Anniversary of Cronulla race riots The Australian 11 December 2006

11 DECEMBER 2006.

John Stapleton

ONE year on from the race riots at Cronulla all was quiet at the beach this weekend.

Beyond the extra police, including riot squad and mounted police, and a few members of the Australia First party, there were few signs that the area was once a focus of conflict between local anglo-saxons and muslims from other parts of the city.

Most locals just want to put the whole sad episode behind them.

The occasional Australian flag, perhaps controversial in the circumstances, fluttered from the front of flats and units. One dog war sunglasses and an Australian flag tucked into its collar.

Beyond that, it was another quiet day at the beach.

Dr Jim Saleam of Australia First said they had handed out a couple of thousand leaflets promoting one of their members, John Moffat, as the Independent member of Cronulla for the next election. He said the reaction had been polite and he detected a certain amount of sympathy for their cause.

The leaflet asked: ``While we do get to `vote' from time to time, do we really get much of a say in the running of Australia?

``Does anybody remember voting for multiculturalism, open door immigration, Australian jobs moving overseas, Asianisation?

``Liberal-Labor have sold out the future of Australia for self-interest. Multiculturalism wasn't brought in because they thought it would be good for Australia, they forced its introduction as another way to harvest the `ethnic vote'.''

One Australia First member wore a t-shirt which read: ``Dinky Di Aussie patriot, do you have a problem with that?''

The message did not appear to be getting through to those on the beach.

Mohammed Shaif, 23, who works in the computer industry and comes from Bangladesh, said he had stayed away from the beach after witnessing the riots last year, but had since decided to return.

``It is wonderful, I like this place,'' he said. ``I heard it was more secure so I come back. It is alright. I don't think there is any threat. People are good. No worries mate.''

Local Andy, 36, a local surf coach who preferred not to give his last name, said Cronulla was still a beautiful place. He said the initial meeting prior to the riots was justified and had featured a lot of locals concerned about inappropriate approaches to their daughters, but the whole thing had got out of control thanks to outsiders and alcohol. ``The people are still beautiful people,'' he said. ``People who came in from outside made a big deal. All the people charged with rioting were from outside the shire. The radical racists were there to cause trouble.''

Local Kathy Stavrov, 62, said she had been disgusted by the riots. She said the beaches didn't belong to the anglo-saxons anymore than the Lebanese. ``Why don't the white fellows take a lesson from the forgiveness of aboriginal people towards all those groups of aboriginal people who have arrived since 1788?''

Mark Hignett, 32, a carpenter from Hurstville, said most people had forgotten what happened a year ago. ``Everyone has moved on, let it go,'' he said. ``There are so many media down here, it is like they are trying to provoke something. There are more cameras than you can poke a stick at.

``I think most people have forgotten.''

Ross May, who said he supported Australia First, was one of the few who didn't want to move on. ``The Cronulla riots were long overdue,'' he said. ``We can't afford to be giving everything away to foreigners and cowtowing to international groups. Pauline Hanson is coming back, thank God.''