Racism in Australia
18 September 2006 by danielbowenHi, i’m from the Bahamas and plan to travel to Australia. I hate when i get the question “Do you guys live in huts in the Bahamas”, but i will ask if there is any black people there at all. I heard there is alot of racism there and i dont want to listen to hear say so i’d rather ask someone that lives there. — Denika, Bahamas
Australia was founded on immigrants supplanting (and alas, in many cases replacing) the indigenous population. People from all over the world have settled here, and come to visit, and by-and-large I think we’ve all managed to get along fairly well together.
That said, there are some people, especially outside the big cities, who are rather less used to encountering people who don’t look just like them. And while in the past few decades there have been influxes of people from Europe, Asia and the Middle East, there have been rather less from Africa and the Caribbean, and these less common ethnic groups may stand out more from the rest at times. So to answer your question, it’s not like there are no black people, but they’re not particularly common in some areas.
As in any country of roughly 20 million people, you may find a small minority who show racist traits. A minority. You may never encounter these people, and you may never have any problems with it.
I don’t think racism is a common problem, or that it’s entrenched in society, but it would be untruthful to say it doesn’t exist. And someone who draws more of that kind of attention than I do might certainly have a differing view.
September 19th, 2006 at 2:09 am
I really, really enjoyed moving here from Liverpool, England in the early 1990s. Not that I came across a lot of racist people, and am vocal when I do, but Liverpool people thought that Manchester people were exotic. Umm, Manchester is 30km away. Along a motorway.
Coming to Perth, there are a lot of Vietnamese, Chinese, Malaysian, Thai etc etc, the bulk of non-UK / caucasian people I deal with are south-eastern Asian. Which is super for someone who’s vegan (diet wise). But, to deal with the black comment in the above story, there are a noticable number of African citizens here, and I don’t know of any particular negative feeling. In fact, Perth is one of the most multicultural, tolerant places I have ever lived. One of my friends (and one that has stuck with me through some nasty relationship stuff) is black as anything, okay he emigrated from Wales but was from Jamaica originally). He keeps having a go at me for having to use sunscreen in summer
Come to Perth, Denika!
Cheers
Shane
September 19th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
Unfortunately, the racist populations seem to be centred around wealthier suburbs, eg Mosman. They are “exclusive” suburbs, and the most racist among them are a bunch of prats with vast inheritences that have never done a day of manual labour in their lives.
Don’t get too riled up about them, they’re good entertainment for the rest of us.
You’ll find the vast majority of the country greatly acceptive and even inquisitive, or they just plain won’t notice the colour of your skin.
Truth is, most of us just don’t care what colour, shape, or size you are. We’re more than happy to help. It’s what makes Australia great - the spirit of mateship.
I agree fully with Shane. You won’t regret moving here.
-mark
September 19th, 2006 at 5:23 pm
I’ve lived in all the major centres on the east coast from Hobart to Brisbane and including Adelaide, and I don’t think any of them or more or less racist than any other.
Sydney nowadays is included, although the risk is heightened if you’re caucasian in a middle-eastern area or vice-versa - everyone now knows Cronulla for all the wrong reasons…
We too have seen a recent influx of immigrants from (I think) Nigeria, and the few families we come across “at the shops” in our suburb (in the south near the airport) seem to be settling in well and enjoying Aussie life…
Black, white, red, yellow, teal or puce; it doesn’t really matter what colour you know how to have a good time, you’re always welcome in Sydney! (or Perth, but the weather in Melbourne is terrible
October 9th, 2006 at 10:34 am
hi im also from the Bahamas and i heard the same, my husband was born in Australia, but is a citizen of Italy.
We both are thinking to move in Australia, but im a little afraid because im black and i dont know if they will except me.
October 16th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
There is racism in Australia, but not much more than in the US or Canada. People don’t know anything about Bahamas except that it’s from the carribean, alot of Australians get asked similar questions about Australia. The biggest problems with racism is groups bashing each other. There aren’t many racial murders.
There aren’t many Africans in Australia, but there are alot of non-white people. Recently there have been some Sudanese refugees. Apart from that most black people in Australia would be from the carribean, just like in the UK.
October 16th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
Hey, Australia is one of the most tolerant societies around, so dont worry, and melbourne may not have the best weather, But we sure do have the best shops, food, restaurants, fashion, people, city, transport, society e.t.c
Melbourne boys!!!
Timbo
October 20th, 2006 at 10:08 pm
hi
I am a Black South african and my husband is Australian .We travell regularly to Aus to visit his family and friends .I’ve nevr experienced any racism in Perth. We have recently bought a house and are planning to move there from London in cuple of years.
Are there any Black hairdressers in perth ? will anyone let me know.
November 1st, 2006 at 3:34 pm
hey i mite move to adelaide and hav no real idea how i will be treated as a black from subsaharan africa. hmmm where are all the black ppl thet live there ? is perth better than adelaide ? shuld i go to a small uni as opposed to a group eight one ? seems like a dumb qn but really it s the difference between meetin some prats and meeting real hardworking ppl, get my drift?
am undecided
November 24th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Hello everybody!
Its funny this urban myth that australia is a racist place. Personally i’ve never seen or heard anything that has shocked me. There is definatley racism in australia, but it tends to not be as violent as the racist stuff we see out of the US and britain.
No, there are not very many Africans out here, however the main australian cities are very multicultural. Where i live there is a small sudanese refugee community, and they do stand out quite a bit, but from what ive heard many people in the wider community are helping them get ajusted to our society.
Yes, australia has some racist groups and people, but no, it is not the racist backwater that so many people who have usually never been there make it out to be! It is by western standards a very tolerant and open place.
January 5th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Hi everybody!!
As a very light skinned black female from Britain am having a fantastic time in Oz!! The people are friendly, the weather is gorgeous and the quality of life amazing!!
Of course I noticed at first that there were not many other black people around.. and on occassions I did stand out!! It was weird at first…. in the beginning all I had was “Hey we love your braids - how long did they take!!”
But skin colour doesnt matter at all.. in fact some people especially in the smaller towns etc have been fascinated by my skin colour…!!! and would just come up to me and start conversations wanting to hear my story re my parents coming from the carribean etc etc!!! And how surprised they were when I told them that they were a lot of black people in England!!!
And any one who has made ignorant comments (a few) I just ignore and laugh at!! As they are just not worth it!! Why let a tiny minority spoil my trip and overshadow the rest of the fantastic aussie population!!!!
The way I see it skin colour will only be an issue if you make it an issue!!!! Australia is a very tolerant country and I love it to bits!!
So come along and join the party!!
Ciao for now!!
January 26th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Hi all,
I am a black American studying in Melbourne, Australia. Today I had my first experience of overt racism, where some one called me a ‘nigger’ for simply saying excuse me while walking down Lygon Street. I am very upset and hurt by the comment and I have even considered leaving. I don’t want my experience here to be ruined, but I am at a lost for how to deal with this issue. It’s weird because I can deal with the silly questions about my hair and the steers, but I just felt rotten after this woman disrespected me. Has anyone dealt with this type of issue in Melbourne or any other Australian city and if so, how did you deal with it?
Cheers.
January 29th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Kam, I would hope that you’re not fazed by this incident, since (hopefully) you are otherwise enjoying your stay. Don’t be upset by rude idiots.
January 30th, 2007 at 6:56 am
l am black african with a young son, l was very excited about moving to adelaide not until l read all the comments about racism in oz. Can anyone who lives in adelaide tell me wheher its worth it or not
February 1st, 2007 at 4:35 pm
I am so sick and tired of hearing that Australia is racist…try moving to a non European based country and ask for and receive the benefits and support that you get in Australia including universal health care, a multicultural support unit in each city called the migration resource centre, free language classes, interpreters for government services… Give me a break… by the way I am multicultural and have three eurasian children… stop this nonsense and give Australia a break. It is true that South Australia is more English due to the fact that not a lot of people wanted to go there as the weather is not as warm and English folk and Europeans flocked here instead… nevertheless a beautiful stylish boutique city with great education and parklands… but do try to fit in and participate and do not expect the world to roll out a red carpet… work at it yourself.
