85 pc Australians say racial prejudice rampant in country
Melbourne:
A 11-year study by a collaboration of Australian universities has found that a considerable number of the 16,000 Australians surveyed feel that although cultural diversity is good for the country, the differences may stop everyone from getting along.
Over 40 per cent of those surveyed feel that cultural differences pose a threat to societal harmony, Kevin Dunn from the University of Western Sydney's school of social science said.
"The Cronulla riots and the recent attacks on people of Indian descent are an example of this. The figures show that 85 per cent of Australia acknowledge there is racial prejudice in the country," he said.
"So if you take that alongside the 87 per cent that are pro-multiculturalism, clearly you've got a third of the nation that tolerate cultural diversity but are concerned at the impact it will have on society," Mr. Dunn said.
The study also said that 6.5 per cent Australians are against multiculturalism.
Mr. Dunn said that he believed previous governments have done nothing to address the issue for the past decade with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma spending only part of his time dealing with race discrimination.
"For the last decade, the government hasn't appointed a full-time Race Discrimination Commissioner," he said adding "because of the severe underfunding of the commission, they're just unable to offer the sorts of services required."
The survey also found that at least one in five Australians experience verbal abuse such as offensive slang names for different cultural groups or swearing and offensive gestures, while 11 per cent feel they don't belong or are inferior, according to the survey as qouted by the Herald Sun report on Wednesday.
Melbourne:
A 11-year study by a collaboration of Australian universities has found that a considerable number of the 16,000 Australians surveyed feel that although cultural diversity is good for the country, the differences may stop everyone from getting along.
Over 40 per cent of those surveyed feel that cultural differences pose a threat to societal harmony, Kevin Dunn from the University of Western Sydney's school of social science said.
"The Cronulla riots and the recent attacks on people of Indian descent are an example of this. The figures show that 85 per cent of Australia acknowledge there is racial prejudice in the country," he said.
"So if you take that alongside the 87 per cent that are pro-multiculturalism, clearly you've got a third of the nation that tolerate cultural diversity but are concerned at the impact it will have on society," Mr. Dunn said.
The study also said that 6.5 per cent Australians are against multiculturalism.
Mr. Dunn said that he believed previous governments have done nothing to address the issue for the past decade with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma spending only part of his time dealing with race discrimination.
"For the last decade, the government hasn't appointed a full-time Race Discrimination Commissioner," he said adding "because of the severe underfunding of the commission, they're just unable to offer the sorts of services required."
The survey also found that at least one in five Australians experience verbal abuse such as offensive slang names for different cultural groups or swearing and offensive gestures, while 11 per cent feel they don't belong or are inferior, according to the survey as qouted by the Herald Sun report on Wednesday.