After a century in the grips of infant dependence, and another finding its way through teenage confusion, Sydney has successfully shaken off its convict shackles, together with its colonial past, and is well on the way to maturity. The country’s largest and most popular metropolis is leading the way in the development of Australia’s very own enviable identity, but, like any city, it is not without its issues and its problems, both social and – given its geographical position on the very fringe of the world’s driest continent – natural. True to its foundation, Sydney has developed into one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. For a former penal colony that used to hang you for pocketing a potato, it is now (at least on the surface) the very embodiment of an emancipated society. Where riots and alleged police brutality were once the reaction to the inaugural Gay and Lesbian Mardis Gras in 1978, you now have a world-famous annual event lauded as one of the most colourful in Australia. And one indeed in which the police now have their very own float and must keep a firm grip on their handcuffs as well as their truncheons. A variety of nationalities thrive, adding their own style and charisma to distinct suburban enclaves including the long-established Chinatown, Leichhardt’s ‘Little Italy’ and Lakemba’s growing Lebanese community. Superficially, for local gourmands and tourists, this smorgasbord of nationalities offers a plethora of restaurants serving up an eclectic mix of Modern Australian dishes garnished with inordinate global influences. But beyond the stomachs and menus, this social content also creates rumblings of social disharmony. With the sparkling harbour and famous city center awash with stunning icons and visitor attractions it is all too easy to ignore the fact that beyond the inner city there exist fragmented suburbs and communities that never had the same opportunity to feel the warmth of the Olympic flame or to share in the financial, social and aesthetic benefits afforded to the city centre. Like the nether regions of most modern metropolises it is here in the stigmatized and largely unvisited outer suburbs, like Liverpool or Bankstown, where you will find elevated crime and unemployment rates and the worst of the city’s social deprivation and racism. Over the years various attempts have been made by both local and federal government to address these social issues but perhaps because of the complexity of the problems, all too often these have had limited success. With the population of the city increasing by almost 100 people daily, it seems the problems will probably get worse before they get better. One range of issues that continues to gnaw away at the city’s very social fabric are centered round Aboriginal rights and their often troubled social integration. The majority of Sydneysiders are not aware that the city has the largest Aboriginal population in Australia. Certainly, beyond the odd Aboriginal didgeridoo player busking at Circular Quay, you would never guess it from the city centre. It seems in glitzy, sexy Sydney, social problems are largely out of sight, out of mind. Also in recent months with the 11 September terrorist attacks in 2001 and the tragic Bali bombings in October 2002 (which took over 90 Australian lives, many from Sydney), prejudice towards the city’s Muslim communities is on the increase. Of added concern to Australians generally is the highly discomforting prospect that their showpiece city may actually become a global terrorist target. It seems Prime Minister John Howard’s highly contentious comments in November 2002, in which he hinted that the current Australian government might join the US in using pre-emptive strikes as a deterrent to terrorism in the region, have only added fuel to the fire. For a city so famous for its laid-back attitudes it seems the great wave of global paranoia has arrived. For Sydneysiders especially, this will take some getting used to. Human threats and social issues aside, in the urban jungle of coastal Sydney, it is also easy to forget or ignore the vast, arid continent on its doorstep. Yet, with a vengeance and in various forms, Mother Nature still comes calling both uninvited and unwelcome. In 1999, what seemed like just another entertaining storm turned violent when a blitzkrieg of hailstones, some the size of golf balls, rained down on the city causing over one billion dollars worth of damage. Of far more concern and with increasing recurrence are another age-old natural phenomenon: bush fires. Almost annually for over a decade fires have ravaged the surrounding national parks and the fringes of the city, destroying numerous properties, costing hundreds of millions of dollars, taking several lives and muting Sydney’s vivid colours with a cloak of grey, acrid smoke. A recent drought throughout New South Wales has only added to the problem prompting the federal government to offer $360 million dollars in what has been dubbed 'Exceptional Circumstances Drought Assistance'. Tourism is the fuel that drives the city, or at the very least the oil in its engine. As the principal gateway to the continent and with over two million international visitors each year, it is perhaps inevitable and remains on the increase. Although the city’s assets were never a great secret, the 2000 Olympic Games and the subsequent declaration of Olympics Committee President, Juan Samaranch that they were the ‘best ever’ only enhanced this image. With record-breaking amounts of money spent on inner-city rejuvenation, improved infrastructure and some of the most modern sporting venues on the planet, it set the stage for Sydney to show off its wares and its deep love affair with the sporting lifestyle. More importantly for Australians, it was yet another opportunity to prove their mighty sporting talent and world dominance beyond the traditional rugby union and cricket. It is, after all, Sydney’s very own human version of a harbour ferry –
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Sydney - £5.99
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