February 11th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
Hey’all
well let’s say that i’ve never been 2 australia but i’m looking forward coz i wanna go there and do my master.
however i think it’s unfair to say that the country is racist. you might foind some racist people like in most countries but from what i heard (many friends of mine), it is a lovely country with lovely people.
i think it’s not about skin color or origin or anything else. either you are comfortable or you’re not, either you like their way of life or you don’t.
just enjoy being there and learn about their culture and way of life and you will love it….
this is my advice to everybody either you wanna move to australia or to anither country…
cheers
February 15th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
There are always racists everywhere. So is Australia racist? To a certain degree, yes naturally. But is there any country that is purely not racist? NONE, right?
Are there racists in Australia? For sure mate!! There are many uneducated idiots who think they own the country.
Where can you find or meet these bigots? Well, they could be anywhere, on the parking space of a shopping centre, in the fast food restaurant, on the road, at school, well could be anywhere.
So, should you be concerned? NO, if you are a law-binding resident and you do nothing wrong, no need to worry. In all cases, these bigots are either cowards or drunks. If someone insults you based on race, just fight back smartly, most likely they will shrink like a soaked mouse. If they are drunk, well simply ignore them - they are worth nothing; just think - will you fight a mad dog?
Just today, my mate who is an Asian went to a Subway restaurant, and the waiter (who happened to be White) was a racist and treated him rudely. My mate was simply challenged him in front of every other customers and asked this idiot waiter whether he has a problem with him. As expected, this bigot shrunk like a rotten leave. So, again no need to worry about these racists, or racism in general.
Are all Australian racists? HEY, OF COURSE NOT! They are so many of us here that don’t even know the meaning of race - what we know is a V8 Race or maybe Horse Racing, haha… Many of us are also colour blind, so… we can’t differentiate people’s skin colours – they all look the same
Which Australian city is the most racist? It’s difficult to say, I have been travelling across Australia and been living in five big Australian cities (from the East to the West), they are all complete with both fair dinkum Aussies and racists. So, if you like to visit or live in Australia, choose a city that suits you in terms of its views, weather, quality of life, costs of living, housing price, crime rates maybe, BUT CERTAINLY DO NOT TRY TO CHOOSE A CITY BASED ON ITS DEGREE OF RACISM. You will not find one is better than the other here.
So, should you come here or not? CERTAINLY YES! COME and ENJOY YOURSELF HERE. If you like it here, and you can cope with everything here, then you’ll love it here. If you come and hate it, it’s not the end of the world, isn’t it? There are always other countries to explore.
All the best! Oy Oy Oy!!!
February 19th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
ONYA FOLKS keep up the rhetoric. My thoughts are love it or leave it. Try going to Japan and buying land or even becoming a citizen… it is just not done. when I was in China on an education exchange I was shocked to discover that many people there thought black folks were “animals” and could not understand the Australian attempts at reconciliation with our indegenous people for example.
Try going to a middle eastern country and find a christian church… for the most part there are none, not allowed. (In malaysia for example you are not allowed to change your religion without going to a court if you are Muslim).But in Australia we do have mosques, temples, cathedrals and churches and freedom to choose our faiths and to criticise them without being blown up by those who disagreee… to those people who love to point the finger at Australia do feel free to travel and migrate to a non English speaking, non British based community of laws and Parliaments and see how you get on!!! The mere fact that thousands are lining up to get into Australia tells all to me. Best wishes all and welcome Australia lovers of our life and culture, regardless of race colour or creed. Learn to fit in or quit !
February 24th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Hi, I am 3rd generation Chinese who moved to Sydney few years back. In the first 4 years I did not face a tinge of racism…maybe its because I am female, I do not know. But ever since I started working in an Australian call centre, I have faced racism BIG TIME. These bigots are not just ignorant, but they are mean and extremely shallow. Mainly the customers. You see, I have an accent, which does not sound Chinese as I am not from Mainland China, but at the same time, it is definitely not Australian. I guess there is a tinge of Asian in my accent but it is definitely not Chinese or Indian, you could say it is kind of neutral and clear. My english is really good, but I get misjudged from my somewhat neutral accent, only because it does not sound Australian. As a 3rd generation Asian from an English speaking South East Asian country, I was exempted from taking English tests when i moved to Australia, university lecturers have commented on my fluency in English. And here i am suddenly finding myself with SO MANY RACIALLY IGNORANT BIGOTS around me. One of them actually thought I was South Indian from the phone, when i am nowhere close. Not that it’s bad being Indian, but it is just something I am not, and I kinda hate being mistaken for something I am not. I also dislike being mistaken as a Japanese or a Korean or Mainland Chinese, without people even asking first. I have met some idiots who assumed without asking, and I surprise them with so much American slang that I know. Again, not that those other races I get mistaken for, are bad or inferior, but again, it’s just something i am not. It’s just like if i was Negro, I will get annoyed if someone thought I was Indian, without asking. So Australians have to realise that we immigrants do not get annoyed for the sake of being petty/sensitive, but it’s more because we hate being mistaken as something we are not.
I recommend that an Australian white, before assuming a persons’ background should ask “Where are your PARENTS from?” or “Where are you ORIGINALLY from?”
instead of “Where are YOU from?” or “Are you from ”
It’s just a matter of rephrasing a few words and having the decency to ask, instead of assuming that one is from somewhere.
Do you know something? Prior to moving to Sydney, I have been cautioned by so many people of other races eg. blacks, mainland Chinese, Vietnamese, Indians. But I shrugged it off, because my English was way better to theirs and I am a rather westernized person, I can fit into western culture as I have had some American influence in my young days.
But alas, in recent times, I realised Bigots are everywhere in Sydney…and they are not just limited to white people, but even people of other races too who act like they own the country.
If I can tell the difference between an Irish, English, Australian, American and Canadian, I do not see why those bigots see all non-whites as the same. They are not the same. And to a certain degree, i can understand why non-English speaking countries are so strict about the immigration of whites into those countries…because sooner or later, the whites will also monopolise those countries and start acting superior over the original non-English speaking residents in their own country.
I can totally identify with Kam Martin’s experience in Melbourne. I did think of leaving Sydney many times, and thought of moving to a smaller town like Tasmania as the people there do not seem threatened by people of colour/different race and they see it as unique.
I can only attribute the increasing racism, to the fact that Australia was too relaxed about letting non-English speaking immigrants in. i guess the white people (or the so-called native australians) subconciously feel inferior enough that the real Australians are the aborigines. Now they feel EVEN more threatened when Asians, Africans..etc become Australian citizens and are just as eligible as they are for benifits like Medicare..etc.etc. Because of the influx of so many non-English speaking immigrants, an English speaking person like myself gets mistaken for one, and carries their burdens too.
Maybe it is the so-called “freedom of speech”,that causes all the racism. But then, when you look at it another way,we also have the rights to fight against racism too. And we should not leave the country just because of what a bigot does. Nor should we give up our own identity for the sake of being accepted. Just speak English good enough to understand, work on grammar vocabulary, and perhaps go for non-service oriented jobs, where people will have no opportunity to criticise accents.
I guess the racial intolerance should come from one’s own feeling of inferiority. Of course not all Australian whites are like that. The educated ones I met in Uni were far from racist. Maybe curious and a little ignorant, but no harm intended. But in my job, i met, and even talked to lots of real bigots. But I don’t blame them, many of them are uneducated anyway.
On a positive note, I have found other parts of Australia extremely racially tolerant. I think it’s only the big cities that are full of surprisingly uneducated bigots. If you ask me, which is the most racist city in Australia, I would rank Sydney first, followed by Brisbane and Melbourne. I’ve family scattered all over Australia, so i based my observations on personal experience.
March 5th, 2007 at 1:14 am
Alexis, I think it has a lot to do with working in call centres!
I get called a lot of extremely racist and generally insulting things because I happen to work in a call centre (from people on the other end of the line of course). Apparently if you are a voice on the other end of a loooong telephone line, it’s okay to be as rude as you like! Go fig!
