I apologise for the Aussies’ ignorance and racism
DEAR South Africa,
My name is Simon and I am a South African-born Australian. Let me start by saying I’m sorry for my Australian government and most of our media.
We don’t all believe rhetoric being spouted by Australian officials about land appropriation, but unfortunately we are not the ones in government.
I’m referring, of course, to our own Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
I am personally embarrassed, angry and ashamed of the comments he has been persistently making, and with the lack of condemnation from the rest of the Australian government and our popular media.
The truth is, those of us thinking Australians know all these claims are ignorant and uncalled for.
It is also true that on this topic, along with so many others, we Australians are great, big hypocrites.
The leaders of Australia’s first people continue to fight a losing battle for equality, and still suffer from extreme gaps in life expectancy and staggering rates of over-incarceration.
This is before we’ve even begun to deal with land rights, or acknowledging (let alone making right) the wrongs of our past.
I know as well as most that South Africa is not a perfect country, no more than Australia is, but don’t let our government’s hypocrisy and outright racism get in the way of your journey to equality.
I am a proud South African and a proud Australian, and as I said at the start, not all of us Australians are racist hypocrites, but unfortunately some of those in charge are, and for their actions I sincerely apologise.