Adjudication No. 387 (November 1988) [1988] APC 34

ADJUDICATION No. 387 (November 1988)

Mr Michael Meadows complains concerning a by-lined article by Ron Saw in the Sunday Mail on 9 October, 1988. The article, entitled "Black menus put Chinese on the broil", says in part:

Years ago, a historical researcher reported on ABC television that Northern Territory and Queensland blacks liked nothing better with their yams and oysters than a few gobbets of briefly-broiled Chinamen.

Mr Meadows believes that the article is inaccurate and racist; he says the claim that the Aborigines ate Chinese is unsupported by evidence. He says that, at a time when Australians are grappling with the current debate on immigration, this sort of action can only serve to fuel the fires of racism which already exist. The Sunday-Mail subsequently published a letter from Mr Meadows setting out his objections and in reply the editor stated at the foot of the letter:

We feel sure most readers appreciate that Ron Saw often uses irony to make a point, that this is a legitimate use of the English language - and that his point in this instance was that racism is stupid.

In reply to the complaint itself the newspaper relies on a further column by Mr Saw on 6 November, 1988 when he said that in the article he had thanked heaven that Chinese Australians were at last being portrayed as the oppressed rather than the oppressors, the menu rather than the cooks. From childhood he had been taught that Chinese were murderous, insanitary and almost certainly cannibalistic.

The newspaper also published letters other than the complainant's and those shown to the Press Council all supported Mr Saw.

The Press Council believes that the article written by Mr Saw was meant to expose the prejudices against Aborigines and Asians in Australian history.

The Council holds that the article was not racist, but recognises that irony like comedy and cartoons can offend, especially when people are identified by race. The Council believes that the complainant might have read the article too literally.

The complaint is dismissed.