Diversity should be more than “Chuck an Asian on the screen”

Australian dramas are “off to a good start” with elevating multicultural representation but still have a long way to go, says The Heights co-creator Que Minh Luu.

Speaking yesterday at a special industry Q&A session at the Screen Forever conference she outlined how the ABC serial had pushed to reflect a multicultural Australia.

“It was built on a model of integrating as much diversity and representative cultures as we could into that show. It really talks the talk and puts its money where its mouth is. It was really hard, but we did it. We got more than 50% gender parity across creative heads of department, two-thirds of our cast were from diverse backgrounds, and we were giving opportunities to new writers.

“All of that stuff happened right at the start of the show. That was part of is reason for being.

“I think with The Heights we’ve managed to demonstrate something like that is possible but it takes work. So what would be great is to apply that model across the rest of our productions, which isn’t to say that there aren’t already shows out there doing it. A shout-out to ABC Drama and Comedy whoa re doing a lot in that sense.

Producer Helen Bowden, writer Que Minh Luu and broadcaster Sami Shah

Que Minh Luu told the panel the industry gatekeepers find it difficult to take a risk, but needed to go further than just actors on screen.

“Diversity could be ‘Just chuck an Asian in front of the screen and we’re done.’ Colour blind casting, tick, we’re done. But that’s not the case. You’ve got to go further than that. That’s a good start, like audition everyone… as many ethnicities for a role you might consider to be ‘default-written as white.’

“Once you get beyond that it’s about what characters embody certain cultures and have rich, cultural backgrounds that you may not be familiar with? Then it’s a case of doing research about that, engaging with that community, making sure you have creatives from that community in your team as well.

“There are so many different layers of how you achieve that diversity.”

The Heights returns in 2020.