White Australia Policy or Destruction of Europe?
These days, talking to Peers means a total waste of time! So I’ll be short.
Further to East India Company to White Australia Policy, Peer and Ted’s comment below I have to say the followings:
Peer,
You were unhappy about Black, Brown, Yellow, Chinese and Asian taxi drivers! Now you are unhappy because those Black, Brown, Yellow, Chinese and Asian “accents” took over the government departments!! Mate, take it easy and get used to it.
Should you wish to bring back your beloved WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY, you must have a World War 3, shattered Europe, destroyed European economy, desperate European refugees who would be willing to work for peanuts in Australia. I bet, Europeans who are enjoying a “peace based” European economy and harmony would be interested in your beloved WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY at all.
So, you got the choice! Asian, African, South American desperados would do the shit job like mine for peanut. Smart ones amongst these groups would initially do the crap jobs and then ultimately become bosses of the country because of their university degrees, determination and intuition. In the meantime, you and your Pauline Henson mobs can curse the “WOGs” from Mathew Talbot Hostel.
Peer's crap
--- In NSWTDAFORUM@yahoogroups.com, Peer Lindholdt wrote:Reply to Ted:
> I'm a bit reluctant to buy into this discussion.
You shouldn't be Ted. Driver competence and racism are the two most important components in driver safety.
> But for a journo specializing in the taxi industry, Peer should be fully aware of the subtle and >not so subtle widespread racism. And that's not just about whites and brown hands, Peer.
Peer wrote on Forum May 21, 2008 1:01 am :
>Professional cabbies are used to the phrase: "Nice to have a driver who can speak English (or >know where he is going) for a change." They >rarely say "nice to have a white driver for a >change". Nothing to do with racism, all to do with competence.
Ted, have you ever rung a government office, waited 15 minutes to get through only to be answered by a person with a thick foreign accent you can barely understand and to whom you have to explain yourself again and again to ensure he/she understands you? Has this ever frustrated you, even made you angry? Would that be because you are a racist or because you are simply annoyed?
Do taxi networks employ call-takers who can't speak fluent English. No! Is that because they are racist or because they know it will piss off their customers?
If a radio operator responds to an M13 and can't understand what the driver is saying, does he get upset because he is a racist or because the driver's inability makes it difficult to help him?
Ted don't confuse racism with frustration, impatience and reasonable expectations.
A Jewish mate of mine has a regular Silver Service cabbie born in Lebanon but brought up in Australia. He never stops raving about how great he is. That he has "brown hands", is a Muslim and born in Lebanon is utterly immaterial. What matters to my mate is the driver's competence and personality, and that would be the attitude of most passengers whatever THEIR colour, religion or nationality.Yes, there are racists in Australia, some of them are Arabs, Pakistanis and Indians. Racism is not an Anglo preserve although Faruque, and now you, would like people to believe so.
Yes, there are a disproportional number of especially Arab and Sub continental drivers being robbed, beaten up and generally mistreated by a small section of the community. Unfortunately for your argument, most of the perpetrators, according to the news reports, are Islanders and Lebanese.
FYI I was the first journalist in Australia to expose the new racist violence against cab drivers with "brown hands" following 9/11 and John Howard's terrorist scare mongering.
Stop playing the racist card Ted. It will do nothing to improve the image of taxi drivers, their income or their safety. The public has a right to expect a competent driver when they hail a taxi, especially competence in driving a car and understanding directions. Fix that, and life would be so much safer for all concerned.
But for a journo specializing in the taxi industry, Peer should be fully aware of the subtle and not so subtle widespread racism. And that's not just about whites and brown hands, Peer.Peer wrote on Forum May 21, 2008 1:01 am :
>Professional cabbies are used to the phrase: "Nice to have a driver who can speak English (or >know where he is going) for a change." They >rarely say "nice to have a white driver for a >change". Nothing to do with racism, all to do with competence.
