Multicultural Australia – by Joe Paiva

Multicultural Australia

Yesterday I went to Salisbury, an outer suburb, north of Adelaide City, by public transport.

It was a beautiful, calm, sunny day in Adelaide. Clear blue skies. Temperature 22.

I had been to Salibury in 30 years. I was pleasantly surprised to obseve a large, growing, Afghanistan/ African/ multicultural communities. Low socio-economic demography. Most perform blue collar work & engaged in the hospitality industry.

A string of shops, caught my attention. All except 1, was Retail businesses run by Afghanis.

One small Supermarket ( not as flashy as Coles, Woolworths) Selling a wide range of Multicultural food, Vegetables to cater for the local communities. Doing good steady profitable turnover. Customers Multicultural , Afghanis, Indians, Africans, Middle Eastern. ( few Aussies)

Open 7 days, 8 am to 8 pm.

Butcher – Afghani

Women Dress shop = Afghani.

Baber shop – Italian ( little Italy).

Jewellery Shop ( real 21 caret gold – Afgani.

Dry Cleaning + dress alterations – Afghani.

Afghani /Indian restaurants

Migration Agents.

Migration Lawyers.

Banks, front line staff – Afgani, African / Indian etc.

Real Estate Agents same story.

Jewellery is imported from Dubai.

Under the Verandahs outside, elderly, Afghanis/ African/ Middle Easrern men drinking coffee/ tea/ Chai, chatting, socialising doing deals. What deals ?

The people I met in Salisbury, are friendly, warm and hospitable.

Beautiful people.

Australia is much richer for it.

The general demography of Australia is slowing changing from predominantly Anglo Saxon, white culture, to modern multicultural Australia.

However, the present members of State/ Federal Parliament do not reflect the Multicultural modern 20th Australia.

This where the underlying social problem lies.

The 1st Nations people, the original traditional owners ( Aboriginals/ Torresstraight people are ( behind closed door and White Society) of this Continent are perceived as 2nd class citizens and not valued for the significant contributions to make Australia a vibrant country.

An analogy is a RAINBOW.

One colour on its own is not dynamic nor beautiful. However the Rainbow with so many colours,side by side, combining is a beautiful sight to behold.

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” We are beautiful flowers from the same garden” Barack Obama

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