of, are, by and large committed by other white people controlling the system, it hardly seems racist.  Nice try though.

    • Godwin says:

      09:36am | 12/08/10

      @Davida, Racism is still racism, no matter who does it.

    • AliceC says:

      09:55am | 12/08/10

      The technical meaning of racism, you can only be racist against a minorty. White people in Australia cannot experience racism (although they can experience prejudice), because they never have been the minority in Australia.

      Once again Eric, playing the poor white male card. Oh, how hard you’ve had to fight for your rights?!?!

      Any attack on white Australians is usually relating to what the author is discussing, racism. If a white Australian is racist, then that’s what they are (unless, they choose to change their mindset, if course). I fail to see a statement such as ‘F*ckin Pakkies, go home’ as nothing but racist, wouldn’t you agree?

    • Davida says:

      10:06am | 12/08/10

      @Godwin,
      Racism is “the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races”.  As I stated, if we are to believe Eric’s assertion that whites are victims of racism, these discriminative assertions would be coming from our black, brown, yellow, whatever politicians, academics and media.  Given they are majority white, it may be classist, may be elitist, may be socio economically/politically motivated, but as white versus white, not racist.

      It just sounds scarier and easier to unite against if it is “them” attacking us, rather than “us” attacking each other.

    • Fred says:

      10:26am | 12/08/10

      Hey you should all leave Eric alone..

      (‘Ya’ll don’t know what it’s like… being male, middle class, n white…’)

    • Ads says:

      10:37am | 12/08/10

      @AliceC

      Racism is discrimination on the basis of your genetic inheritance or race.

      Minority or majority *should* have nothing to do with it, but not in our society.  Actively discriminating against caucasian australians is seen as a positive thing .

    • TJ says:

      10:42am | 12/08/10

      I am sorry, I actually agree with Eric, shock horror. If I walked around wearing a ‘white pride’ or ‘straight pride’ I would be stoned to death as it’s ‘not done’, and yet you see all ‘gay pride’ and black pride’ shirts by people proud of their heritage. I am proud of my heritage, I always have been and yet I am unable to show this pride otherwise I would be called racist.

      How is that fair?

    • Fred says:

      11:24am | 12/08/10

      @TJ - you’re right, it’s not really fair, but do you understand why???  It’s because the people that used to walk around in their ‘white pride’ shirts or equivalents of whatever they wore back then, weren’t just proud of their heritage, they used that pride to group people together and attach minority races (I’m talking centuries ago, I don’t mean currently)

      And so there’s still a stigma that those that are proud to be white must think you can’t be proud to be anything else.

      It’s not something I agree with but I can understand why that stigma has emerged

    • TJ says:

      11:40am | 12/08/10

      @Fred - that’s the thing, it was ages ago that that happened but I am still persecuted for wanting to show pride in my heritage and am not able to

    • Fred says:

      12:08pm | 12/08/10

      @TJ - as an Indigenous Australian, it still sort of happens today… nowhere near to that degree, but the ‘wounds’ are still fresh for me and my family.  But in saying that, none of us want to cling to the depressing past.

      Maybe you could be the first to make this change! I’m thinking T-Shirts,  “White Pride. But not in the racist-cross-burning way that you would think…” lol

    • Eric says:

      12:12pm | 12/08/10

      Davida, you say ““the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races”.

      Then if a white person believes that whites are intrinsically inferior to members of other races, that person is racist. Many whites do believe this - they are the academic, political and media elites who view history as one huge cauldron of aggression by greedy evil white people against everyone else.

      As for people of other races who abuse Australians, there are those as well. But as I’ve pointed out, most of the racism in Australia is white-on-white.

    • James1 says:

      12:21pm | 12/08/10

      Eric,

      I am an academic, and I firmly believe that Europeans did make a very good attempt at dominating the entire world.  I do not believe this because I hate myself and other white people though - I believe this because it is what the historical record shows, and it did in fact happen.  Are you trying to deny reality?  If not, what is your point?  That we should ignore the past?  Forget history, and not study it any more?

    • Eric says:

      12:30pm | 12/08/10

      So, James1, do you believe that white people are the only ones who ever attempted to dominate others?

      Every people of every colour tried to dominate others. If someone claims white people are uniquely evil for doing what everyone else did, then that’s racist.

    • papachango says:

      01:23pm | 12/08/10

      @AliceC - The technical meaning of racism, you can only be racist against a minorty (sic)

      Complete and utter bulldust. By that definition, Apartheid South Africa had no racism towards blacks because they were not a minority.

      BTW you can also be racist towards your own race, as are many caucasian lefties who claim all whites are racist.

    • James1 says:

      01:48pm | 12/08/10

      Eric,

      For some reason my response has not made it through, so I apologise if this is a repeat.

      I do not think that - I think what the historical record leads me to think, which is that all groups and nations are capable of such efforts, and indeed many have engaged in it at some point or other.  Just because I recognise a history of colonialism in Europe does not mean I deny any other region having a similar history.

    • Eric says:

      02:17pm | 12/08/10

      Then, James1, you may be closer to my position than I previously suspected.

      However, there are many academics (look up “whiteness studies”) and others who decry Europeans, and particularly Anglo-Saxons, in a way that they do not apply to others.

      This is racism, even if it is practised by white people against their own kind.

    • Colin says:

      02:22pm | 12/08/10

      Furthermore many people hide behind racism as a shield, claiming their lives are failures due to racism and the nasty horrid people that perpetuate it, rather than accepting that their own frailties are at fault (like it is with most of us).

      This type of nitpicking insults those who have been the target of real rasicm.

    • Beryl says:

      04:22pm | 12/08/10

      I am an Australian by choice, came to this beaufiful country because it is multicultural and, I thought, open minded.  Must say though that I am thoroughly disappointed with the current leaders of our two largest political parties pandering to the lowest common denominator when they are encouraging the fear of asylum seekers and when they do not even mention addressing the gap in living standards between Indigenous people and the rest of the Australian population.  Multiculturalism is what has made this country great and we should not diminish ourselves with racist and bigoted attitudes.

    • Gregg says:

      04:24pm | 12/08/10

      George Negus hosted an interesting story on Dateline this week about Boer farmers in SA not all too happy out in the Savanna grasslands and how there’re plenty of racist attitudes against coloured people.

      They felt justified because there had been something like 3368 farmers murdered over the past 16 years and the farmer interviewed was saying how no farmers no longer lived out in their farmhouses for fear of being done in and he had actually bulldozed his house down.

      Ironically, his family also ran the local gun shop and though they would give coloured people a hard time and deliberately speak to them in their Boer language, the checking re legality of people buying weapons/ammunition did seem to be rather mickey mouse like.

      Interesting concept though for if you have such a fear of what may or could happen with involvement of people of a particular type, is that then not a valid reason to act in a particular way without being racist?

    • OldGirl says:

      04:32pm | 12/08/10

      Eric is a sweetheart, I think you vote Liberal Eric? I could be wrong there, I vote Labor and he could come to the family BBQ at my house any day. Am saying nothing much on here am getting to old to be bothered with the attacks but I will comment for Eric he is the exception. I am reading!!

