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Vietnamese Australians protest
against poor driver tag
ABC Radio AM Program
Wednesday, 23 November, 2005
Reporter: Jennifer Macey
TONY EASTLEY: Hundreds of Vietnamese Australians
held a rally outside a Sydney council last night, protesting against the
stereotype that they're bad drivers.
A Fairfield councillor believes some Asian drivers aren't able to understand
the local road signs and that's the reason there are so many parking fines
issued in the area.
He's suggested setting up dual Chinese-English signage, despite Vietnamese
being the dominant local ethnic group.
The Fairfield Asian community has accused the Labor councillor of racism.
Jennifer Macey reports.
TAXI DRIVER: I've been driving taxis some time, you know…
JENNIFER MACEY: This cab driver has a Chinese background and has been driving
taxis in Australia for eight years.
It's this sort driver that Labor Councillor Lawrence White is concerned about.
He believes Asian drivers can't read road signs and are more likely to get
parking tickets.
However, this cabbie is insulted to hear his driving skills are being defined
by race.
TAXI DRIVER: I'm an Asian driver, I'm… doesn't mean what nationality. It
depend on how long they have their driving experience.
JENNIFER MACEY: Like many high-density urban areas, the Fairfield municipality
has parking problems. But Councillor White wants to do something in his
multi-ethnic area by establishing bilingual road signs.
It's outraged the local community who besieged Fairfield Council Chambers last
night.
(sound of protesters shouting)
VOX POP 1: That's ridiculous, because I mean like if there's no parking then
there's no need for sign, because I'm sure everybody can see the sign, can
read the sign.
VOX POP 2: Loading zone, no stopping or parking. We cannot learn, that's
ridiculous. He's racist. He thinks we are stupid people.
VOX POP 3: Cabramatta's a bottleneck, and they really need to do something to
address the car parking. And basically, they've been going on for years to
decide about a new car park, and there's no will for the council to actually
build one.
VOX POP 4: People don't come to Cabramatta to shop, because there's nowhere to
park. We're losing business through them.
JENNIFER MACEY: Another Fairfield Councillor, Thang Ngo, accuses Councillor
White of racial vilification.
THANG NGO: We understand the word "No stopping", we understand the
word "No standing". The problem here is a lack of council services,
not the stupidity of the community.
JENNIFER MACEY: Councillor Ngo says Councillor White when pressed, had
suggested the Chinese language of Mandarin could be adopted as a middle of the
road language that most Asians will understand.
THANG NGO: Now let's be clear, Mandarin is a language spoken by Chinese. The
predominant community in the Cabramatta area are Vietnamese. Anyone knows
that, and unfortunately that's the level of ill-informed debate that we have
at the moment.
JENNIFER MACEY: The council issued a press release saying they "will
definitely not provide parking signage in community languages", and
denied that Councillor White or the council is racist.
Councillor White was approached by AM but refused to comment.
TONY EASTLEY: Jennifer Macey.
www.thangngo.com
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