Northern Suburbs council worker subject to racist attack amid coronavirus pandemic

A disgusting attack on an Asian woman in Adelaide’s north is just one of a rising number of coronavirus-related racial abuse in Australia, SA’s equal opportunity commissioner says.

Savry Ouk was walking to get some supplies at her local Aldi last Monday when she was abused and spat at from a passing car. Picture: Matt Turner

• Drastic measures to stop toilet paper rush
• Are you getting the most from your Advertiser subscription?

The State’s Equal Opportunity Commissioner has called for zero tolerance on racism and coronavirus-related abuse after a northern suburbs councillor was spat at and insulted last week.

Savry Ouk, a Cambodian-born City of Salisbury councillor, was crossing the road to get to her local Aldi last week when a car drove past shouting racist abuse and spitting at her.

“A car drove past and started screaming, `You Asians brought corona to Australia’ and started to cough and spit at me,” Cr Ouk of Salisbury Downs, said.

“I almost broke down in tears, I thought, ‘What have I ever done to deserve all this?

“I was so upset.”

Cr Ouk subsequently contacted SA Equal Opportunity Commissioner Dr Niki Vincent.

“I said, ‘Can we do something to send out a message to the community to promote a positive outlook so this doesn’t happen to anyone out there that are of Asian descent,” Cr Ouk said.

“We’re all human beings and you should treat each other with respect, and with this crisis and pandemic, we need to support each other; we don’t need racist behaviour towards each other.”

MORE NEWS:

CCTV appears to show couple stealing toilet paper

Coronavirus: How each Australian state is tracking

Dr Vincent said the act was sickening and there was evidence of a rise in COVID-19 linked racism across Australia and an increase in complaints of racial discrimination to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

“I am sure most South Australians would agree that this kind of behaviour is incredibly harmful at an individual and community level,” Dr Vincent said. “Racism will only serve to divide us and compound the level of stress already being felt by Australians of Asian descent. It is committed by a minority, against marginalised groups. It needs to stop.”

Dr Vincent is urging South Australians to report any instances of discrimination to her office via the website at eoc.sa.gov.au