    • Botfly says:

      04:42pm | 12/08/10

      Please leave white Australia alone, its not us doing the racist attacks and we have enough to put up with skin cancer. We have accepted everyone here. Has it not occured to anyone if we didn’t want people here we would have protested and stopped you coming here along time ago.?
      Just live your lives and be happy. Cheers Eric

    • TJ says:

      05:48pm | 12/08/10

      @Fred - I think i will do a screen print T-shirt, with the qualifyer underneathe, i will let you know how many times I get glared at or spat on

    • miriam says:

      02:51pm | 19/08/10

      I really do feel for you, as you have no idea how lucky you are to be a white male living in a free country you are at the top of the pecking order. If you don’t believe that many are racist in this country then walk a week in my shoes as a Torture and Trauma counsellor working with newly arrived refugees. Perhaps the politicians (the great majority are ‘white’ )the ones you voted for can stick up for you, or here’s an idea why don’t you fight for your own rights

    • Tony of Poorakistan says:

      06:50am | 12/08/10

      I’d say that those of us who do not want multiculturalism are in the majority - why must we pander to a vocal minority who tell us what we ‘‘must’’ do, as this author has just done?

      If you are so confident - let’s put it to the vote and have a referendum.

      Reply

    • The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

      08:40am | 12/08/10

      I’d have to agree with this. Most of the people I speak to cannot recall being asked if they wanted the entire direction of the country changed.

      I note also that the dislike of multiculturalism with its enclaves and exclusiveness is not restricted to those who oppose immigration. Quite a few people who favour immigration have said they would much prefer that the immigrants make an effort to assimilate, rather than simply take what is on offer in terms of social welfare, healthcare and education, whilst holding themselves aloof.

      I had thought they’d WANT to be Australian, if they thought that much of our way of life that they came here. Sadly, that is not the case.

    • AliceC says:

      09:59am | 12/08/10

      But what is Australian culture? If it wasn’t for immigrants, we wouldn’t have all the variety of the things we take for granetd. Example, can you count the many types of restaurants in Australia? What would you say if pizza or kebabs were never made here (certainly not a white cuacasian invention)? Multiculturalism is not a bad thing.

      Finally, the basis of Australian culture is that we have the freedom to do what we choose, whether it’s a backyard BBQ on a Sunday, medidate in our garden, or attend a church. People not doing what you want to do doesn’t make them any less Australian.

    • Vox Populi says:

      10:37am | 12/08/10

      You do have to wonder why they are coming here. If it isn’t our way of life, then it must be to take advantage of our taxpayer-underwritten benefits, like health and education. If that is the case, what are they providing in return? Please don’t say kebabs and pizza; that is demeaning to those of us who are funding this. And don’t say we get the chance to experience other cultures, either. The idea of walking around Lakemba, Cabramatta, Springvale, St Albans and certain other areas without an armed police escort is one that lacks appeal.

      No, all I see is that they are barricading themselves away from us and have been since some bright spark in the ALP first used the term multiculturalism. (Was it Keating?). Do we really want to feel like we are in Beirut or Bombay or Baghdad when we are really in what is supposed to be an Australian city? Why are there now schools in these off-limits suburbs catering exclusively to foreign nationals but receiving federal government funds?

    • TJ says:

      10:50am | 12/08/10

      @AliceC how about speaking ENGLISH?? If I wanted to move to another country to work or live I would be expected to learn the language to get by, but many don’t even know basic english. Our nation was formed by the english, speaking english. Not wearing Burquas, you come to our country assimilate for crying out loud. Honor killings and raping aussie girls because they are ‘asking for it’ by the way we dress GET F&%KED! We have been able to do and wear what we want without having people from a different culture decide we need to be changed and cover up and get on board their culture. They come in and take over certain places and turn it into their own making it a scary prospect for walking down the road at night or even leaving your house.

      The aussie way is laid back yes but I for one will not sit quietly if these ‘minorities’ persist in trying to tell us how to dress, how to act, what to think and what to believe in.

      FREEDOM OF CHOICE! I choose to wear a bikini at the beach, if it’s summer I will wear shorts and a singlet, I will wear a short skirt if I want to and NO ONE have the right to tell me otherwise or try to teach me a lesson. I obey the law and rules of common decency and that is all I need to do

    • James1 says:

      11:32am | 12/08/10

      Give me one example of something you have been forced to do against your will as a result of multiculturalism, Tony of Poorakistan, and I might concede you have a point.

    • rod sexton says:

      11:51am | 12/08/10

      Well said Tony; I do not like the way we are admitting people to this country who are supposed refugees, as determined by the UN, and who, from whence they came, were the aggressors.
      Tamils wanted their own way in Sri Lanka - why are they here? they should go back to Tamil Nadu if the son’t like the way the SriLankans refused their demands.
      What of the Sri Lankans themselves who came to this country through legal means to escape the Tamils?
      The same goes for the Christian Lebanese, Egyptians etc who came here, again through legitimate channels to escape the peasant Muslims, for that is what they are.

    • HappyCynic says:

      12:12pm | 12/08/10

      @TJ should Jews stop wearing yarmulkes?  Should we give up speaking Hebrew or Yiddish when talking amongst ourselves?  Should we not open kosher restaurants, have separate slaughterhouses where our meat is prepared by Jews for Jews and so on?  We’re as Australian as anyone else in this country except for Aborigines, we’ve been here since the First Fleet yet we’ve never completely assimilated into Australian “culture” we’ve always had our own culture that we value above all others, yet in spite of this our contribution to this country has been great (the first Australian born Governor General was Jewish for example, then there’s Frank Lowe and more).  Assimilation is a 2 way street, so-called “Australians” need to help minority groups into Australian society, we can’t do it by ourselves because we don’t have any clue what Australian scoiety means to Australians mostly because you ignore us and treat us with suspicion unless we look just like you.

    • TJ says:

      12:39pm | 12/08/10

      @Happy Cynic - You can do whatever you like in the privacy of your own home same with other languages but if you don’t even speak basic english when the foundation of this nation is english then WTF?

      If I were to go to the middle east on a holiday or to live and work. I would be expected to cover myself up even though this is not part of MY culture. so why should they not have to assimilate with ours? the difference is the burqua covers the entire body not just the back of the head (I am assuming that is what you are referring to) I have no problem with that one.

    • HappyCynic says:

      02:59pm | 12/08/10

      @TJ so because many Middle Eastern countries are intolerant of other cultures and their practices, we should then be expected to treat other cultures the same way?  That “logic” doesn’t wash because we are meant to be a better country than that.

      Monocultures are a terrible and oppressive thing, just look at Spain during the 400 years of the Inquisition, the friction caused by numerous cultures living together creates an incredible energy to society, both creative and progressive.  Threatening to bring down one culture and one language on all Australians will do more to destroy our way of life than if all the Middle East packed it’s bags and moved to Australia, you’d do well to learn that TJ

    • Alvin says:

      03:05pm | 12/08/10

      Tony - if the majority believes multiculturalism is such a critical and threatening issue, don’t you think Pauline Hanson would be prime minister of the country by now ?  So we don’t need a referendum cos the people have already voiced their opinion and result is Pauline has now decided to be British.  Something for your goodself to consider perhaps?

    • TJ says:

      03:46pm | 12/08/10

      @Happy Cynic - don’t tell me what I need to learn, I use the middle east as they are the main offenders, you also get the elderly asian people coming in with their children who have really no impact or assistance to our country, don’t pay taxes but reap the benefit of medicare and other assistance, don’t bother learning the language etc. this nation was found by english that is our heritage and our roots, i don’t mind these people coming to live here, they can keep most of their culture (I say most as they can leave the honor killings and stonings etc at home) but at least fit into ours, learn the fricken language, it’s a bit much that most of the worlds population speaks english and these people refuse to learn, were I to go live and work in Japan I would be expected to know Japanese wouldn’t I? same with any other country, I would also be expected to assimilate into their lifestyle and contribute to their country.

