Australia 'dangerous for backpackers'?

22 Aug 2012, 5:55 pm   -   Source: SBS staff
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Young German backpackers warned that not every Australian is your

Young German backpackers warned that not every Australian is your "mate". (AAP)

A talkback on SBS German Radio discusses whether Australia is unsafe for tourists, after Der Spiegel warned backpackers to be wary of criminals Down Under.

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A German weekly newspaper is cautioning young backpackers that not every Australian is your "mate".

Der Spiegel says no other country on Earth is as popular with German globetrotters as Australia.

It reports more than 15,000 young German men and women came to Australia for a holiday or on a working holiday visa last year.

But it warns the country is not as safe as many had expected.

Nonetheless, a sampling of Germans in Australia have told SBS German Radio it's as safe as anywhere as long as you are careful and use common sense.

The German backpackers say they come to Australia for the parties in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. They also want to enjoy the beach in summer, see koalas and kangaroos and explore the Outback.

The newspaper says the young tourists are aware that Australia has venomous snakes but are not aware of dangers posed by criminals.

It says travellers to Australia think it's the most peaceful country in the world and therefore do things they would never dare to elsewhere, such as hitch-hiking, accepting drinks from strangers and travelling to remote locations with people they barely know.

Statistics of crimes in Sydney's Kings Cross show that victims are often foreign tourists between the ages of 15 and 24, the paper says.

Der Spiegel also highlights that car theft and theft from vehicles in Australia is three times higher than in Germany, on a per capita basis.

Moreover, the case of two European backpackers, one of them German, attacked in Alice Springs in May this year has heightened concern.

The two women parked their car in a deserted street and went to sleep, Der Spiegel reports.

That night three young men forced their way into the car and forced the women to have sex at gunpoint.

On the same night, in which the two female tourists were raped in their rented car, in another corner of Alice Springs four youths attacked a 43-year-old German and robbed him.

Following these incidents the German Foreign Office updated travel information on its website and now points to what it refers to as a "special situation" in Alice Springs.

The website says caution is called for, especially in the dark.

The German program on SBS Radio hosted a talkback session on the issue.

Torsten Creutzburg called the program to say he is enjoying his second visit to Australia.

He says he has fallen in love with Alice Springs and its surroundings.

Mr Creutzberg says he disagrees with Der Spiegel's assessment.

"The article is not very well researched. However, I had a look at the statistics and I found out that violence has increased around Alice. I heard about the high crime rate in advance, but it never stopped me coming here and I never experienced any violence first hand. However, I am a tall German bloke, it might be different for women," he told SBS Radio. 

"But you can see that things have changed around here, the fences are higher and there are security cameras around the inner city. I spoke with many travellers who read on the website of the German Department of Foreign Affairs to be cautious around Alice Springs at night time. Stick to some rules. In Germany you wouldn’t camp on the streets or sleep in your car, so don’t do it here. Common sense is essential."
 
Waltraud lives in Victoria: "Melbourne has just been voted the most liveable city in the world. We have never experienced any crime, however we also avoid questionable locations at night time."

Hans from Sydney says he thinks the article is a beat-up: "I think Spiegel picked out a few cases and presented them out of context. Of course you have to be careful in areas like Kings Cross around night time, but generally I feel safe. The issue is that police are occupied with wasting their time handing out traffic fines during the day instead of protecting people on trains at night."
 
Premgita from country Victoria is pragmatic: "I have been a victim of burglary. Still I believe, common sense is essential and it could happen in Germany as well as here."

What do you think? Leave a comment below, or go to our Facebook page to join the discussion.

SBS Radio: Listen to talkback on the issue in German

 

Germany , Tourism

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Your Comments

What sort of Journalism is this?

Ian - from Adelaide, 9 months ago

I took the effort to dredge this article up from der spiegel, and it appears to be about half a month old. Not only is this not news but it illustrates poor journalism on the part of Australian journalists who uncritically pick this up and run with it in order to create a moral panic. Respondents in the original article dont see anything out of the ordinary, tend to see Australia favourably and regard said incidents as the exception rather than the rule, and emphasise common sense.

some advice

hector - from Melbourne, 9 months ago

Australian crime rates are about average for developed countries. Some areas are more dangerous than others, as in Germany. Kings Cross, for example, is an alcohol-fuelled party town, so be careful. Alice Springs has it's share of poverty. German readers: if you wouldn't sleep in your car in NeuKolln or Marzahn (suburbs in Berlin), don't do it in Kings Cross or Alice Springs. But compared to Africa, the United States, South America, and most of Eastern Europe, Australia is indeed a dream. Enjoy!

Spot on!

John Ruskin - from Hurlstone Park, Sydney, 9 months ago

I totally agree with Hans. Taser toting cops checking tickets at Town Hall in the morning rush hour is the biggest waste of taxpayers' money I've ever seen. I want to see them patrolling George Street on Fri/Sat nights and on trains and nightride buses. When there's trouble the cops are nowhere to be seen- busy rostering for the next ticket-checking day, I guess. Generally though, Sydney is a very safe city and you should be just fine if you exercise caution that you would in any 5m city.

Komm herunter!

Tom Storm - from Torres Strait, Queensland., 9 months ago

Sleeping in your car in Alice at night is like sleeping in your car in 124th St. and 2nd. Avenue in New York...or in Central Park or in La Courneuve in Paris...or to go swimming in the Torres Strait. You just don't do it. Like most Aussies I'm ashamed of the violence in Alice Springs - but it's a fact of life. Up here the warning signs are in English and German. 'ACHTUNG! Krocodiles.' We care about our German guests - we want them come on down and go home safely and spread the good word.

AUSTRALIA DANGEROUS?

oncewas - from bribie island, 9 months ago

Bet your sweet whatnot. Have a read of the news. We have muggers, racists,king hit merchants, Julie Bishop, Joe Hockey and Tont Abbott at large. Help.

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