Racism is not endemic to any race or country. Anyone claiming otherwise is deluded. There are many sad and evil acts in Australia’s brief history, but before foreigners point any fingers, have a look at your own histories first.

With regards to racism now, of course it still happens here, same as everywhere else in the world. Everyone has their share of ignorant loudmouthed wankers. To suggest it is restricted to any one race is wrong. In my experience, the amount of times you see or hear it is on the decline, and Australia is generally fairly tolerant, much more so then some of the other countries I have visited.

One thing Pilger misleads the viewer on is where he talks about services, sporting and health. It is more an issue of outback Australia lacking in these services. Both black and white people have similar issues in remote parts of this country. I think he suggests strongly that this is only an Aboriginal issue. That’s wrong. But, there is a larger percentage of Aboriginal people that still live in more remote parts compared to other races (mainly whites). This explains some, not all, but some of the reason there is statistically significant differences between those groups in areas like life expectancy and diseases.
This is by no means the whole story, it is much more complicated. The issue of conquered peoples being misunderstood, murdered, displaced from their land is all part of the story.
Pilger fails to tell the viewer that there is large tracts of land, (get a good, recent map of Australia and you can see) where a white man has to get permission to enter Aboriginal lands, and abide by rules above the actual law.

Many of the issues with regards to sporting rights ect are true, shameful historical facts, but have in fact been addressed. The fact that Cathy Freeman was his shining light of the Sydney Olympics shows this.
Yes there are many issues in Australia that are not perfect, show me a country where this is not the case.
We are not the oppressive, racist country Pilger suggests. You can earn and make a good life for you and yours here, regardless of your skin color. Education, health ect is harder the more remote you get, a downside to having so much room.

I refuse to celebrate Australia Day until it is moved to a date of significance to Indigenous Australians rather than the current Euro-centric Invasion Day, and until the Union Jack is removed from the Australian flag, possibly to be replaced with an indigenous symbol. Of course these changes are only token gestures but hopefully would symbolically reflect a collective shift in attitude and a proud placing of indigenous culture at the centre of Australian culture.

The shocking issues brought to light in this documentary perhaps are not as complex as they are often claimed to be by racist politicians – in a first-world country it really shouldn’t be so problematic to afford sufficient respect, dignity and recognition to the group with more right than anyone to be here, and more right to rule, but the longer institutional racism is perpetuated the more difficult it will be to acheive reconciliation.

I hope for the sake of the indigenous population that in my lifetime I will be able to feel something like national pride.

N.B. It’s ironic to me that Cronulla riot-style rednecks, proudly bearing the image of the Australian flag, want “foreigners” to “go back home” but seemingly feel perfectly at home riding roughshod in their utes over stolen land that doesn’t belong to them.

Also I know this doc is old and racism in Australia is not as bad, it’s just annoying really. Especially when you got some toothless, vb breath having, torn singlet wearing, sunburned, uneducated, bogan calling you every form of racist comment trying to land on the right one because they are too simple minded to know the world and the people within it. Besides the bogans the majority of Anglo Aussies are not so much racist as they are poorly informed…

someone seriously needs to knock these government officials in their head.

Yes this doco was filmed a while ago, and some of the issues here have been addressed, but there is a LONG way to go. The life expectancy for Aboriginal people is alot lower than for other Australians. For aborigines it is 59 years for males, 65 years for females. 79 for other aussie males, 84 years for other aussie females. Aboriginal life expectancy is similiar to the life expectancy of people in Iraq.

There are still huge problems of access to quality education, health care and other services in Aboriginal communities. Diseases like diabetes and heart disease effect aboriginal people much worse than the rest of Australia. 1 in 4 young Aboriginal men will go to jail in their lifetime. similiar to the incarceration rates of African American men.

I could go on with stats. I have had to write a few assignments on Aboriginal issues whilst at university. The fact of the matter is that you have a group of people who are living in 3rd world conditions in a first world country. The communities really do look similiar to the pictures shown in this documentary.

To those who say that Australia has little racism are in denial. there is plenty of racism. Aboriginal people are probably vilified more than any group, but minority groups in general will face racism from whites and other groups. not to mention the media and often political parties who use it to polarise issues (ie. immigration and asylum seekers).

this is not to say that all Australians are racist, or that all whites are racist. many are not, but many are. attitudes towards racism are getting better, fortunately. and racism is not just confined to whites. plenty of other groups are racist against other groups. I think it is quite ridiculous that one Australian on here claimed they have never heard any racism whilst living here. you must not own a television, radio or read a newspaper. and you must remain in your house all the time.

Australia is a great country, with alot of great things going for it. its just unfortunate that one group of people doesn’t get to see the benefits. i thoroughly recommend people visiting Australia. I guarantee you will enjoy yourself, and Australians are very friendly and welcoming people. if you are not white, you will still be welcomed. Most Australians are not racist. many are in denial about what is happening to Aboriginal people though. Just don’t be under the impression that this country is not without its dark past and present problems.

We don’t want you the critics with no knowledge, to all the other people from poor repressed countries, all I can say is we have our arms wide open for you, Like we always have. It can be hard to get in because we don’t have the info-structure to support such a large amount of people at once, but for a country that takes in 250,000 people per annual with only 21 million people does bloody well. Peace to all. By the way, I am aboriginal so get f@#$%& to this documentary and I have been around this country three times. And again peace to all :)

The racist this doc talking about are the previous generation, they are a dying breed. but you know what? have any of you though about how old our country Australia is? it is one the youngest democracy!!! in the world!! so please don’t compare Aus to the US or UK or many other countries because considering the history in term of years Australia progressing much faster than many other western country in regard to issue of racism. Racism exist in every country on earth, it is just human nature we fear and loath things we not yet understand.

I am not white Australian but u know what i would give my live to defend Australia then my birth country, why? Australia given my family like many other non white migrant family the best chance to have a future. In my birth country, people are still racist against each other because they speak different dialect but same skin colour. Australia have every race and religion of from all continent on earth name one country in Africa, Asia, middle-east that is like this. We don’t have any pro white political parties like other western country (not naming any) we did have One Nation party but they no longer exist, why? because 90% of aussie we don’t tolerate that ‘s@#$’.

Those people don’t know and not from Aus i don’t blame you, but those of you from Australia and talking down your country, mate you should be grateful to be born in this country, if you were born in my country and your family is nobody, with not much money you will then know what is injustice let alone racism and i don’t what kind of environment and people you were around but the white people i know all of them are good people.