With Australia’s federal election happening in almost a month’s time (18th May), the country’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, has already started campaigning for votes.
According to the Independent, Morrison began his campaigning in the suburb of Strathfield in Sydney, chatting with members of the public on Saturday (13th April). During his campaigning, he visited a Korean restaurant in the area, where he helped the workers there make cakes, before moving on and shaking hands with more people, including a woman of Asian descent.
In a video capturing the exchange, the prime minister can be heard telling the woman, “Hello, how are you? Ni hao, how are you?” to which the woman replied, “No, no, no, I’m Korean.”
Awkward.
.@ScottMorrisonMP has had his first street walk of his campaign in the inner west Sydney suburb of Strathfield, greeting locals and visiting a restaurant.@annelisenews: There was a bit of confusion about what kind of restaurant he was in.
MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #auspol pic.twitter.com/BZcxWBTVuz
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) April 13, 2019
Strathfield is a suburb in Sydney that has a sizeable Korean and Chinese migrant population, so the prime minister’s exchange with the woman offended some netizens, calling him racist. Meanwhile, others were left amused instead.
Scott Morrison accuses Labour of peddling racism. Then shouts "Ni hao" to the first Asian person he greets. Turns out she's Korean. Grass root racism on display for all. @ScottMorrisonMP
— Cheng (@DrChengHe) April 13, 2019
AUS PM Scott Morrison probably can't understand why there's a problem. "But I was speaking Asian to her! I was speaking HER language – Asian!" Is the PM just smugly ignorant or is he racist? #auspol #AusVotes2019 pic.twitter.com/AC3NR436tQ
— Peter Murphy (@PeterWMurphy1) April 13, 2019
Here Is The #Racism101 Video Of @ScottMorrisonMP Saying " Na Hoa To A Korean Voter . #ScottMorrison Excelling At What He Does Best , Being Racist , Ignorant , Over Presumptious And Arrogant
https://t.co/8TCrdXkuM9 #auspol #AUSVote2019 #ausvotes— Au Purrr , The ResistaCat (@ricklevy67) April 13, 2019
Our Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP: “Ni Hao”
Random Asian woman he’s bothering: “I’m Korean…”We’re what like three days in? Oof #auspol
— Margot Fink ? deadconcession.com (@margot_fink) April 13, 2019
My first policy if elected will be mandatory “Which kind of Asian are they?” training for Scott Morrison. https://t.co/LfpOZYOScy
— michael hing (@hingers) April 13, 2019
Scott Morrison walking around Strathfield Plaza saying ni hao to people he thinks are Chinese has set a very high standard for the rest of the campaign to match
— j.r. hennessy (@jrhennessy) April 13, 2019
SCOTT MORRISON SAYING ‘NI HAO’ IN STRATHFIELD TO A KOREAN WOMAN I CANNOTTTTTT
You KNOW he is just one of those people considers Honey Chicken to be an ‘exotic dish’
— 다니엘 ?️?? (@hecatastrophic) April 13, 2019
And then Scott Morrison says “ni hao” to an Asian voter. She responds: “I’m Korean.” #ausvotes#auspol pic.twitter.com/dTOCpp02Q6
— Fred Sparrow : Helloworld Chumbucket (@HailMarxism) April 13, 2019
This 18th May, Australians will be heading to the polls to vote for the country’s 46th Parliament. The incumbent Coalition party will be running against the Labor and other opposing parties during this election.
What do you think about this exchange between the Australian prime minister and the Korean woman? Let us know in the comments section!
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