Australia & australians are unique. I have been involved quite deeply at times with generational (4-5th) generations of a white anglo saxon past. I have also been involved with indigenouse Australians. The comparison is quite different even with mixed indigenouse compared to the Anglo Saxon Australians.
My experiences show that the white Australian have an attitude towards its fellow man. A true example of this is in todays terms is the tall poppy sindrome. Other examples are comming to light even as I type the 9 Australians in Indonesia are out there blaming each other. Through-out my lif I have found that the average white Australian can not be trusted. Mate ship as Howard describes is well & true friendship is very hard to find in Australia. Loyality does not exist. Wake up Australia the people need the ability to be loyal to each other and show a little compasion to our fellow human

"Too many people are detained for too long without judicial review; too many children suffer from curable, untreated disease; too many children don’t get primary schooling; too many people wander the streets without care or treatment; there is too much interference in some areas of our lives by government; too little respect for our rights and dignity in other areas."

Howard, what exactly are you advocating with a statement such as this.
Are you saying that Australia is so backwards that when the government should intervene it doesn't and when it shouldn't it does.

The state government's provide free primary and secondary education for all Australians if they choose to use it. There are family payments bonuses for families who have their children immunised and kids walking the street is not the government's problem.

Our human rights record stands up against any other country - we don't need any more interference from the government.

t.u.s.

TUS, Australia's human rights record does not stack up regarding detainees/refugees and indigenous population in this country. This is where Australia's human rights' recordjust sucks bigtime.

Whilst I might agree with you regarding our wonderful public school system which is accessible to all (as long as they'res a bus going past,) only the lonely could say that there is a major imbalance happening with the population of Australia that most need our human rights.

Ah “human rights” – the fundamental right to exercise ones own discretion in words and speech and subject to the rights of other people, the right to action too.
Now

So Howard Glenn “When I hear stories of what happens to defenders of human rights in other countries, it’s a relief to be from a place where one only has to deal with moist sneers.”

Human rights includes the right to sneer and be sneered at.

It includes to right to express and support a dissenting view – or are you one of those “human rightists” who see your “rights” as pre-eminent above your critics and detractors – there is a word for that.

Australia does have a proud tradition and reputation for respecting individual rights, it is one of the reasons I chose to apply and waited to migrate here.

However, Di, we also have a reputation for expecting our rights of border security to likewise be respected. The detention of those who flagrantly abuse out national sovereignty and attempt to infiltrate this community by clandestine and illicit means, resulting in their possible extended detention, in so displaying a total disregard for our rights are in no position to demand we respect theirs.

Likewise the United Nations, an organisation who’s capacity for graft and corruption is becoming more apparent by the day, is not worthy to criticise us either.

What about the 100,000 of legit refugees in camps all over the world who have to remain in poverty & squalor due to the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS who put their children at risk to flaut our laws & gain entry to our country?

Don't they have children too?, Does the UNHCR, chaired by Libya, care about these people?
I'll tell you this, they care more then the political left in Australia who only seem to be interested in cases that can be USED to further their own twisted political agendas & portay the Howard government in bad light.
It is so pathetic.

It's not about sneering Col, whilst I agree with the fact that we have to protect borders et al, desperate times in other countries call for desperate measures. I am pretty sure that Joe Blogsnoski or Jane Abdul are not up with international law when they are fleeing a regime that they have reason to believe will treat them just as horribly as a serial killer in America (ie: no rhyme, reason - just born in the wrong country in the wrong time/place at random) They are just paying to get the hell out of there. Our laws make them criminals once they hit our shores. Some things are just not collective, and an invididual's right to freedom is one of them. Especially when it comes to kids. Our detention centres are the 21st century equivalent to Nazi camps and like the Nazi's, the govt will justify it till the cows come home, because we have the law on our side. Having the law on side doesn't necessarily make it (human) right. If we had to flee Aust for their reasons, would you stand in line like a lot of "believing the system" jews did in Europe that ended up in cattle trucks? Or would you go underground/overseas, like modern day refugees do to save your family? Just because it doesn't seem to happen on a "sweeping through Europe" systematic genocide that comes to western world's attention, doesn't mean it no longer happens anymore. God help us, we have the room!