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MELBOURNE
BRUNSWICK
BUNDOORA
FISHERMANS BEND
POINT COOK
HAMILTON
HO CHI MINH CITY
HANOI
–
Expert comment on Minister for “Respect” –
Recognition of the existence of racism in Australia is the first step for government
to provide leadership in combating the problem, RMIT University’s Associate
Professor Jennifer Martin says.
“The appointment of the nation’s first ‘respect’ minister to tackle racism and
alcohol-fuelled violence shows the Victorian Government sees the urgency of
these issues,” Associate Professor Martin said.
“But while we fail to acknowledge the truth of our past, the efforts we make against
racism and bigotry will go nowhere.
“The inescapable truth is that Australian history is steeped in racism.
“Historically, new immigrants to Australia who hold onto their native language and
culture and look visibly different experience racism, prejudice and intolerance from
some members of the Australian-born population.
“Skilled immigrants, who predominantly enter the labour market at a professional
and technical level, have far less experience of overt racism.
“The White Australia Policy established by the introduction of the Immigration
Restriction Act in 1901 remained the basis for Australian immigration policy up to
the late 1960s and its legacy cannot be easily discounted.
“Our official policies on immigration moved from assimilation to integration and
finally to multiculturalism in the 1970s.
“But after finding that multiculturalism had virtually failed as a policy and was
generally misunderstood within the community, the Fitzgerald Report of the mid-
1980s was honest enough to say that the Federal Government needed to
recognise that racism still existed and to provide leadership in combating it.
“We need such honesty now, from governments at all levels.
“Migrants may be seen as threats, valuable contributors or as insignificant.
Leadership from the top is essential to create a community where new arrivals feel
not just tolerated but accepted by the host society.
“This will require change in both groups – those who are new to the country and
those already here.”
For interviews: Associate Professor Jennifer Martin, Associate Professor of
Social Work in Globalisation and Culture Program of RMIT University’s
Global Cities Research Institute, 0438 424 799.
For general media enquiries: RMIT University Communications, Gosia
Kaszubska, (03) 9925 3176 or 0417 510 735.
21 January, 2010
NEWS 