In fact, I can shrug most of it off. I’m pretty well immune to insults from people I can run rings around intellectually. I may have a slight accent (because I travel a lot, when I can) but I’m probably the palest person you’ll ever see. But of course, everyone assumes if you work in a call centre you are in some other country pretending to be in sydney or somewhereas part of an evil plot to take over the world with giant penguins trained to shoot laser carrots through their eyes. Or something like that.
I think as a whole, Australia is not racist. There is a very small but vocal minority that are, but most people ignore them. I live in one of the most multicultural cities in the country, and love it. You can’t pick one city as being more or less racist as another, because every person in that city is different with different views and opinions.
March 10th, 2007 at 11:56 pm
We have just immigrated from southern africa, not south africa, we find it strange that australians have this preconceived idea that all south africans are racist, yet we can honestly say after spending time in South Africa and travelling all over the world that Australians are by far the most racist especially those in WA. They somehow think that if they keep on about being multi cultural no one will notice the racism. It’s there and not only against people of colour they are suspicious of everyone new.
March 14th, 2007 at 1:09 am
Yep racism is alive and well and living in Oz. But its safer than africa and there is lots of sun sand and sea. The ausies are basically a lazy lot so if you work hard lots of bucks to be made. So it could be heaven!!!!
March 14th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
We moved to Oz a year ago and have found it very hard to be accepted. The last thing we wanted was to end up living in an area with another bunch of immigrants from the same country where the main topic of conversation would be “when we” …. We wanted to intergrate with the australian. How nieve we were. The first hurdle we had was in the work place. Trying to find a decent job was really hard that we were constantly told “we were not australian enough!” What is australian enough? Some of the jobs are still being advertized a year later but they will not take anyone who does not fit into their idea of “Australian” The fact that there are no qualified ausies to fill the positions doesnt seem to matter.
finally we found work in the country in WA - what a shock that was. Country people are very strange. I would definately describe them as inbred hill billy hicks. Maybe it is the very low standard of education in WA (even lower in the country). Never work for a family business as they are run by people who have never worked anywhere else and have such an inflated egoes of who they are and infact really don’t have a clue as to what they are doing.
Not to mention in the country they have such a hard time finding doctors that they are allowing third world doctors in without having to re sit their medical tests as long as they stay for at least 4 years. Nor do these medical people have to have full medicals before they get here. They are all high risk HIV candidates. While we lived in Merredin the Nigerian doctor there killed one woman and nearly killed two others, he just didn’t have a clue what he was doing. He kept asking the patients how to treat them. The coloured male nurse from JHB knew more than the doctor. when complaints were made the shire just said what could they do he haf a contract besides you had to give him a chance he is was black. How racial is that! Since then he has spent more time on sick leave that work ,at full pay we may add.
Having moved to several different country towns each one the same as the other they veiw every new person with such suspicion. After 5 months at one school my son was eventually invited around to play with one of his classmates. His mother commented when I picked him up that he was such a nice child they wished they had had him over sooner. Why didnt they? because he was a foreigner and different!
We have now moved down the coast to an area full of immigrants from the same country as us and yes, we sit and talk about the days “when we” and it feels good to be with people who don’t eye us with suspicion all the time or shut us out. Now you know why immigrants stick together its because the australians make them feel so unwelcome!!!
March 25th, 2007 at 1:12 am
If you think Pauline Hanson is anti-immigrant and anti-Asian and racist try coming here to the United States…you have not met our racist who are already in US Congress…Tom Tancredo, Nathan Deal, Dana Rohrbacher and Duncan Hunter, two of whom are running for the Presidency. I met some of Tancredo’s constituents when I visited Colorado last year…they dont want you, and particularly young Asian women anywhere around them…particularly they dont want any Asian women around their sons….and they are capable of using violence to stop it.
March 28th, 2007 at 7:54 am
i’ve read all the above coments, and i find a lot to agree with. i moved to melbourne in october 03, and stayed for two and a half years, due to my partners job. the company she worked for could not find anyone capable of her job in australia, and thats how we were offered the visa, and the professional training that lkept us there. initially , we tried hard to integrate, but after a while, six months maybe, we realised, that a) we were not australian, and therefore if we were to socialize with pure bred white australians, we had to accept our second class status, and b) we were not racist , pig ignorant —-wits who could’nt hold a conversation on a subject other than fast cars or a sport that australia was currently good at. as i said, the professional qualification training sweetend the deal, but we were initially interested in staying permanently, not just taking and running. the comments regarding the wariness of the outsiders was perhaps the most telling. i did get the impression sometimes that the rest of the world has little impact on australia, for good and for bad.the bad, the aforementioned real problem with racism (yes, it is there, perhaps just more obvious and vocal than the uk or north america).the good, well, kids are better behaved there than in the uk , and less low level violence on the streets.however, never in another first world nation have i met with so much ignorance and prejudice against outsiders, and yes, i have worked in the us and mainland europe, cities and large towns.i suppose you can take your own view on this, and come to your own opinion on why i may have felt this way.i will give you one example to consider, just for the sake of it.i’m irish, and had, prior to the time i spent in australia, lived in london for eleven years. i experienced much more, not good humoured, anti irish (catholic?) crap at work in melbourne, than in those years in london. and, incase you are unaware, london suffered several ira bombings. although, i would doubt the average australian would be too familiar with that.they are on the tip of asia after all, not england circa 1950, or the mid west usa circa now, though its hard to tell at times.
March 31st, 2007 at 1:00 am
I’m an Australian currently living in Washington DC (I was looking up a damper recipe for my son to take in to school), when I found all these comments. Until moving here at age 33, I’d lived in Canberra all my life. If you are looking for a well-educated, sophisticated mainly liberal-thinking place, it’s got to be one of the best cities you’ll find anywhere. The make up of kids from different cultures in my kids’ school classes in Australia was about the same as it is here in the US, though there are many more Latino kids here. There were a couple of kids in Oz who had immigrated from Africa, a few Pacific Islander kids, a few from South America, Russians, people from all over Asia, India, Sri Lanka, parts of the Middle East, just everywhere! It was great - living in Canberra - it is clean, and easy - you don’t spend time stuck in traffic, just doing whatever you like to do. You have friends from all over town, ’cause you can get from one end to the other in half an hour. It’s a great place to raise a family - low crime rates, surrounded by nature, environmentally conscious, loads of National Museums, Art Galleries etc., and has very high standards of literacy and numeracy (the highest in the country), right up in the top four by world standards, great Unis and schools. Lots of the families from school got together to socialize, and everyone was friends with everyone else. My closest friends there were born in Hong Kong, Australia and Chile. So if you have a family, consider moving to Canberra - it’s a well kept secret (the rest of Australia likes to pay it out for being boring), but it really is a great place - everyone I’ve known who’s moved there from Sydney or Melbourne hated it for the first 6 months and then never left. I found it a very accepting place for everyone. Personally I think that someone who chooses to be an Australian is honoring it through that very choice, I mean I just (luckily) happened to be born there - they chose it.
Australia is possibly perceived as being racist as our Indigenous population (which has doubled in the last 30 years from around 1% to 2% of the total population) are so maltreated and disadvantaged. Nobody knows what to do about it and it is such a huge problem and is often out of middle class Australlia’s everyday view. I have know idea how to make their lives better - it is appalling that Aborigines live in third world conditions, in such a wealthy country, and have such high rates of early death, infant mortality, incarceration, poor health, unemployment under-education, - the list goes on. There is so much legacy damage in their cultures, caused since European settlement, that it can’t be easily fixed. I see a similar situation here in the US, where there are ghettos of African American people, who are also incredibly disadvantaged and again, it is a horrible legacy of past and current treatment. Ask an Australian Aboriginal person whether Australia is racist and they will probably say yes.
April 2nd, 2007 at 3:46 am
Hi Peeps!
I am a black American (woman) interested in emmigrating to Australia. Normally, I don’t worry about racism as it is pretty much everywhere in some form or other, but just out of curiosity, I googled ‘blacks in Austalia’ and came upon this site. After reading all of the above comments, I couldn’t resist!
I traveled to Western Australia (WA) last year to 1) visit a home sick friend living in Port Hedland (those of you that know the place, I’m sure she’d invite your sympathies, and for those of you who don’t, well, let’s just say it’s known for its rather red earth-and iron ore!!) and 2) to get a feel for the country and people.
