This is a hard question, and it deserves a clear, unsentimental answer. The short version is: it’s not mainly about “Asian writers being worse,” and it’s not simply about racism either. It’s about power, gatekeeping norms, language expectations, and cultural comfort. In Australia these factors stack up in ways that disproportionately affect writers of Chinese background. Below is the honest breakdown. 1. Publishing in Australia is culturally conservative (even when it claims diversity) Australian publishing is small, risk-averse, and centrally gatekept . A handful of editors, prize judges, reviewers, and university-linked tastemakers largely decide what is “publishable” or “important.” They tend to favour: Familiar narrative structures A recognisably “Australian” voice Themes that fit existing national conversations Writers who fall outside this comfort zone face a higher rejection rate—not because their work lacks merit, but because it’s harder to place . ...