Reporting on immigrant communities
– Sudanese immigrants in two regional centres
Newcastle– critical incidents
3. Brawl – Islington Park (reporting period October 23-November
6, 2005)
Four articles were published in the Newcastle Herald during
this period, all reporting on an “interracial” brawl in a
Newcastle park that occurred on October 20, 2005. The first article, published
on October 31, reported that Sudanese, Aboriginal and Caucasian people
were involved but that police had stated the Sudanese men were from Sydney,
not Newcastle. The MRC director stated that no local Sudanese people were
involved and that some community members had tried to intervene in the
altercation. A November 1 article reported that police were seeking community
assistance to determine the cause of the incident, and were hoping to
speak to Sudanese elders. This article also stated that Sudanese, Aboriginal
and Caucasian people were involved in the brawl. A November 4 article
reported on the outcome of a meeting between Sudanese community elders
and Newcastle police. It reported that police still did not know what
had caused the incident but that the elders had reported that no Aboriginal
people were involved.
The final article, on November 5, was a long piece providing an overview
of the incident and responses from various community members. Leaders
from the Sudanese community made statements about the need for the refugees
to adapt to Australian laws, attitudes and cultural differences. The MRC
director stated that “our local Sudanese are law abiding …
They are well aware anything they do can trigger a public response”.
The Newcastle Ethnic Communities Council president praised both the enthusiasm
of the refugees in adapting to their new community and the level of acceptance
offered by the wider Newcastle community.
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