Happy (White) Australia Day

Happy Australia Day.... although, given the rate at which racist sentiment is escalating in this country, that could soon become an oxymoron.

In recent years, racist groups in Australia have taken to using the southern cross as a symbol to represent their cause - a "White Australia", or an "Australia for Australians", sparking discussions over whether there was a need to change the Australian flag. In my opinion, a symbol is just that. The flag represents Australia, and if it were to be changed from the Union Jack and Southern Cross to a box jellyfish and macadamia nuts, all that means is young racists will be sport tattoos of the most toxic creature in the animal kingdom and the sort of nut that goes sublimely with chocolate.

Australia is the 6th largest country in the world, ranked 233 in terms of population density (India is 32nd, UK 51st, China 78th) and only 6.5% arable land. With a population of 20.5 mio, this translates to approximately 3.3mio people per 1% of land that is cultivable to support the population. Using the same formula, 1% of arable land in China supports 88mio people, in India 2.525 mio and the UK 2.65mio.

Which seems fair enough for Australians to demand immigrants return to their own country, because Australia is, in their opinion, "full". The 6th largest country on Earth is bursting at the seams, spilling over with bodies jostling for a piece of the second best country in the world to live in. I wonder when the youths were attacking the hapless Indian student and slicing his stomach open, did they cry,"Go home, you have plenty of land in India"? Is it then justifiable for Chinese immigrants to make their home in Australia given the strain they are putting on their own land?

But what about the POMS? The motherland boasts an abundance of fertile, sodden countryside for cabbage to grow and cows to roam, and an island's worth of wretchedly grey beaches upon which to frolic. I say we send their pasty white asses home on a boat (or British Airways, an eminently more traumatic travel experience).

Yet it was the POMS who discovered this dry, desolate country on the other side of the equator, teetering on the precipice beyond which human life struggles to sustain itself (no offence to the Kiwis). It was them who wrested this land from the Aborigines and claimed it for their own, along with parts of Africa, South East Asia and the Americas. It is this lingering false sense of white entitlement, imperialism and supremacy that fosters and proliferates racist sentiments in Australia. Not the lack of space or resources.

The Australia of today is an migrant country. In 2004, 24% of the population was born outside of the country. I love that I can have vietnamese, thai, italian, maltese, chinese, egyptian or nepalese food all within a 15 minute drive. Ok, so I hate maltese food, but it's a relevant representation of the spectrum of cuisines that are available in this multi-cultural country. This IS Australia.

Despite the paucity of arable land, Australia exports 65% of its farm products, 60% of its forest products and 51% of its dairy products (admittedly, part of this is in balance with the opposing seasons of the Northern Hemisphere ie we give some and we take some). The country's biggest problem is its acute lack of water, which means that despite being the world's largest island, its territorial waters are nutrient poor, resulting in relatively low biological productivity (of marine life, not Australians). Farmland is often bleak and brown, and bushland at risk of ferocious and sometimes uncontainable forest fires, no thanks to the infamously inflammable Eucalyptus trees. It is a country of conundrums, blessed with rich indigenous flora and fauna, and geographical beauty, but at the same time, cursed by dust and drought.

Australia has a lot to offer the world, and the world has a lot to give in return. Australians have to remember that without its people, it would simply be a dry, desolate landscape and that only the Aborigines are equipped to survive on the land in its essence. Australians, white or otherwise, (yes, that's you in the caravan park) have to embrace the inevitable evolution of this planet and its societal implications.

We are all "racists" or "xenophobes" to some extent. The Japanese are notorious for their fear of or resistance to foreigners, yet because theirs is a discreet practice, without tattoos of the Rising Sun or explicit violence, we turn a blind eye to it. As a Singaporean, albeit living in a different country, there are moments when I fear for my self-preservation and the self-preservation of my countrymen. With no end in sight to the deluge of Mainland Chinese immigrants, will we one day become another outpost of China? Ironically, all chinese-singaporeans are progenies of mainland chinese immigrants, so should we not embrace them and cry out "欢迎，同志!" (welcome, comrades!)?

With 18,ooo people per square metre, Singapore is ranked 3rd in the world in population density. We have barely any land, arable or otherwise, and self-sufficient agriculture extends only as far as hydroponics and the vegetables my mother used to grow in her paltry garden. What we have are our people, most of them migrants, some white, some black, some brown, some yellow, all seeking to make a life for themselves. A peaceful life.

There are a few lessons Australia could learn from this other blessed, former-british colonial island - value your people regardless of where they are from, no, because of where they're from, get rid of the monarchy and lose the Labour government. Oh, and stop privatising infrastructure and selling out to Macquarie Bank.

Here the dish for the day, made from 100% Australian pork.

Pork with Balsamic Glaze and Cauliflower Puree

Serves 2

600gm pork loin or fillet

4 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons runny honey

1 tsp dry thyme or handful of chopped fresh thyme

splash of red wine

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients and leave pork to marinade for at least 2 hours. Remove excess marinade from pork, then roast in a 190 degree oven for about 45 min (depending on thickness of meat). Meanwhile, reduce marinade in a saucepan and thicken with a knob of butter. When pork is done, allow to rest for 10 min, slice and strain sauce over meat. Serve with cauliflower puree and green salad.

Cauliflower Puree

Serves 2

1/2 head of cauliflower, quartered

1 clove garlic, grated

4 tblspn double cream

good knob of butter

handful of grated parmesan cheese (optional)

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Cook cauliflower in a pot of boiling water. Strain and mash with a ricer or put through a blender. Return to heat, add garlic, cream, butter (and cheese if desired). Season with salt and pepper.