Since the last post on the subject of Racial Attacks on Indian Students a few weeks ago, I have read and watched several news reports across a range of newspapers and news channels (News reports from ibnlive, ndtv, ToI), quoting Australian politicos and officials make the ‘right noises’ on racial intolerance and protecting Indian students. Meanwhile, we kept getting more news on students being targeted, students forming vigilante squads and local Indian citizens forming support groups.
Somehow I failed to find a single report on apprehending the culprits and locking them away! Instead, I saw demonstrating students being slammed for civil unrest! So much for walking the talk.
Herein lies the crux of my point of view.
Racism is an issue and ‘curry bashing’ an extreme expression of the problem by some misguided elements. By ignoring the extent of the impact of the issue and not addressing this in a proactive and decisive manner, the Australian authorities have allowed the issue to grow into a full blown crisis. This, by the admission of an Australian official, will impact the billion dollar education industry from India - (according to a news report, Indian students and their parents spent almost INR 7500 crores in Australia) - but more importantly, it will damage the multi cultural image of Australia, impacting arrivals from other nations as well.
Reputation damage: Actions of misguided few have painted the country with a broad brush of racism!
Lesson: Crisis happens when we ignore a problem and do not address it decisively
The government’s reaction is a typical reaction to a crisis. The trick is how quickly one goes through the stages I to IV and get to Stage V.
Stage I: Denial, there is no problem
Stage II: Dismissal, its is a minor issue
Stage III: Shock, this cannot be happening to us
Stage IV: Acceptance, we have problem
Stage V: Action, what can we do
We have seen the response to this crisis move from stage I to IV over the last few weeks. In fact, what should happen in minutes/hours to nip the crisis in the bud, took weeks instead. Hopefully Stage V is in progress now. Reputation takes years to build but is destroyed in moments. An example: The Times Of India, Delhi edition (check out the coverage here) carried a front page interview of a student who returned from down under, giving up his education midway, the headline read something like this: Don’t go to Australia, I was lucky to escape!!
Has the government reacted too late (getting to Stage V)? Has this crisis reached a tipping point? Has it ‘muddied’ the reputation of Australia? I wonder.
Lesson: In a crisis, actions speak louder than words. Good work will speak for itself and earn the goodwill of people.
Clearly, for students of public relations, there are lessons to be learnt from this: How to prevent an issue from becoming a crisis and, when it does, how to respond to it.
I invite you to share your views and ideas on lessons learnt on what the Australian government could have done differently or should do going forward?
Think it over.
Tags: Crisis Management, indian students in australia, Issues Management, Public Relations, racial attacks in australia, racial attacks on indian students, racist attacks in australia
