On the surface Australians are generally easy going and like anyone BUT, there is an undertone of racism in Australia. When I came back from several years overseas I noticed the racism immediately. Australians are a multicultural country with people from all over the world. Usually there is racism towards "new people" coming to Australia. In the 1940 and early 1950's it was towards Italians and Greeks. Later it was against other Europeans, mostly East Europeans, Later in the 1970's and 1980's it was towards the Vietnamese and other Southeast Asians. Now it is towards the Sudanese refugees and some of the Muslims, especially those who wear the Burqa or "Hijab" (head covering).
In time all the cultures integrate and they become part of the community and someone else will be "picked on".
Also, I must also add that many of the cultures bring their own racist attitudes to certain groups with them. The Croatian Fascists, the USTASHI, (from Yugoslavia) were bombing Serbian churches, travel agents, homes etc in the 1960's and 1970's. The Turks and Greeks were often fighting. I know that Cambodians and Vietnamese hate each other but nowadays, here in Australia, I have known several marriages between the two cultures.
I didn't notice it when I lived in Australia (I am an Australian citizen) but I have now lived overseas for 20 years and my accent has now changed. Since my accent changed, everything changed. The level of hostility shown towards me has been astounding. I have been told to 'go home' several times and the Australian government has even refused me the right to vote (which I won after a long fight), the right to healthcare (which I lost as I apparently have NO right) and even the right to enter the country (which I was once refused for no given reason despite having no criminal record at all, I couldn't believe that was even legal). Basically, because my accent is gone, nobody believes I am Australian. I am treated appalling, and this is a testament to how foreigners are treated in Australia.
Smiffy, your niece took so long to get the job not because she was a woman but she was a slow learner and not very good at what she does. If Australia was sexest she would never have got the job. Banks are about profits not about whether their employees have penises or not. Australia has a female prime Minister and female Governor General. The Governor of NSW is a woman, it is a sure sign of sexism. Really Smiffy, your niece is just not that bright.
As for racist, Australians are very friendly and welcoming. Maybe some of the simpler ones,like Smiffy's niece find change a little hard but by and large Australians will take just about anyone as they meet them.
Oh yes. But worse is their sexism.
They are the misogynist capital of the world.
My niece took over 10 years (after qualifying for the post) to get a bank manager's job in Australia. Why? She is a woman!
who knows, who cares, but I like their plain speaking prime minister babe. she does not seem to pull any punches when it comes to speaking her mind from a few of the speeches I have heard.
haha oh god yes, we hate the government letting people into our countries and complain constantly, we especially hate muslims
i aint gonna sugarcoat aussies because im one of them and i know
yep if your a whinger, dont assimilate to our way of life, sponge off our welfare system. And if you dont like it then p*ss off where you come from.
no worse than the british
Does the locals treat foreigners differently (in a bad way)? I know some countries do.
