By Selvan Durairaj | World Politics | September 2025 Edition
Outrage in Australia: The Indian Community Confronts Political Prejudice
The Spark That Lit the Fire
Australia, often hailed as one of the world’s most successful multicultural societies, has recently found itself embroiled in controversy. Remarks made by a senator from the opposition Liberal Party questioning the “numbers” of Indian migrants and their supposed voting preferences have ignited a storm of anger. The senator’s comments arrived in the wake of anti-immigrant protests, where Indians were singled out as scapegoats for rising cost-of-living pressures.
What may have been framed by some as a casual political point quickly turned into a national issue. For one of Australia’s largest migrant communities — Indians — the insinuation that their very presence is tied to political manipulation was not just inaccurate, but deeply offensive.
The Size and Significance of the Indian-Australian Community
According to Australia’s official statistics, by 2023 there were 845,800 Indian-born residents in the country, more than double the figure from a decade earlier. If we include Australians with Indian ancestry born locally, the number climbs well above a million. This makes the Indian community one of the fastest-growing and most influential minority groups in Australia.
The Indian diaspora in Australia has played a significant role in shaping the nation’s social and economic fabric. From healthcare workers and IT professionals to business owners and international students, Indians contribute across sectors. In 2022, Indians were the second-largest group of international students in Australia, with over 100,000 enrolments, injecting billions into the economy through tuition fees and living expenses.
This rapid growth has sometimes made Indians visible in debates around housing, jobs, and services. But as many economists argue, migrants have also been central to addressing Australia’s labour shortages, especially after the pandemic disrupted supply chains and staffing levels.
Why the Remarks Caused Deep Hurt
The senator’s suggestion that Indian migrants had been allowed in to bolster the ruling party’s vote struck a sensitive nerve. It played into long-standing stereotypes about migrants as “vote banks” or political pawns, undermining their status as equal citizens or residents. For Indians who have worked hard to integrate into Australian society, the remark was more than an insult — it felt like an erasure of their legitimate place in the nation.
Indian community leaders have been clear: their presence in Australia is not a political calculation, but the result of education choices, work opportunities, and the country’s demand for skilled labour. To reduce them to a voting bloc is not only unfair but also divisive.
Government and Public Reactions
The backlash was swift. Australia’s Prime Minister publicly demanded an apology, calling the comments untrue and harmful. Leaders from across the political spectrum, including some from the senator’s own party, distanced themselves from the remarks. State governments, such as in New South Wales, convened meetings with community groups to reassure Indian Australians of their place in the national story.
Such interventions were necessary. Australia prides itself on its multicultural ethos, underpinned by decades of policy encouraging inclusion. But episodes like this reveal how fragile that ethos can be when political rhetoric turns careless.
India’s Watchful Eye
India, too, has taken note. With bilateral ties deepening over recent years — including cooperation on trade, security, and diaspora engagement — anti-Indian sentiment abroad is always sensitive. India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed it was engaging with Canberra about the situation. For New Delhi, the well-being of its diaspora is not just a matter of community pride but also of foreign policy priority.
The 2022 India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, which boosted bilateral commerce, has been accompanied by growing people-to-people links. Episodes of prejudice, therefore, not only harm individuals but also risk shaking the foundations of a flourishing relationship.
The Broader Context: Migrants and Australia’s Challenges
The controversy cannot be seen in isolation. Australia is grappling with inflation, high housing prices, and strains on healthcare and education services. Anti-immigrant protests, though not mainstream, have tried to channel public frustration towards visible communities, including Indians.
Yet the facts tell a different story. Migrants — especially skilled ones — are central to Australia’s economy. A government report in 2023 noted that migrants accounted for over 30 percent of Australia’s workforce in critical sectors like healthcare, construction, and technology. Rather than being a burden, they are helping sustain growth at a time when the population is ageing and birth rates are declining.
Unity at Stake: A Multicultural Nation Under Pressure
Australia’s identity as a successful multicultural democracy has been built over decades. From European migrants post-World War II to the waves of Asian and Indian arrivals in recent decades, diversity has become its strength. Census 2021 revealed that over 30 percent of Australians were born overseas, making it one of the most migrant-heavy societies in the world.
But this diversity also requires careful stewardship. Comments that target a particular community risk undermining social cohesion. For Indians, who now form the second-largest migrant group after the British, the episode has been a test of whether Australia truly values the pluralism it celebrates.
For the Indian Diaspora: A Teachable Moment
For the global Indian community, this episode is a reminder of the challenges that come with visibility. Success in business, politics, and academia does not always shield against prejudice. But it also shows the power of voice. The strong, united pushback from Indian Australians has underlined that communities need not be passive when unfairly targeted.
Diaspora groups have a crucial role to play:
- Engagement with local politics, ensuring their concerns are heard respectfully.
- Building coalitions with other minority groups, reminding everyone that prejudice against one community threatens the entire multicultural framework.
- Maintaining ties with India, so that their issues abroad are amplified by a powerful home country.
Looking Ahead
This controversy will fade, but its lessons remain. The Indian community in Australia has grown too large, too vital, and too rooted to be dismissed by careless rhetoric. For Australia, safeguarding social harmony requires vigilance — making sure divisive politics does not erode decades of progress. For India, protecting its diaspora means more than consular services; it means advocating for their dignity abroad.
Ultimately, the story is larger than one senator’s words. It is about the delicate balance of multicultural societies everywhere. Whether in Australia, the UK, the US, or the Gulf, Indians abroad must continue to prove that unity in diversity is not just an Indian slogan but a global necessity.
For the Indian diaspora, the outrage in Australia is both a warning and a call to resilience. Prejudice may flare, but it need not define the narrative. What matters is how communities, governments, and individuals respond. If pluralism is defended firmly, it remains intact. If left unchecked, careless words can erode decades of trust.
The Indian story — at home and abroad — is one of unlikely unity. It survives not by erasing difference but by embracing it. The episode in Australia only reaffirms that lesson.
© The WFY Magazine | Selvan Durairaj