Personally, I think this article has a good point. Although, with some other comments, it also rings true with the ‘cast the minority’ to get it out the way’ concept.

As a Samoan ( Note: not all of us have the ability to excel at sport, or cause harm to others in dark alley ways, as some playground tales, media depictions and social circles may suggest) I’d love to see one of my fellow Polynesians (Jay Lagaia )as well as other minorities living in Australia, (although, some may argue they aren’t minorities, depending on where you live) have the opportunity to appear on our screens and become justified cast, instead of having to fill a quota, in order to silence others. But I keep in mind, that perhaps “minorities” may have other aspirations they’d rather pursue, other than acting.

Perhaps the mechanics of the current system are too complex to change, not only in ‘soaps’ but in Australian media in general.

Of course, the ability of a person to act should be the top of the priorities list, but i can’t help feel berated when all I may ever get offered are roles of security guards, bouncers, fat bullies/big eaters and “gangsta/sters/stahs <— whatever way Gen Y may spell it.

I’ve watched basically every episode of Domesitc Blitz and not once have they done a reno for a non-Australian. Same goes with Backyard Blitz, and the house calls made in Better Homes and Gardens.

Definitely support a wider variety of characters – but it needs to be an organic introduction, and shows need to demonstrate an ongoing commitment – we’ll see how committed Neighbours is when we see how long this new character hangs around… I give it 6 months before its back to “white wash” again.

Or to solve the problem, just axe both Home and Away and Neighbours -they are both uselesss shows anyway.

I honestly have never noticed on TV whether there are people from mixed backgrounds or not as I see people as people regardless of skin colour, accent, etc.

This is yet another story in the media unecessarily bringing up potentially racist issues almost as bad as the story in the news last week of the guy who wants to ban the burka on Muslim women for what he calls “security reasons”.

Well shock horror to the ethnic populations but Australia is actually made up of mostly white Anglo-Saxon men and women. Not Indians, not Middle East, not Asians.

Not to mention there are only a small amount of ethnic actors within the already small and struggling Australian acting industry. Australian television will die the day we have to purposely cast an ethnic Australian just to please the ethnic minorities. Which I feel may have already started…..

I have no problem with ethnic Australian actors on Australian television, as long as they can act and are suitable for the role.

Though what is troubling is there are far more important things going on in the world at the moment and people think this is a priority? Well with the current state of affairs they won’t have to worry much longer when we cannot afford to produce any new Australian television shows making their mission defunct.

I would like to see more gay/lesbian characters on shows. Not screaming queens, not short-haired lesbians, but a character that just happens to be gay.

That’ll be along time coming I think.

Most of the time I don’t think they avoid casting different races because of xenephobia, there probably are no ethnicities other than anglo available to cast at the time of production, or it is inappropriate like casting an Indian in a main role for Underbelly but maybe there are some programs which are avoiding minorities on purpose because of their political stance.

I migrated to Australia but have been here for about 20 years and as the article says, there have been many multicultural shows in Australia like Acropolis Now, Greeks On The Roof which reflect the old wave migrant viewpoint. I’d personally like to see a comedy with Indians or other new wave migrants like Sudanese in the same vein as Acropolis Now.