    • James1 says:

      04:47pm | 12/08/10

      There is a big difference TJ.  Japan is a very racist country, and you could never be Japanese.  One of the things that makes Australia so much better is that a Japanese person can quite easily become an Australian…

      The last thing we need is to follow Japan’s example.

    • Fred says:

      04:51pm | 12/08/10

      @TJ - “really no impact or assistance to our country, don’t pay taxes but reap the benefit of medicare and other assistance”

      Where do you get this from??  For starters, you can’t even get a medicare card unless you pay taxes… honestly, half the time you make sense then the other half you sound like a crazed paranoid person (they’re coming to get us!!)

    • TJ says:

      05:22pm | 12/08/10

      James 1 - only used Japan as an example of language barrier mainly because I have a friend working over there atm.

      Fred - sorry someone else put on their opinion that they don’t work and still get medicare, damn not researching properly. I just grabbed and used because I thought maybe i was using the middle east too much, people might think I was predjudice. Awww thanks for saying that, at least I make some sense half the time, check out the looking for God blog I waffle on about Vampires etc lol

    • TJ says:

      05:24pm | 12/08/10

      @Fred - so since I used the medicare business of someone else’s rant and therefore is not my own does that mean I make sense all the time? or was that not the mention that cost me the 50%? smile

    • phil says:

      08:38am | 12/08/10

      Must be infuriating for rigntards, even with a near incompliant Government up for re-election and with the news media in their back pockets they still struggle to get ignorance over the line. Playing the racist card crap once again on people’s ignorance is a sign of their ever present evil. If you want to know how Hitler came to power in the 1930’s just look at the current bunch of neoliberals running the liberal party and “Heil Abbott”.

      Reply

    • papachango says:

      01:30pm | 12/08/10

      I call Godwins Law -  you automatically lose the argument.

    • PG says:

      02:09pm | 12/08/10

      Yep Phil agree this nonsense has been comming from the bully boys way back in Oz since 1788. It is of course the Prison yard concept of the Stupid Thug believing he has the right to do whatever he wants to the weak—-until of course there is a war or he need to stand up and be counted and then strangely he goes missing. Its happened to the Irish the Aborigines the Sothern Europeans the Asians and the Muslims Its like a broken record aint it—-  Sigh! but we are stuck with these no hopers who contribute nothing to this country absolutely nothing—we cant send them somewhere? Can we ?

    • Rowdy says:

      05:27pm | 12/08/10

      What’s a “rigntard”?

    • Phil says:

      05:50pm | 12/08/10

      That Phil is not me Phil who usually punches here.

    • AP says:

      10:25pm | 13/08/10

      yes, how sad to have yet another race based election. A disgrace indeed. I thought Australia was a country with a humanitarian tradition and an understanding of what it means to be desperate. After all the convict history is not an easy one, let alone the plight of Aboriginal people, this continent should know about barely surviving from its history. Surely people in marginal seats are capable of understanding immigration flow is world wide and that the Western world contributes to the creation of refugees (we still sell plenty of weapons for good profit). Only a few end up in Autrslia, let them be assessed properly and taken care of if justified!

    • acotrel says:

      09:09am | 12/08/10

      I watched Tony Abbott on TV speaking about his negotiations with the Nauruans.  In the background Scott Morrison was nodding his head in agreement, wnever Abbott emphasised a point.  It struck me that it was ordinary PEOPLE’S futures they were talking about.  The use of xenophobia as a political tool is disgraceful!  If we’re talking about good old WHITE Australian values - a ‘fair go’ is one of them!

      Reply

    • dovif says:

      09:53am | 12/08/10

      acrotrel

      It is just funny how you would want to target an opposition leader in this, rather than Kevin Rudd, a ex-PM who wanted to introduce the Indonesian Solution

      Or the PM who have never been elected PM, Julia Gillard, who announce the East Timor Solution, without even telling the East Timor government. The next day, the East Timor government, said this was the first time they heard of it

      If you want example of White person hypocricsy, and arrogance toward another race .... look no further than Julia Gillard. Tony Abbott anounced the Naru solution, with consultation with Naru and agreement with their government… he did not tell the Naru government ... we are putting a detention center in your soil whether you like it or not… unlike Gillard

    • acotrel says:

      10:22pm | 12/08/10

      Dovif, This racist crap starts and finishes with the right wing of Australian politics.  Rudd and Gillard obviously must respond, or Abbott will fill the bogans with more bull, about Australia being invaded! Abbott specialises in appealing to the lowest common denominator!

    • Kristiana says:

      10:16am | 17/08/10

      I need to direct you to Australia’s ongoing breach of international human rights and refugee law, specifically the 1951…  Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol.

      This is just one example of many international resolutions and conventions that Australia has been a supporter and signature to, but has not fulfilled on. It is so disappointing and it needs to change!

      The Greens, Democrats and Sex Party seem to be the only ones ready to ratify these and othe human rights protocols when it should be ALL of them!

    • meinsydney says:

      09:15am | 12/08/10

      Pino,

      What an excellent article you have written…..thank you so much for writing it.  I can’t tell you how discouraged I am by how racist Australia is becoming, and how socially acceptable it is to express racist views.  It is comforting to know that there are Aussies like you out there, and others, who share my views on this matter.

      Reply

    • Macca says:

      10:09am | 12/08/10

      Actually I think this article is far too good for this site. Peer reviewed Articles and well thought out arguments. On The Punch?!

    • James1 says:

      11:34am | 12/08/10

      Indeed Macca.  What is even funnier is that some of the responders here have not only missed the point entirely, but are giving perfect examples of what the author is talking about.

    • Nelia says:

      11:52am | 12/08/10

      I agree that it is disturbing the degree to which public racism is becoming acceptable in Australia.  It is also disturbing that so many comments have highlighted the view that the majority form of racism in Australia is against white people and not minorities!!  It is time that leadership is made at the highest level in Australia against the pervasive public racist discourse by re-instating a multicultural policy framework, which enshrines pluralism and equality for Australia’s diverse population.

    • Fred says:

      12:11pm | 12/08/10

      @James1 - spot on, my thoughts exactly!

    • Kristiana says:

      10:17am | 17/08/10

      Agreed. I am sick of feeling increasingly alienated and less intelligent when I read the paper… Shift is happening baby!

    • Joan says:

      09:28am | 12/08/10

      Yeah , the Australian population are the only `racists`  in the world,  - pull the other leg.

      Reply

    • James1 says:

      11:36am | 12/08/10

      Where does the author claim that?

    • Realist says:

      09:29am | 12/08/10

      Most Australians aren’t racists - they are realists and just don’t want people here who will not or cannot assimilate.

      Reply

    • Cuppa says:

      04:10pm | 12/08/10

      Spot on Realist.Well said.

    • James1 says:

      04:45pm | 12/08/10

      I personally am a structural realist, in that I support the views of John Mearsheimer and his theory of great power politics in international relations.  If by “realist” you actually mean a person who examines issues on the basis of facts, then you have no argument, as we have no facts about how particular cultures will settle in to Australian life over time, precisely because the future hasn’t happened yet.  People said that the Irish were incompatible with Australian culture and could never assimilate once.  They said the same of Greeks and Italians and Hungarians and Vietnamese and Chinese and pretty much every group that has come here with a funny accent.  And every time they were wrong.  What makes you think you will be any different to those footnotes of history Realist?

