Media coverage of alleged African gang violence is marginalising minority groups and distracting Australians from more prolific crimes like family violence, says Bentleigh Labor MP Nick Staikos.
Recent incidents like the August 8 clash between two young Sudanese-Australian groups in the Melbourne suburb Taylors Hill have fed public concern over alleged African street gangs. The brawl saw a police car damaged, but no arrests.
Numerous Australian politicians have spoken out on the issue. They include prominent federal Liberal MP Peter Dutton, who labelled ‘Sudanese gangs’ a “major law and order problem”.
But Mr Staikos argues such language makes the issue seem more widespread than it is.
“The biggest law and order challenge we face is family violence,” he said. “This is what occupies the vast majority of the time of our police.”
The Victorian Crime Statistics Agency confirms family violence in Victoria comprises 17.7% of recorded crimes over the past 12 months – over 88,000 documented offences. Comparatively, in 2016 Sudanese-Australians made up 1% of the offender population.
(African gang violence is a popular topic for Melbourne newspaper the Herald Sun. A selection of Herald Sun headlines between 2016-2018. Image: Sarah Muschamp)
But people remain angry and afraid, many posting their feelings online. Commonplace provocative headlines include: ‘Apex killed my son’/’The new menace’/‘African gang rampage’/‘African chaos’ among them.
sharon orapeleng🇧🇼🇦🇺 on Twitter: “The moment I come across a comment that says “round them all up these #africangangs and their families..put them in a boat and sink them.” Is this what this has come to #Australia? Friends #words matter!😢#sad#Africanaustralians #belonging / Twitter”
The moment I come across a comment that says “round them all up these #africangangs and their families..put them in a boat and sink them.” Is this what this has come to #Australia? Friends #words matter!😢#sad#Africanaustralians #belonging
Katia Lallo on Twitter: “”Australia was a penal colony… it was formed to keep black people out” #3cr #thursdaybreakfast #EnoughIsEnough #AfricanGangs @MerikiKO / Twitter”
“Australia was a penal colony… it was formed to keep black people out” #3cr #thursdaybreakfast #EnoughIsEnough #AfricanGangs @MerikiKO
African community advocate and senior mental health policy officer Sharon Orapeleng has firsthand experience of the narrative’s damaging effect on African-Australians.
“The relentless media attention of African-Australians as bad, and not belonging, and not integrating is creating a single story of who we are,” she said.
“The only time you see a person of colour on television…is when it’s related to crime. We’re portrayed as negative; bad; scary.”
Bentleigh MP Nick Staikos said politicians have a responsibility towards vulnerable constituents.
“All politicians should show strong leadership to ensure that members of ethnic minorities are not further marginalised,” he said.
(Featured Image: discarded flyer advertising anti-racism protest, August 22, 2018. Protests over the Australian media’s coverage of the ‘African gang issue’ are abundant in Melbourne. Photo: Sarah Muschamp)
