Fair Go Australia
A "Fair Go" In The Land Of Opportunity? Yeah Right!
Have migrants done a job on Australia or has Australia done a job on migrants? Byron Kemp.
Australia and the people who live here have developed over time an identity of an egalitarian or fair nation. This perception by other countries and by Australian residents as a land of opportunity and a country who supports the culture of a "Fair Go" for everyone dominates. This egalitarian depiction of Australia has come about because of more than 200 hundred years of immigration since European settlement. Today one in every five Australians were born overseas and immigrated to Australia creating the cultural representation of an accepting, tolerant country where all people have an opportunity to get along and to achieve.
Immigration to Australia has …show more content…
predominantly been by people looking for economic opportunities. An example of this representation of Australian Identity and how it became a reality is present in the poem "First Potatoes". The text is value laden with beliefs and attitudes that tell how an immigrant arrives from Poland where he had spent time in a slave labour camp. The migrant arrives in Australia the land of opportunity -and develops a successful potato garden that he lives off. "He would show the garden to visitors, who stood amazed at all the hard work he put in."
The language of the poem describes the immigrant as a hard worker who made the most of the opportunities Australia supposedly had to offer the man. "Finally in Australia in his own garden that he loved" he and his family prospered and did well enough to live off his own garden. The language and the fact that a relative of the farmer is writing the story gives the idea that the man and his opportunities were realised through his garden and the profit from the potatoes were able to provide for his family. The descriptions in this poem show how Australia is perceived as a land of opportunity for immigrants. The poem's discourse focuses on the ideal of getting a fair go' in Australia. This discourse in the poem depicts Australia as a place that supports/is an egalitarian society for everyone.
Some of the examples in this poem are apparent in Australia today. Many immigrants living in Australia particularly immigrants from the Netherlands, India, The Mediterranean and Asia have higher levels of income than some Australian born or British immigrants. Which means they have likely been successful at achieving their goals in "The Land Of Opportunity".
Though many immigrants flourish in Australia due to immigration programmes, we must not over look the racism and injustices that are still sometimes present towards immigrants.
The people who suffer most from the cultural identity of Australia as a fair country that accepts differences are the hard working people who make the move to Australia expecting to get a "fair go". Often immigrants who see Australia as a place with ample opportunities are met with racism and discrimination. This situation is a disgrace considering the amount of time and effort that has gone into Australia's immigration policies. According to an article titled The Economic Effects of immigration in Australia " Immigration has a positive impact on the economy and that migrants do not take jobs from the Australian-born" (Collins, 1991, 101).
In Australia immigrants do sometimes get a "fair go" but very often they do not receive the treatment that has become part of Australia's cultural identity as an egalitarian society. There are still frequent and strong episodes of hostility towards Australian immigrants along with Aboriginals, Muslims and Asians. These groups of Australians are often on the receiving end of racism and prejudice, which in some circumstances can lead to difficulties in employment and other aspects of their
lives.
Strong examples of this attitude from Australians towards other groups are evident in the movie Romper Stomper. In Romper Stomper Australia is not seen as an egalitarian or fair society. There are many examples in this film that show that Australians want to retain Australia as a mono cultural nation. This ideology challenges the Australian "fair go" attitude. The language in the film is a clear example of racism and prejudice towards immigrants, racist words such as "Gooks" and "Slopehead" that are generally considered derogatory to Asians are used frequently in the movie. Statements that don't contain racist terminologies can show the position of the character as well, lines such as "What are you doing here?" "Look mate I am going to tell you something, listen closely." "This is not your COUNTRY!" This line by Hando the leader skinhead shows opinions that counter Australia's Identity as a fair country. Though Romper Stomper focuses on one minority group who do participate in violent and abusive actions towards immigrants. The film "The Wog Boy" also shows similar examples of racism and unacceptance towards a particular group of migrants. Though "The Wog Boy" is a much more light hearted movie there are still clear examples in language and actions that show racism and discrimination towards a stereotyped group. In the movie the characters of a Mediterranean appearance are portrayed as dole bludging drains on society.
Romper Stomper, The Wog Boy and the poem "First Potatoes" give us some insight into the tension that exists in Australian society around whether Migrants have done a job on Australia or if Australia has done a job on Migrants.
