A spokesman for the Embassy said: The Australian Government has no tolerance for racism and discrimination and this is reflected in a broad range of anti-discrimination legislation in Australia. “The Government has an unwavering commitment to a multicultural Australia and greatly welcomes the contribution made by people of all backgrounds , regardless of origin, gender, or colour, to Australia's culture, society, and prosperity,” he added.
Simon, the man who placed the ad, defended the move, stating that he was sick of Irish people applying for jobs with no experience. “I have no trouble with Irish people,” he said, but he would not disclose his full name or the name of the company he works for.
“But I’ve had to fire a number of people. I’ve had lots of Irish people say they have experience bricklaying but come over and have no clue how to lay bricks. I’m very busy and don’t have time to be watching over them.” He added that he is well aware of the anti-discriminatory legislation in Australia.
3 comments:
And the irony is that so many Australians are Irish by descent. The number of Irish transported to Australia was huge.
There was a time in America when Irish were used for the really dangerous work; slaves were too expensive and valuable, while Irish were essentially disposable. There's an old saying you still hear occasionally today: "Only Irishmen dig wells." My maternal grandparents were both Scots-Irish, and they told me that even as late as the early 20th century the discrimination was still widespread.
I get a kick out of the black entitlement movement in modern America. They've been fed the line that they were treated worse than any ethnic group in history. Nope, not by a long shot.
Well at least now all the Irish backpackers have a fair and equal chance to apply for this job that they won't get the minute he clocks the accent. What a relief he didn't include it in the ad.
It comes down to once bitten, twice shy. His experience of the Irish has been unfortunate, but it could just as easily had been a rash of redheads who'd let him down. Couldn't mention it, but you sure can think it.
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