We are one, but we are many
First prize – essay section
By Abhishek Verma

Australia is a nation of people from many cultural, ethnic, languages, and religious backgrounds. As a nation of migrants who joined the original Indigenous inhabitants of the land, the diversity of Australia is reflected in the fact that its citizens come from almost every country of the world, speak a multitude of languages and practice many different faiths. Yet all these people are unified under the common banner of being  “Australian.” Given this diversity, the question of what it means to be an Australian becomes somewhat complex. What brings all these diverse cultures and ethnicities together in the celebration of harmony and tolerance that is Australian?

The question of what it means to be Australian immediately gives rise to a number of other questions – who is Australian and how do we advance Australia fairly? Australians are people who call this unique nation home, and who have adopted and promoted its values of equality, fairness and social justice. What does an Australian look like? Australians have innumerable variable countenances, ranging from the darkest skin of the Indigenous Australian to the fairest of skins of the Australians who emigrated from Eastern Europe. What is the Australian religious faith? Australians believe in faiths varying from Christianity to Buddhism to Islam to Judaism to Hinduism and the Baha’i faith. Clearly it is difficult to elucidate a sole satisfactory answer to any of these questions and yet the complex question of what it means to be Australian and therefore advancing Australia fairly remains. Does being Australian mean having an enduring love for beach and surf? Does it involve an affection for meat pies or does it mean one-eyed support for our footy stars no matter what their transgressions?  No matter how much a part of our lifestyle, these glimpses of ‘Australian-isms’ only partly capture the essence of being Australian. Perhaps the true nature of being Australian lies in the acknowledgement that despite the multicultural nature of Australian society, the two significant characteristics that unify this nation are generosity and standing up for the underdog.

Although Australians may be able to speak more than two hundred languages, there is one universal language in this nation that has been our hallmark through out Australian history and that is our ability to speak and understand the language of compassion. Intertwined with this value is the Australian generosity through action. These two characteristics portrayed with such tender and larrikin humour in that Australian film classic ‘The Castle’ are the essence of what it means to be Australian and thereby to advance Australia fairly. These core characteristics of being Australian are unmistakably present everywhere.  They are palpable in the annual national fundraising effort for the Royal Children’s Hospitals and the overseas economic aid that Australia gives to developing nations. These Australian characteristics were evident in the stand that many ordinary and famous Australians took against mandatory detention, they was loudly and proudly strong in the “Sorry” March for Aboriginal reconciliation and were overwhelmingly evident in Australians’ response to the Asian Tsunami disaster of 2004. In more recent times, being Australian is the freedom of expression available to all views in Australian society, even discordant ones. It is also manifest in recognising disparities where they exist such as the health inequalities suffered by rural and Indigenous Australians and taking measures to address these as illustrated by the introduction of governmental policy to improve the health status of this section of the Australian community.

‘Chinatown’ has now long been an integral part of Australian landscape as has the Italian street in the city and the Greek Deli at the local shopping centre.  Asian greens and Lebanese cuisine are part of the Australian diet and gurudwaras and mosques are now found in many suburbs. We are learning to value and preserve the nation’s Indigenous heritage. The faces of Australia range from brown to black to olive and pale white and Australians sport baseball caps, Jewish skullcaps, hijabs and sometimes even a burkha. Yet despite all these differences and the odd outbreaks of intolerance on our midst from time to time, Australia remains a peaceful and safe country, the envy of many troubled nations across the world.  The Darryl Kerrigans and the Jacks and the Farouks of Australian society still stand up united for the underdog and give generously to each other and the world, thereby truly advancing Australia fairly. To me, that is and will remain the essence of being Australian in 2007 and beyond.

Abhishek Verma is currently a fifth-year medical student at the University of New South Wales.  Apart from his studies, Abhishek enjoys literature, cricket and keeping fit. Born in Australia to parents of Indian origin, Abhishek believes that the richness of Australia’s multicultural heritage makes it one of the best countries in the world to live in and that as citizens, we sometimes take Australia’s peaceful and stable lifestyle for granted. After finishing his course, Abhishek is hoping to spend some time travelling overseas so that he can experience differing working and living conditions. His ultimate intention is to live in Australia on a permanent basis, preferably working in a surgery-related field.