Voters cast their ballots at the Town Hall in Sydney, Australia, in a federal election. Polling stations have opened in eastern Australia in elections that are likely to deliver th...
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, left, is assisted by his wife, Jenny, as he casts his ballot in a federal election in Sydney, Australia. Political leaders continued frene...
A demonstrator with a giant head in the likeness of former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott holds a sign referencing a comment by Abbott made in 2017 belittling the science of...
School kids hold handmade signs at a student organized protest at the office of former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's office in Sydney, Australia. A federal election will ...
In this image made off video, a car drives through flooded road in Port Hedland, Western Australia.
In this image made off video, a tree is uprooted in Port Hedland, Western Australia. Slow-moving Cyclone Veronica that lashed northwest Australia was weakening on Monday.
In this image made off video taken, trees are seen in strong wind in Port Hedland, Western Australia. A slow-moving cyclone that lashed northwest Australia was weakening on Monday....
A woman spins a hula hoop as preparations are underway for the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney.
Participants parade at the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney.
Participants at the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney.
A participant at the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney.
Participants prepare for the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney.
A group called Dykes on Bikes leads the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney.
A group called Dykes on Bikes leads the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney.
Participants at the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney.
Participants at the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney.
Participants at the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney. The 41st parade features almost 200 floats.
A participant smiles as he prepares for the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney. The 41st parade features almost 200 floats.
Members of the Indian diaspora gather in protest to condemn Thursday's Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, outside the Victorian parliament in Melbourne.
Hot air balloons line up during the 'Night of the Balloons' in Kaprun, Austria.
Sydney Morning Herald report on this week's magazine cover story:
IT IS a magazine cover that will make the hearts of Australian university bosses and diplomats sink.
"Why the Aussies hate us" screams the cover of this week's influential Indian news magazine Outlook.
...
The editor-in-chief of Outlook, Vinod Mehta, defended the coverage and denied allegations that the Indian media were overreacting. He told the Herald: "We sent two correspondents to Australia and they found that an overwhelming number of these incidents were racial and they found that Indians in Australia live in fear. There is tremendous outrage in this country. I don't think the Australians realise that."
Mr Mehta said one reason for the anger was the "smug and superior attitude of the Australian government for denying there was racism and then telling the Indians not to hype this up".
Mr Mehta said he published the story with great regret.
"I like Australia a great deal but you have to see there is a problem, and by denying it you won't get anywhere."
Read the full story at SMH
R. Jagannathan in the DNA makes a very timely reminder:
Over the last few weeks, the world has come face to face with Australian racism. Australia has some of the toughest anti-racial legislation in the world, just as we have some of the most draconian anti-casteism laws. But legislation does not make a society less racist, less communal or less casteist.Read more at DNA
Only steady social change, continuous interaction between communities, a liberal education system and empowerment of the downtrodden can do that. But that's a long process.
What the race attacks Down Under tell us is that no one in the world is immune from us-versus-them tribalism. Racism and xenophobia have been a part of the human mental make-up for thousands of years.
