Australia: Pauline Hanson Vs Multiculturalism

Now you would understand why I love the Brits… It seems they haven’t lost their legendary sense of wit and humour. Try this recent story in The Times of London: “Far right Australian politician Pauline Hanson moving to Britain.” I specially enjoyed the comments that followed this article.

Here are three sample comments:

“Pauline Hanson was, in her time, both the beneficiary and victim of the winds of change in Australian politics. By the time she wakes up to modern Britain it will be time for her to return Down Under, this time to the Outback. There the flies will just about outnumber the broken dreams.”

Lets us return to the Hanson story:

Australia’s most controversial politician has said she plans to move to Britain after selling her house in rural Queensland. Pauline Hanson, the far-right, flame-haired, fish-and-chip-shop owner who campaigned for the Australian Parliament on an anti-immigration platform, complained that the country had become a harder place to live in, with fewer opportunities.

She said that she was selling her property southwest of Brisbane and, after taking a cruise and visiting New Zealand, wanted to live in Britain indefinitely.

Ms Hanson’s grandfather emigrated to Australia from England in 1908 and her mother’s family are Irish. She is understood to hold dual citizenship. She will leave her four adult children behind. Sceptics speculated that Ms Hanson’s announcement was a ploy to help to sell her 147-acre property, which went on sale yesterday. The property, which she named Serendipity, is located in Coleyville and is expected to fetch more than A$1 million (£600,000).

Ms Hanson, 55, the former leader of the One Nation party, entered Australian politics in 1996 when she famously said that she believed that her country was “in danger of being swamped by Asians” and questioned multiculturalism during her maiden speech to the national Parliament in Canberra.

More here…

Here’s The Independent story:

For years Pauline Hanson, Australia’s most controversial politician, has railed against immigrants, particularly from Asia. Now Ms Hanson is set to become an immigrant herself – and her new home is to be Britain.

Ms Hanson is believed to be considerably better off after receiving an out-of-court settlement from Rupert Murdoch’s News Limited over a collection of raunchy photographs published in a Sydney newspaper, the Sunday Telegraph, last year. The photos, which apparently showed Ms Hanson posing in lingerie and semi-naked, were said to have been taken by an ex-boyfriend in the 1970s.

Except, as it turned out, they were not of her. The pictures were published a week before the state election, and Ms Hanson blames them for spoiling her chances of a political comeback. Reflecting on the incident, she told the magazine: “As I have always said, politics is a dirty business. I’ve moved on, but this is another reason why I’ve had enough. I want peace in my life. I want contentment, and that’s what I’m aiming for.”

More here…

Meanwhile Kevin Rudd’s federal government is putting full pressure on state governments, especially Victoria (capital Melbourne, where Indian students have been under attack in recent times), to ensure the success of its policy of multiculturalism.

Bina D’Costa, a research fellow at the Centre for International Governance and Justice at the Australian National University, takes a look at the prevailing situation.

The assaults on Southasians in generally have underlined the racial tension. Yet because of this larger context, the sporadic nature of at least some of the attacks has been ignored; instead, a largely fictional ‘pattern’ of hate crimes or racist attacks on Indian students in Australia has been created.

While this is not to say that the recent attacks were not racially driven, it is important to note that not only Indian students are being targeted, but also other Southasian/brown students and workers, particularly men.

Yet it is important that the race issue is finally being discussed in Australia. Southasian students in Australia have told journalists how racist slurs and aggressive behaviour have often made them feel threatened in public spaces. Gautam Gupta, from the Federation of Indian Students (Australia), says that “Bloody Indian, go back home” is a commonly used insult during many of the attacks.

Melbourne University professor Simon Marginson concurs: “Racist targeting is involved. Indian students do have a special problem. And there isn’t enough official and civil concern about international student security in Australia.” He has called for a crossborder agency to oversee the security of international students; the outgoing Aboriginal Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, has also stated that some government policies are directly racist.

Indirect ‘racism’ is also a factor. Monash University demographer Bob Birrell suggests that sheer numbers have pushed Indian students out of inner-city haunts into the outer suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne. Many live farther away from the city centres, in order to take advantage of cheaper rent. Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan students have also told this writer that it is difficult to find housing close to their educational institution or workplaces in big cities.

Whatever the push, Southasian students in Australia are often forced to live in unsafe neighbourhoods, some of which have rampant criminal gang activities. Many work late night and/or early morning shifts, and spend a substantial amount of time in public transport, making them vulnerable to attacks in empty train stations or streets.

More here…

Finally, here’s the press release I recently received from the Australian High Commission in New Delhi:

Three new studies show the overwhelming majority of international students in Australia, including Indian students, feel safe and are happy in Australia.

A study by JWT Education conducted in December 2009 of 1642 international students (including 500 Indian students) found that safety rated as the number one reason they choose Australia as a study destination and Australia’s multiculturalism and tolerance rated as the second most important reason.

A second study of 513 Indian students by The Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria (FIAV) in January and February 2010 showed the overwhelming majority of students were happy with their decision to study in Australia. Nearly three-quarters of those polled by the Federation said they felt safe in the areas where they work and study

FIAV President Vasan Srinivasan said “this survey demonstrates that a majority of Indian students still consider Victoria to be their destination of choice in terms of quality of the education they receive and lifestyle.” (release attached).

A separate study by Victoria University found the majority of students found Melbourne to be a safe city though some had perceived the city as less safe than they had anticipated.

Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Peter Varghese, said “it is important that we listen closely to the views of international students as we implement our response on this issue and we are doing that.

“Their views are important as we shape an education system and urban infrastructure that takes account of international students needs.

“We want all international students to feel safe in our cities and to have a rewarding educational experience. There have been problems, but all levels of Australian government are committed to ensuring they are resolved.”

In a major speech to Parliament on 9 February, Australia’s Foreign Minister Mr Smith said the recent “attacks are inexcusable. Australia needs to take this seriously and we are taking it very seriously.

“Governments at all levels in Australia are working together to address this problem.”

“Law enforcement agencies have brought perpetrators of attacks to justice in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. In Victoria alone some 45 people have been arrested for crimes against Indian students or nationals. Perpetrators are being pursued with vigour.”

“Strengthened and higher-visibility police operations have been undertaken to improve physical security in Australian cities. Increased police resources mean safer streets for all.”

“In June 2009 the Prime Minister established a special task force to deal with these attacks, chaired by the National Security Adviser.”

“We have also most recently set up a new high-level consultative mechanism between the Commonwealth and Victoria Governments. The first high-level meeting was held on 29 January and there have and will be regular meetings since then.”

“On 28 January the Victorian Government launched an International Student Care Service. This is a new 24-hour service where international students can get greater access to accommodation, counselling, legal services, emergency and welfare assistance.”

“We want to ensure that international students, whether from India or elsewhere, obtain a quality education, can support themselves financially, and have a positive experience in Australia.”

“Action is being taken against providers shown to be operating outside legislative requirements. Those that need to be closed are being closed.

“The Deputy Prime Minister has appointed Mr Bruce Baird to review the Education Services for Overseas Student Act to ensure Australia continues to offer world-class quality in international education. Mr Baird’s report will be finalised shortly.”

“An international student strategy is also being developed by the Council of Australian Governments in order to improve the experience of overseas students.