THE man chosen to give the NSW Australia Day speech will
tell his audience: "Racism is still very much alive in Australia."
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Dr Charlie Teo, a world-renowned
neurosurgeon and son of Chinese immigrants, said yesterday that
while Australia was "the best nation in the world", even his
daughter had been a victim of abuse by drunken Aussies because she
looks Chinese.
"I don't quite like it when I hear politicians reassuring the
Indians there's no racism in Australia. That's bullshit," Mr
Teo said at the NSW Australia Day Council's launch
yesterday, ahead of his speech on Monday. "Racism is still very
much alive in Australia.
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"My daughter, for example, was saying to me just the other day,
very sadly, she doesn't like Australia Day. She has in the past
dressed up, got into the spirit of things, put a sticker on her
face, worn the green and gold and been told by drunk Australians to
go home because she looks Chinese. That's so sad. You can't get
more Australian than my daughter."
But immigrants also had a role to play to ensure they were
embraced, he said.
"I get upset when I see ethnic minorities behaving in a bad
way," Dr Teo said.
"I know it's controversial but you can't expect Australians to
embrace immigration unless immigrants who come here are
respectful."
The Order of Australia Medal recipient and two-time NSW
Australian of the Year finalist said he loved Australia's
egalitarian mentality and other attributes, adding: "The bottom
line is I believe in (Australia), although there are some faults it
is still the best nation in the world in which to live. But I don't
think it's right for a white Australian to say there is no racism.
You have to be an Indian to say there is no anti-Indian sentiment
and you have to be Middle Eastern to say there is no Middle Eastern
racism.
"Unless you're Indian you can't say there is no anti-Indian
feeling."
Dr Teo also gave the example of a neurosurgeon who came to
Australia to study with him for three months.
"He was Indian and it was so sad. He came in one day and says 'I
was just standing on the side of the road waiting at the traffic
light' and someone spat at him and told him to go home, back to
India. Just spat on him. How sad is that? That that still
exists.
"When you think about it, we are all immigrants, apart from the
Aborigines here today, we are immigrants.
"So to think that Australian means white Caucasian is absolutely
wrong."
Prime Minister Julia Gillard was
instrumental in the government's response to the mistreatment of
Indian students. "Australians are an open and generous people, and
we repudiate racism wherever we see it," her spokesman said.
Anti-Discrimination Board president Stepan Kerkyasharian said
there was racism in any society.
*Don't miss the chance to get your free Australia Day bucket
hat this Sunday with the Sunday Telegraph
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AB of Jerra says : "IF YOU DONT LIKE IT-LEAVE, aimed fairly at
those within our society who dont want to conform or assimilate", I
didn't realise we were living under a fascist regime. Really?
"confrom or assimilate" or leave? so what does conforming and
assimilating look like at Jerra? Are we packing up the kids with
piercings and tattoos? Are the hippies on the 1st boat out of here?
what about the homosexuals? The fact is we are a FREE nation. If
someone arrives on our shores and chooses to practice their
religion or cultural beliefs just like they would back home then
they are trully "conforming" to what it means to be Australian.
Forget the Bullshit you hear from the Bolts and Akermans of the
world, the proportion of trouble makers that come to our shores in
comparison to good, honest folk is no differnt to the ratio of
those born and bred here. You, me and the bloke down the street
have no right to dictate to them how to live in this wonderful
country, if they obey our laws thats good enough for me, if they
don't there is zero tolerance and they are on the next plane
home.
Haha! Craig of dumping grounds reckons white anglo males are the
most discriminated against ?! You serious mate? "you just picking
on me coz im white" Boo hoo !
I married a beautiful Aussie woman and my 5 children all have
married beautiful women with different races. Where is the racism,
you tell me .
