In the Media

Admitting our racism problem is first step to a solution

Thursday, 09 September 2010 15:11

At a recent hearing before the United Nations' expert panel on racism, Australia's ambassador in Geneva stated that Australia was ''one of the world's most tolerant countries'', an ''open, multicultural and welcoming nation'' with ''core values of acceptance, tolerance and open-mindedness''. SMH’s Emily Howie argues that the policy is directed only at people of two particular nationalities, who as a result were, and continue to be, kept in prison-like conditions for at least three to six months, even though they committed no crime.

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Key Asian voters fled Labor, claims SMH

Monday, 06 September 2010 07:08

Labor was its own worst enemy when it came to Asian voters in the Federal election  two weeks ago, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Discussing the "walk away" from the ALP, the SMH's Andrew Stevenson argues that the Labor vote in NSW dropped most in the electorates with the highest proportion of Asian-background residents. The Liberal Party did best where it ran local candidates of Asian background. Three issues drove the swing - the unseating of the PM Kevin Rudd, the perceived anti-immigration stance of the new leader Julia Gillard, and among religious Christians and Muslims, Gillard's atheism. 

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What happens next on Australia's UN Racism charge?

Monday, 30 August 2010 15:37

Crikey writer Robyn Seth-Purdie points to the down-stream implication of the ICERD report condemning Australia. She notes that: "the UN committee on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination (the committee) has given Australia another serve in its latest report on Australia’s progress in implementing the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). States who ratify this treaty agree to abide by its articles. Regular reporting to the CERD Committee, a body of 18 independent (honorary) experts drawn from states that have ratified the convention is part of the deal. So too is abiding by the recommendations of the committee. Australia’s past behaviour in the latter respect could only be called recalcitrant.

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Refugees and racism

Friday, 27 August 2010 15:48

Professor Kevin Dunn from the school of Geography and Urban Studies at the University of Western Sydney has made a special study of racism in Australia and notes, "Broadly, Australians have very positive attitudes on cultural diversity [and] only about one in 10 have what we call problematic views."  

ABC 

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Ed Husic defies racist scare to become first Muslim MP

Friday, 27 August 2010 11:19

Former union boss Ed Husic is set to head to parliament as Australia’s first Muslim Federal MP. He’s the new Labor member for the Western Sydney seat of Chifley.  Husic's experience is also discussed in our Election 2010 Wash Up. Here he is interrogated by ABC 7.30 report about what being "a Muslim" means politically - even a "non-practicing" one.
Full transcript on ABC

Read more: Ed Husic defies racist scare to become first Muslim MP