The violence associated with the rise of right wing groups in the US, is past due.

This issue of left wing ideological war on traditional society must be stopped, and if war on the streets is the only solution, then lets get on with it!

the desperate regressive on channel 10 now need lies and produce their own posters to demonise those in favour of natural marriage. How low can these scumbags go. History shows regressive media just love fake news that support their very sick narrative. We need a few Trumps to call out these liars.

Well, there will not be a “radical shift”, as conservatives seem to have given up the fight, which means that we will surely “ end up in the same divisive mess as America.” There is no will to stand up for values any more; the cultural Marxists have won. In no time at all, their Muslim mates will take over the whole show.

Why Malcolm Turnbull gets a mention in all the gloom and doom is anyone's guess; he is the cause of most of our problems now. “ recent efforts to recognise past sins inflicted upon Aborigines and others” have been a major part of the problem, as has SSM. We are getting ourselves in a lather over minority issues, and ignoring Australia's real problems: debt, immigration, hostile colonising Muslims, 'free' trade and globalisation, and our ties with the corrupt United Nations – not to mention a lack of cheap, reliable electricity. Oh, yes, and 'equality' AKA Communistic wealth re-distribution. And, it's a very sad day when scum like Tim Minchin get a mention.

But, probably the very worst problem we have is a choice between Turnbull and Shorten. It can't get any worse than that!

"Once life, liberty and the right to pursue your own happiness has been secured"..the problem Mark is we haven't secured the first right.. the right to life...craven politicians have taken that away from us ...including Malcolm Turnbull in his vote for the use of the human pesticide RU486 on unborn children. He denies we have a right to be born alive but avows the right to marry people of the same sex. Mate, (Malcolm) you have to first be born to exercise any other rights.. including the right to marry whoever we want to marry.including my cat! Don't laugh that is already being mooted !

Well, if it were really a minority view, the Author's take might have some credibility!

Simply put, the science is in and here is a gay gene! Like it or not! And found not as a single gene but several, down near the bottom of the double helix DNA spiral.

An arguably why the, refuse to accept the evidence, recalcitrant troglodytes suddenly find they're sick and tired of the debate?

And reminiscent of Wannabe Imams, who just a little over half a century ago, compelled a belief in a flat earth! I kid you not!

Arguably based on a highly flawed belief system and nothing else, that includes a directive that women should be covered from head to toe in a Burqa.

Others want to mutilate the female genitalia for the same, stone age ignorance based reasons, none of which comply with the facts.

If the Author needs to conflate and confect the issue and make it apply to any all minority views? (S)He's not succeeding! And patently puerile parsimonious, pulpit pounding, presumptuous propaganda.

In any event, his/her and all other personal (cake baking/religious/free speech) freedoms would be seriously protected by a similarly long overdue, resisted to the last (die in a ditch first) conservative, bill of irrevocable rights! Go figure!?

Dates that mean something special to the overwhelming majority, should remain unchanged, but particularly if those who buck against it, "activist urban blacks," with an agenda? [Whose majority white ancestry would be turning in their graves,] actually want a recognition and reconciliation referendum to pass.

After which we can have a civil conversation about the promulgation of suppressed history etc/etc.
Alan B.

"mark off the limits of democracy... Exchange faith in the system for faith in real people."

Surely all the truly important, necessary laws already exist, and have existed for centuries.
Modern trends are just new variations on old concepts.

The only role democracy (direct democracy) can play now is to *repeal* all the unnecessary laws/policies, only introduced so politicians can "look busy", justifying the eternal perpetuation of parliamentary "representation".

Without perpetual parliaments, "activism" would virtually vanish, as the general population would rarely be itching for "reforms" of any kind.

An emergency-only elected government, convening only in times of national crisis, would enact laws/policies only when absolutely urgent.

These policies would still need confirmation by direct democracy within a short time period.
If the people's vote contradicts the law/policy, the law/policy goes.

Petitions (like Citizens Initiated Referendums) could decide what matters need ballots.

Direct democracy need not involve all adults voting on all matters, which would lead to burnout.
A large random sample should suffice.
Only matters involving serious national or international consequences (e.g. whether to go to war, sign a treaty) would need input from the entire electorate.