In Australia, racism is inextricably linked to the history of colonisation and migration.

The original inhabitants, Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people, were dispossessed of their land and were discriminated against by the first British and European settlers. For some Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, the process of colonisation has been perceived as invasion. Racial discrimination has continued to influence the lives of Indigenous Australians in the two centuries following white settlement.

The migration of peoples from all parts of the world led to the increased cultural and linguistic diversity of the Australian population. Prejudice and discrimination have been directed towards many groups who arrived in Australia, in particular towards groups from language backgrounds other than English, despite the fact that many government migration schemes invited people to settle in Australia.

As Australian society has become more diverse with continuing immigration, expressions of racism in Australian popular culture have changed over time. Racist language and attitudes that were common at the end of the nineteenth century are no longer acceptable one hundred years later.

So why does racism continue to find expression in new ways, reinforced through the popular media?

Any thoughts?

Racism in Australia...does it exist?

Yes... especially in restraunts in Sydney's China Town.

Dear Oliver,

Please explain ...

Sure it exists. I've had a few on my forum, though they tend to spit the dummy for some reason. Which is a shame because they generated some interesting debate.

Historically, a major reason for the Federation of this country was not just a “feel-good exercise” but was intended as a way to keep the Chinese out. The animosity that grew during the gold rush continued for decades and there were still protests against new arrivals on the docks right up to 1900. Therefore the country was partly founded on the notion of racial difference.

Some of us may recall the treatment of post WW2 European refugees. (There might be Nazis among them, they may carry diseases, they’ll take our jobs).

Then in the seventies, they were more accepted because we have the Vietnamese boat people arriving. (There may be Communists among them, they may carry disease, they’ll take our jobs).

Then things were relatively quiet for a while.

There was a short resurgence of anti-Asian sentiment but that changed rather suddenly about six years ago.

Now even my son’s friend – a Chinese immigrant- has joined the chorus of all other groups united against Middle Eastern immigrants (There may be terrorists among them, they may carry disease, they’ll take our jobs/welfare benefits).

Meanwhile many racial groups fight among between themselves and everybody still argues about the aborigines.

Even English immigrants have to run the gauntlet of racial stereotyping. The closest cultural relatives we have - Kiwis - are still not good enough to be accepted. (Unless they are successful Rock Stars in which case we call them defacto Aussies).

In fact I can’t think of a single ethnic group that has been warmly accepted into this country, no matter what the circumstances – economic, political or humanitarian.

Given the sports-mad culture we have and the need to define everybody by what teams (or game code) they support, it’s probably not suprising.

If it isn’t racism, it must be tribalism or just an endearing entrenched national trait.

Foxy you write
'In Australia, racism is inextricably linked to the history of colonisation and migration.'

I take it you don't believe tribalism is racism. Aboriginals have discriminated against each other on the basis of tribe for long before the white man arrived. Many tribes still fail to get along. Its interesting that today most people in Australia can accept democracy with all its flaws. This includes Asian, Africans, Islanders and even Kiwis. Our indigeneous people by and large can't accept democracy because they still think tribally (ie we own the land, we are the victims, the whites are all scum,). Some portions of land in WA have up to 10 tribes having native title claims. Tribalism keeps people in bondage far more than the few racist in this country. Racism does exist in every nation. Unfortunately our indigeneous are among the worse racist people here.