Toowoomba civic leaders reject ‘most racist city’ label

TOOWOOMBA has rejected the label of “most racist city in Australia” — and it has good reasons for proving it wrong.

Toowoomba’s civic leaders point out the city has a rich multicultural background.

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TOOWOOMBA civic leaders have jumped to the defence of their city after it was labelled the most racist in Australia.

Mayor Paul Antonio said his city was far from racist, and was home to people of more than 200 different cultural backgrounds.

The city attracted the unwanted title following controversy stirred up by the online response to a local Terry White Chemist stocking golliwog dolls beneath a sign saying “Experience a White Christmas” — a play on words of the store’s name.

The move led indigenous activist Stephen Hagan to lash out at his former home town, where he waged a successful campaign in the early 2000s to rename “E.S Nigger Brown Stand”, named after a white 1920s rugby league player.

The chemist display that touched off the controversy.

Cr Antonio said Toowoomba had a level of prejudice, like other cities, but was generally very welcoming and tolerant.

“Don’t forget there are some 200 different cultural backgrounds in Toowoomba and we are very tolerant of things of that nature,” he said.

Cr Antonio said the city’s annual multicultural festival was very popular, with 17,000 attendees last year.

Community Action for a Multicultural Society worker David Barton said Toowoomba was a “go-to destination” for migrants.

“We’ve got a really great track record and some really great notable services,” he said.

“There is great collaboration between schools, churches and non-government organisations and the migrant community who come and live here rate it very highly.”

Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki said Toowoomba was a successful migrant city with a diverse background.

“It is an inclusive city that respects each individual regardless of colour or creed and I’m proud to represent Toowoomba South and every part of that,” he said.

Toowoomba welcomes those of all races and religions.

Mr Hagan told local newspaper The Chronicle Toowoomba had voted against the 1967 referendum to recognise Aborigines in the population.

But original records of the referendum show the Darling Downs electorate voted overwhelmingly in favour of the alterations to the constitution (90.2 per cent).

Terry White Chemists Clifford Gardens managing partner Alwyn Baumann apologised for the “regrettable” incident and said the dolls had been removed from shelves.

“We unreservedly apologise if we have caused offence to our customers or any member of our local or broader community for selling this product,” Mr Baumann said.

“We have made a regrettable error in choosing to stock this product.”