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Aussie radio host in hot water
AAP | Saturday, 18 August 2007
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4168470a12.html
He's got into trouble for attacking gays, but now radio veteran John Laws could be facing more complaints after saying Chinese drivers are the worst in the world.
The Ethnic Communities Council of NSW today condemned as "unfair and unhelpful" the latest tirade by Laws, who after 55 years as a radio presenter is just three months from retirement.
Laws' comments came after a Chinese-Australian listener called "Helen" called 2UE this morning to discuss her recent fine for failing to pay the Cross City Tunnel toll.
When asked by Laws why she had not paid the toll, she pleaded that she didn't know there was a toll.
"I never travel to east, that's the first time I travel to east," she said.
Laws responded: "Sounds like you travelled from the east.
"Obviously you're Asian are you?"
When Helen said she was from China, Laws put his foot on the accelerator.
"I understand that Chinese drivers are probably the worst drivers on the face of the earth," he said.
"You probably fall into that category, along with the rest of them."
Justin Li, vice chairman of the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW, said such a comment perpetuated an unfair stereotype of Chinese people.
"It's remarks like this which lead to the harassment of Chinese drivers," Mr Li said.
"There are good and bad drivers in every culture, place, age group, so it's unfair and unhelpful to single out Chinese drivers."
2UE management refused to comment on Laws' statements, saying they were made on air.
Laws admitted on air his remarks would attract complaints.
"Now I'm going to be screamed at for saying ... that I'm being racist. I'm not being racist. I'm telling you the truth."
Mr Li said he resented Laws' comments.
"I have never had an accident in my life," Mr Li said.
It was too early today for the Australian Communications and Media Authority to comment on whether Laws had breached the commercial radio code of practice.
Complaints about on-air content must first be made to the station before ACMA will investigate a case.
Should Laws' attack be referred to ACMA, it may investigate whether what he said was "likely to incite or perpetuate hatred against or vilify any person on the basis of ethnicity".
In 2005, Laws and fellow broadcaster Steve Price were ordered to apologise to reality TV show The Block's gay renovators Gav and Waz for calling them "poofs" two years earlier.
Laws was also the subject of action after he called Queer Eye For The Straight Guy presenter Carson Kressley a "pompous little pansy prig" and a "pillow biter" in 2004.
In March this year, the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal (ADT) agreed Laws' comments about Kressley were vilification, but dismissed the complaint on the grounds of free speech. Gay activist Gary Burns has appealed the decision.
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