I had a little trouble working out just what the writer was saying but he is right to the extent that most Australians rarely have meaningful contact with many of these minority groups - muslims, indigenous people - and so do not have feelings for them one way or another. (If asked they may express some opinion, however.)

The only minority group with which we could have a US-style problem is that of Asians, as they seem to be both far more numerous and visible than any of the others. But nothing much seems to be happening there.

Indians are moving up, but again there are just not enough of them at present to really make much of an impression on the general population.

stevenlmeyer,

Exactly, the author expresses the standard conflation of race and religion and also, as usual, really doesn't define 'multiculturalism'.
Any one who seriously thinks that he or she can make a case that antipathy towards Islam is necessarily racist is welcome to try.

This is never ending,article after article with the same category mistakes,the same failure of definition, it's all very depressing.

Lego, I am interested in why you think that 'White Australians' have the right to occupy Australia. Is it because they invaded it and destroyed the Indigenous inhabitants? If so, if another ethnic group occupies Australia by force, are they then the rightful owners?

You say that people want to live amongst their own kind for protection and safety. You might call it the human instinct? Why then, do people marry those who are not of the same race as themselves? Why do people be-friend, vote for, work with and enjoy, the company of others who are not of the same race as their own?

What you are saying might have been true once. In pre-civilized times people were interested only in their basic human needs, the need for shelter, safety, food etc. They formed tribes (which were much smaller than the modern day 'white' group which is actually comprised of several groups which are not in fact 'your kind'. Modern day 'whites' are descendants of groups as diverse as celts, anglo-saxons, francs, vikings etc, not one uniform group).

These days, society is much more complex. Trade relations and political agreements on a bi-lateral or multi-lateral basis make modern affairs very different from the ones that tribal groups might have engaged in. Multiculturalism is a feature of this modern society. People from different ethnic backgrounds with different language skills and religions form the back bone of Australian relations with other nations. The rising power and economic strength of China means that having Chinese delegates and economists within our country actually helps us to grow our partnership with this nation. Do you really think we could just go back to 'White Australia' and still maintain healthy relations with these important trade and political partners? What would be the reaction do you think? Would it be good for Australia?

Alienating ethnic minorities within this nation is a big mistake. It is damaging to our international image, and runs counter to our attempts to cultivate a dignified and modern identity in this modern era.

Further to stevenlmeyer's questions to the author about what he actually means by multiculturalism, we have to be careful to avoid accepting a definition which means that 'any practice is acceptable as long as it is within the law'. In fact, some practices are within the law but are still discriminatory, usually against women. We rightfully ban honour killings and female genital mutilation in Australia - they are against the law. On the other hand, in many cultures represented in our multicultural society, girls do not get a fair go. They are pulled out of school early, they have a disproportionate share of chores in the home compared to boys, they do not have as much freedom of movement and sometimes have to wear clothing which constricts their ability to play. In many cultures within our multicultural society, women do not get a fair go either. They lack choice in clothing, movement, bearing children, working outside the home and being financially independent. Sounds like Australia a couple of generations ago but we have moved on thanks to the women's liberation movement of the 1970s and since. Perhaps some of those who were questioned in the poll and expressed anti-Muslim sentiments were simply expressing opposition to such discriminatory practices. They may all have been women! You never know.

Australia is, of course, one of the most peaceful and tolerant societies on earth. We have, for the past 60 years, run the world's most successful immigration program, achieving economic development and cultural enrichment while by and large maintaining social cohesion. This is no small achievement and clear evidence that Australia is not a racist nation.

Confusion is inevitable however when people mix up individual opinions with institutional and personal behaviour. Racist practice is generally speaking a crime in Australia and, despite my personal misgivings, increasingly so is racist language. Sadly, this article fits too easily into the negative stream of contemporary opinion,moralistic rather than moral and contemptuous of human beings.

Dear Mr Triumph,

I think that the best thing that ever happened to the aborigines was the coming of the British. If the British had not colonized Australia, somebody a lot less humane most certainly would have done so. And if nobody had done so, Australia would be just another dysfunctional black country holding out the begging bowl and being a problem to the rest of the world.

My premise, that people prefer to live amongst their own, is validated by the increasingly monocultural ethnic ghettoes now springing up within Australia and dividing our community on geographical lines.

Multiculturalism has been a social catastrophe in Europe, where even the leaders of France, Germany and Great Britain have recently made public statements admitting that it has been a mistake. Then there is the “great melting pot” of the USA where the “hyphenated” Americans call themselves “African-Americans”, “Italian-Americans”, “Hispanic-Americans” and so forth, and where crime, welfare dependency, and general dysfunction occur in those suburbs containing concentrations of certain ethnicies.

And who is championing multiculturalism? Well, you could start with Labor’s Immigration minister Chris Bowen, who’s electorate of McMahon includes the increasingly Arab suburb of Fairfield, where hardly a night goes by without another drive by shooting. According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Research (issue no. 57) 55% of the handgun shootings in the entire state of NSW occur in two notorious ethnic ghettoes. And you want immigration to increase so that this cancer can spread? No thank you. I do not want my suburb to end up like Cronulla, where car loads of ethnic men descend to harass and intimidate Australians on the beach and on the streets.

Finally, I take objection to your “holier than thou attitude” where you pretend moral superiority over me. I am loyal to my own people, and I consider that a virtue, not a vice.

As for Australia’s “international reputation”, who are you kidding? All over Europe and the USA, white people are getting fed up of the determination of people like yourself to make us commit social suicide through immigration.