Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has sought to assure New Delhi that Australia is not a racist nation, in the wake of over 70 assaults on Indian students so far this year, including several stabbings in Melbourne last week.
The situation has not been helped by accusations of heavy-handedness on the part of the city's police force in the breaking up of a protest rally.
"I speak on behalf of all Australians when I say that we deplore and condemn these attacks," Rudd told Indian PM Manmohan Singh. "Australia is a country of great diversity, harmony and tolerance. We are a multicultural nation and we respect and embrace diversity, diversity which has enriched our nation."
"Oh really?" commented Aboriginal tribal elders later. "Give us back our country then."
Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull echoed Mr Rudd's statement, saying: "We've managed to create a broad, multicultural society with very little friction."
"Have you now?" said the tribal leaders, speaking from one of their impoverished backwater reservations. "How very interesting."
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