Have migrants done a job on Australia or has Australia done a job on migrants? Byron Kemp.
Australia and the people who live here have developed over time an identity of an egalitarian or fair nation. This perception by other countries and by Australian residents as a land of opportunity and a country who supports the culture of a "Fair Go" for everyone dominates. This egalitarian depiction of Australia has come about because of more than 200 hundred years of immigration since European settlement. Today one in every five Australians were born overseas and immigrated to Australia creating the cultural representation of an accepting, tolerant country where all people have an opportunity to get along and to achieve.
Immigration to Australia has …show more content…
predominantly been by people looking for economic opportunities. An example of this representation of Australian Identity and how it became a reality is present in the poem "First Potatoes". The text is value laden with beliefs and attitudes that tell how an immigrant arrives from Poland where he had spent time in a slave labour camp. The migrant arrives in Australia the land of opportunity -and develops a successful potato garden that he lives off. "He would show the garden to visitors, who stood amazed at all the hard work he put in."
The language of the poem describes the immigrant as a hard worker who made the most of the opportunities Australia supposedly had to offer the man. "Finally in Australia in his own garden that he loved" he and his family prospered and did well enough to live off his own garden. The language and the fact that a relative of the farmer is writing the story gives the idea that the man and his opportunities were realised through his garden and the profit from the potatoes were able to provide for his family. The descriptions in this poem show how Australia is perceived as a land of opportunity for immigrants. The poem's discourse focuses on the ideal of getting a fair go' in Australia. This discourse in the poem depicts Australia as a place that supports/is an egalitarian society for everyone.
Some of the examples in this poem are apparent in Australia today. Many immigrants living in Australia particularly immigrants from the Netherlands, India, The Mediterranean and Asia have higher levels of income than some Australian born or British immigrants. Which means they have likely been successful at achieving their goals in "The Land Of Opportunity".
Though many immigrants flourish in Australia due to immigration programmes, we must not over look the racism and injustices that are still sometimes present towards immigrants.
The people who suffer most from the cultural identity of Australia as a fair country that accepts differences are the hard working people who make the move to Australia expecting to get a "fair go". Often immigrants who see Australia as a place with ample opportunities are met with racism and discrimination. This situation is a disgrace considering the amount of time and effort that has gone into Australia's immigration policies. According to an article titled The Economic Effects of immigration in Australia " Immigration has a positive impact on the economy and that migrants do not take jobs from the Australian-born" (Collins, 1991, 101).
In Australia immigrants do sometimes get a "fair go" but very often they do not receive the treatment that has become part of Australia's cultural identity as an egalitarian society. There are still frequent and strong episodes of hostility towards Australian immigrants along with Aboriginals, Muslims and Asians. These groups of Australians are often on the receiving end of racism and prejudice, which in some circumstances can lead to difficulties in employment and other aspects of their
lives.
Strong examples of this attitude from Australians towards other groups are evident in the movie Romper Stomper. In Romper Stomper Australia is not seen as an egalitarian or fair society. There are many examples in this film that show that Australians want to retain Australia as a mono cultural nation. This ideology challenges the Australian "fair go" attitude. The language in the film is a clear example of racism and prejudice towards immigrants, racist words such as "Gooks" and "Slopehead" that are generally considered derogatory to Asians are used frequently in the movie. Statements that don't contain racist terminologies can show the position of the character as well, lines such as "What are you doing here?" "Look mate I am going to tell you something, listen closely." "This is not your COUNTRY!" This line by Hando the leader skinhead shows opinions that counter Australia's Identity as a fair country. Though Romper Stomper focuses on one minority group who do participate in violent and abusive actions towards immigrants. The film "The Wog Boy" also shows similar examples of racism and unacceptance towards a particular group of migrants. Though "The Wog Boy" is a much more light hearted movie there are still clear examples in language and actions that show racism and discrimination towards a stereotyped group. In the movie the characters of a Mediterranean appearance are portrayed as dole bludging drains on society.
Romper Stomper, The Wog Boy and the poem "First Potatoes" give us some insight into the tension that exists in Australian society around whether Migrants have done a job on Australia or if Australia has done a job on Migrants.