At work the other day, an open question was aired in my staff room by an English member of staff. “Australians are quite racist aren’t they?” This was a response to the decision the other day by the council of the outer suburban Sydney area of Camden to reject an application for an Islamic school in the area.
Unfortunately this is not the first time Australians have been seen as racist, ignorant rednecks. Pauline Hanson, a two bit politician from Queensland made history when she made her maiden speech in Parliament:
On 10 September 1996 Hanson gave her first speech to the House of Representatives, which instantly made headlines and television news bulletins across Australia. She warned that Australia was “in danger of being swamped by Asians” due to high immigration, asserting that Asian immigrants “have their own culture and religion, form ghettos and do not assimilate.” She also denounced the policy of multiculturalism and the “privileges Aboriginals enjoy over other Australians”, advocated the return of high-tariff protectionism and generally decried many other aspects of economic rationalism and what she perceived to be ‘political correctness‘.
However, what is more insidious about this is that the council say they rejected the application on planning grounds. When you try and cover up what is obvious racism, there is more chance that the world will react angrily. However, there is absolutley no justification for saying that Australians as a race are bigoted. There is unfortunately a small, very vocal minority that have way too much to say. But then again, visit any country in the world, and you’ll find pockets of people that are racist, sexist, homophobic, and xenophobic.
Australia prides itself on being a very successful multicultural society, and by and large, it is. The majority of Australians have no issue with the diverse cultures they share their lives with. What is just as ignorant is outside people who look at isolated incidents, and tar everyone with the same brush. The fact that Australians have constantly supported a national apology for indigenous Australians, and that many members of local, state and the federal government are from lands beyond Australia’s shores, demonstrates that an Aussie is an Aussie, regardless of race. We not only welcome those from other countries into Australia, but we encourage them to go even further and take up citizenship. We want, need and appreciate anyone’s input when looking at making Australia a great nation. So to say “Australian’s are quite racist, aren’t they?” is ill informed, and a gross generalisation.
To those in Camden who rejected the application for ‘planning reasons’, I express my disappointment. You have given those who love to criticise Australians, plenty of ammunition, as this was headline news both on CNN and BBC World. Islamic countries from Indonesia to Bahrain will be watching very closely and will not be pleased. You have demonised the Islamic community yet again, just when they were recovering from the emotional battering that they have received in so many ways since 9/11. It’s time for small country communities not only in Australia, but all across the world, to take their heads out of their collective arses and realise that we live in a global community, and not a village filled with ‘us’ and ‘them’.
Enjoy your day.