    • CJ Morgan says:

      09:45am | 12/08/10

      An excellent and timely article.  Re “it is now a taboo to call a racist a racist.” - this is so true lately.  ‘Political correctness’ has now moved full circle, such that in public discourses in Australia about immigration, population and refugees it is now apparently unacceptable to point out blatant racism when it rears its ugly head.

      Reply

    • The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

      09:45am | 12/08/10

      ‘‘Taboo to call a racist a racist’‘? A strange comment, given that any attempt to hold a rational discourse on whether multiculturalism has worked is met by screams of ‘‘racist’‘. It seems that those in favour of dividing up our cities into various ethnic areas, thus promulgating the purity of those ethnic groups, can say what they like and the rest of us had better just suck it up.

      For what it is worth, I have now read the referenced article (http://www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/Racism,_Ethnicity_and_Hate_Crime.pdf) and consider it to be particularly one-sided. Take this quote: ‘‘They (the Federal Government)  have allowed even the most crude
      and openly racist sentiments to be voiced without limit’‘. Obviously, the author has never bothered to research the subject or he’d have been aware of the Racial Vilification Act 1996.

      The author continues to argue that it is all a big conspiracy against migrants staying in their own groups.

      He says that the media is responsible for perpetuating hatred of immigrant groups by identifying criminals based on ethnicity. This is the type of thinking that almost saw Police unable to provide descriptions of criminals to the media and public, lest they be seen to be biased against the race represented by the criminal. Lunacy! That would be like saying you cannot tell the public that the offender has tattoos because that will vilify everyone with a tattoo.

      There seems to be a view that anyone who wants a discussion on whether multiculturalism should be replaced by assimilation is a racist and that such a request is merely camouflaging the racism. I see it differently - that the pro-multiculturalists are fostering an environment where people cannot even have a rational discourse and that is a form of censorship, which I find intolerable.

      Have the discussion. Anyone who is a racist and has no valid argument will be seen for what they are, but there are those of us who consider race-based geographical, political and economic areas within our country as a problem that will only continue to fester and grow, deserve to have our say.

      After all - this IS still a democracy, is it not, or has that also changed without us being informed?

      Reply

    • Jon says:

      09:58am | 12/08/10

      The racist card can be played on just about every issue to shut down debate.

      Reply

    • Reg says:

      03:30am | 13/08/10

      The word racist is loaded with misconception the same way sexism is. How can sexism be correctly reserved for discrimination against females, yet not be discrimination in favour of females? Similarly with racism. Multiculturalism does not attract the same discord as the others because the word is too big for the front page.

      “Sexy Racist Bigot Needed.” is far more likely to attract attention.

      Not long ago when I defended the Pakistani cause against an attack from my Indian friend, he did not call me racist, because I was in Australia and he was in India. Had he known the row about the treatment of Indian students in Australia at the time, he would no doubt have seen it from a different perspective.

      Words such as racist and sexist are emotive hand-grenades, indiscriminate and intentionally provocative.  Both words are headliners as seen by all the discussion here about what they mean.

    • Tarzan says:

      10:03am | 12/08/10

      Is one racist because they don’t agree with a multicultural society? Multiracial maybe but not multicultural. This is a divisive society now, with some many people with so many agendas. It will never work, and those who are not racist now will become so if this multiculturalism continues. And I don’t mean white people only. I know Indian people who can’t stand Muslims in Burquas. Islanders who hate Aboriginals.  Know what they do in prisons in the USA with ethnic groups. Well fast forward 50 years: Australia population 50 Million with Ethnic enclaves with borders and their own security. Assimilate now and avoid the problems of the future. One culture The Australian Culture, and that means thongs on men and bikinis on women.

      Reply

    • The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

      11:05am | 12/08/10

      Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Admittedly, most attempts at multiculturalism have been the dominant or majority ethnic group excluding the minority groups (unlike here where they are excluding themselves), but none of them have worked. There has pretty much always been violence and civil unrest eventually.

    • ibast says:

      10:04am | 12/08/10

      I really don’t believe that most Australians are racists or have racist beliefs.  We do not believe we are superior by the race born to alone.  We do however believe our culture and our way of life is superior.  At times this can be unreasonable and unsavory to the point of being as bad as racism, but we are not a racist nation.

      This doesn’t alter the fact that the arguments being made against immigration and refugees are based in fear and ignorance, and that there is no genuine argument for the anti-immigration lobby.  At the core of any argument against it is cultural bias and unreasoned fear.  Those that deny it are lying to themselves.

      Reply

    • A balanced Aussie says:

      10:07am | 12/08/10

      the aacademic research shows that the greatest inhibition to assimilation is promotion of ‘multiculturalism’. It breeds divisiveness by its existence.  thankyou Bob Hawke - the mate of every Okker.  Working hard to entrench the divisions whilst gaining the popular vote.

      Vilification comes in many forms racism but one.  Think of those distinguished only by the colour of their hair. See the schooled grace under fire of the usurper of Rudd’s seat.  calling someone ‘a monkey’ caused a major stir, “ranga” with all its simian overtones remains deeply offensive, regardless of the polished jools approach.  to call ones’ self ranga, as those shallow ladies do, is to entrench this overtly offensive epithet in the vernacular, thus causing ill to thmeselves and the majority.

      Reply

    • Fred says:

      10:31am | 12/08/10

      Great article - haven’t read something on this topic before that has been so well thought out and balanced.  Some really interesting points too!

      Reply

    • Eric says:

      10:35am | 12/08/10

      AliceC:

      “The technical meaning of racism, you can only be racist against a minorty.”

      So white South Africans could never be racist because the majority was black? I think your “technical definition” is a little lacking.

      “White people in Australia cannot experience racism”

      Oh yes they can. Such as when certain jobs are open only to Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. And again, when white Australians are bashed by ethnic gangs.

      “because [whites] never have been the minority in Australia”

      “because [whites] they never have been the minority in Australia”

      Not even in 1788?

      It seems you’re determined to be wrong in every possible way.

      Reply

    • KateG says:

      12:54pm | 12/08/10

      Eric - there are no jobs that are “only” open to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. There are however, jobs where an in-depth knowledge of ABTS culture and issues is a job requirement, which generally limits it to people from that background. Similar to the idea that most domestic violence counsellors are women, simply because fewer men have the same experiences or background knowledge of the issue.

    • James1 says:

      01:05pm | 12/08/10

      KateG,

      I am afraid Eric is right on this one.  A few times I have seen jobs advertised on university websites that are called “employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians”.  It is even called positive discrimination.

    • AliceC says:

      04:44pm | 12/08/10

      @Eric

      It seems, once again, you’re missing my point (I’ll forgive you though, you rarely understand what people are talking about, wonderfully entertaining).

      I am talking about definitions here. ‘Racism’ is against a minority race. ‘Prejudice’ can happen in either direction (minority to majority and vice versa). Sorry if my education in Anthropology and Psychology floored you, just trying to educate people, but it seems education is taken as a form of insult.

      ‘when white Australians are bashed by ethnic gangs’, that is a form of prejudice, which I do not support in any way, as I do not support white gangs bashing ethnic people.

      In 1788, yes, the invading white people were the minority (well done, gold star for you!), but they sure took care of that, didn’t they…...

    • TJ says:

      05:46pm | 12/08/10

      @AliceC - since I would hazard a guess that most of us on here don’t have a pysho degree or did any modules of it in our lifetime, can you exuse us oh ignorant ones for using the wrong word and understand what we were talking about?