I do think there is some racism, but not in the sense that I think most Americans would be familiar (ie lynchings, etc). Most of it stems from people just not knowing and understanding each others’ cultures (ie one woman using the term ‘jigaboo’ in reference to Aborigines and not knowing that it was also an offensive term used in reference to black Americans-she apologized). And when initial meetings are laced with violence (ie the influx of Europeans in the early formation of the Australian country from a political stand point), it is difficult to mend whatever bad feelings have emerged between groups. We struggle with it constantly in the US, but I think it is mostly fueled by the media and racial demographics interlaced into economic reports on education, poverty, job earnings, etc. I mean, really, who cares?? It’s not important!
Anyway, my visit to WA was lovely! People were more curious than anything, and (don’t get upset Aussies, I mean no disrespect with the next comment) I felt like I was at home in the US!!! I didn’t feel that people were unwilling to come up and ask questions or just wait for you to say hello to them-most were very helpful. My friend in Port Hedland had no problems mingling with the locals, as a matter of fact, she and her husband (both white Americans) had tons of friends (and we all know how Americans are not the most well liked around the world right now)! And their friends were all wonderful!
There was a mutual dislike of the Aborigines (or ‘black people’ as they call them), though, and I did notice that even my friend seemed to fall into this line of behavior. I don’t think she knows any, but she fell into the trap of believing all she had been told about them - the sterotypes mainly. And, I have to admit, I did a little as well, not so much as I would ever bar their entry anywhere or not let them do a certain job if qualified or even comment (I was taught not to say anything if it isn’t nice). But (and I really don’t know how much truth there is to this, so if anyone would wish to ’school’ me on it, I’d be much obliged) from what I understand, the Aborigines are offered pretty much everything (education, homes, vehicles, land, etc.) for free and rarely take advantage of if because it doesn’t mesh with their beliefs! Well, you can’t fault people for that, but if that kind of thing was offered to blacks in America…I could only imagine the possibilities (and problems)!!
Anyway, I think Australia is a great country with great people and I can’t wait to meet and mingle with them all - racists included!!! In the words of our much troubled and ignorant president, “Bring ‘em on!!!”
April 4th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
This is a great webpage with so much info about Aus. However, we must be careful and sensitive about the type of dissemination. Somebody wrote up there that Australia is recruiting doctors from the 3rd world countries without allowing them to go through medicals and take the proper exam. This is completely untrue. The fact that a doctor killed (as the person wrote) should not lead to such an unwaranted statement. Where is the evidence in the first instance? Have we not seen instances where patients died in the hands of doctors from Britain, Ireland and even Aus docs? Are patients not dying (even sometimes mistakely) in NHS hospitals in UK? There are top GPs and other specialists(from 3rd world countries) in hospitals all over the world. For your info, patients are now moving form UK to go to India for surgical operations.
The submission is entirely rubbish and doctors go through full medicals before entering Aus. Can you name any HIV doctor from Nigeria or India?
There is recism every where even in your bedroom not to talk about your home town. Do a study on UK, you will understand better. Even in the church you can not escape it. Black people are beginning to take it more than the whites who find themselves in other white countries.
April 8th, 2007 at 6:18 am
Racism is everywhere. It is in your mind if you allow it. The moment you start looking down upon yourself or looking down on other people, then an element of “racism” begins to manifest in you. All over the world, people do not trust one another any more and foreigners are looked down upon. UK probably has the highest racism rate in the world. When you apply for jobs in the UK, Equality and Diversity Form is filled. That form is pure RACISM form.
If you do not want to experience any form of racism, then stay in your country no matter how bad it is. On the other hand, life is too short to get stuck in the same place, day in day out and talking to the same set of people.
I believe the moment we start to appreciate one another, tell our children positive things about themselves and others, and begin to overlook our skin colour, we will make life easier for ourselves and generations yet upon.
April 13th, 2007 at 6:24 am
G’day Everyone, Im a white Anglo-italian male and my partner is a black british female and we both live in the UK (London). We’ve been granted our permanent residency VISAS and were thinking of moving to Brisbane in a year or so. Although all the above postings have laid to rest a lot of our fears, I was wondering if Brisbane in particular (Surfers, Oxenford, Pacific Pines, Coombabah, Labrador, Sunshine Coast) was particularly more racist than other places mentioned above such as Sydney, Perth, Melbourne etc etc - or is it just a case of where ever you go there’s always going to be a few bad eggs.
Thank you
April 28th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
When I came into Australia from Holland I was 9 Years old and didn’t speak a word of English. My impression was that Australia was definitely a racist society, This was in the Good old days when an Australian Aboriginal was not allowed to go into a public swimming pool when he had earning confiscated by the government and put into trust (they are still waiting to get them back) and nothing has changed the the existing Government of Australia holds onto power by showing Australians that they know how to deal with those terrible asylum seekers. As a matter of fact I think there is more bigotry now then when I got here in 1958.
May 6th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
I WAS JUST LOOKING THROUGH THE COMMENTS IN THIS PAGE AND I MUST SAY THE COMMENTS OF TREVAL REALLY PUT THE OLD BLOOD PRESSURE UP A NOTCH THIS PERSON IS COMPLAINING ABOUT RACISM DON’T THEY REALISE THEY ARE DOING THE SAME THING BY THEIR COMMENTS ABOUT W.A. AND COUNTRY PEOPLE
I ASSURE YOU TREVAL NOT ALL COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE UNEDUCATED HILL BILLY HICKS
I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND THAT WHAT YOU GIVE OUT YOU WILL RECIEVE BACK
WHICH IS WHAT I HAVE DONE AND NOW LIVED IN THIS COUNTRY FOR FORTY YEARS VERY HAPPILY
May 25th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Anthony and Treval: who the hell do you think you are? Seriously. I am not racist and im a ‘white’ australian and im not a pig ignorant —-wit and who are you to sit and judge ALL white australians thus? Shock Horror that would make YOU a racist anthony. my my. And you Treval. inbred hill billy hicks….interesting notion. Did you know that Perth Australia has one of the best burns units in the world? We must have very stupid specialist burns doctors. Oh what about all the great australian painters? scientists? lecturers? Or how about the average every day australian that has a better chance of getting into Uni here than some other countries. If you dont like it here so much and think so lowly of us….why are you still here?
May 28th, 2007 at 5:34 am
There are LOTS of black people in Australia. There are thousands and thousands of Africans! Somalis, Sudanese, ect. They are even in alot of country areas as well. The Sudanese have been coming to Australia since the 1960’s, and Australia also has alot of african american bastketball players. There was a brawl in Perth a while ago I heard between Sudanese, Somalis, Abos, and whites.
May 29th, 2007 at 1:02 am
Interesting. I’m a Black British female and I have always wanted to know if there were a few black people living in Oz as I have always wanted to visit (thanks to the years of watching Neighbours and Home & Away, lol) Anyways…from what I have read in the comments, I can’t wait to visit!! What also nailed it for me was seeing a Black Australian Idol winner with a cameo part in Home & Away one time!
May 29th, 2007 at 10:32 am
yes ..it is definetely a racist country…i did an accounting course in melbourne and all white australians, mostly the old ones, asked me whether i want to stay in aust or go back to my country..you can see the satisfaction in their faces when i said ill go back…when i said i will take permanent visa, their faces changed, i hate to see their facial expression…i cant explain but i just fell sick..they think their country is the best in the world..and yes ..at uni, mostly the students are divided into several groups..believe me..when i was doing english course with a lot of asian friends..some aussies will throw away something from their cars and yell…”get out from our country…”..thanks ..now i love my country more than ever…………
May 29th, 2007 at 10:40 am
as far as i concern, australia is a racist contry ..like other countries in the world….as an evidence, aussies love pauline hanson,,right…she was a runner up in a dancing with the star tv programme ….where the winner was based on a poolling by the viewers….and dont forget to watch some garbage programs like current affair …..the news is mostly about the australian great fear of “NON AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT” being imported to their country..and they always use the stupid jargon “PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN”……so stupid…or maybe they complain about the local workers being swamped by asians….asians take all the aussies jobs……..so stupid..i think the only reason they let asian come in is to make the aboriginal issues well balanced with the asians…..hmmmm
May 30th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Come come everyone… how easy to brand Australia as racist… do try and visit other countries and get the benefits and welcome that you get over here. Just because a few people make the odd stupid comment does not mean that we are all racist…what a load of bullshit… I am sick and tired of it… only the other day I got on a bus and sat next to a black (african) woman greeted here and commented on the fine weather… she told me to move as her husband was getting on at the next bus stop and that he did not want her to talk to others. Sometimes it is their fault they are not welcoming back to us.. I am also cross that it is always supposed to be our fault when something goes wrong…Look in the mirror some of you and take off the chip on the shoulders.
