Thread: Sorry Terry, Racism 'does exist in Australia'

Racism 'does exist in Australia'


Article from: AAP
June 14, 2009 11:47am

RACISM does exist in Australia but that doesn't mean the whole society is racist, says Race Discrimination Commissioner Tom Calma.
Mr Calma said Australia could not allow a repeat of what happened in the 1990s when racial comments by politician Pauline Hanson inflamed attitudes across Asia.
He said attacks on Indian students in Australia had the potential to hurt the student markets as well as other trade.
"We need to recognise that racism does exist in Australia. It doesn't mean the whole society is racist but it does exist with individual's actions and small group actions," he told Channel 10.
"It's important that we all accept that, understand and start to develop the frameworks to address it into the future and not be reactive but be pro-active.
"That is really what I think we are lacking at this stage."
Education ministers meeting in Hobart last week decided to set up a taskforce to protect the interests of overseas students following recent attacks in Sydney and Melbourne on Indian students.
That led to mass protests and threats to the highly lucrative international student market.
Mr Calma said the police needed to work with the community to ensure measures were implemented to prevent this escalating.
He said it would affect international markets and the student industry.
"Students are coming here not only because we offer a quality education but it is a different lifestyle," he said.
"Those engagements as students will develop into good business relations and other relationships into the future."
Mr Calma said since the Indian student market began developing in the mid-1990s, Bollywood had started to produce films in Australia and there had been an expanded trade relationship.
"We need to be able to understand that and work to protect it," he said.

OZ has an official holder and paid position of Discrimination Commissioner? Is this an elected situation or appointed?