    • Greg says:

      07:45pm | 12/08/10

      @AliceC
      You are completely wrong about the definition of racism, and are just displaying your mindless subordination to leftist indoctrination.

      For what it’s worth, I’ve got post-graduate qualifications too, so I’m not impressed by your superiority complex. There is no shortage of university graduates who have had all vestiges of common sense “re-educated” out of them. We both know that you would have failed your course if you didn’t accept this nonsense.

      Leftists always change definitions to suit themselves, when they can’t win an argument using logic, reasoned debate or rational analysis (which is most of the time).

      Do you expect all white people to celebrate that, according to you, they are only victims of prejudice and not victims of racism? How exactly is the experience any different?

      You are a classic example of the uselessness of a university “education” in contemporary Australia.

    • TracyS says:

      11:52am | 13/08/10

      to AliceC

      According to the Collins Dictionary, the definition of racism is:
      (1) the belief that races have distinctive cultural characteristics determined by hereditary factors and that this endows some races with an intrinsic superiority over others
      (2) abusive or aggressive behaviour towards members of another race on the basis of such a belief

      Although the specialised use of the term racism in anthropological circles may reference some mention of minority groups, in most other usages the term refers to discrimination or prejudice based on race.

      Consider this…  using the minority group definition, the discrimination and subjugation of the black majority by the white minority who held financial and military power in South Africa under Apartheid would not have been considered racist…

      Certainly as a university graduate with post graduate qualifications, my understanding of the term racism is broader than just the focus on minority groups.

    • Richard The Lionheart says:

      10:37am | 12/08/10

      Only white people are racisits. It doesn’t exist in India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Africa, middle east etc. where our new migrants come from. You don’t have to have read Gibbons “Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire” to know what lies ahead. Welcoming other cultures to your bosom will eventually dilute the superiority of your own. I mean infratructure here and rule of law.

      Reply

    • James1 says:

      12:27pm | 12/08/10

      So, the Visigoths are coming to dilute our superior infrastructure culture?

      I am confused.  Are you saying we should stop using Germanic mercenaries in our legions?

    • Simonious says:

      12:40pm | 12/08/10

      India and China are 2 of the most racist countries in the world. The caste system in India is a classic example of being racist to your own people.

    • Fred says:

      03:30pm | 12/08/10

      Simonious - missing the sarcasm….

    • Colin says:

      04:20pm | 12/08/10

      Actually Fred, I believe it’s irony.

    • samuel welsh says:

      01:40am | 07/01/11

      your almost right but there is also racism towards africans in china.
      check out the southern chinese news.

    • Justin says:

      10:55am | 12/08/10

      I don’t know, I think a lot of what’s labeled as racism is insularism & selfishness. If you look back at the waves of migration to Australia, it takes the second generation growing up in here to break the attitudes. I think we’ve seen that with post-war European migration, we’re now seeing it with Asian migration & hopefully we will see it with the current wave of migration.

      If there is a barrier to general contact with “different” people, then that’s where rumor, innuendo & prejudice spring up to fill the vacuum. With Islamic based migration (poor choice of words, but you get the point), there is a perceived barrier of dress, religion, & life choices (including things like alcohol that really shouldn’t matter) that, when coupled with the wider geo-political situation, makes distrust a very easy route to take.

      Is it racism? Undoubtedly in some cases it is, but for the wider public, it’s the easy option of distrust . When that’s politically linked to fears overcrowding & the environment, the irrational suddenly sounds very rational, & the lack of political engagement or desire to further investigate makes “turn the boats back” a winning line.

      Reply

    • The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

      11:23am | 12/08/10

      I think what you are saying is that previous migrant waves assimilated.

      What we are talking about here is the polar opposite. The barriers you mention will now always be there; the ‘‘second generation’’ will not be any different to the first, since they will be maintaining (with the encouragement of the pro-multiculturalists)  their own culture rather than slotting into and enhancing ours.

      That’s what multiculturalism is - many cultures. Not many becoming one.

      There are a few of us who would be less worried if the current wave behaved the same as the post WW2 migrants. They respected their parents’ culture, many of them even pop back to their grandparents’ country for a visit as a rite of passage (bit like schoolies, perhaps) but by that time they are as Aussie as the rest of us.

    • SoylentGreen says:

      11:00am | 12/08/10

      @ Jon - Exactly.

      There is no race if you look at the genetics. There are certainly cultural differences and phenotypes that differ between populations.

      Now we have that out of the way, can we please get back to the “Food/Air/water/housing/services” discussion?

      The growth lobby will trot out the racism card whenever their profits are threatened. They need to understand that growth is dead if we want to continue to inhabit this planet in some modicum of comfort.

      If you can remember Australia in the 70’s then you will know that we had a higher standard of living, better health care, free education to tertiary level, a chance of owning our own home, kids able to play in the neighbourhood unsupervised etc. Add all the extra millions and we have what we have now, smaller pieces of pie for everyone.

      I don’t mind refugees coming here if they are genuine. Just stop the 100’s of thousands of rich people coming here pushing us down the ladder of opportunity.

      Or lets invite everyone we can so we can all serve hamburgers to each other from our slum dwellings. Thats the growth lobby dream.

      Reply

    • Anna C says:

      11:17am | 12/08/10

      I am sick to death of Australians being labelled rascist just because we want to control the number of new migrants and refugees coming to Australia from poor countries like India, China, Afghanistan etc.  Immigration numbers in Australia are out of control.  Our infrastructure cannot keep up with demand.  Why do we have to accept a poorer quality of life because people from these poorer countries can’t stop reproducing?  People who escape countries like India are attracted to Australia because of our way of life.  Why do these same people then insist that we become like India with way too many people.  I don’t want to live that way; this does not make me a rascist.

      Reply

    • TracyS says:

      06:45pm | 13/08/10

      I completely agree

      It is not racist to value the quality of life here in Australia.

      It may be a little bit selfish - but I’m happy to own up to a bit of selfishness. I like living ina relatively functional city (Melbourne); I like having good living space, open parks, beaches, bush and countryside areas within reasonable reach. I like the availability of fresh produce grown locally. Why would I want to see any of these things affected in a detrimental way.

      It is not racist to want to limit migration numbers; it is only racist if we use race to determine who can or cannot migrate here.

    • Anna C says:

      11:17am | 12/08/10

      I am sick to death of Australians being labelled rascist just because we want to control the number of new migrants and refugees coming to Australia from poor countries like India, China, Afghanistan etc.  Immigration numbers in Australia are out of control.  Our infrastructure cannot keep up with demand.  Why do we have to accept a poorer quality of life because people from these poorer countries can’t stop reproducing?  People who escape countries like India are attracted to Australia because of our way of life.  Why do these same people then insist that we become like India with way too many people.  I don’t want to live that way; this does not make me a rascist.