Yes, we do commonly hear "that phrase". And 9 times out of 10 it's followed with racist remarks. About ethnic taxi drivers and how they don't know where to go, drive badly and don't speak the lingo. Strangely, they never say that Anglo drivers are bad, but we all know a few of those.
And often they use "that phrase" before I've said anything. So because I'm white, they assume I must be Anglo, Aussie, and speak English. Three immediate presumptions of reverse prejudice. I could be a white Russian, who mainly drives sleds and speaks Siberian.
It must be bloody awful and difficult and unfair for drivers from another background when Aussies and drunks start cracking their "funny" jokes about them.
If it's a serious passenger, I will explain that many ethnic drivers I know are damn good taxi drivers. And how there are thousands who know the Liverpool, Campelltown and Black town areas better than I ever will. And that many drivers are new because others don't staybecause of the lousy pay and uncertainties and safety. ( I wonder how many pack it in because Aussies wont give them a fair go ? )Often a bunch of Aussie drunks hop in with "that phrase" of reverse racism. To prevent the usual follow on I say "Well, actually..., its good to have some passengers that speak English !". The mental cogs churn, and then there is usually laughter. And a sharing of their latestclean or dirty (but not racist) jokes which we all enjoy.In my experience, Peer, "that phrase" is a racist line, thinly disguised, just like the ongoing xenophobic attitudes to Australia's immigration, despite migrants having been the key to our 50 years of economic growth and cultural development.And if we didn't have migrants, we wouldn't have Cabbie I guess. But If you'll forgive a variant on "that phrase", I do puzzle sometimes, Peer, where you learnt your English spelling?
Cheers,Ted
BTW. Jimmy's Forum reply May 22, 2008 11:13 am rightly raises the REAL taxi industry issue and what are your answers to that, Peer?
>But, where are owners going to get 'nuts behind the wheel' except to tap into the unskilled>migrant pool and push them through the revolving door of the accreditation schools and pocket >the $1000 or so dollars you poor dudes in Sydney have to pay.
Source: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/NSWTDAFORUM/message/4958
Peer, your new attempt to appease the Zio-Nazi establishment to hurt me is not going to work and I got every reason to condemn you and your unethical actions and inactions.
--- On Sat, 17/5/08, Peer Lindholdt wrote:
From: Peer Lindholdt Subject: Re: Racism vs Taxi Drivers Safety in VictoriaTo: "union_faruque" , "nswtdaforum@yahoogroups.com" Received: Saturday, 17 May, 2008, 10:26 AM
Red is my comment:
> On 17/5/08 2:13 AM, "union_faruque" wrote: >
The issue is taxi drivers' safety!
Well that's good to know? Do you include "whites" and Jews in that?
>Howcome a civilised society failed to deliver a safe workplace to its taxi workers? How hard is it to share some info from NSW as we do have some earlier research materials?
Nobody anywhere has ever been able to provide a 100% safe workplace for cabbies, security guards, police etc. All we can ask for is "best possible".
>Who introduced RACISM here? Is it the media (who did not know, "why they took their shits off"?!). Who is running the anti Indian stories in the media i.e. no one likes Indian students, … ?
Nobody has been running "anti-Indian stories in the media".
Some media, including Cabbie, has highlighted that, especially in Melbourne, a substantial number of foreign students, most of whom are from the Subcontinent, are driving taxis with little or no driving experience, knowledge of the language, the city, the rules and regulations. That has to stop! Not only are they endangering themselves and other road users, they are endangering competent cabbies, especially from their own part of the world, because they anger, irritate and even frighten the public with their incompetence thus turning them against cab drivers in general.
Professional cabbies are used to the phrase: "Nice to have a driver who can speak English (or know where he is going) for a change." They rarely say "nice to have a white driver for a change". Nothing to do with racism, all to do with competence. Given that the public pays for the fare, they have a right to expect a reasonable level of service, but most importantly driving and communication skills. You Faruque are the true RACIST. You hate "whites" and Jews.
