Australia and racism

[A_Wanderer]

Let's all just be thankful we don't live in Brisbane.

*cough* Adelaide

Sorry I just gagged at the very thought of their saline aftertaste chlorine smelling drinking water.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

..... and yet it still comes out brown.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Actually, Adelaide is a great place to visit/live if you don't pretend it's a capital city or go there with the expectation of that. If you go there with the expectations of visiting a massive regional centre, then it's excellent. Don't compare it to Sydney/Brisbane/Perth/Melbourne, compare it to Wollongong/Newcastle/Townsville/Canberra etc. I'm not trying to put Adelaide down by saying that. I do really like Adelaide and have been there a dozen times, but if you expect to go there finding even 1/10 of the options/events/activities/anything of Sydney, it's going to fail you. Go there and enjoy 10 times the life of Newcastle.

And this is where Brisbane falls short. That fucker is a big city. What is it's excuse??

 

[Kieran McConville]

Brisbane's excuse is Joh. I know, he's dead, but he had twenty years with his mates to entrench their particular version of the good life. I guess things have changed, but slowly, change happens slowly.

That said, I don't really relate to what any of you are talking about. I live in a pretend city that is basically a big hick town.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Actually, Adelaide is a great place to visit/live if you don't pretend it's a capital city or go there with the expectation of that. If you go there with the expectations of visiting a massive regional centre, then it's excellent. Don't compare it to Sydney/Brisbane/Perth/Melbourne, compare it to Wollongong/Newcastle/Townsville/Canberra etc. I'm not trying to put Adelaide down by saying that. I do really like Adelaide and have been there a dozen times, but if you expect to go there finding even 1/10 of the options/events/activities/anything of Sydney, it's going to fail you. Go there and enjoy 10 times the life of Newcastle.

And this is where Brisbane falls short. That fucker is a big city. What is it's excuse??

I suppose here's where you think I come in and defend Adelaide to the death. Adelaide certainly has its problems, not the least being so close to Melbourne that it feels it can't compete, especially in keeping its young people in it (I should know, I moved to Melb for a few years ).

What Adelaide has, and I would never give it up for the promise of all the events/nightlife/activities etc etc that Mel/Syd have, is we don't have the entrenched "ghettos" of the big cities. I don't deny we have racism here for a moment. Our suburbs may have the hint of being Italian, Greek, Vietnamese but we don't have the "no go" mentality blighting the big cities. And being the wog that I am, I will love Adelaide to death for it.

And our beaches piss over anything Sydney OR Melbourne have to offer

 

[Earnie Shavers]

The beaches in Perth win.

 

[intedomine]

Brisbane's excuse is Joh. I know, he's dead, but he had twenty years with his mates to entrench their particular version of the good life. I guess things have changed, but slowly, change happens slowly.

The bloke was a wanker though...

 

[AchtungU2aus]

lol, how did a thread titled 'Australia and racism' turn into a beach contest?

 

[intedomine]

Anything in that bay is

Now open water, big waves and long sandy shores - thats a beach.

That's what we've got in some places in Melbourne, it's just we don't go on and on about it like Sydney, who are under this false impression that their beaches are the best in Australia, when really they are just your typical, everyday kind of beach.

They rave on about how wonderful their beaches are cause they got nothing else to boast about...

Sydney is the epitome of medoicrity....

Mind you I support their Aussie Rules team, but let's not forget that they are, at heart, South Melbourne......

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Sydney shits on about it's beaches because we have 30 odd of them. No-one claims that any of them are individually the best in the country. Personally I think Perth kicks arse in that department. But, Sydneys large selection of often very different beaches are a huge part of this cities lifestyle, 'vibe' and attraction to those not from Sydney (or to be more precise, international tourists) so of course they are talked up. There aren't that many cities in the world that offer everything Sydney does AND has that setting.

 

[hiphop]

Decrying Australian Racism is always coming from the same damn sources who have been bitching for years - only now they have an example that is less than 60 years old.

Ah you mean the damn PETA

Racism between mates = alright because its all in good fun.
Racism against strangers = not alright

Its my rule and im sticking too it

Imo racism between mates is not alright. When a friend of mine makes a racist joke, I will ask him if he´s lost his mind. When a person I know makes a racist comment, I will have to decide if to invest the time and power to argue about it or just to leave.

So I´d say racism between friends is not "alright", just like making chauvinist jokes is not "alright" per se (even when hanging out with mates - that doesn´t make the joke itself any less chauvi or any more right), but it is funny and not a serious matter at all - under certain circumstances.

It depends on the situation. If you were a hooligan in a pub, making racist jokes with your friends, it would disgust me. If you´re far from identifying with a violent, extremist group and mimick a foreign accent after having a couple of beers, nobody is going to complain.

 

[hiphop]

I'll say, elitist snobs is what Melbournians are, and they say things like bathers instead of swimmers, what the hell?

And the weather is totally schitzo and you have to drive two hours to get to a decent beach

If you don't like it, leave. No one is forcing you to be here. Go to Sydney with all their b-grade sporting events and ridiculously expensive shops.

And the beach is only a mere 5 minute walk for many people, and what gorgeous natural beaches they are.

