HIGH-profile brain surgeon Charlie Teo says immigrants are generally good people who could make Australia as prosperous as the US.
Dr Teo, the son of Chinese immigrants, said racism in Australia was not as bad as other countries but it still existed.
"Is it something that we need to accept as the Australian psyche? Absolutely not," Dr Teo said after his Australia Day address in Sydney last night.
"Why can't Australia be the gold standard of non-racist environment?
"We should start talking about it, we should see that it exists, then we can do something about it.
"Any racism, in any form, any degree is a bad one."
Dr Teo said he lived and worked in the US for 10 years and believes Americans have better attitudes towards immigration.
"Once immigrants make it into America they are really, really embraced and are given lots of opportunity," he said.
"It's not like I want Australia to open up the floodgates and let everyone in, but we do have to think about the concept of immigration and the concept of immigration is that it does add to the wealth of the country.
"Once you accept that immigrants are actually good for your country then hopefully people's attitudes and their kindness will improve.
"You start with the basic premise that the majority of people that come to this country are good people."
In his Australia Day address, Dr Teo urged Aussies to share their country and put aside their anger.
"I want everyone who find themselves angry and intolerant to think first about the misfortunes - such as those with cancer," Dr Teo said.
"I want anyone who has come from another country to embrace the Australian way of life. It has served us well.
"I want all Australians to see how immigrants have contributed to our nation and to appreciate that a rich and prosperous country such as ours has a moral and global responsibility to share our resources.
"Finally I want to thank Australians for giving me professional and personal fulfillment, for believing in me when some of my colleagues didn't, for seeing a Chinaman as an Aussie, not as a foreigner."
The Australia Day address has provided commentary on national identity since 1997.
No comments:
Post a Comment