For writer Alice Pung, the streets of Footscray were her 'playground' growing up. She writes:

My dad's electrical appliance store stands on Barkly Street in Footscray, Melbourne. It's the same street where Romper Stomper, the 1992 neo-Nazi drama starring Russell Crowe, was filmed — something my Asian dad is proud of.

I grew up on this street but never ran into a single skinhead.

Instead, while I worked as a sales assistant during the school holidays, old ladies would often ask me, "Can you get me an Australian salesman?", and I'd run to find Giuseppe or Jakov.

Even though my dad owned the business, Jakov, a tall and stately Macedonian George Clooney, acted as our store manager.

It was easier that way.

Read more of Alice's story below. Plus: meet a cloned ferret, unpack the controversy behind wattle, and read about one family's fight for justice.
 

 

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Racism and drug deals surrounded her but for Alice Pung the streets of Footscray were her childhood playground.

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