Name a bad news story about Australia that has tarnished our name overseas?

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Zane

Azaria Chamberlin. Dingo got my baby!
Palm Island Aboriginal discrimination
Cronulla Riots

truthfulanswer

Just a few months ago, immigration denied entry of a doctor because he had a Downs Syndrome child...that made overseas news and didn't make Australia look good.

tamara m

Probably that recent incident about John Howard's accomadation in the USA where he'd booked into that house that was the traditional accomadation for the incoming president prior to their inaugeration, forcing Obama into staying a a hotel

molly

The backpacker murders didn't show us in a good light and not great for tourism.
Russell Crowe and the infamous phone throwing.

baye

The Port Arthur massacre was so horrific and even the overseas media seemed shocked.

Ozmaniac

I think coverage of the Cronulla riots reached many parts of the world and painted Australia in a bad light and the 'stolen generation' stories didn't do us any favours either. Taken together, those stories seem to have left an incredibly mistaken impression of Australia as a racist and intolerant country and nothing could be further from the truth.

Still thinking about the most regrettable Australian event. First that come to mind are the Vivien Solon affair and the Cronulla riots.

Iskandar

Cronulla Riots, bunch of flag waving idiots...

The CAt in the Tin Foil HAt

The Tampa Affair.

Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

The Jo Anne Lees case.

Those American Divers Left to die on the Barrier Reef.

Cyclone Tracy

The Canberra Bush Fires

Ash Wednesday !983

Power Flower

Some things that made it big in overseas news were:

The Cronulla riots
Pauline Hanson
the Port Arthur Massacre
every bushfire, shark bite that's ever happened.
Steve Irwin - while he's a great Australian icon, there is a lot of people who now think Australia is ready and waiting to bite.
Paul Howard walking arm in arm with Bush
Our human rights record in regards to aborigines looks terrible (and is probably more accurate) when reported by overseas media
Paul Keating feeling up the Queen

John W

I know what has tarnished our name in Japan - our criticism of Japanese whaling, and our support for Sea Sheppherd.

Please, no arguments here, I am not saying Japan is or isn't wrong in their whaling - I am saying that the Japanese perceive us as HYPOCRITICAL - we say they are wrong for killing whales, while we regularly gun down all our kangaroos.

Chalk and cheese for us maybe, but this IS how it's seen in Japan.

cc_of_0z

I think the news report tonight regarding Kevin Rudd and his refusal to move Australia day to another date is a pretty good candidate.

This is the Prime Minister that announced on behalf of everyone in the country that we are "SORRY" (in capital letters) for the way the Aboriginal community has been disrespected since day one. Then on the very day that should be inclusive of everyone in the country in a round of positive backslapping and barbequeing - he drops this clanger. He says unequivocally - no - to changing the date of our national day. Now all of Aboriginal Australia has to be reminded of the systematic assault on their culture and society, which began with the arrival of the first fleet on Jan 26, every 12 months. This occurred in front of the man collecting one of our most treasured awards - Australian of the Year - who happens to be both Australian and an Aboriginal.

The rest of the world will now see Australia as the biggest bunch of hipocrite's. Thankyou Mr Rudd for making it clear exactly how Sorry we really are.

post edit:

There are far more appropriate dates to celebrate Australia day than January 26. The day Captain Cook sighted Australia - 19 April, or the day our constitution was signed - July 9. As it is most Australians outside of New South Wales feel largely removed from the current date because it celebrates the start of Sydney not Australia. Remembering that the ancestors of some of our citizens discovered the place 40,000 years earlier. We need to re-think exactly what it is we are celebrating here. Most of us don't really care, and think its just another public holiday. That is the sad part.

bullyhc

russell crowe (who is a fricking kiwi anyway)
south sydney rabbitohs
the wiggles
pauline hanson
john howard
crocodile dundee
kangaroo jack
nicole kidman
STEVE IRWIN!!!!!
how embarrassing to have all of them linked to our beautiful country

G. #2

The football match Australia Vs. Qatar a few months ago, portrayed very badly behavior from Australians towards Qataris.

â™¥Alyssa.

actually, i dont recall ever hearing anything bad about Australia. (:

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