Australia 'racist & backward'

Fairfax Media

PARTING SHOT: Former Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo has taken a swipe at Australia, describing the nation as racist, backward and like "stepping back in time''.

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Controversial former Telstra chief Sol Trujillo has taken a swipe at Australia describing the nation he called home for four years as racist, backward and like "stepping back in time''.

Asked in a BBC interview whether there was racism in Australia, Mr Trujillo said: "I think it was evident in a lot of ways with me personally but more importantly with others.''

His comments have shocked some, including the head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia.

Asked if Kevin Rudd's 'adios' comment was racist, former Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo tells his BBC interviewer that Australia is a backward country.

"I was quite flabbergasted to hear his comments,'' said the chamber's chief executive, Charles Blunt. "And I was quite shocked.''

Mr Trujillo, who earned millions at the helm of the one-time taxpayer-owned telecommunications giant, cited what he described as "restrictive'' historical immigration policies and "events over the past five or 10 years'' that the report did not specify.

"I would say that Australia definitely is different [from] the US. In many ways it was like stepping back in time,'' he said in the interview, which was broadcast in part by ABC Radio this morning.

He said he was sure that would continue.

"But my point is that [racism] does exist and it's got to change because the world is full of a lot of people and most economies have to take advantage - including Australia - of a diverse set of people.

"If there is a belief that only a certain people are acceptable versus others, that is a sad state.''

Mr Trujillo's tenure at Telstra was characterised by controversy, including a scuffle with the Federal Government over the national broadband network and a sharp fall in the share price of the widely owned stock.

When Mr Trujillo's resignation was announced recently, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave this simple response: "Adios.''

During his time at Telstra, American-born Mr Trujillo, who has Mexican heritage, was often portrayed as Mexican. He was often referred to as one of the 'three amigos' and his battles with governments were sometimes referred to as Mexican stand-offs.

Mr Blunt said he thought the "culture of Australian society and business is quite open and accepting of new ideas...

"The whole country has a history of adopting foreign ideas from overseas readily... The only qualification is that they have to prove themselves to be good ideas.''

Other business groups contacted by BusinessDay declined to comment on the controversial issue today.

Mr Trujillo left Australia this month, weeks before his expected departure date on June 30.

"Many Australians have come up to me and they've apologised, because they're embarrassed by that kind of behaviour,'' Mr Trujillo told the BBC of some of the criticism he had received during his stay.

A spokeswoman for Mr Rudd told the ABC that Mr Trujillo's statements were ridiculous comments that would disappoint Australians who welcomed him to this country.