Reality TV show accused of 'casual racism' after face paint scene

Kim, a teacher starring on the Australian home renovation series The Block, is at the centre of a discussion about casual racism after she wore face paint and joked about "tribes" on the show.

People have taken to Twitter to express their frustration at yet another example of what they see as the mocking of Indigenous Australians in popular culture.

Indigenous campaigner Nayuka Gorrie alerted social media to the problematic scene after her mum saw it and was understandably hurt.

"Kim is a deputy principal and at one point paints her face up and says 'I'm from the tired tribe of apartment five.' Kim works with young people," she wrote.

Gorrie is from the Gunai, Kurnai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta people and often speaks up about discrimination and negative stereotyping of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people when she sees it. Which, unfortunately, is often.

But she wasn't alone in her assessment of the scene. Influential Twitter users stepped up to echo and amplify her statement.

Actor and playwright Nakkiah Lui wasn't impressed.

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Cleverman director Ryan Griffen seconded her point about editing, asking why the scene was left in the episode at all.

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Actor Shari Sebbens told it like it was.

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And rapper Adam Briggs highlighted the overall quality of the show and the unacceptability of the scene with one simple statement.

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