Dear Cornflower, calling me a lefty is quite odd and I'm sure people who know my fairly trenchant views on greenies and anti-populationists will attest.

I certainly wasn't holding up Malaysia as an example. Try being Indian or Chinese over there. Tough one.

No. I was thinking more about how our Asian neighbours see us. We seem at once like the worst racist aspects of South Africa in the 1940s and on the other, hang wringing do gooders.

It seems that we don't have much collective vision past the corner shop.

It will take alot more than a few brown faces to fix Neighbours. Sexist crap like that is probably beyond saving.

David Jennings, "I think that Cornflower's comments reflect the fundamental weakness in the position of those who reject greater diversity in Australia. They point out that other countries in the region have racial problems - as if that somehow excuses Australia. They also argue that pointing out our own flaws is some type of "self loathing."

What absolute rubbish, I was replying to Cheryl who quoted some Malaysian friends who were critical of Australian policy specifically in relation to Tampa. Go back to the context, there is a clear implication that Malaysia's policy and ethics were superior to Australia's which was and is damned nonsense and needed to be outed as such.

You know nothing about my views and did not have the decency to ask, being more interested to setting up a straw horse to bolster your own argument which was unrelated to Tampa.

No, I think I articulated and rebutted your views pretty accurately. Its not my fault if you can't make a good argument. Cheryl's comment actually doesn't contain the implication that you suggest. So in fact it was you who set up a straw man.

Joe we're on the same side. In the workplaces I've been in things have been fine. But your examples are equally valid.

Keith's comment is actually very indicative of the intellectual poverty of the racists. Kaith doesn't want to answer for racist white Australians - fair enough. But then he suggests that Nazeem should share his views on women etc. Why? So that Nazeem can reflect the "Muslim" viewpoint? Keith also suggests that Indians and Muslims don't enrich Australian society. Really?? A lot of them hold down good jobs, pay their taxes and obey the law. Thats fine by me. Keith also fails to mention the number of Indians who apologised to Andrew Symonds when he was in India. You have to tell the whole truth in a debate.

Malaysia? That's where Vietnamese boat people were machined-gunned when they tried to land. I'm fairly tough and cynical, but I felt quite ill as I watched an ABC documentary about a Vietnamese-Australian family who returned to the spot in Malaysia where they buried their two children after their boat was sunk by Malaysian forces. The then Malaysian PM was the biggest pig in the region.

Some of the clowns who post here are too busy calling people 'racists' to realise that that we are not talking about how many people from different cultures have come here, nor how many will come here in the future. As our neighbours are Asians (we are not an Asian country by any stretch of the imagination) it is fairly natural that we will get a fair percentage of Asian immigrants with something to offer us. But, the UK is still our largest source of immigrants.

Australia still is, and will be for a long time, an Anglo-type country with other compatible Europeans whose values and customs are the same. The non-white immigrants came here presumably because they thought our way of life was better than they experienced in their countries of origin. The majority of them, while privately carrying on with the parts of their enculturation they cannot or do not want to let go of, (perfectly acceptable) mostly seem to accept that it is not their place to try to change Australia to suit their varying cultures when they know full well that they came here to get away from their past. If they every return to their former countries, they will hardly recognise them, and they will be glad to return ‘home’ to Australia.

We seem to have had a sudden influx into OLO of Generation Y’s, who wouldn’t know if their backsides were on fire, but who still think that they know it all, despite their relatively short time on earth and their total ignorance of history and anything that happened before they graced us with their presence

The Television and Film Industry in Australia has endured fierce competition over the years in addition to being a small country with Banks and loaning institutions turning down many programs and projects. Govt plays a large part in relation to our imports and exports of programs. The original neighbours programs were made well over 15 yrs ago+ when there may not have been many "brown skinned" Australian Actors and Actresses of Indian or middle eastern origins. Similarly other archaic Ozzie silly soapies I've never viewed.

However, I do recall Neighbours [many years ago] had cast a European or was it a middle Eastern girl [and "brown-skinned"]to play a major part in Neighbours. Another Australian male of middle eastern origins also played a visiting part by memory.

Australian family viewing has changed dramatically over the past twenty years with competition of foxtel and newer technology constantly. Many families view foxtel programs [my children do not watch anything other than certain programs on foxtel] nor do my other Australian friends with European, middle eastern and Indian backgrounds. They too for many years have raised their children viewing Foxtel programs.

Some Aussies "love" the old pommy Coronation Street, Faulty Towers, UK police and crime shows. Some Aussies "love" watching the yanky soapies and programs. Some Aussies prefer the hot italian and french shows [I caught one years ago feeding my daughter]. Many Aussies "love" watching movies that include all nationalities with great storylines in their programs.

In a nutshell; I would not take the line or view and concern yourself to generalise that half or more of the Australian population are sitting down viewing Australian soapies and programs watching primarily white skinned Ozzie actors and actresses. No way.

The average Ozzie works 7-12 hour days anyway and misses most of the soapie rubbish put on TV. Most children are into their new technology of the internet, facebook, play station games, weii games, sport and other interests and activities; therefore this young multicultural generation should not be affected by the issues highlighted in your views/observations.