Coronavirus Gold Coast: Chinese locals stay home beyond self-quarantine period to avoid scaring others

Members of the tight-knit Gold Coast Chinese community have resorted to taking a drastic measure to avoid racist abuse in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

CHINESE Australians fearing racist abuse are locking themselves away at home beyond their self-quarantine period if they have visited China recently, says prominent businesswoman and Chinese community leader Debby Lo-Dean.

“Chinese locals are afraid of being ostracised and making people feel uncomfortable in public, and there have even been some instances of abuse. As such, they are cautioning each other to stay away from public places so as not to scare others,” she said.

Debby Lo-Dean, the official spokeswoman for the Gold Coast Chinese Community says local Chinese people fear being ostracised. Picture: Jerad Williams

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But Mrs Lo-Dean, a fifth-generation Australian and honorary chair for the Integrated Chinese Club of Queensland, said despite the precautions being taken in the wake of the coronavirus scare, she was still compelled to call out racism.

And she stressed that the only people found to have to virus on the Gold Coast were “from the same tour group that was quarantined (in January)’’.

“There have been no other cases outside. No cases in Brisbane,” she said.

“If you have black hair, people are taking a step sideways.

“The Gold Coast is a tourism city. We have tourists from all Asian countries and just because you have black hair it doesn’t mean you are Chinese.

Tourists wearing masks at Gold Coast Airport as the Coronavirus epidemic causes havoc with peoples travel plans. Picture Glenn Hampson

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“Yesterday I was told of a sign on the window of a Thai restaurant saying they would not be accepting any tour groups and it was because patrons were asking if there were any tour groups booked in, they weren’t comfortable eating there.

“I personally want to stop the fear mongering. We still must continue to follow the advice of official channels such as Queensland Health but going forward, we need the Gold Coast to continue to develop a strong relationship with all our neighbours so that we can develop tourism, trade, import, export and education.

“We need jobs and a strong economy to grow. We cannot afford to be known as a racist state.”

A woman wears a mask in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Nigel Hallett

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Mrs Lo-Dean said she was speaking on behalf of residents who “don’t like making a fuss’’.

“Since the outbreak of the coronavirus there’s been a lot of fear in the Chinese community on the Gold Coast. They are home even after self-quarantine because they don’t want to attract any attention or cause any discomfort to locals – this actually makes me incredibly sad,” she said.

Mrs Lo-Dean said the tight-knit Chinese community wanted Gold Coasters to know they were very aware there was fear in the community and were “doing their best not to upset anyone’’.

The Gold Coast Chinese community have been leaving hampers on the doorsteps of people who are in self-imposed quarantine. Photo: Supplied

“They are saying they will do everything to stop this virus from spreading. Even some people who have not visited China are staying at home. I think people in quarantine feel it is their obligation to protect the community,” she said.

Through a group chat, Chinese locals had set up a support network calling for unity to “consciously prevent the spread of the virus in Australia’’.

“Especially for the large number of returned students, as well as every home … do not let a local resident in Australia (be) infected with the virus. Every Chinese should be duty-bound, just two weeks,” the message says.

Locals had banded together to cook meals and make up food hampers to drop on the doorsteps of Gold Coast families in quarantine.