Finding a Place – A Chinese Immigrant’s Reflections on Life and Racial Challenges in Australia

I have been living in Australia for more than sixteen years now, originally arriving here as an international student. Over time, this country has truly become my home. Besides loving Australia’s pleasant climate, stunning beaches and picturesque natural environment, I also appreciate the laid-back, no-worries attitude of Australians. Australian people’s peaceful, easy-going mindset and focus on living at present is something I appreciate.

Throughout my academic and life journey in Australia, I am deeply grateful to the many Australians who have welcomed me, supported me, and shown kindness without hesitation. There have been numerous occasions where I have received support from kind-hearted Australians—whether it was strangers helping when my car broke down on the road, teachers guiding me through my studies or workmates supporting me at work.

Those positive experiences have given me a strong sense of connection and belonging to this land.

However, like many Asian Australians, I also faced moments of racism — especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

One particular incident was when I was at a McDonald’s with my child and a friend’s child at Sandy Bay in Hobart. The kids were playing while we ordered food, which apparently annoyed a local woman. She yelled at me and the kids in the face, “go back to your country.” I was shocked and deeply hurt. Even though I called the police, no one showed up.

This was the first time in Australia that I felt like an ‘outsider’, despite having lived in this country for many years and my child being born here.

The unpleasant experience left me feeling lost and unsettled for a long time.

It was during that period that I started to withdraw myself from sharing any of my heritage and culture with the local community. When I reflect on that incident, I believe that much of the prejudice I faced stemmed from the malicious and misleading portrayal of the Chinese community by the Australian media during the pandemic. This portrayal led to local residents to develop biases and direct their frustrations towards individuals of Chinese appearances within Australia.

In addition to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I have also noticed that over the past recent years, my child has encountered unpleasant experiences related to racial language in Tasmanian schools. For example, he was called “Ching Chong” by other students in the schools. This term originated in 19th-century America as a deeply racist slur used to mock the Chinese language and people. It is troubling that such a term is now starting to appear in Australian schools.

This is a highly negative trend—not only does it hurt the feelings of Chinese Australian children, but it also undermines social cohesion in Australia. I believe the government needs to take this issue seriously.

Children are like blank slates; they often do not understand the meaning behind such words, but the use of this language undoubtedly reinforces misunderstanding and division in society.

I have the privilege of contributing to the community as a home carer, social worker and social policy researcher. I have dedicated my efforts to supporting hundreds of vulnerable individuals and families in navigating social services through many years of my work in government agencies and NGOs. Likewise, as a Chinese migrant, I understand how important it is to feel accepted and respected by the local community. We came to Australia not only to build better lives for ourselves and our children, but also to contribute, to share, to be part of something greater.

I hope that Australian society continues to embrace its multicultural identity, with over two hundred nationalities and languages coexisting. Mutual respect, learning from each other, and peaceful coexistence are what make this country truly great.

As an old Chinese saying goes, we should learn from others’ strengths to offset our own weaknesses, fostering an environment where everyone feels they belong on this beautiful land.

I hope this article resonates with the broader community, sparking meaningful conversations about inclusivity. I want it to serve as a voice for others in our multicultural society who may have had similar experiences, and to encourage open dialogue and mutual understanding.

‘Qinqin’ is a Chinese-Australian, who has kindly shared some of her story with us.