Australian governments need to greater appreciate the work ethic and culture of migrants. That’s the message from 32-year-old Mohammad Sinn.
The employment consultant, born and bred in Katanning, a country town three hours south of Perth, said he rarely had difficulty finding work for migrants.
“They are reliable, most of them are physically fit and they just get along with the locals here so I think that’s one of the good things of getting more migrants into a small town like Katanning because most of them go into labour work such as the abattoir here,” he said.
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The town’s abattoir changed the face of Katanning in the 1970s when it employed hundreds of Malays from Cocos and Christmas Islands.
Locals said the town had always been a multicultural one with Polish, Italian, Scottish and many other European migrants calling it home over the decades.
Katanning now has about 40 nationalities or ethnic groups including Indians, Karen, Russians, Americans, Germans, and Burundians to name a few.
But when the Malays came to town about 40 years ago they brought a new diversity, which in turn attracted more migrants.
Katanning’s imam and one of the shire councilors, Alep Mydie, was a small boy when his parents left Christmas Island to find a better life for their families.
“It’s different to other small towns which sometimes can be quite boring with no one around,” the café owner said.
Alep Mydie with Katanning locals Ann Yardley and Lynnette Dewson Source: SBS
“But when you come to Katanning you see Africans with their colourful dress and the Malays with their scarf and colourful again, and different nationalities that bind together.
“They give that diversity, that harmony in Katanning...people are so welcoming and there’s no prejudice, [no] discrimination."
Mr Mydie said what the town needed was a government that could manage the economy well.
“As long as it's sincerely and honestly implemented policy, then everybody will be happy,” he said.
“Otherwise, we'll be stuck again.”
Siti Aeson was born in Katanning to Malay parents.
The first-generation resident has in turn created a second generation with her Malaysian husband Hadimansah Hadirin.
The mother-of-five would not be drawn on politics, but said she loved life in the country town, which was unlike any other in the region.
Siti Aeson, her husband Hadimansah Hadirin and one of their daughters Hafizah Hadimansah break fast with the Iftar dinner Source: SBS
“Sometimes when we go to other different towns like Albany, there’s very rare Muslims over there so we just get looked at,” she said.
“We don’t get called names, it’s very rare, but Katanning is just amazing.
"I think being brought up and living in Katanning and going to school here, everybody knows one another so we're just like families, we're so lucky to have that in Katanning,” she said.
Afghan refugee Ziagul Sultani, who came to the town when she was 10, does not know which party to pick at the election.
She wants a middle party, but she said unfortunately there wasn’t one.
The 22-year-old likes the Greens.
“Some of their policies, I would say, looks good on the paper but if you’re being realistic it’s not very achievable,” she said.
“But there are some policies that are straight forward and make sense to young people like me.
“I’m quite big on climate change, which I think we really should look into that area, but it’s also about young people as well – their rights and education.
But the youth ambassador for the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network also likes the Nationals.
“Well we do live in regional areas,” she said with a laugh.
“And some of their policies look after the regional areas and it’s very important that we look after regional and remote areas because that’s a big part of Australia.”
Ms Sultani said she also wanted both the major parties to think again about their hard-line approach to asylum seekers trying to arrive by boat.
Her father came to Australia by sea in 1999 and spent five years trying to find them a home before he visited Katanning and decided it was the best place for his family.
“He’s somebody who gave his family another life,” she said.
“A life where we could actually be whoever we want to be and I think a lot of people don’t understand that.
“Do you know how many people die in places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Africa … there are thousands of people that die every single day or week and a few hundred die on the boat and you care about them?
“I know that it does cost the country money, but surely there is a better way to let more people in because those people will eventually pay it back what they cost.”
Source: SBS