As for the students at university… I was there recently attending a lecture and nearly every overseas student told me openly they are studying to get into Australia so they can bring out their families and take advantage of our generous welfare benefits which are given upon reception of permanent residency… This is now being questioned and makes some people angry that the easy ride to get into australia is now over. Lastly, the comments about Australia could easily be fitted into other countries and I suggest that those people who are worried about racism in Australia are welcome to migrate to other English speaking or European countries… Why else are there so many requests and attempts for people to migrate to Australia? There must be something good about the place! Shut up complaners and move elsewhere if you dare!
June 2nd, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Pamela, cut the craps!!! Face the reality, racism is well alive and living in Australia. A fact that racism may well be harsher in other countries does not justify your silly argument that Australia is not racist. I love this country, but Australia is not racist? GET REAL!!!
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:37 pm
Keep it polite folks, or I’ll turn off new comments.
Renna: Re: Pauline Hanson, she has failed utterly in her attempts to stay in politics. Maybe people think she can dance, but they certainly don’t want her running the country.
June 5th, 2007 at 2:37 am
As an aboriginal of australia i find that there is racism in oz. Maby not so much towards other indegenous people from other countrys, but aboriginals and torres strait islanders put up with some sort of racism everyday. The racism is more so in the country towns inland as that is where alot of aboriginal communitys have been forced to live. So if you are from another country and are thinking of moving here, dont stress to much about people being racist to you, but spare a thought for the indegenous people who where here befor all of you! They are human beings too and deserve respect.
June 21st, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Speaking as a 1st-generation UK-background (with a bit of Pakistani thrown in) upper North Shore Sydney girl who went to a selective school in the North-West, whose entirely 1st or 2nd-generation immigrant friends lived either in the North or way out West, and who now goes to uni in the Eastern suburbs, I think the majority of Sydney-siders are not racist, and the ones that come across as racist or bigoted (eg, “Where are you from? No, where are you REALLY from?”) are just ignorant/curious/unintentionally (though well-meaningly) rude.
My school was about 90% Chinese, Korean, Indian and Sri Lankan, and so unlike most white Australians I’ve experienced being in a very visible racial minority. At first I was sensitive and a little uncomfortable at how different I suddenly felt. Everyone was very conscious of their own ethnicity and we had all sorts of slang for different groups (like “Honkie” for Hong Kong Chinese, “Shangs”; “Lankans”; “Curries”; and “Skips” for whites etc), but although this could be mistaken for racism or racialism, it was really more a matter of pride in one’s origins and history as distinct from the Australian mainstream, curiosity about each other’s backgrounds, and a level of comfortableness with it all that we felt free to joke around and mock-stereotype ourselves and each other. All the terms I’ve just listed were used with the same degree of affection as “wog” is now used by, say, Greeks or Italians to each other. Sydney is the kind of place where we can all be our polyglot selves, and being Australian is so utterly assumed that it goes without saying. No one ever felt the need to tag “-Australian” to the back of “Chinese” because it was simply obvious - of COURSE we’re all Australian.
Having said that, outside the better parts of the city, if you leave the fun, mixed suburbs of the inner city, north-west and west and head (very far south) to the Shire, you do get Cronulla-type places where the lack of outside influences leaves everyone quite parochial. But there’s nothing intrinsically dark or bad about people from the Shire, it’s just parochialism. The ones that leave and head up north into the real world of Sydney are all perfectly lovely, civilised and accepting. In the major cities, like Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and even Adelaide (;p) I think it’d be rare to have a problem and I can’t imagine anyone actually being violent over something so silly as racism.
Overall, I think Australians are a relaxed and well-meaning lot. Parochialism is the true problem, not racism, and that generally manifests in ignorant curiosity, nothing worse. Immigrants and visitors from Europe, East, South-East and South Asia are totally commonplace but not so much from Africa or blacks from the Americas and Caribbean. You’d stand out more, you might get a couple of second looks. But after having been initially hurt by some of the stereotypes and preconceptions about white people in my high school, I swiftly learnt that oversensitivity is silly because it’s very rare that people are actually bigots or actually mean to insult you. Likewise, when I visit England and people on occasion make jokes about ubiquitous Aussie bartenders, pet kangaroos or call us “the colonies”, I do no more than roll my eyes at the tiredness of their jokes, and never assume that people are trying to hurt me.
June 27th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
You tell ‘em Rebecca !
Seems to be alot of hatred here!
and I’m truly sorry that so many people have felt that, but i still believe its still a very minor part of Australia.
When I am on holidays in the bush lol, I do get and see people saying ‘konichiwa’ and bowing their heads.. and it’s kinda retarded, but overall, espeically in the cities, I’ve always though it much much much much much better than any country I’ve ever visited or heard of in my life.
I agree with Sarah about Alexis’ call centre problems =)
I don’t think it’x so much you, but more people’s hatred for telemarketing lol
Im genuinely sorry they’re so evil!
All in all, it is so much better here than any other place in the world..
Hehe, Alison.. I wanna go to Canberra *is sorry for all lame Canberra- is- boring jokes she has said in her lietime..
Lovelove Australia !!!
June 28th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Oi mates, Black American woman here going to Gold Coast specifically Surfer’s Paradise in 3 weeks. You know its good to see all different opinions on here. It just will help me to have a positive experience but also I will keep an open mind at all times. I just think that no matter where you go some people will have an opinion of you no matter what whether its color, gender, race, overweight, rich, disabled, man I can keep going. But from experience it seems that the older generation no matter what country seem to be more set in their views and sterotypes.
I have to say I am a little nervous but my friend who I am going to visit who is from Brisbane says all will be fine and that most Aussies dont give a crap about your color. They are so laid back and relaxed. I also assumed on my own that since we will be staying in a tourist section of Queensland that I will feel more accepted?? I am just so excited and ready for this new adventure. My friend and my friends’ family have been taking the piss outta me (been learning the lingo) because I am a DAMN YANKY. Hey shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, we are not going to tell them but the only Yankees I know come from New York and wear blue and white pinstripes!!
Well I will post again when i come back and let all know about my experience which I am sure will be faboulous!!!
July 4th, 2007 at 12:39 am
I was born and raised in Australia,but have a middle eastern backround,and i can tell you that racism definately exists in Australia,i get people giving me dirty looks,treating me rudely,being called things like like,camel humper,for no damm reason other than the way i look.Im not saying all Australians are racist,one of my best mates is a Aussie,but it is a racist country,especially to Middle Eastern’s.
July 10th, 2007 at 2:16 am
Hi, black gay male from Brazil, but currently leaving in Canada. My partner and I were thinking to move to Australia, but I’m not sure yet. He is 100% sure that he wants to go, but I was just wondering how is the weather and best city to leave in, and most important how will they see us there, you know been black and gay. Thank you for the comments.
July 10th, 2007 at 2:17 am
Sorry guys, I ment to say ” I am a ” then the rest of the comment. Sorry again.
July 10th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Hi Marcio,
Sydney or Melbourne! Sydney’s sunny most of the year, has gorgeous beaches, a large and quirky inner city cafe and nightclubs area, great East and South-east Asian influence on food etc. Melbourne’s also a fantastic city, and admittedly has more in the way of edgy live music, museums, art & performance… but their weather isn’t as good! Melbourne gets hotter in summer and colder in winter; Sydney is more temperate. Also, Melbourne is on quite a flat plain, whereas Sydney is hillier in places and close to beautiful natural parks like the Blue Mountains.
