Leslie Cannold should ask herself why it is that the stable democracies and the most desireable countries for immigrants and country shopping "asylum" seekers are heading for, are Canada, Britain, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA?

The answer is, they are largely populated by North European Protestant people.

There is something about the culture of the North European Protestent culture which makes succesful, prosperous and free societies. Even those Asian societies which are now prosperous and incrasingly free, did so by largely emulating the North European people with their strong work ethic, and commitment to granting their citizens broad political and social freedoms.

Australia is a Christian/agnostic society where Christian values have formed the very foundation of our laws. My belief is that immigrants must make some accomadation with these values when it comes to their behaviour in Australia, or they can go back to whatever cesspit societies they inhabited beforehand, which still cling to medieval beliefs that are inapropriate to the 21st century.

Preserving the culture of the North European Protestant people is something which is therefore worth preserving throungh an discriminatory immigration policy.

LEGO those countries you speak of have been Chris-stain countries for a long time. However they haven't been peaceful countries or democratic countries for very long at all, All the things that you Christians want to take credit for a inventions of the enlightenment not of Christianity. Just as your god person isn't real your version of history isn't either.

A good article, but the first comment is an indication of where the discussion will lead. "North European Protestant people" are indeed dominant in the countries that LEGO cites, but that's because they invaded them and took them off their Indigenous inhabitants in a brutal program of expropriation that continues to this day, and in which their churches and missionaries were complicit.

Arguably, it was the "North European Protestant" invention of capitalism that drove the colonial expansion from which Australia emerged, and to that extent it can reasonably be asserted that many of our national values derive from that source, although not in the ways that the current Christian lobbyists claim.

Also, LEGO ignores the hundreds of thousands of refugees currently seeking asylum in places like France, Italy and Greece, none of which is predominantly Protestant.

Yes, Christianity is undoubtedly a major factor in the formulation of Australian values, but only as part of the mix, and not always a positive influence.

Well said Morganzola.

If Christians want to take credit they must also acknowledge their failings.

Are Christians really the source of Oz values? Firstly, I suppose we have to define what those values are. I wonder how many of us know?
According to the booklet published by the Australian Government on,
"Becoming an Australian Citizen," they are listed as follows:

1) REspect for the equal worth, dignity and freedom of the individual.

2) Freedom of speech.

3) Freedom of religion and secular government.

4) Freedom of association.

5) Support of parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.

6) Equality under the law.

7) Equality of men and women.

8) Equality of opportunity.

9) Peacefulness.

10) Tolerance, mutual respect and compassion for those in need.

Sounds great doesn't it? Perhaps the reality, may be somewhat different - but they are great goals to aim for - there's no denying that. Now as for Christians being the source of these values? That may be debatable due to these vales being adapted and moulded and modernised through waves of settlement by people from all over the world which do include Judeo-Christian ethics, a British political heritage and the spirit of the European Enlightenment as well as distinct Irish and non-conformist attitudes and sentiments all of which had an influence on Australia's history and culture.

And as the booklet tells us: "The statement of values and principles should not be seen as a quest for conformity or a common set of beliefs. On the contrary, respect for the free-thinking individual and the right to be different are foundations of Australian democracy.
The goal here is to help new citizens understand the core values that have helped to create a society that is stable yet dynamic, cohesive yet diverse. They define and symbolise why so many people want to become Australians."

Leslie Cannold is wrong in her assertion that the Australian Christian Lobby claims Christianity is the source of Australian values.

We, like many commentators and historians, recognise that the Judeo-Christian ethic has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the formation of our nation, just as it has on Western Civilisation.

It is unreasonable to try and write this out of our collective memory, as Ms Cannold seeks to do.

She is also wrong to imply that ACL wishes to discriminate against same-sex couples.

We supported the Rudd Government’s changes to 84 Commonwealth laws which even homosexual activists admit has removed discrimination.
Like the Prime Minister Julia Gillard, ACL does however believe that marriage between a man and a woman should not be re-defined.

For social, cultural and religious reasons, this is not unreasonable and it does not make us or the Prime Minister intolerant of homosexuality.

Instead we should be asking how tolerant is a minority lobby determined to redefine an institution for its own political agenda, when the institution has so much deep cultural, and in many cases religious, significance for so many.