While most Australians
rightly believe that Australia is a multicultural nation, in reality
multiculturalism is encouraging divisions, discrimination and racism.
Australia needs an inclusive multicultural policy to dismantle “white”
dominance and unite Australians.
Since the early 1970s, Australia has embraced
multiculturalism and prides itself of being a multicultural nation.
After abandoning the “white Australia ” policy, Australia has become one
of the most culturally-diverse countries on the planet . However,
multiculturalism, as a government policy, is promoted not because it is
good, but because it serves the ideology of the ruling class, enforces
white dominance and protects white privilege. Hence, Australia 's white
Anglo-Saxon elites have an interest in investing and maintaining a
marginalised “ethnic” or “other”.
Furthermore, there is a tendency among white
Australian elites that Australia must remain a white Anglo-Saxon society
controlled by a wealthy white ruling class. This is despite the fact
that 44 per cent of Australians are born overseas, or have an
overseas-born parent. Only whites (preferably Anglo-Saxons) are
Australians and only whites have access to good jobs and justice.
Multiculturalism is an anti-culture that identifies white Europeans as
“Australians” and the rest as the “ethnic Australians” without identity.
Ethnic Australians are told to “assimilate”, but cleverly divided,
weakened and put in “their places”, in segregated communities.
Successive Australian governments, particularly
under the Liberal/National Coalition, have failed to promote racial
harmony and provide programs to help disadvantaged Australians and new
immigrants obtain employment and integrate into the Australian
community. “We are not an economically equal society by any means. There
are sizeable pockets of considerable social disadvantages to be found
in every state, especially among Indigenous communities and in older
industrial and regional areas”, writes Wayne Swan, the Australian Deputy
Prime Minister and Treasurer. ( The Monthly , March 2012).
Australian multiculturalism did little to eliminate racism and
discrimination against minorities, including Indigenous Australians.
In the so-called “fair go” Australia , the gap
between the ‘haves' and ‘have-nots' is growing exponentially. Data from
the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that the wealthiest 20
per cent of Australian households have increased their average net worth
by 15 per cent since 2005-06. The poorest 20 per cent saw only a 4 per
cent rise . As the income gap between the rich and the poor grows wider,
Australians are increasingly ghettoized.
According to a recent research in the Australian Economic Review
(vol. 45, pp. 29-49); Australian-born parents (i.e., white Anglo-Saxon
Australians) are more likely to send their children to well-funded
private schools “where the share of their like type is higher” rather
than to public schools to avoid exposing them to “unfamiliar cultures”.
It is alleged that “there is an over-dominance of some cultures in
public schools, which is denigrating the quality of education”. ( The Age , 21 March 2008 ).
It is Important to note that, most ordinary
(civilised) Australians believe in an egalitarian and truly
multicultural Australia that treats all its citizens equally regardless
of skin colour, religion and ethnic backgrounds. However, racism and
discrimination are deeply-entrenched in white Australian elites .
Indeed, about 85 per cent of Australians believe that racism is a
problem in Australia .
While it is unlawful in Australia to discriminate
against people because of their skin colour, religion or ethnic
backgrounds, most Australian institutions practice racism and
discrimination. The education system, the media, the justice system and
the police are fuelled by racist practices. Of course, in public, the
ruling elites pretend to serve the community, but under the skin, they
are truly bigots. In fact, racism is so entrenched in white Australia to
the extent that an Australian from a non-Anglo-Saxon background has far
less chance to be selected for employment (e.g. at a university) in
Australia than a white English, a Dutch or an American holding no
residency status and has no right to work in Australia. Nepotism and
corruption are rampant and carefully nurtured to enforce white dominance
and privilege in the nation's most important institutions. Tens of
thousands of unemployed professionals, including doctors, PhDs,
engineers and teachers are driving taxis and doing low-paid odd jobs,
despite serious shortages of these professions in Australia . Muslim
Australians and new immigrants are denied the opportunity to work and
serve the community because of their religion and non-Anglo-Saxon ethnic
backgrounds.
A survey on racial and ethnic discrimination in
Australia conducted by the Research School of Economics at the
Australian National University (ANU) released in June 2009 found that
there is substantial evidence of racial discrimination in employment.
The study found that Australians from non-Anglo-Saxon backgrounds had
greater difficulty of finding employment than those Australians with
Anglo-Saxon background. According to the study, people with a Middle
Eastern names and background (a.k.a. Muslims) had to send 127 per cent
more applications for a waiter's position than their Anglo-Saxon
contenders. ( PDF ). As a result, unemployment among Australians from non-Anglo-Saxon backgrounds is significantly higher.