Second, Sydney has a huge and proud gay population - we’re meant to be the gayest city on Earth after San Francisco and Amsterdam - so I can’t imagine you and your partner finding a better city in Australia to live in. And I really don’t think you’d have any trouble with being black!
So how would we see you here? Simply, welcome!
July 10th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Rebecca,
Thank you for your comment. My partner and I were reading you feedback together and he was saying “I told you so!!!” He really want to go, and I can’t handle the cold weather anymore. We will be filing our paper’s with the Australian Immigration department soon, but I want to go there first and see everything. We are planning to go there on January. Is it a nice moth to go and see. I want to go on the summer when the weather is rally hot, jut to see if we can handle it. I’m sure we can…
Again thank you for your comment. And once I get back I will post the updates.
July 27th, 2007 at 3:28 am
I am the Black American woman that has recently come back from the Gold Coast. First I must say what beautiful place to visit. I did NOT experience any racism at all. No funny looks or rude comments. One of the Chef’s at a hibachi style restaurant I went to was given me crap for being an American, but it was funny and non offensive crap. The Aussies were so warm and personable and just GREAT FOLKS. I loved it and plan on going back real soon.
July 29th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Kai,
As a Queensland resident I’m pleased you had a good time on the coast - I’m glad you liked it enough to want to come out here again. I’ve travelled in countries all over the world, and I’ve always found people anywhere are at least reasonable, and often surprisingly kind and friendly to a complete stranger. I hope all your future travels are as happy as this trip.
August 7th, 2007 at 4:17 am
I am of indian origin, single and have lived in the uk most of my life. Hopefully next year i will be coming to Western Australia, maybe Perth on my own, to work and live there.
I would just like to know what i can expect being on my own. What is the standard of living like? Will i survive on my own?
Thank you.
August 15th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
When i moved here from NZ i realised that the people in Melbourne love nothing more than making stupid racist jokes about me. its realy annoying and if anyone can help please leave a resonse.
August 27th, 2007 at 10:03 am
the standard of living should be the same for everyone
everyne is unique
September 19th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Hi, read all these comments and find them interesting. As a Sydneysider who moved her a couple of years back, this is what I have noticed.
1) Racism in Australia has definitely increased over the years - back in the 80’s or even early 2000’s, I have not heard many complaints, nor did i even experience any hint of racism. In fact many thought I was born and raised her when I first arrived as an international student, who later applied (with very much ease) for PR via a skilled migration scheme (which was definitely MUCH more relaxed than it is now). But in the last 3 years, I have faced some kind of racism (some subtle, and others plain rude/ignorant) which is a surprise, considering how long I have stayed here.
Changes in Citizenship rules and migration scheme is an obvious evidence, but then, I can’t blame them because some non-English speaking migrants have admittedly abused the system as I’ll mention in another point.
2) Contrary to what most people say, I think people who first emigrated here while they were single and without family (mostly skilled independent migrants who started off on a working visa) are less subject to racism than those who emigrate on a partner/spouse/family visa. Because most independent migrants, are usually young, adventorous singles (kind of like myself when I first arrived), who have no committments and no family to support, and tend to be more “curious” checking out locals, and will therefore find it a bit easier to assimilate with the locals after some time. Their lack of a family support system here, further drives them to seek out their comfort zone and mingle with all other races, Aussies included. Australia in my opinion has what u call the “tall poppy syndrome”. It is a nation that prides on being “real” and genuine” and seems to have strong admiration towards people who are independent and willing to step out their comfort zone, albeit in a natural way that does not appear like they are “trying too hard”. I notice this trait absent in migrants who have family responsibilities (especailly those married to fellow migrants). I have a particular migrant colleague(I would rather not disclose his background), who emigrated with his wife and his football team of kids…and mann, the way he tries to assimilate with the Australians is somewhat pathetic and pitiful. it is so obvious that his attitude around them is very fake, and one can tell he does not really like them, but is only pretending to be nice just so as to win favour with Aussies so that they can potentially help him seek greener pastures for him and his family. Although I can’t blame him for “trying too hard” as he is struggling to feed his family (wife does not work, has no skills) and his hypocritical behaviour is probably a result of stress. Needless to say, he has been the subject of many racist comments.
On a personal note, I have noticed how some initially single migrants’ life changed for the worse, after they decided to drag their family members from overseas into Australia. Australians somehow find it threatening, that many students were (in their own terms) “abusing” the skilled migration system. For example, some students came to Australia on the basis of THEIR OWN skills, not their parents’ nor their spouses…and for them to drag another “potentially dependent” migrant into the country can be perceived as “threatening”.
That is not to say that Single migrants cannot marry…of course they can, but they are usually better off marrying a local or a fellow migrant who’s lived in Australia as long as they do, and if they really miss their family, they can get their family to move to Australia on the basis of the family’s own merit and skill, with each family being a fellow single migrant as well. But I doubt that would help, simply because Australians cannot seem to tolerate the sight of an entire “foreign” family as opposed to a “single” foreigner (unless the families choose to segregate within Australia, and stop hanging out in public)…which leads to my next point.
3) Australians are more racist towards foreign migrants who are married to/constantly seen hanging out with fellow foreign migrants. But they are more tolerant (and even very friendly) towards foreign migrants when they are alone, or seen hanging around with Aussies, or multi-cultural groups. I guess Australians are instinctively less inclined to be xenophobic towards foreign migrants who are seen as “culturally open-minded” to other races as opposed to those only sticking with their own families, or own race. Back in Uni many years back, I realised that my friend who only stuck with fellow international students, was more subject to racism, than another International student who had friends all over the world, including Aussies.
4) Sometimes, Australians do not mean to be racist, but they are just plain ignorant…full stop. One just has to be more forgiving, and not take it too personally.
5) As per a previous comment, we also do have the right to stand up against the racism.
6) The reason for increased racism is because the Government in the past has been waaaaaay too relaxed about letting foreigners in, particularly, those who do not speak English, and those who take advantage of the system by bringing their non-English speaking dependents into the country. While I am in full support for the Migration scheme introduced in the past, I believe the Govt has closed a blind eye towards certain factors - like the abuse of the “family migration scheme” and of course the abuse of the Partner migration scheme (you know, stick together for a couple of years, and then divorce after getting residence.. yeah….those stories).
Well, these are just personal observations over the last 10 years from me and some friends. And some are observations of a long-time neigbour who has been here for 20 years. However, I guess some of you may not agree with me.
I also noticed the post by Giz and I have this to say to you Giz - You have nothing to worry about. You lived in the UK, and you are on your own. I am sure they will be kinder to you on the basis of being single. I presume your UK background also makes you a little different from the traditional Indian (no offense) which will definitely dispel any stereotypes that Aussies have about traditional Indians. Any racist remarks made to you, however, will be more because of your UK experience rather than your skin colour (you know all those footy issues). Even then these are usually subtle…just try not to discuss sport.
However, if you dragged your wife, kids, parents, grandparents..extended family…then oh…you will be in deep trouble.
I wish you all the best of luck!
September 24th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Hi everyone
I am sorry to say that Australia (well Sydney) is a racist country. I lived in Sydney for at least 20 years - studying, working, etc as an Asian immigrant. Although other countries have racism too, other countries stamps this out very quickly. Australian sort of tries to ignore it.
I still treat Australia as part of heritage and part of me since I lived there for so long. Australia is like a father to me but my father is a xenophoic, alcoholic man who hates everything foreign and treats me like a step-son. But if I do well overseas, my father will try to link my Australia as much as possible.
I’ve received complaints of too many Asians and complaints that Asians don’t assimilate (i.e. it is NOT OK for a group of Asians to be together but no one says anything when a group of white people are together).
You just have to look at the history of Australia to see how racism and the fear of foreigners is so part of its history and still is part of the Australian landscape.
