Australians Seek a Role in Their Region : 'The White Tribe of Asia' ? 
International Herald Tribune
April 18, 2000
John Vinocur

The nearly full-page picture shows three Australians, each with a beer bottle in his hand, each wearing shorts, sitting in a row of chairs. They are surrounded by muddy water up to their knees, and for all their nonchalance, they seem to be in the middle of a flood.

The picture ran in an Australian magazine with a caption that said, "Stereotypes such as this one, which appeared recently in Malaysia's The Star, are still common in Asia."

In fact, the notion may be more of an Australian stereotype of what Asians think of them than anything else. An academic who knows Australia well, Wang Gungwu, director of the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, said the picture "is an Australian view, and I can't imagine any Asians thinking that."

But the fact remains that a generation of Australians has been told — essentially by other Australians — that they lack finesse in comparison with Asia, that they do not have a work ethic sufficient to compete with Asians. Over the years, according to an Australian here who has worked in Asia for decades, this has meant that Australia looks to be graded on performance by Asia, and that on issues from politics to trade it constantly asks, in effect, how are we doing?

Joseph Yu-shek Cheng, a professor of political science at City University of Hong Kong, insisted that this was a self-lacerating approach.

"Asians who know a bit of Australia," he said, "have a positive impression of Australia's lifestyle, its housing, its medical care. They see the Australians as a fun-loving people, emphasizing leisure.

"To some extent, they see them as drinking beer and lying on the beach. And yes, most Asians think we work harder than they do. But I don't think this is too negative. In Hong Kong and Singapore, people long for this kind of lifestyle. They think Australia is a luckier country and that Australians are luckier. But again, when you know Australia well, you know quantities of young Australians who work very hard."

Both men stressed that there were good and valued relations between Australia and China, Japan and South Korea. With greater proximity, the contacts between Australia and the countries of Southeast Asia become more complex.

How much do Asians think Australia can hope, if it wishes, to become an integral part of Asia, a member of its councils and even, as Mr. Cheng advocates, a competitor in the Asian Games? The answer is always a cautious one.

A senior Thai diplomat told Thomas Crampton, Bangkok correspondent of the International Herald Tribune: "In many ways, Asia is more important to Australia than Australia is to Asia. Their role is an odd one of an almost European nation on the fringes of Southeast Asia.

"Australia would like to become the white tribe of Asia, but that will never happen. Thailand may have invited Australia into the Asia-Europe grouping, but we would find it very strange if they came to sit on the Asia side of the table."

Like so much in Malaysia, reports Thomas Fuller of the International Herald Tribune from Kuala Lumpur, attitudes toward Australia can be broken down into what Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad thinks and what most Malaysians do. Mr. Mahathir says that Australia should not be considered part of Asia and should be excluded from regional groupings.

But in practical terms, about 15,000 Malaysians go to Australia each year to study, and wealthy Malaysians, including government ministers, own houses or businesses there.

As Asia moves toward more democracy, some Australians of Asian origin say relations will become easier as Asian governments live in greater comfort with Australian press freedom, the country's tough political discourse, its independent courts and its close ties to the United States and Europe.

Henry Tsang, a member of the New South Wales Parliament who immigrated from Hong Kong in 1961, said: "We're repackaging as a unique society with a European background. I think it will sell well."

"Australia is no threat, and without territorial ambition," he added. "As Asia becomes democratic and understands the need to win votes, to convince, Asia will understand us."

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