Of course, there are those Indigenous and “ethnic”
Australians who passed through the net and become the face of Australia
's shallow multiculturalism. Their presence is nothing more than a PR
designs to help in deflecting accusations of racism and discrimination.
They are often paraded in front of TV cameras obsequiously dismissing
any accusation of racism to promote Australia 's (fake) image of a
multicultural and “tolerant society”.
The Indian author Arundhati Roy liked this to the
forgiving of the Thanksgiving turkey in America : “A few carefully bred
turkeys — the local elites of various countries, a community of wealthy
immigrants … the occasional Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice … are given
absolution and a pass to Frying Pan Park . The remaining millions lose
their jobs, are evicted from their homes, have their water and
electricity connections cut, and die of AIDS. Basically they're for the
pot. … So who can say that turkeys are against Thanksgiving? They
participate in it”. (The Hindu , 18 January 2004 ). The same
holds true in Australia . The like of Warren Mundine, Marcia Langton,
Pino Migliorino, Stepan Kerkyasharian, Penny Wong and Noel Pearson come
to mind.
Racism in Australia is systemic. It is well managed
subtle kind of racism than elsewhere. Australia has a Multicultural
Minister and several government-funded agencies and organisations, such
as the Anti-discrimination Commission, Equal Opportunity Commission and
the Human Rights Commission that act as enforcers of racism,
legitimising discrimination and dismissing any criticism and
racism-related complaints. There is no bill of right and v ery few
Australians know that Indigenous Australians are not recognised in the
Australian Constitution. Everyone knows his/her place. No one dares to
complain. “If you don't like it”, you are told “go back to your own
country”.
As Oscar Humphries, the editor of the London-based art magazine ‘ Apollo' who grow up in Sydney writes :
“My own experience, having attended school [in Australia] until the age
of 11, and then lived there during my early 20s, is that underneath the
blocky ‘mateship' of a certain type of Australian male there is a seam
of racism. This racism is not only applied to indigenous Australians,
but also to, for instance, the Lebanese [Muslim Australians] and Greek
immigrants who live there”. ( The Telegraph . 29 June 2011 ).
Since 9/11, Muslim Australians continue to live under siege, often
harassed and bullied by ASIO and the police.
Most recently, a right-wing politician, Teresa
Gambaro from the so-called Australian “Liberal” Party, a collection of
right-wing bigots and dirty fascists, accused – after “hearing reports” –
non-white (a.k.a. Muslims) immigrants of failing to wear deodorants and
integrate into the community.. It is not true that new immigrants have
failed to integrate into “Australian culture” and ‘lifestyle”. Most
non-Anglo-Saxon immigrants left their simple ways of life at home and
have adapted well in Australia , doing all kind of dirty jobs. It is
evident that Gambaro herself has not adapted well in Australia and
remains an illiterate indulging in old racial stereotypes that
contaminated the brains of most bigots in the Liberal Party.
Gambaro is the daughter of poorly-educated Italian
immigrants. After fleeing the impoverished and war-ravaged Italy to
Australia , Gambaro's father worked as a farm labourer and a fishmonger –
who stunk for many years – before he established his seafood restaurant
in Brisbane . Gambaro's rise in Australian politics is not because she
cares about Australia or has a dubious university degree, but because
she is white European. Her only contribution to multiculturalism is to
greet new immigrants with hostility in order to advance her political
interest because racism is a vital tool to dehumanise the “other” and
manipulate public opinion.
We all know that, Australian politic is exclusively
white territory, and only white Australians have the right to be in the
Australian Parliament and participate in democratic debate. It is a
privilege position to be in. It provides wealth and power and enough
influence to advance the interests of relatives and friends. There is no
democracy in Australia . What is called “democracy” is a quarrel
between two corporate groups (parties) of wealthy white elites serving
their own interests and the interests of their wealthy handlers. The
people are duped and misled by politicians and the capitalist
(corporate) media and forced into a delusional believe that real change
can come from electing a different corporate group (candidate) of
wealthy elites.
Like in most Western countries, the Australian media
(outlet of the capitalist media) constantly demonises non-Anglo-Saxon
immigrants, Indigenous and Muslim Australians, inciting racism and
promoting divisions. Ethnic divisions are exploited and used by the
media as an opportunity to promote fear. The media in Australia is a
small pond of vicious white sharks. About 75 per cent of the printing
media are controlled by the neo-fascist Murdoch Press, a pro-Israel
Zionist and anti-Muslim propaganda organ. Australian major TV channels
(ABC, 7, 9 and 10) are the cesspool of Britain and U.S. rubbish. They
have no shame when it comes to demonising and bashing non-Anglo-Saxon
Australians and new immigrants, particularly Muslim immigrants.
