There’s a new show on the telly here at the moment called Dumb, Drunk and Racist. It’s a docco-style show where the host takes a group of four Indians around the country, with a view to either confirming or refuting the oft-held belief in India that Australians are all dumb, drunk and racist.
Episode 1 was on last night and it was definitely interesting. For the Aussies who missed it, there’s a replay at 10:30 tonight on ABC2.
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This is how we look when we’re not being dumb, drunk and racist.
Data from our 2011 census was released today. I was in Sweden on census night, so just add 1 to all the relevant bits below if you like.
Population: 21,507,717. (Male 10,634,013. Female 10,873,704)
Median age: 37
Families: 568m.
Average children per family: 1.9
All private dwellings: 9.11m.
Average people per household: 2.6
Median weekly household income: $1234
Median monthly mortgage repayment: $1800.
Median weekly rent: $285
Average motor vehicles per dwelling: 1.7
Registered marriages: 7,647,042 or 49.2%
Same-sex couples: 33,714
Heterosexual couples: 4.6 million
De facto marriages: 1,476,369 or 9.5%
Not married: 6,413,399 or 41.3%
Top five countries of birth: Australia, England, New Zealand, China, India.
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With regard to my own neck of the woods, here’s the population breakdown here in Tasmania. We have this many blue and pink people. Less than I thought, actually.
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If you’re interested in finding out more about our dumb, drunk and racist country, there’s more info available here.
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What happened 14-5 years ago in Tasmania?
It really look strange that you have almost twice as much people between 5-14 years of age than 0-4 years or 15-19 years.
I think the answer is within your question, RedJ.
0-4 and 15-19 are smaller age brackets than 5-14. 4 years vs 9 years.
I don’t know why they report it this way, either
Good point.
I live in the southeast US… I don’t think I’ll be calling any other group dumb, drunk and racist. As I can find Australia on a map, I may be known here as a member of the elite intelligentsia.
I find it absurd that people from a country that still has castes and ‘untouchables’ should be finding racism in anyone else.
I also find it odd that while India has a generally very low level of education available for the masses that they would call any other nation ‘dumb’.
I’ll leave the ‘drunk’ part to others.
There is some merit behind the racism claims. There have been numerous reported attacks on Indian (often) students here in Australia in the last few years. There’s also the expansion of Indian call centers which call Australian customers or provide help services, often receiving unsolicited advice from the Aussie recipients as to their parentage.
Unfortunately, there are sections of this society that can be very racist (especially after a few drinks, which sometimes start at breakfast)
To be honest, the animosity towards Indians confounds me. We share use of the English language and have more than one common sporting interest and some historical links. Personally speaking, I adore their food, too. I just don’t get it. I’d be happy to befriend any Indians. Maybe it’s the sporting rivalry gone overboard (cricket is the biggie, which they’re even madder about than us).
Well, Steven, unfortunately there are truths behind every claim of racism. However, to focus on that rather than to focus on the common experience (as you’ve well cited) is nonsense particularly given that Indian society has racism implemented systemically.
As someone with an asian family living in Tasmania, I have experienced racism in public and even in the workplace. There are parts of this State I would not go to for that reason. I am with the Indians on this one, and the fact that racism exists (maybe) everywhere is hardly an excuse for a supposedly enlightened and tolerant society like Austalia.
Hey, Bill.
Unfortunately, I’m not surprised at what you’ve seen. Sad to say, but the premise of he show doesn’t surprise me. We aren’t all like that, but there are a hell of a lot of us who are.
I still and will always love the sunburnt, lucky country, despite all the kiwis that have moved there