Only after the Malthouse's non-indigenous company manager Nina Bonacci hailed a taxi were Hick, Gaykamangu and Djubiling able to return to their Fitzroy Street hotel. Welcome to Melbourne ... Aboriginal actors, from left, Natasha Waganeen, Jada Alberts, Frances Djulibing and Djamangi Gaykamangu. Credit:Jason South ''They would just pull up, see us and drive off,'' Hick said. ''By the fourth one I just had it by then and kind of broke down and was in tears. We had to get someone to hail a taxi for us who was non-indigenous and we would hide around the corner and by the time she got the taxi we would bolt over, open the door and jump in. ''And unfortuntately this isn't new to us, we have to live with this on a daily basis. But I think what was horrible is that Frances and Djamangi, who are internationally renowned performers, an actor and a dancer, and for them to come down from Arnhem Land and experience this, is pretty disgusting.'' The Malthouse is now looking at different accommodation options for the group's next visit, most likely in Southbank, where they will be be within walking distance of the theatre.The incident comes six months after celebrated musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was refused a fare over the colour of his skin outside the Palais Theatre last December.

Although the Malthouse issued the cast with Myki cards so they could travel around Melbourne, several of the cast members were bailed up on a St Kilda tram on Tuesday morning by a fellow passenger who yelled at them: ''You Aboriginal people, you don't exist in this country, you don't even have tickets''. The passenger then told the driver to call the police and evict the Aboriginal passengers, a request the driver ignored. Actor Natasha Wanganeen with her 2004 AFI Award. Credit:Sandy Scheltema ''It's just horrible seeing people in pain over racism and I wouldn't think that would happen in Melbourne, it shouldn't be that way,'' Natasha Wanganeen said.In her official letter of complaint to Silver Top taxis, theatre company manager Nina Bonacci described the refusal as a ''hideous display of racism''. ''Some [drivers] pulled over for me (I am not Aboriginal), but drove away when I tried to usher the Aboriginal actors into the taxi,'' she wrote. I tried hailing passing-by taxis with the same result (despite their lights indicating that they were available). Playwright and actor Jada Alberts, left. Credit:Anthony Johnson

''The assumption that we have made is that the decision not to allow these people entry to your taxis was based in racism. Although, if you can offer any other explanation, I would love to hear it. ''I invite this as I am eager not to believe that I witnessed such a hideous display of racism, and that such disgusting and shameful acts are still taking place towards Aboriginal people in Australia.'' Actor Tom E. Lewis. You Aboriginal people, you don't exist in this country, you don't even have tickets. David Samuel, chief executive of the Victorian Taxi Association, representing cab operators, said the drivers believed to be involved had been identified by Silver Top and would be interviewed "to ascertain whether they did what they're accused of doing".

"Until then we don't know what the motivation was, suffice to say there's very few reasons why you can refuse a taxi fare - race is certainly not one of them and neither is distance," he said. In a statement, the Victorian Taxi Directorate said industry regulations clearly stipulate that drivers must accept all fares, regardless of how far the passenger wants to travel. "There are only a few exceptions to this requirement, and these are where the driver believes that his or her personal safety or property is under threat. Drivers found to be refusing fares without excuse are subject to heavy penalties of up to $352. The Directorate actively investigates and enforces these requirements." The Directorate said it had not received a formal complaint regarding the incident. with Adrian Lowe