The Hills are alive with all sorts of Aussies - NEWS.com.au

Castle Mall retailers have rejected a report by ACA. Picture: Peter Kelly Source: News Limited

PLENTY of sushi-eating, bubble-tea-sipping Aussies have taken to the Interwebs to voice their indignation on behalf of Asian-Australians over A Current Affair's "All-Asian Mall" blunder.

They wanted to make clear they were personally aware that the members of our community who cling-wrap their remote controls, chop their food with giant cleavers and apparently want to start specialty stores in Sydney's northwest are indeed part of the community.

ACA's story struck a particularly raw nerve for me. As anyone who's shared a drink with me and watch me turn bright red will tell you, I'm half "Asian".

And to make matters worse, I live in Sydney's Hills District, not 10 minutes away from the "All-Asian Mall". That's right, I'm a member of the "Asian invasion" that's "swamping" Castle Hill.

But wait - there's more. I have Asian friends and we've all swarmed to the Hills District.

While I moved here from Queensland, another of my mates actually emigrated from England and there's another who grew up in Newcastle. Not to mention the countless born-and-bred Sydney-siders who moved from suburbs like Rose Bay and Pymble.

I grew up in the Hills noticing, but not caring about people's ethnicities. And I thought most Australians did too. But what the reaction from ACA's report shows is that for most Aussies, "Asia" still just means yum cha, T2 genmaicha-sencha tea and pirated DVDs. In other words there's still an element of Orientalism. For example while a third of households speak a language other than English, almost 65 per cent of residents were born in Australia. Just because they "look Asian" doesn't mean they're not Australian.

The sooner we can accept this, the sooner broadcasts like "All-Asian Mall" will just be ignored.