You, with your fanatical emails and blogs, are doing more to damage any hope of racial harmony than anyone else I know, and in the process you are destroying the reputation of the NSW TDA. Unlike the countries where you and your 'brothers' come from, here you Have freedom of speech and the right to express your opinion (as long as you don't incite violence or acts of terrorism). However, you have no right to associate your racist slurs and propaganda with an association which does not, I assume, share your views.
PEER
--- In Sydney_TaxiCorruption@yahoogroups.com, "union_faruque" wrote:
Re: British Raj to Taxi Mafia
Howcome a civilised society failed to deliver a safe workplace to its taxi workers? How hard is it to share some info from NSW as we do have some earlier research materials?
Who introduced RACISM here? Is it the media (who did not know, "why they took their shits off"?!). Who is running the anti Indian stories in the media i.e. no one likes Indian students, real estates do not like them ….. ?
-- In Sydney_TaxiCorruption@yahoogroups.com, "union_faruque" wrote:
British Raj to Taxi Mafia
Due to White Australia Policy (1 and 2) and British Raj the Australians faced huge defeat and disaster at Gallipoli as demonstrated by Crowd swells for a shivering dawn, They fought for two sausages!, Retracing diggers' path in France for Anzac Day, Who are these enemies? and Captain Bush, Blair and Howard.
However because of Australian Values they have turned around these disasters and defeats in to gigantic victory and glory!
Today, they are denying taxi workers lawful rights by using racism as demonstrated in No to Racism and Yes to Activism, Message to Jimmy, Message to Gold Coast Driver and Message to Ross Nelson!
Please examine Melbourne Australia Taxi Strike and links at the top of the article for the full coverage of the story and pictures prior to make up your mind.
Should you wish please give us a hand to smash the blockade of a section of Australian media and society who have chosen to live with prejudice and bigotry.
Racism vs Taxi Drivers Safety in Victoria
Victorian Director General of Transport
It is the responsibility of civilized society to provide a safe workplace and safer work practices to workers under the Occupational Health and Safety legislation under the Duty of Care provisions. It is also a fundamental right of a worker to work in a safe work place that adheres to safe work practices.
In the state of New South Wales we had the Keatsdale Report, Dalziel Reports and Cook Reports which are relevant to to-days taxi drivers safety initiatives in NSW. I believe the current Victorian taxi driver's safety issues are not too different to their NSW counter parts. You are welcome to contact your NSW counterparts to obtain copies of these reports mentioned for some assistance or guidance should you wish to do so.
The commendable multicultural, Melbourne taxi drivers' spontaneous blockade/strike was a genuine and legal one. No one should dismiss or minimise their great effort with blatant and pseudo racism as we have witnessed recently. For example, taking off shirts on a wintry night as these drivers did was a symbol of their actual working conditions and the industrial reality that they experience. These taxi drivers do not have cameras, a global positioning system, workable safety shields or anything in this so called 21st century Victorian work environment. In terms of safety, they are virtually naked and unprotected.
When super models take their bikinis or bras off in the middle of the town center to high light or draw attention to their causes, there is barely any criticism. That situation is unlike the recent outcry directed to these vulnerable Victorian taxi drivers and the protest style they used. Recent murmurings and attempts to smear Indian students in general, many of whom were involved in this Victorian protest, and their living practices so as to undermine and destruct these taxi driver's spotlighting of unacceptable working conditions are purely racially driven. Many European and American backpackers and students also live in an identical cost effective and uncomfortable manner as some Indian students and by extension Indian origin taxi drivers are purported to do. This is blatant generalization designed to undermine the whole issue, which is the shameful and unsafe standard of working conditions and safety being experienced by Victorian taxi drivers.
Surely, a student or any workers poverty should not deny or diminish their basic industrial and safety related rights.
Faruque Ahmed
Mobile: 041 091 4118, Email: union_faruque@yahoo.com.au Wednesday May 14, 2008
