If you are one of those New Zealanders who had earlier tried to migrate to Australia before something went drastically wrong, you can thank your lucky stars. Last fortnight we saw a lingering racism given official endorsement this side of the Tasman.
Liz Gaynor, and Australian Judge, gave a young man a suspended sentence for participating in an intense series of attacks on Indians in Melbourne. The defendant drove a gang of seven thugs who viciously assaulted six Indians over a four- day period in 2009.
The Judge heard testimonial evidence of the gang ‘Punji hunting,’ a term coined by the ‘goondas’ (hooligans) for hunting Indians. Despite this (and this is where you will think someone spiked your chai with an Old Monk Patiala), she judged that the attacks were not racially motivated but simply they attacked Indians because they were perceived by the gang as “soft targets.”
This is not the forum but this where the reader can let loose with some chaste Punjabi abuse. I certainly did.
Former New Zealand Prime Minister the late Sir Robert Muldoon was a confirmed ‘monoculturalist’ but he had a pearl of wisdom.
“Whenever a New Zealander leaves for Australia, the average IQ in both countries rises,” he said.
I would not let Judge Gaynor judge a Methodist Church Cake Baking Competition; never mind cases of life threatening violence.
When a gang goes ‘Punji hunting,’ it is racist. When a gang attacks people because they are perceived as “soft targets”, based on their race, it is racist!
I was asked to brief the Victorian Police High Command during the massive Indian student protests in Melbourne.
Chief Commissioner of Police Simon Overland was not what I expected. He looks like he will knock you out with the butt of his gun, shove you in a car boot and bury you under the West Gate Bridge.
But he proved to be highly sympathetic to the students’ plight and very international in his outlook.
In fact, he became too sympathetic. On the morning he rang me to say that he was calling a press conference to ensure the State Government finally accepted the fact that many of the attacks were racist, he swiftly allocated enormous resources to sensitive areas.
Make billions, be racist
Sunshine, with mounted police, circling helicopters and regular patrols, was reminiscent of the Indian President popping out for a curry.
All of this constructive effort was in the face of blistering personal attacks from the Indian media. But he soldiered on.
He suffered terrible clashes with the State Labour Government, which made billions of dollars annually from foreign students but could find it in themselves to spend a pittance on basic transport security or indeed Police resources.
It was infuriating, as the Government demanded that the Police protect those very students.
Contrary to popular belief, Victoria police have made a herculean effort to apprehend a great number of perpetrators. But now this verdict.
Which cop would even bother to take a report from a bleeding Indian student when he knows with certainty that the Judiciary is limp-wristed racist?
Roy Lange is a New Zealand citizen with a passion for India. He now lives and works across the Tasman. Email: inz1@yahoo.com