      Reply

    • Phil says:

      11:23am | 12/08/10

      * Australia is a very liberal and tolerant nation.  We have a high rate of mixed marriage, a high proportion of immigrants and are opposed to racial discimination.  I’d say that Australians are very accepting of how anyone chooses to live, but within broad limits; e.g., respect for women, loyalty to Australia, respect for other cultures and respect for the law.  These are pretty low bars.
      * This articles relies on a very broard definition of racism. The vile connotations of racism are tied to a much narrower definition: the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races. I think the author’s definition would capture every nation in the world, and is being used unfairly to tag Australians as racists.
      * Taking the article to its logical conclusion, any controls on immigration, or any attempts to protect and improve Australia wealth’s, are protections or privlege, and therefore racist. We are morally obligated to open our borders to the world and to donate most of our wealth to the poor (I note that the author is wearing glasses. This is an indefensible privilege).
      * I’m being a bit silly here. There are moral questions, but they are not related to racism.  Are we being too selfish, etcetera? On the other hand, there are questions of stability, the environment, quality of life and the effects this would have on our economy.
      * Immigration and high population growth has become a more prominent issue because of poor government. State governments have failed to adequately invest in infrastructure and to increase the supply of housing. Higher immigration would be better supported if we actually supported a high growth society.
      * Islam is not a race, it is a religion. It is possible to be unfairly bigoted against Muslim, but not racist. Criticising the Muslim faith and culture shoud be no less acceptable than criticing Christians, atheists, Hare Krishna, Hindus, etc. Unlike race, Islam is a choice.

      Reply

    • AdamC says:

      11:43am | 12/08/10

      So, Pino contends that concerns about the social impacts of immigration are manifestations of a mentality of ‘white privilege’. I am assuming here that, when he says ‘white’, he means people who are citizens of Australia and identify with the Australia mainstream. (Despite the best efforts of the ethnic pressure groups he works for, not all people who consider themselves ‘Australian’ are caucasian.) And, by ‘privilege’, I assume he means the enjoyment of the living standards (both economic and non-economic) that makes Australia a favoured destination for immigrants.  So, to put it more neutrally, concerns about the social impacts of immigration are manifestations of the desire of Australians to continue to enjoy the benefits of living in our cool, happening society. I put it to Pino – what on earth is wrong with that?

      And, at the risk of putting words into his mouth, I will also predict his answer (it is pretty much in the article already). He will say that my stance undermines ‘multiculturalism’. Why, the question is begged, is that such a bad thing?  Well, it isn’t for most people, but for proponents of multiculturalism (or, as I am wont to dub it, the ‘multi-cult) it is tantamount to sacrilege. Because, of course, multiculturalism is a secular religion, like nationalism or socialism. It holds that diversity of cultures and ethnicities is a virtue in itself, even if it does not provide any observable benefits. Look at Pino’s references again: lots of stuff about why people who don’t like multiculturalism are ignorant, racist or simply misguided. But there isn’t anything about why it is such a good thing in the first place. Because it isn’t, unless you are a believer.

      I should stress here, as one always must, that I am not racist and, indeed, am quite pro-immigration. But I am also pro-integration or, what could best be characterised as public-sphere compliance with ‘Australian values’. That means you can do pretty much whatever you like, but you have to be loyal to Australia and its people, learn to speak English, provide equal opportunity to people of all backgrounds and not wear a burqa or genitally mutilate your children. In the absence of the multi-cult, this common-sense approach to integration of new arrivals, based as it is on our Australian liberal-democratic principles, should be pretty uncontroversial. But, of course, we don’t live in a purely ‘secular’ society when it comes to race and ethnicity.

      Reply

    • James1 says:

      12:10pm | 12/08/10

      Apart from the burqa bit, that is what we already have AdamC.  Given that a tiny minority from every group will not conform to those standards no matter what we do or say (and that includes Anglos). why is this an issue with multiculturalism?

      It is a simply fact that those most against multiculturalism tend to be those least affected by it.  I live in a very multicultural area, and there are many benefits (as I discussed yesterday), and no drawbacks.  We all get along, our children play together, and everyone is enriched for having this diversity.  That said, I live in a middle class neighbourhood of highly educated professionals, so of course we would not have the issues with racism that, say, Lindsay does, with its dole bludgers, high school dropouts and such.

    • Fred says:

      12:16pm | 12/08/10

      AdamC I think you’re making a lot of incorrect assumptions in this article…

    • AdamC says:

      06:38pm | 12/08/10

      James1, I can’t recall you actually specifying the benefits of mutliculturalism, yesterday or today. Why is the fact you all ‘get along’ a benefit of multiculturalism? Are you saying you couldn’t get along with British-descended Australians? 

      The reality is that multiculturalism is a secular religion. Australia has never run an immigration programme because multiculturalism is a good thing, rather, immigration has been to grow the population. In the absence of a compelling case to continue to grow the population, continuing immigration on the basis of multiculturalism itself is risible. Unless, as I said, you are believer in the religion.

    • James1 says:

      12:42pm | 13/08/10

      You must have missed my last post, from 10/8, where I gave a list of the benefits of multiculturalism with particular reference to my young daughter.  But as I said, if you do not enjoy other cultures and prefer your own, no one is forcing you to participate.  You have every right to stick with your own kind. 

      In any case, no one is arguing that multiculturalism is the driver behind immigration.  I tend to accept the case put by business in favour of immigration more generally, rather than the “they took our jobs” rubbish of the labour movement, and the insularity and innate backwards looking attitude of the likes of Dick Smith.  I like multiculturalism because it makes my life better and more interesting.  But again, I understand if you only like your own culture, and would prefer that everyone around you is just like you.

    • Mark says:

      12:14pm | 12/08/10

      If anything at all could be described as the Australian way of life these days its multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is now a well entrenched dynamic part of the Australian way of life, contributing to a level of cultural vitality and economic opportunity not previously seen in this county. Many Australians are missing out on experiencing one of the most exciting assets this county has - multiculturalism. Get out there any enjoy it. If you are not then you are missing out on heaps.

      Reply

    • TJ says:

      01:41pm | 12/08/10

      Mark - if I want to experience other cultures I will travel to that country and not go to the bastardised areas of sydney that have them popping up. the true culture of these nations is not found in our cities but in their home country where they have yet to be westernised. that is where I will get MY culture from

    • Animal1st says:

      12:36pm | 12/08/10

      Hey Mark, you mean I should go to down town Auburn, Springvale or Dandenong. No thanks, I can’t read the street signs.
      I judge a race of people on the way they treat their animal in their traditional culture. And people who break dogs legs and keep them in cages en masses, or beat bears, or slaughter animals witout stunning them first are not my cuppa tea.

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      12:42pm | 12/08/10

      I don’t see the evidence for rampant racism here. Certainly disinterestedness, aloofness and maybe bad manners, but nothing serious.
      We’re just not like that. We have a modern and flexible culture, as distinct from the Europeans ,who enjoy too much history, really, for their own good.
      That’s in a nutshell (pea, if you like) and we now enjoy the benefits of a workmanlike population that old cultures can only dream of.
      We should enjoy different peoples here. Let them bring their habits and theories with them. Aussies are strong folk, and we’ll make of them what we will.

      Reply

    • David V. says:

      01:03pm | 12/08/10

      Multiculturalism is of course part of a big lie- that Australia is what it is because of cultural diversity. Australia is what it is because of its Anglo population whose culture, values and work ethic make this country liveable and desirable for the hordes who’ve come here ever since.

      Equality of all cultures is fallacy. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be driving German and Japanese cars. The Allies took away the sovereignty of Germany and Japan (while sponsoring a criminal state like Israel) but failed to take away the diligence and work ethic of the Germans and Japanese.

      Reply

    • RickyB says:

      04:51pm | 12/08/10

      Many Australians would agree ith you David V.Well said.Cultural diversity was forced upon Australia, we never had a choice.And most of those cultures had no intention of trying to assimilate, many of them have been here for years & have never bothered to show the respect of even learning our language.How can you contribute to the greater Australia if you cant even be bothered to speak English.

