We all understand now that the ideals of social cohesion and freedom are in conflict with one another, in light of that after a 47 year tenure I wish to tender my resignation from Team Australia, effective immediately.

'runner,

" So be it. Its so sad that those who spew out the most hate...."

fits your perverted and distorted narrative well Poirot. Your Abbottphobia really is twisting you. Calling your PM a 'moron' really must make you feel superior.

Indeed JKJ.
And education in a so called democracy, is a right rather than a salable commodity. At least it was, when there was still a light on the hill!
The outstanding difference between us the UK and the USA; both of the aforementioned have a bill of rights!
For all the good it has done for those innocents, already put to death in over-crowed American prisons; now being emptied somewhat, by DNA evidence that is proving many of the incarcerated; put there by fatuous, fundamentally flawed, extremely indolent law enforcement, were innocent of the charges all along!
As for the Middle East, even there, even among tinpot potentates, they're beginning to understand; there is no such thing as a good terrorist!
Cheers, Rhrosty.

Tch, Tch...runner....further spewing the hatred is not becoming for one such as yourself who claims Christian ethics.

as in...

"fits your perverted and distorted narrative well Poirot..."

That's not very nice.

"...Calling your PM a 'moron' really must make you feel superior."

Have I actually called Mr Abbott a "moron"?

The "moron" insult is usually accompanied by the moniker "individual" around here.

Poirot is more likely to employ a more sophisticated variety of criticism.

Can you post a link to where I called Abbott a moron?

Great article. This particular government is full of ironies, but don't seem to get it.

Dismissing scientific evidence and any kind of academic research or findings yet insisting they want Australia's universities to get up there with the 100 top in the world. It would be truly funny if not so very sad. But then, as Pyne so well articulated, education is Australia's third biggest export earner. So it isn't really about educating Australians or indeed research, it is about selling units of education to overseas students.

And now this lot who went into the election to dismantle 18C of the discrimination act, because of 'free speech' ends up enacting the most draconian anti libertarian laws in any of the Western democracies. It is truly bizarre. What exactly are we now 'fighting' for? Clearly not to live in a free democratic nation.

I quite like the seeming contrariness of being a socially libertarian and an economic socialist. The whole left right division is so outdated and limiting.

"And now this lot who went into the election to dismantle 18C of the discrimination act, because of 'free speech' ends up enacting the most draconian anti libertarian laws in any of the Western democracies. It is truly bizarre. What exactly are we now 'fighting' for? Clearly not to live in a free democratic nation."

Oh, so well put, Yvonne...the irony of it all!