Has Australia escaped its racist past?

Add this video
to your playlist

Has Australia escaped its racist past?

15 Jun 2010

Has Australia escaped its racist past?

Australia's history is littered with incidents of prejudice and discrimination based on gender, religion and race.

Yet, this same history also includes stunning advances in social equity - not least in the creation of a vibrant, multicultural society. So, it stings Australian sensibilities when local and overseas commentators claim, from time to time, that they are fundamentally a racist nation. Recent events, especially violent crimes against Indian students, have escalated the level of criticism.

However, is such criticism justified? While the taint of racism may stain the lives of some individuals, is it fair to apply this label to a whole society?

And even if justified by past deeds, can a society escape the gravitational pull of its history and make amends for its past?

Speaking in favour of the motion 'Australia has not escaped its racist past' are Professor Robert Manne, Hanifa Deen, and Gautam Gupta.

Robert Manne says racism has become normalised through the denial of its original existence, and suggests the Howard government exploited these prejudices for political gain.

Hanifa Deen suggests that despite the racist policies of White Australia having been abolished, their residual effects are still present in Australian society.

Gautam Gupta cites the fact that Indian students are highly vulnerable to street crime as proof of racism present in Australia today, and insists the government deny the problem exists because of its economic dependence on Asia.

Speaking against the motion are Dr Gurdip Aurora, Professor Bob Birrell, and Dr Tanveer Ahmed.

Gurdip Aurora describes his own experiences, and his involvement with the development of anti-discrimination policies, to suggest Australia has come a long way from its racist history.

Bob Birrell says that the large population of people from overseas living in Australia today, along with high rates of intermarriage between different ethnicities, would not be accepted in a society like that of the country’s past.

Tanveer Ahmed believes racism is an overly simplistic accusation for more complex social problems, and insists modern Australia is not a racist nation, and still a very desirable one to immigrate to.

First vote: 70.5% for, 13% against, 16.5% undecided

Final vote: 71% for, 20% against the motion, 9% undecided

Thank you to IQ² Australia for allowing us to use this video.

Speakers for the motion

Hanifa Deen

Award-winning author
Gautam Gupta

Founder, Federation of Indian Students of Australia
Robert Manne

Professor of Politics; Convenor of the Ideas & Society Program at La Trobe University

Chair

Simon Longstaff

Executive Director, St. James Ethics Centre, Sydney

Speakers against the motion

Professor Bob Birrell

Director of the Centre for Population and Urban Research, Monash University
Dr Gurdip Aurora

He is currently the longest serving Visiting Medical Officer at the Angliss Hospital and teaches medical students from Monash and Melbourne University.
Dr Tanveer Ahmed

Opinion columnist, The Sydney Morning Herald