    • James1 says:

      05:16pm | 12/08/10

      Still, no one is forcing cultural diversity on you Ricky.  You can choose to practice any culture, or none.  That is one of the great things about living in a free country.  Can you honestly tell me what you have lost as a result of someone else practicing a different culture?  If you lose your culture, that is your fault, not the fault of anyone else.

    • tad says:

      02:35pm | 12/08/10

      I am the living embodiment of multiculturalism - white Dad, Asian Mum, multilingual - as I imagine many of the readers of the Punch are. The anti-multicultural stance doesn’t make any sense to me. The fact is, Australia is in a changing world - technology, global politics, and the global economic system all mean that our country must be able to cope with the (literally) changing face of our population. Stamping our foot and saying we can’t accept people who operate by a different value system is plainly counterproductive.

      first of all - i don’t think that it provides any incentive for people of other cultures to consider adopting our value system. who wants to assimilate into a culture that slams the door in the face of those who are different?

      and second - the culture/value system that many readers seem intent on keeping was one that was brought in from outside anyway. celebrate it by all means because there are great things about it , but I don’t think we should have any illusions about it being the original, and therefore the only, cultural system that has a place in this country.

      Bringing cultures together isn’t easy - it requires negotiation, patience, willingness to compromise and willingness to listen and learn. I reckon it’s a challenge worth rising to and it will only make Australia a better place if we can be more open and accepting of difference.

      Reply

    • RickyB says:

      04:19pm | 12/08/10

      As much as the author hates to accept it, it was WHITE Australians who founded, built & defended this country.They have had the great FAILED concept of multiculturism forced upon them in the last thirty years or so & have had to watch the free culture they built take a back seat so our government can pander to numerous trouble making minorities so academics & bleeding hearts can feel good about themselves.Many, many Australians are fed up with this.Many of our ‘new Australians’ are being judged by their actions & attitudes & have been found to be seriously lacking in respect for this country & its culture.Besides racist enclaves like Lakemba & the middle eastern crime squad, has multiculturism contributed anything to Australia?(& dont give me restaurants & kebabs)

      Reply

    • AliceC says:

      04:59pm | 12/08/10

      Hey RickyB,

      I shall assume you do not know a single person that is not caucasian, otherwise you wouldn’t be writing such comments. Plus, you clearly only eat meat and three veg (LOL).

      You talk about multiculturalism forced upon you? Well, I’m sure you’ve told the Aboriginal people to ‘get over it’, so why don’t you do the same? After all, it’s been thirty years (as you say). We are, and will always be, a multicultural society, with people who are free to choose how they live their lives. That’s what Australia is all about.

      ‘Many of our ‘new Australians’ are being judged by their actions & attitudes & have been found to be seriously lacking in respect for this country & its culture’ I can assure you I know fourth generation Australians who have exactly the same attitude, do we kick them out too???

      You want more than restaurants and kebabs (which are awesome BTW)? How about performing jobs that caucasian dole bludgers don’t want to do (taxi driver comes to mind, plenty of people on the dole can drive, they just like sponging off the rest of us). What about different forms of art or music? Variety is the spice of life I say!

    • Georginorx says:

      06:17pm | 12/08/10

      A good part of early Australia was settled by Chinese gold diggers. I’ve been on walks around outer Adelaide bushland where there are old wells and huts from entirely Chinese settling communities. The word “dinkum” is derived from the Chinese phrase for “top gold”, used when a gold digger strikes it lucky. “Last thirty years” my foot!

    • David V. says:

      04:57pm | 12/08/10

      The UK is what it is because English people are by and large infallibly hard working people. You never see Brits abuse women, welfare or drugs, because they have a far greater quality in them. When you fly on a plane, be grateful that British pilots are most likely flying you- the Arab and Asian a irlines prefer British pilots because they know they are better!

      Reply

    • James1 says:

      05:18pm | 12/08/10

      “You never see Brits abuse women, welfare or drugs”

      Love it.  Do you do stand up as well, or do you confine your absurd sense of humour to the internet?

    • AliceC says:

      05:29pm | 12/08/10

      I wanna see his stand up too. Where can I get tickets???

    • NEFFA says:

      05:52pm | 12/08/10

      Its not David Walliams is it?

    • Davida says:

      06:10pm | 12/08/10

      Congratulations on the most ridiculous statement of the week (and it’s only Thursday).

    • Tarzan says:

      05:38pm | 12/08/10

      The Gillard Government must think we are pretty stupid to hide all the recent boat arrivals from us. Have you noticed how long it has been since it was reported in the news about boat arrivals? The Navy has been gagged.

      Reply

    • SoylentGreen says:

      06:22pm | 12/08/10

      It’s amusing that so many of you have been distracted by the phoney ‘race’ issue when it’s all about numbers and making the rich richer.

      Reply

    • David V. says:

      06:33pm | 12/08/10

      Well many countries actually encourage their people to speak a single language, like English or French, but in Australia it’s the opposite because it’s considered discriminatory to make everyone speak a single language.

      James1 and AliceC do you think I’m kidding here? The British and by extension Anglo people must have done something right, to create law-governed, free countries with viable economies.

      Reply

    • Ryan says:

      06:54pm | 12/08/10

      As a victim of real racism, not the flimsy stuff these left wing pinkos dream about at their dinner parties I can tell you that 98% - 99% of ALL real racism being perpetrated today are by people of colour.
      So you can take your white racist tag and shove it where the sun don’t shine, my family lost their farm bought, paid for (with taxes mind you) under Robert Mugabe’s reigeme only to be turfed off the farm because of the colour of their skin.
      Was there a word of outrage from the world.. No.
      Did the UN step in.. No.
      Were human rights violated.. Yes.
      Do Zimbabwean farmers have anywhere to go to claim asylum due to filthy racist Africans.. NO.

      Racisim is rife these days, being perpetrated against whites in every non-white community around the world.
      How does it go.. oh yes “Africa for the Africans”.. racist pigs.

      Reply

    • Tarzan says:

      08:16pm | 12/08/10

      Powerful stuff Ryan. Gives a good insight into the real World of racism.

    • Greg says:

      10:12pm | 12/08/10

      Also don’t forget that it was Malcolm Fraser who helped install dictator for life Mugabe, who has taken a first world country and turned it into a third world hellhole.
      None of our journalist class ever want to question Fraser about that. Maybe that was the deal, in exchange for him turning into a far-left extremist who makes Gough Whitlam look moderate.
      The only thing that Ryan left out was that racism is being perpetrated against whites in every white and non-white country in the world.

    • Jon says:

      12:43pm | 13/08/10

      Yes, Malcolm Fraser what a disaster he was,  and to add insult to injury we still have to put up with his commentary in the media.

    • Greg says:

      08:58pm | 12/08/10

      With acknowledgement to Louis Beam, no great nation or empire has ever been founded by a multicultural people. On the contrary, multiculturalism is a certain indicator of a nation in decline.

      There are many examples, from the Roman Empire, Spanish Empire, right through to the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. History also shows that the leadership / government must become increasingly totalitarian if multicultural nations are to be held together over any time.

      Freedom of speech is lost through “racial vilification” laws. Preferential treatment is legislated through affirmative action laws, whereby some become more equal than others. Thought crimes (aka “hate” crimes) are made illegal, but are only applied to politically unfavoured groups. Domestic peace is obtained by distracting people with foreign wars. Personal privacy and freedom is abandoned to protect the population from “terrorists”.

      Most of Europe, the USA and Australia are now headed down this path, as they are flooded with people determined to recreate the nations that they have just abandoned.