The elitist snobs, my friend, only reside in the inner-eastern suburbs, close to all the Pr(ar)vate schools...

ok I am very interested in this discussion.

Because i have been looking for perfect beaches.

Now tell me dear Australians we are having some here who say Sydney and Bondi Beach are great and others who prefer Melbourne. I have heard that Adelaide has a vibrant youth scene and that one can get some good weed there, but you know, travel magazines,... is Adelaide worth visitng when you go to Australia?

Where do slackers hang out in Sydney?

What are the freakiest places? I´ve heard that if you go north from Perth, there´s a few little towns that kick ass.. true? Same if you go 1000 miles or so north of Sydney, there´s this hippie town... I forgot the name.. anyone?

 

[A_Wanderer]

Ah you mean the damn PETA

No I do mean the commentariat who have been blasting contempary Australia as racist on the basis of an immigration policy that for all intensive purposes ended in the 1950's.

Imo racism between mates is not alright. When a friend of mine makes a racist joke, I will ask him if he´s lost his mind. When a person I know makes a racist comment, I will have to decide if to invest the time and power to argue about it or just to leave.

So I´d say racism between friends is not "alright", just like making chauvinist jokes is not "alright" per se (even when hanging out with mates - that doesn´t make the joke itself any less chauvi or any more right), but it is funny and not a serious matter at all - under certain circumstances.

It depends on the situation. If you were a hooligan in a pub, making racist jokes with your friends, it would disgust me. If you´re far from identifying with a violent, extremist group and mimick a foreign accent after having a couple of beers, nobody is going to complain.

So where would talking about "bloody asian drivers" in the company of a guy of Chinese extraction who says the same damn thing when he is driving sit, it is friendly banter between friends that if anything is mocking racist attitudes. In the context of greeting friends with "you bloody [insert ethnic slur here]" there is nothing at all wrong with it and I refuse to put it down on the same side as real racism.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Now tell me dear Australians we are having some here who say Sydney and Bondi Beach are great and others who prefer Melbourne.

Bondi Beach is part great, part complete shit. It'd be a fantastic place to stay and hang out if you are a visitor (young, vibrant community, 10 minutes from the CBD etc), but as far as actual big, beautiful, nice beaches to go to in Sydney, there are far far better.

Sydney, generally, kicks Melbournes arse, and the best bit is that they don't quite understand why ("But we have more car races!")

I have heard that Adelaide has a vibrant youth scene and that one can get some good weed there, but you know, travel magazines,... is Adelaide worth visitng when you go to Australia?

You can get excellent weed in Adelaide.
Adelaide is worth visiting. Like I said earlier, don't expect Adelaide to be a major capital city despite the fact that in Australian terms, it kinda is. Think of it as a very, very big regional city, not expecting 100+ nightlife options on a Tuesday night and 24/7 everything everywhere, and it's fantastic. Great coastline around there. Fucking huge Great White Sharks too.
You can get excellent weed in Adelaide.

Where do slackers hang out in Sydney?

Everywhere. Absolutely everywhere.

What are the freakiest places? I´ve heard that if you go north from Perth, there´s a few little towns that kick ass.. true? Same if you go 1000 miles or so north of Sydney, there´s this hippie town... I forgot the name.. anyone?

In Regards to Perth, the West Australian coastline has by far the best beaches in Australia. One of the single most rewarding side trips you could have in Australia would be to head to Perth, spend a few days there, then hire a car and head South down the coast, into the Margaret River region. Best part of the country. It's a Wine area that honestly hasn't aged a day since the 70's (in all the best ways), with incredible beaches, without a single house on them, where the dark red sand of the Australian desert meets the white sand on the beach. Some of the best surfing in the country. Loads of wineries to visit, most with excellent restaurants attached, all within a short drive from the main town (or even cycle ). The main town is tiny and has been completely left free of any major commercialisation. Some motels and tiny tiny hotels, but certainly no chains and no resorts or anything like that. No real major fast food chains (but I think there might be a Subway?). The best thing though, rent a small house or cabin at one of the beaches. Gracetown Beach is perfect. Spend a week there and don't worry about a fucking thing.

Hippie town north of Sydney is Nimbin. It's very close to Byron Bay, another place you'd probably like very much. Make sure you go at Easter for the East Coast Blues & Roots Festival. Anything from Michael Franti & Spearhead to Bo Diddly to Bright Eyes to REM to Pubic Enemy to David Gray to The Wailers to The Frames to Ozomatli to Angélique Kidjo to Sly & Robbie to G.Love and loads of great Australian acts. It's the best music festival in the country.

 

[hiphop]

Thank you Earnie Shavers, this is a whole lot of useful information for a passionate traveller. Sydney and Adelaide (mmh) and Perth, ok..

What you said about the West Australian coastline is interesting. Is there a possibility to go to Margaret region by public transport or can you only reach it with a car? This region sounds like a great place to settle down.. isolated and peaceful. What about the chances for commercial development in the region, and I wonder if it is very expensive..

Byron Bay was the name I forgot. Right. So when I visit Australia I´ll have to go there too, and to Nimbin.

So I guess in Byron Bay and around real estate would be more expensive than right at Gracetown Beach?