September 24th, 2007 at 9:52 am
Do a search on Youtube with the following words:
Can We Get a Black Guy Into a Brisbane Club?
and you will see the undercurrent of racism in Brisbane, although Australia has all these anti-racist and multicultural laws etc…
September 25th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Ok
For those of other nationalities that have encountered racism in Australia, deal with it, it may suck but it happens everywhere in this world. I’m a half caste Aboriginal female - obviously born and bred here - and I’ve copped racism from both blacks and whites and I don’t let it faze me. The way I see, feel and breathe it, us Australians are a bloody proud patriotic lot and how we carry ourselves sometimes could be seen as racism by those who aren’t from here. It’s just the way it is and like we say, ‘ Love It of leave It’. But in saying that we can be very accepting. If you’re a person (no matter what nationality you are) who is willing to have an open mind, able to have a good laugh at yourself or a good laugh with your mates in general and if you have respect for this country and everything it has to offer, then we welcome and appreciate that.
No wuking forries.
September 25th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Oh, and I forgot to add, we hate whingers. So if you cop flak for whinging, take it sweet and learn from it. TIA. This is Australia.
October 1st, 2007 at 11:22 pm
HeY lOO i am 13 yrs old from india and i hate racist ppl i now i dont mean much in this subject but i am moving to perth in december 2007 by the way 2007 now =D and i just wanted to know this too jus thought of dropping by and saying hi…….well here goes hi!…….have fun in perth ! ! ~~ ! ! ok ok going now -_-
October 25th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
I am a white male, mixed Euro decent. My wife is Japanese. We have two kids.
Firstly I want to state as many before me I think racism exists everywere. I think Racism exists in Australia. I think Racism is not restricted to people on the street who use words like nigger or gook. A racist is a person who even thinks these terms belong in or acceptable in any way shape or form. For example a joke. Theres no grey area in racism. There are the ares and the are nots.
Sounds pretty grim, but thats not to say there arent great people everywhere either, as there truly are.
Ask an aboriginal in Australia if Australia is racist, Im fairly sure you will only get a resounding yes.
Dani, I agree. I think its true that pride could be construed as racism in some cases. But totally disagree with telling people to deal with it. And I certainly dont believe someone airing a greivance over a racist act is being a whinger.
Pamela wrote on May 31st, that she spoke to a black woman on a bus? train or something. What immediatley struck me were two things, this erred Pamela because the woman was black and she thought she was being polite, then Pamela said basically its ok to be rude to non whites if they dont make an effort. Do we know this black woman was not born in Australia - why do we make that assumption to begin with? Why cannot this black woman ride the public transport system in quiet enjoyment if she wishes.
Would someone come to a forum and say hey I was on the bus today and said hello to a White Australian and she told me to shut up. Of course not. Someone might they were being polite and someone told them to shut up.
Pamela I dont mean to single you out or even imply you are racist. I just wanted to make a point.
I had a white friend (whos now not), once say to me something like bloody Chinese everywhere here (place we happened to be in Melbourne), my comment at that time was something like, well maybe some are of Chinese decent but Im pretty sure many are not (being the place was Victoria St in Richmond), to which he replied still theres a lot. My thought at the time was why does it matter to you? What if everyone around us was white?
Im not perfect. But I do consider myself a reformed racist.
When I was a boy in Sydney, my mother was a volunteer doing something with Aborignals, often she bought aboriginal children to our house and wed play etc. As a boy I was always curious about differences in peoples appearance. So Id ask why they look different to me. My mother would reply it doesnt matter how people look we are all the same! Sounds pretty non racist right. My mother was also the person, who when cut of by a driver of asian decent would refer to their race. Didnt they teach you how to drive in China? Goes only knows if the person was even Chinese.
So on I went, treating everyone pretty much the same. It was only one day I heard myself say something similar to Pamela that I realised I was racist. Which is why I say I consider myself reformed.
None of this has anything to with me marrying a Japanese woman by the way. A couple of my friends did ask me how my family might react when I said I was going to marry a japanese woman - why should this even be an issue.
I think in all honesty, Australia is the greatest country in the world and I am damn proud to be an Aussie. I think almost all Australians are generally good people, who have no thought of harming others or impeding them in anyway.
There is however in my opinion an ignorance about the existence of racism, that racism isnt just about tolerance and name calling. I think we need to bring it out into public domain and discuss it and work over the ignorance instead of ignoring it.
I sound a bit preachy. I dont apologise.
November 15th, 2007 at 10:54 am
hey everyone well im a white australian and i have been born and breed in this country and i just wanted to say that alot of the comments on this page are true but i think some of them are abit sterotypical. Myself iam not racist i have had friends from all different cultures and for me personally i love that australia is as multicultural as it is. i have lived in country towns to the big cities like melbourne, brisbane, adelade, growing up in melbourne i went to a school that was made up of all walks of life and i never knew what racism was untili got til my teenager years and then it took me years to figure out why people would hate someone just cause they are black, asian or muslim, but i have realised that it is because the people that are, are just your typical dumbarses that are so closed minded and also are scared of the unknown.
I have meet a few people like this but out of all the people i have meet in my life it would be a very minute number that are the dumbarses and are racist.
I think people need to realize to that whites are not the only racist ones, as i said i am a white australian and i have been called names because of this aswell i have had guys scream out there car that i was white bitch and i have had a few other comments aswell in my time.
But i would like to say that i believe that i live in the best country in the world and to make this country what is has become isnt just because of white people, it is because of all the hardworking aborigines and torres strait islanders, the samoans, the newzealanders, the asians, the indians, the americans, the english, the africansand there is so many more cultures that have made this country what it is but there is just to many to mention if australia was not as multicultural as it is it would not be the place that it is.
So to answer the question is australia racist i would say that is any other country racist i think all countries are racist in there own way. every culture in the world has its faults and every country has its bad eggs and every country has its closed minded dumbarses so yes australia has racism BUT it is just a few closed minded dumbarses that know no better just like every other country has them and also i go to a tafe on brisbane australia and there is nearly more black people than there is white people so yes there is alot of black p0eople in australia but i would say more in the cities than the country and if you wanted to connect with other people from your culture we have some great community services for people of different cultures. k-ci
November 18th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
hey im am an African immagrant living in Australia and i think Australia is a very racist country. if you are not white, they will never accept you or treat you as one of them. Since the start of this year, i can hardly walk down the streets without anyone calling me names. Recently, in the media, there was this heated debate against Africans, they are claiming that Africans are not intergrating in to the wider community and not adapting the ‘Australian way of life’. If Black people walk in groups, people think they are forming gangs just because they dress differently, if Asians walk in groups, well then they are swarming Australia, if Indeginous Australians walk in groups, they think they are up to something bad. But if white people walk in groups it is normal. Its Just how we live here.
November 20th, 2007 at 7:14 am
I agree with you Tina.
If you look at the history of Australia (AND EVEN NOW), Australians hate everyone:
1. English
2. Italians
3. Greeks
4. Asians
5. Indians
6. Muslims
7. Blacks/Africans
The above pretty much covers the whole world.
Australia is also the ONLY developed country whose government has been regarded as racist by the United Nations.
And the funny thing is when someone provides facts like this, a typical Australian would say “this is the greatest country in the world, if you don’t like it, **** off!”.
November 20th, 2007 at 10:32 am
John, I’m not about to defend the Australian government on this, nor to deny that Tina’s obviously had some problems. (Story about the UN report.)
But to claim that Australians hate everyone is a gross generalisation. Simply read the comments above and you’ll see there’s a big range of attitudes, with many people finding they have no problems.
November 20th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Daniel, thanks for your comment.
I have met some really nice people in Australia. While they may be nice, they are really ignorant about the world they lived (sort of like Bill O’Reilly from the States). Especially about Aborigines and how they think Australia is THE best at Everything.
I know I was overgeneralising but just look at the latest news from Australia - Sir Bob Geldof attacks the Australian Government (a DEVELOPED country) for its pitful 0.3% GDP foreign aid spend.
Although I am not a fan of Sir Bob, what he provided was FACT.
And how did Australians react? See the over 600 comments - a vast majority of them did this - attacked Bob on a personal basis (rather than looking at this FACT), ignore this fact and replied with “Australia is the greatest country in world, conform or **** off!”.
November 20th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
But I just want to say thanks to you Daniel as I didn’t realise you are the owner of this page for people to express their opinions (whatever they may be).