      The fact is that a multicultural nation has a schizophrenic cultural identity. There are no binding common values, ancestry or heritage. Diversity is divisive, and causes the breakdown of social cohesion.

      Multicultural people have no common purpose and no shared vision for the future. They are destined to become a disparate bunch of competing tribes.

      It has always been this way. It is human nature. It won’t be any different this time around, and only people who are stupid, ignorant or deceitful would claim otherwise.

      Reply

    • Reg says:

      04:02am | 13/08/10

      “Goodwins Law, rightards leftist, pinko are also ill-define indiscriminate emotive hand- grenades.

      Ryan aims his hatred at racism when it should really be directed towards Mugabe, no matter what his colour. The Greeks took 400 years to turf out the Turks, so the African continent is running ahead of schedule.  The Japanese soldiers in the jungles of New Guinea used to yell through the dripping vines that they might lose the war, but even if it takes a hundred years they would still over-run Australia. Going to plan?

      Equally I assume because of his experience in Zimbabwe, Ryan has brought his hatred here to be disseminated as he sees fit? Perhaps he should have been denied entry on the grounds that his deep hatred for blacks represented a threat to our stability?

      Reply

    • David V. says:

      09:11pm | 14/08/10

      You are forgetting that Germany, Japan and Hungary were subject to humiliating terms by the Allies, whereas Israel is given carte blanche to seek expansion of its territory into the West Bank and Gaza. Would Israel ever allow multiculturalism? No because it is a Jewish state created by stealing Arab land.

    • TracyS says:

      12:02pm | 13/08/10

      “Racist attitudes are influenced by a range of factors including education, experience of cross cultural interaction and socio economic status. It is thus more about perception than based on facts.  A recent survey by Dr Katherine Betts found that residents of inner city areas were least against population growth compared to people who lived in regional Australia. “

      An intrinsic error in this article is that the author is equating concern about population growth to racism. Wanting some rational decisions made about the total number of migrants entering Australia is not the same as believing that the selection of migrants should be based on race or ethnicity.

      People in regional Australia are justified in their concern about the capacity Australia has for increasing population - after all, it is in regional Australia that you the lack of resources and infrastructure hits the hardest. When you live in an area with inadequate health services, under resourced schools, struggling water and utilities supplies, and non-existenet public transport, you are allowed to be concerned about population growth.

      Reply

    • James says:

      12:14pm | 13/08/10

      Clearly racism is a universal disease I would argue that Australian’s, as a whole, are some of the least racist people on Earth.  One of the worst aspects of the race debate is that it injects inself into amost all demographic debates and drags them down to the lowest common denominator, It is great for the media though as it sells plenty of copy.  This is why we see these sorts of articles endlessly written by hack writers.

      Don’t have any real understanding of complex issues and not really feeling like doing much research?  Need to pump out an article before your deadline? Here is the solution you have been wating for, write something on race and boom you are back on easy street.

      Reply

    • Berhan says:

      01:40pm | 13/08/10

      Australian multicutluralism has been very successful, Looking back over that past half century, there are very few people who would deny that the policy of multiculturalism has been an enormous success. Having a society which is of very diverse background has made Australia strong and respected in the world. It has brought enormous economic benefits. It has enriched our lives immeasurably. So our starting point is that we are committed to fostering a culture which allows and encourages all the people from a very wide range of cultures and backgrounds, to
      succeed and contribute to this beautiful country called Australia.

      However, there are some racist element in our society including some in leadership, we have vote them out because racist elements in our society should not have an opportunity. I have experienced racism and I lost so much because of it. I hate to see racism destroying our beautiful multicultural fabric. We cannot live as if we are parts in a computer game, disengaged from the reality of the extreme pain experiencing everyday by members of our society because of their skin colour, race, ethnicity, disability, gender, accent, etc.  Our humanity stands or falls by the degree to which we can politically reach out to our fellow human beings in a spirit of equality and mutual respect and care.

    • James says:

      04:48pm | 13/08/10

      I think if everyone respects the golden rule.  “Treat other people the way you would like to be treated” we won’t go too far wrong.

      Reply

    • David V. says:

      08:57pm | 13/08/10

      I’m sure Japan and Poland are happy being homogeneous, monocultural societies and prefer to keep it that way.

      Even the Nation of Islam promotes the idea of communal self-help and separatism rather than integration and living together, in that way we will have homogeneous societies which look after their own first.

      Reply

    • samuel welsh says:

      01:36am | 07/01/11

      We need to respect each other racism comes from stupid bullies

      Reply

    • DonaHester24 says:

      11:57am | 20/07/11

      That’s known that cash makes us free. But how to act when someone doesn’t have money? The one way is to get the loans and collateral loan.

      Reply

    • pj says:

      11:12am | 27/10/11

      Everybody is aware that we are fast becoming a poor “white” multicultural country..blame your goverment for the lack of insight that our forefathers had when they introduced the “White Australian Policy” ahh well,at least I got to enjoy my country for awhile before they f**ked it up!
      As for future “white anglo-saxon native born Australians” I wish you well,good luck.

      Reply

    • Chaas says:

      03:11pm | 21/11/11

      What a joy to find such clear thinking. Thanks for posintg!

      Reply
 
Comment

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

ToryShepherd

ToryShepherd 04 Feb 12 05:55PM

Ugh. RT @Colvinius: Lord Monckton urging mining owners to buy up papers & TV stations for political influence http://t.co/xRUgErn5

ToryShepherd

ToryShepherd 04 Feb 12 04:32PM

@JohnHillMP it's a spectacular part of the world

ToryShepherd

ToryShepherd 04 Feb 12 04:31PM

RT @JohnHillMP: “@ToryShepherd: Star of Greece #happinesshttp://t.co/rPrvB4sL” Welcome to my electorate. #enjoy!

ToryShepherd

ToryShepherd 04 Feb 12 04:09PM

Star of Greece #happinesshttp://t.co/faYa2ZWq

See all tweets

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

Gillard’s mapping a route but will probably still be routed

by Laurie Oakes

92

Gillard’s mapping a route but will probably still be routed

Julia Gillard and her advisers believe they can see a narrow path to victory for Labor at the next federal…

Kevin 2.0 could be better. Or it could be even KRuddier.

by Mark Kenny

64

Kevin 2.0 could be better. Or it could be even KRuddier.

As key moments go, it ranked with Gough Whitlam’s dramatic dismissal speech branding Malcolm Fraser…

Working women need to escape the grog bog

by Wendy Tuohy

25

Working women need to escape the grog bog

Can you hear a faint sort of teeth-grindy sound? No it’s not the rats in the roof gnawing the wires…

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: Other stuff to be angry about today (with video)

DOB says:

For the last 2 summers my local beach - which is a kid's beach really (but it has a nice cafe - thats my excuse) - has been overrun by jetskis. So when I go off for an idyllic morning of sun and sand I might as well just go down to an industrial plant and soak up the noise and fumes. My area is a bit… [read more]

From: Match of the century!

Pete says:

Since when has Australia been a land full of whinging, whiney and just plain annoying people. Seriously, we have to take a long hard look at ourselves and notice that we have it pretty damn good and that instead of whinging about every single article ever written we could perhaps be happy and enjoy things.… [read more]

Light weight

Gentle jabs to the ribs

No wuckin forries. These nuckin futs are tuckin fops

No wuckin forries. These nuckin futs are tuckin fops

Well, puck me with a fitchfork. The F-word is apparently an acceptable part of Australian speech. That’s… Read more

147 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free daily Punch newsletter

Subscribe to The Punch RSS feed