An ex-employee at the Haven Backpacker Resort in Alice Springs has revealed she was advised not to let Aboriginal people stay while she worked there between July and October last year.
The revelation follows claims that 16 Aboriginal people were evicted from the same hostel over the weekend because other tourists had complained.
Bethany Langdon from the Yuendumu Young Leaders program says the resort manager told her that her group would have to leave.
The former employee, who wants to be known as Sarah, says on one occasion she felt chastised and intimidated for letting an Aboriginal man hire a room.
She says it was common practice not to let Aboriginal people stay and she left the Haven shortly after the incident.
"If it sounded remotely Aboriginal we were told not to book them at all and we would have to refer them onto another hotel in town."
The joint owner of the Haven Backpacker Resort Greg Zammit, who is in Russia, says he will fully investigate allegations of discriminatory practices at the hostel.
Source http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/13/2188967.htm?section=justin
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Backpackers' hostel accused of racism
The Aborigines from a remote community taking lifesaving classes in the central Australian town were allegedly asked to leave the Haven Hostel after checking in because of complaints by other guests, ABC Television reported tonight.
The hostel's management later said the mostly young leaders' program members from Yuendumu were not allowed to stay because the hostel catered specifically for international backpacking tourists.
But society chief executive Rob Bradley said the hostel was guilty of "pure racism".
"It was a very feeble excuse about a complaint having been made but looking into that, there was no compliant, there was no reason, it was just pure racism," Mr Bradley said on ABC Television.
"(There's) total shock and dismay that something like this can happen in Australia today.
"It was just an absolute disgrace."
The group of mostly women were taking the classes in preparation for the opening of a swimming pool in Yuendumu, located about 300km northwest of Alice Springs.
"They said that it was because of the colour of our skin and they didn't like us," group member Bethany Langdon said of the hostel management.
Fellow member Sharelle Young said: "They should apologise to us face-to-face and just say sorry".
The Haven Hostel released a statement saying: "Haven Hostel is a backpackers' hostel catering for international backpacking tourists, which the group was not".
"So (alternative) accommodation was sought and arranged with their consultation, on their behalf. We also offered to pay for that night's accommodation."
The group found another place to stay in Alice Springs to complete the training, the report said.
Young Aboriginal lifesavers claim racism after being kicked out of their accomodation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 10/03/2008
A group of young Aborigines attending a Royal Lifesaving Society course are asking for a formal apology after being asked to leave an Alice Springs backpacker hostel allegedly because of the colour of their skin.Transcript
TONY JONES: There's been a call for another apology to Indigenous Australians. And this one is very personal.On Saturday evening a group of young leaders from a remote central Australian Aboriginal community were ejected from an Alice Springs backpacker hostel because some of the tourists staying there complained they were "afraid of Aborigines".
As they were moving into their rooms the manager is alleged to have told them they'd have to pack up and go because the Asian tourists "bring in a lot of money".
The group which included women and small children had been booked into the "haven hostel" by the Royal Lifesaving Society.
Angry about the incident, the CEO of the society is describing it as "pure racism
Eric Tlozek reports from Alice Springs.
ERIC TLOZEK: There's no pool at the remote Aboriginal town of Yuendumu, but there will be soon. That's why 16 of the town's residents drove the 300 kilometres to the Alice Springs swim centre for lifesaving training.
But the groups trip to Alice Springs organised by the Royal Lifesaving Society had an ugly beginning. When they arrived on Saturday, the group of mainly women and children had gone to the hotel they had booked only to be turned away.
BETHANY LANGTON, YUENDUMU YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM: I merely asked the manager why couldn't we stay. They said that it was because of the colour of our skin and they didn't like it. If we didn't leave, they would leave.
SHARELLE YOUNG, YUENDUMU YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM: Someone was complaining about us, just because we were black and the manager told us to leave.
ERIC TLOZEK: The group say they had already checked in at the Haven Resort and were unpacking their bags when they were suddenly asked to go.
ROB BRADLEY, CEO ROYAL LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA: They'd been there for thirty minutes or so. We were just getting ready to go out for an evening meal and the hotel manager took aside our staff member and said the group members are going to have to leave.
ERIC TLOZEK: Did they give you a reason?
ROB BRADLEY: There was a very feeble excuse of a complaint being made, but looking into that there was no complaint, there was no reason, it was just pure racism.
ERIC TLOZEK: The resort manager told them that guests already staying there had complained of being scared. The group included several young mothers and a three month old baby. Most were young leaders, chosen specially for their standing in the Yuendumu community. And the organisers of the trip are stunned.
ROB BRADLEY: Total shock and dismay that something like this can happen in Australia today. They were just shamed, they were just staggered. We quickly got on the phone and made alternative accommodation arrangements. But still the damage had been done. It was just an absolute disgrace.
ERIC TLOZEK: On the night of the incident, the manager of the Haven Resort repeated to Lateline that she had acted after complaints from guests about the arrival of a group of Aborigines. But by today the resort's manager declined to be interviewed, instead sending Lateline a statement saying the group was asked to leave because "Haven Hostel is a backpacker hostel catering for international backpacking tourists, which this group was not... so alternative accommodation was sought and arranged with their consultation on their behalf. We also offered to pay for that night's accommodation." The group says the manager did offer them money to go elsewhere, but they didn't accept it. The incident left the young women shaken and angry. They say it's their first experience of overt racism.
BETHANY LANGTON: It's a disgrace against Aboriginal people especially when like an Aboriginal women comes into town and trying to be a role model to their community and get looked up to by elder people and younger people from their community and other communities.
ERIC TLOZEK: The Royal Lifesaving Society says their program was a long term one, designed to help improve conditions for Indigenous Australians, but this incident has set back the entire scheme.
ROB BRADLEY: One of the key parts of this program is to build trust with the local communities. For that group to be prepared to get organised, go to Alice Springs, which is about 300 kilometres away for that weekend, was a big thing. We're really hoping this doesn't set back the program completely, but it was just an absolute shocker.
ERIC TLOZEK: Many of the young women are members of the Youth Leadership Program, a group that aims to mentor the Yuendumu's brightest young people. They'll be called upon to work at the community's new pool when it opens in July. For now, they want an apology.
SHARELLE YOUNG: They just should apologise to us face to face and just say sorry. And they shouldn't do that to others, too.
ERIC TLOZEK: Regardless of whether that comes, the women say they're now even more determined to succeed.
Eric Tlozek. Alice Springs for Lateline.
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