Wes Patten News Today

Whitewashed: why does Australian TV have such a problem with race? Naaman Zhou When the Australian soap opera Neighbours introduced its first non-white family in 1993 – the Lims from Hong Kong – their first major storyline was to be accused of eating another neighbour’s dog. Admittedly, the person doing the accusing was Julie Martin, a character known for being obnoxious, and described by the official Neighbours book as “unbearable”. Eventually, in a triumph for race r...

Last modified on Sat 17 Apr 2021 16.01 EDT When the Australian soap opera Neighbours introduced its first non-white family in 1993 – the Lims from Hong Kong – their first major storyline was to be accused of eating another neighbour’s dog. Admittedly, the person doing the accusing was Julie Martin, a character known for being obnoxious, and described by the official Neighbours book as “unbearable”. Eventually, in a triumph for race relations, they were vindicated. After six weeks, the...