The quality of Australian democracy, foreign policy and diplomacy will be improved if all our elected representatives take the time to better understand and act in the best interest of the nation on pressing international issues. Good Prime Ministers avoid the trap of monopolising collective thinking and action as it is not aligned with Australian culture and practices.

Hume's observation is lacking.

He should have said, "...that man's reason is often slave to his passions and to the amount of indoctrination he is exposed to."

We in Australia, like the Americans, are exposed to relentless pro-Israel propaganda in the media to say nothing of the efforts of people like Singer and Danby and Gillard.

In supporting Israel, Australia is guilty of supporting one of the worst crimes against humanity the world has ever seen (ie, the 64 year brutalization and occupation/blockade of the Palestinians)

Every Australian should hang their head in shame!

Thanks Max. I was wondering about that.

If Michael Danby spent as much time pursuing Australia’s national interests as he does lobbying & politicking for the interests of Israel’s Zionists, he might be taken a little more seriously.
Whilst Bob Carr is doubtless capable of responding fully & eloquently to Danby’s jibes, he needs to be careful, as the forces that Danby represents are far more powerful than his position as a lowly backbencher would suggest.
Needless to say, in asserting that Carr had behaved unacceptably in recently leading a cabinet drive to persuade the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, to change her position on the UN vote on Palestine, Danby showed himself for the dishonest & appalling hypocrite that he is.
After all, back in 2010, it was the same Michael Danby who publicly defied Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, & seemed to place Israel’s interests ahead of Australia’s, when he said: “The expulsion [of the Israeli spy chief] was the wrong policy response ... This folly, this over-reaction ... I have suggested a series of steps to the Prime Minister to overcome this successful attempt to blot Labour's copybook just weeks before an election".
In my humble opinion, Danby is a disgrace to both Labor & Australia.