Australia 's media are dominated by white Anglo-Saxon bigots . There are
no places for Australians from non-Anglo-Saxon backgrounds only in
stereotypical roles.
Meanwhile, the self-described multicultural TV
station, “Special Broadcasting Services” (SBS), has become the main
demoniser of Muslims. It is often called the “ethnic” station. The
station is financed by the pro-Israel Zionist lobby and managed by
faceless white Anglo-Saxon executives. It is an anti-Muslim, racist and
warmongering propaganda outlet. Its anti-Muslim agenda is hidden behind a
façade of dark-skinned, unprofessional newsreaders and second-hand
journalists. Like all capitalist media outlets, SBS alleges to be
“independence”, but in reality, it is a dirty byproduct of CNN, BBC,
Al-Jazeera, Fox News and CBS propaganda. Its aim is to deepen the ethnic
divide, tear communities apart and deny Australians from
non-Anglo-Saxon backgrounds a collective voice. People are misled to
have a strong “ethnic” identity, which isolates them and decreases their
sense of belonging to the Australian community .
Having said all that, it is important to acknowledge
that there are worse places in the world than Australia . Australia is
not Europe or the U.S. , where racism is condone and promoted by
right-wing governments and neo-fascist parties. When it comes to dealing
with ethnic minorities, Europe 's history, of course, is littered with
crimes against minorities. For instance, some European countries,
including France , Switzerland and Holland send Roma Gypsies and Jewish
refugees fleeing from the Nazis back to Germany . Today, Europe has
become a bastion of Islamophobia. Muslim immigrants and refugees bear
the brunt of Europe 's neo-fascist policies . Of course, Australia 's
current policy of dealing with desperate (mostly Muslim) refugees is a
Nazi-like inhumane policy and should to be condemned.
Moreover, unlike Europe , Australia lacks the
neo-fascist, far-right Islamophobes who practice “direct action” to
expel immigrants in Europe . Crimes against Muslims and newly-arrived
non-European immigrants are committed on daily basis. Many innocent
people (mostly Muslims) and refugees have been murdered by neo-fascists
in Europe , including Germany , Belgium , France and Britain . European
political leaders, such as the neo-fascist Nicholas Sarkozy in France ,
David Cameron in Britain and Angela Merkle in Germany have attacked
Muslim immigrant rights using multiculturalism as a cover. In other
words, multiculturalism is used as a code word for Muslim. The promotion
and exploitation of Islamophobia by Western leaders serve as a cheap
vote winner among their racist electorate. Indeed, Sarkozy is
campaigning for re-election on an anti-immigrants and anti-Muslim racist
platform. The on-going attacks on multiculturalism by European leaders
are seen as a justification for Western governments' involvement in
U.S.-Israeli criminal wars in the Middle East , West Asia ( Afghanistan )
and Africa ( Libya ). This is why both Nicholas Sarkozy and David
Cameron declared during their violent aggression against Libya that
multiculturalism is dead in their respective countries. Like the U.S. ,
most Europe is multicultural regions, but also condones racism and
discrimination against certain minorities.
In the U.S. , Americans are segregated by
centuries-old racist ideology and racist laws. As a result, the U.S. is
one of the most unequal societies in the world with extreme and growing
inequality ( Extreme Poverty in the United States, 1996 to 2011 ).
Anti-immigrants' sentiment is spreading like wild fire across the U.S.
Thousands of “undocumented” immigrants have been imprisoned or deported
and their children were taken away from them and put in foster homes.
There are hundreds of extremist and anti-immigrants hate groups,
including 170 Neo Nazi and 152 Ku Klux Klan groups ( The ‘Patriot' Movement Explodes ). Australia is not Europe or the U.S. , not yet.
Australia still has to dismantle its white Australia
policy and eradicate racism and discrimination to nurture a truly
multicultural Australia . There is no such thing as Australians and
“ethnic” Australians. One is either Australian or not. The only way
forward is an egalitarian Australia for all Australians regardless of
racial and ethnic backgrounds. An inclusive multiculturalism will unite
Australians and make Australian strong.
Ghali Hassan is an independent political analyst living in Australia SOurce
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