November 21st, 2007 at 6:07 am
Hi all,
I found this site by complete accident but what i found and read has been very interesting and eye opening.
I am a 21 year old ‘white Australian’. My family came over here as convicts - thieves etc. To all the people who think we treat Aboriginals like ‘low class citizens’ when we stole their land, I think you’re mistaken.
We treat them like that if they deserve to be treated like that- some Aboriginals are alcoholics, drug addicts, thieves, child abusers and are always in trouble with the police, gang beating ‘white’ people just for the change in their pocket or (in some cases) their shoes! (eg. when I was about 7 years old, an aboriginal girl that was in the class 2 years up from me, punched, kicked and pulled my hair me for no apparent reason.)
I’m not condoning ‘Aboriginal bashing’, I think it’s wrong. But I also hate the fact that an Aboriginal man raped a 2 year old baby girl and got only a few months in jail.
On the flip side, however, my grandfather has an Aboriginal friend that he has known since we moved to this part of Perth almost 14 years ago, and he is the kindest, sweetest person you could ever come across.
There are sweet apples and sour apples, you just have to stay away from the sour ones.
And I’ll also admit I get uncomfortable when I see a group of Asians walking past me when I go to the city (Perth), but for the news coverage of all the ‘gang bashings’ and what-not, I don’t think I’d feel that same feeling.
And yes, I agree that the majority of Australians are lazy. And good luck to those of you who are thinking about moving here in the future. I hope your experience of ‘racist’ Aussies doesn’t tarnish your view of the nicer ones.
I have to say I agree with Nozz and k-ci. Nozz- we definitely do need to bring this issue into the harsh bright lights of reality and talk it out. And k-ci- I know how you feel when you talk about being abused by passers-by for being white.
We need to realize that no matter what colour we are, we were all made the same, just in different shades.
November 27th, 2007 at 7:30 am
I can only hope that the Rudd government will be able to unite the polarised nation the country has become under the howard governemnt. Bigots such as the ususal rabble of shock-jocks out to be starved of the oxgen that feeds xenophobia.
December 21st, 2007 at 8:57 am
There you go, another article of how some Australians don’t know how to cope with foreigners. This time, it is Muslims. Irony is, there is already 8 Catholic schools, 4 Christian schools and 1 Jewish school in the area.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22955711-5006009,00.html
Daniel, seems like you are an odd one out of the Australians in Camden (i.e. you actually is not a bigot).
December 21st, 2007 at 7:02 pm
All I can say is that I’m ‘of middle eastern appearance’ and in the US I’m treated like I’m white but in Australia and Europe I’ve experienced a lot of racism. In Europe they’re more open about racism- they will say things like: Muslims are bad, but in Australia it’s a lot more covert which is dangerous. Instead they’ll make comments relating to dirtiness/smelliness/lack of intelligence etc. which have no basis preferably in front of a large audience to enhance the humiliation factor (now that’s true class or clarse shall i say) .
January 5th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
I’m amazed at some of the attacks along the lines of: “all” Australians are racist - and uniquely worse than everywhere else??? Come on - please, at least try to make the comments Honest and Sensible. Yes, there is smug self satisfaction amongst too many here, (but only in Australia? Hardly) and there are racists in Oz! (peculiarly an Australian phenomenon? You have to be joking!!!! This is NOT about “good” countries and “bad” countries, it’s about the ignorant and the Humane. Australia, like everywhere else as both types - it’s a form of bigotry in itself to smear the entire Australian population with the “Racist” brush.
January 12th, 2008 at 2:19 am
Hi all!
I’m Black/African American and even though I heard a lot of negative it’s nothing unlike any other country…namely the US. If I can live here then I can live there. I just want to experience different cultures and meet new people. I have to say that in some ways I’m racist and I’m black. We all are. I love the Mexican race, grew up with them, stayed nights at their homes and I love their food, but I hate the way many of them drive. But I also have been to Mexico and have seen their transportation system and understand why they drive that way but it still doesn’t stop me from not liking the way SOME…not all of them drive. I believe that can be construde as a racist stereotype.
All races have traits to do some things negative & positive. That’s just being real! I have lived many places in the U.S. particularly one town that blacks warned me not to move into because they use to have KKK meetings. I was even warned not to visit a smaller town where they really had the KKK meetings and I ignored them all. I never encountered racism the entire time I lived in those parts but I think it’s the way you carry yourself. Actually, I have found that white people are really nice while in that town the blacks were standoffish. If you are nice and genuine to people they can tell you are true and will except you on your own merit. But if you have in your mind that they are racist…that makes you close minded and people can smell it on you.
Indians and Middle Easterners don’t really speak to me in the U.S. and mosttimes I don’t speak to them either. Asians sometimes look mean but I have learned that they are pretty nice people and we they smile, their face lights up. It’s beautiful. I think Indians and others from Middle Eastern countries are racist towards blacks in the U.S. I think they have watched too many programs and news and refuse to settle their own minds about black people. I don’t think I have ever been said hello to by one of them and honestly I just live them alone. If someone doesn’t like me because I’m black, that’s their loss because I’m a great person, fun to be with and I cook very well. If you can’t look beyond a person’s skin color, you’re sick and should call a doctor.
I love the skin I’m in and no racial comment will change that. It may hurt my feelings but my feelings have been getting hurt all my life and I always bounce back.
All my experiences have greatly enhanced my character…hopefully this is true for most.
How hard is it to become a citizen of your country? I do not work and I couldn’t understand why a spouse not working is a problem in your country…could someone explain why it is. My husband is a software developer and we have one 10 year old daughter…of course she doesn’t work either. I have chose not to work to be home for my daughter and to care for my home and husband. This is good for me but again, I am ignorant to why me not working is a problem.
I know some of you will not agree with some things I have said and that’s okay. That’s why no 2 people are alike. We have our own opinions, hangups and charm!
Tootles!
Cheers to all good people! Pray for the bad ones…they’re sick.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Sorry but Aussies are the most racist from all the countries I’ve lived in. Steve, you will regret coming here, the US treats blacks better. BTW I think you’re really a white racist person pretending to be black.
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I’m the steve that Lina thinks is a white racist “pretending to be black” - WHEN did I ever Pretend to be black??????” I am a white australian born person and never claimed to be anything else - and how am I a racist??? Please copy one single prase I used anywhere that can possibly be construed as racist??
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
By the way “Lina”- I think your an american pretending you’ve lived in australia - I don’t think you’ve ever been in the Southern hemisphere - just another nationalistic US chauvinist. I repeat my request: give me one phrase i’ve ever put in this forum that’s racist - it’s a pretty serious insult to bandy around without reason. (But baseless accusations and pretexts for attacking foreigners is what you guys specialise in, hey?)
February 15th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
And I’ll also admit I get uncomfortable when I see a group of Asians walking past me when I go to the city (Perth), but for the news coverage of all the ‘gang bashings’ and what-not, I don’t think I’d feel that same feeling.
>> Why you feel uncomfortable when you see a group of Asians walking past by. Understand that Asian is not a race, there are east asia, south east asia etc. And east asia people usually are totally different from other part of Asia. And note that east asian usually have the lowest crime rate, and I am very curious of what are you worrying about.
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:53 pm
just so you all know , Australia has becoming more racist than before. I am a Chinese from a south east asian country, living in maroubra. I have never experienced any form of racist treatment until I moved in to Sydney. A couple of days ago, I took a bus ride to the city. There was a bunch of white boys or “white tra**h” should i say ,sitting behind me. As they were about to get off the bus, they stopped besides me and began spitting on me for no reason. I was taken aback and could not react on time. I did not do anything to offend them . They were laughing scornfully as they got off the bus. The bus driver who was “white” saw the whole incident and pretended he never see a thing so as the rest of the passengers. I will never get over it. That sad incident really violated my dignity and I condemned them to hell. Suffice to say, hows that for a multicultural country?
March 4th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Thank you for all comments, and apologies for the slow approval of some of them.
Unfortunately some comments have veered off the topic, so I’m now closing comments on this discussion. Again, thanks for all contributions.