A migrant in Australia has spoken out about how the country is becoming too “woke” by pandering to every grievance group, and risks irreversibly changing the nation that attracted him.
A man who gave his name as Janik appeared in the audience of ABC’s Q+A program on Monday night and said he had spent 60 percent of his life in Australia, raising a family, owning a home and working in a technical job.
“I am deeply concerned about the shift to the far left in our country,” he said on the program.
‘With public schools driving a conscious mindset, an increase in immigration of all kinds, awareness of climate policies with rising prices.
‘My question then is, how long will it be before Australia is no longer recognisable as what it once was, the one that attracted me to its justice and opportunities based solely on its merits?’
Maria Thattil, author and former Miss Universe Australia, responded that so-called “woke” values were simply trying to reverse many decades of discrimination.
“We hide behind the word ‘woke’ when what we are talking about is speaking on behalf of communities that need their human rights, dignity and freedoms respected,” Thattil said.
She said diversity quotas were justified because marginalized groups have faced systemic barriers and disadvantages, citing her own experience as a queer woman of Indian descent.
Janik appeared in the audience of ABC’s Q+A program on Monday night and said he had spent 60 per cent of his life in Australia, raising a family, owning a home and contributing to technological advances in his work.
Author Maria Thattil said in response to Janik’s question that whenever “woke” values were mentioned, it was usually in reference to advocating for marginalized communities like the LGBTQI+ community.
“We’re talking about equity and opportunity; if we truly lived in such a meritocracy, I believe we would have equal representation of women, people of color, queer people and people with disabilities in positions of power and leadership,” she added.
“We need these progressive movements to help people who have started off on the wrong foot and are facing significant inequity.”
Lawyer and panel member Nyadol Nyuon came to Australia as a refugee and said that “wokeness”, like any social movement, is not without its critics.
“Merit is an important concept, but it is not without bias,” Nyuon said.
She said a side effect of diversity programs and quotas was that many women and non-white professionals felt as though they received preferential treatment even if their position was fully earned and deserved.
“Even though I came to this country as a refugee, I am very lucky to have gone to school, to have a law degree, to have earned a bachelor’s degree, to have worked hard,” she said.
“But every time I walk into the room, everyone thinks I’m a pro-diversity person.”
Lawyer Nyadol Nyuon says she is treated as if her achievements are lesser because of “anti-woke” attitudes. Photo: ABC
“And that’s destructive too,” he said.
This comes after Gina Rinehart criticised Australia’s “woke” education system, claiming children are being “taught to be ashamed of our country”.
The mining magnate said “our children and grandchildren are being let down in their schools” in a videotaped speech at the Bush Summit in Bendigo, Victoria, last month.
‘Even those as young as three years old and attending preschools are taught that our police are bad and that plastics, which are essential in hospitals, are bad.
‘They and others in school classes are no longer taught to be proud of our country, quite the opposite.
“They are taught that it is wrong to say there are two genders, and they are even scolded if they say it. They are taught propaganda instead of facts, and progressive causes instead of understanding logic and rationale.”
In June, Yarraville West Primary School in Melbourne made headlines after having its students sing a revised version of ‘Advance Australia Fair’ at assemblies.
Although the alternate version retains the original 1878 musical score, the lyrics were changed to emphasize the history of Aboriginal peoples.
The modifications were made by Indigenous artists for the Dulwich Centre and Seekers singer Judith Durham in 2015.
Several parents have complained about the change, saying it has confused their children who have no idea how to sing the official anthem.