Multicultural council calls for awareness campaigns over racist acts during COVID-19 crisis

Tasmanians with an Asian background have been blamed for the coronavirus in Australia in ugly incidents of racism, and a multi-cultural group believes it won’t stop until restrictions are wound back.

GOVERNMENT-led public awareness campaigns are needed to help bring an end to ugly acts of racism fed by myths relating to coronavirus, a multicultural group says.

It comes after long-term Tasmanian residents of Vietnamese descent were reportedly blamed for coronavirus and physically abused in the streets of Launceston.

The latest example of discrimination followed an attack on Chinese students in New Town in March, for which a 38-year-old man was jailed for two months after pleading guilty to assault.

Hobart man Edward Chan said he was yelled at in March during a trip to KFC at Eastlands by three men who appeared to be around the age of 16.

He said they called him a “mother f***ing Chinese wearing a mother f***ing mask”.

“I felt very angry in the moment, but after that I just feel they were ignorant,” he said.

“I have lived in Australia for about three years and this is the first (act of) racism in that time that I have (encountered).”

He said his roommate was also punched and injured by a man in front of the New Town Kmart during the pandemic.

“I think this behaviour cannot be tolerated,” Mr Chan said.

Other acts include a visiting Chinese farm worker being refused service in a shop in Tasmania’s North West.

Multicultural Council of Tasmania chairperson Waqas Durrani. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Multicultural Council of Tasmania chair Waqas Durrani said Tasmanians of Asian appearance were being abused because of coronavirus.

“Unfortunately, coronavirus-based racism is set to grow as restrictions on our movements

are wound back and we come in contact with each other more often,’’ he said.

“We need to dispel the myths feeding coronavirus-based racism.

“Tasmanians of Asian appearance are no more responsible for coronavirus than Tasmanians

with an Anglo-Celtic background.

“Those individuals who unwittingly brought coronavirus to Tasmania include Tasmanians with an Anglo-Celtic background.

“It would be nonsense to blame all Tasmanians with an Anglo-Celtic background for coronavirus because of the travel of these individuals. Similarly, it is nonsensical to blame Tasmanians of Asian appearance.”

Mr Durrani said Tasmanians of Asian appearance are often long-term Australian residents and citizens and have often not recently travelled.

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“Those with a connection to mainland China are not responsible for and may oppose much of what the Government of the People’s Republic of China does,’’ he said.

“Our local, state and federal governments can each run campaigns dispelling the myths

feeding coronavirus-based racism.”

Premier Peter Gutwein. Tasmanian government update on COVID-19 in Tasmania. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Premier Peter Gutwein said any form of racism or discrimination was unacceptable.

“I’d say very clearly to Tasmanians, now is the time to show kindness, to show respect and to show gratitude,’’ he said.

“We have come such a long way as a state together through this, we are in a good place, let’s get to a better place but let’s do it together.”