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Guest Post: by Tintin

The Sydney Morning Herald’s latest Backpacker column has caused a stir:

That’s the thing about Australia – on the surface we’re a pretty happy, knockabout bunch of larrikins, but underneath lies a sad undercurrent of casual racism and xenophobia.

We might not all be One Nation voters, sitting at home carving swastikas into our foreheads, but I know a lot of people who fall into the, “you’re in Australia – speak f—in’ English” mould of fear.

Mr Backpacker goes on to explain the slightly idealistic idea that travelling breaks down barriers of ignorance and xenophobia (great word that; it means racism, but somehow gentler = nice racism).

You can read the full post here

It was his earlier point that remained with me: that Australia is a surprisingly racist place. I would agree. (And obviously the title of this piece is designed to proke – to imply Australia is a racist country is itself a racist generalisation).

My homecountry Britain is far from perfect. It has its own race-related problems, which could keep us here all day. But it’s the casual racism down here that’s shocks me.

Work colleagues nonchalantly say things that would get you sacked – and rightly so – on the spot at home. Usage of words like “Abo” (the equivalent of “n*gger”) is widespread and carefree, there seems to be a general distain for Australia’s Indigenous people, tour guides will tell racist jokes without expecting anyone to take offence.

People I’ve assumed are well-rounded, bright, liberal-minded types – young people – have shocked me with racist comments. Bottom line: it’s socially acceptable to be a bit racist here.

It’s not usually Swastika tattoos. It’s usually more half-hearted, more jokey, banterish even…

That certainly doesn’t make it okay or harmless. But it does fit into the classic Aussie piss-taking attitude.

For example, I know Aussies who’ll say “Paki” without realising it’s highly offensive to most people outside Australia (and any Pakistanis in Oz). It’s the classic Aussie way of shortening people’s or countries’ names.

When they do realise, they stop using it (or cease to be my friend). I’m not defending this type of thing, just trying to get a handle on why it might be more acceptable to say unacceptable things Down Under.

There are some other key difference between the two countries. Firstly, despite Australia’s claims to be a multicultural society it just isn’t. A few Asian restaurants does not make Sydney or Melbourne a shining beacon of multiculturalism. Australia is still very much an Anglo-Saxon mono-culture, with some good quality eateries here and there.

Despite One Nation and Cronulla, it hasn’t seen a real, sustained, ugly or violent far right uprising like the UK has, a far right movement that shocks the mainstream; shocks it into not wanting to be associated with those ideas, shocks them into not wanting to make casual comments for fear of being associated with “them”.

Another reason is there just aren’t enough non-white faces around, in the streets, on the TV, in their sporting teams, to make them feel shame at making casually racist comments.

A few months back I was watching a rugby league game in a pub with a football team I’ve since left. One of the black players was referred to as “a monkey” by an Australian sitting with us. I think that’s a lot less likely to happen in Britain.

No one let him know that that comment was not okay. Not even me. I should have done. I feel ashamed of that.

Australia has a different type of problem to Britain, but it certainly has a problem. The bottom line is, it is sort of generally seen as okay to be a bit racist in Oz.

That’s because most people, the moderates, the mainstream, people like you and me, let it be okay.