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Whitewashed: why does Australian TV have such a problem with race? Naaman Zhou
When the Australian soap opera Neighbours introduced its first non-white family in 1993 – the Lims from Hong Kong – their first major storyline was to be accused of eating another neighbour’s dog.
Admittedly, the person doing the accusing was Julie Martin, a character known for being obnoxious, and described by the official Neighbours book as “unbearable”. Eventually, in a triumph for race relations, they were vindicated. After six weeks, they were written out. The dog, Holly, stayed around for five more years.
Historically, Australian television – both scripted and not – has been overwhelmingly white and Anglo-Saxon, more so than the population.
Last modified on Sat 17 Apr 2021 16.01 EDT
When the Australian soap opera Neighbours introduced its first non-white family in 1993 – the Lims from Hong Kong – their first major storyline was to be accused of eating another neighbour’s dog.
Admittedly, the person doing the accusing was Julie Martin, a character known for being obnoxious, and described by the official Neighbours book as “unbearable”. Eventually, in a triumph for race relations, they were vindicated. After six weeks, they were written out. The dog, Holly, stayed around for five more years.
Members of the Lim family, the first non-white characters on Neighbours. Photograph: Network 10