Chris, which fantasy are you living in?

The White Australia Policy was mentioned but neatly side-stepped.

It was the fear and hatred of the Chinese that was the primary reason behind the call for Federation, not some high and noble ideal.

Federation creates citizenship and citizenship allows exclusion.
Until Federation, ANYBODY who set foot on the colony's soil automatically came under the juristiction and protection of the British Crown and was free to stay without fear of deportation.

Since then, every wave of immigrants has met the same social resistance with varying degrees of hostility.
Our xenophobic roots go very deep.
This is probably the commonest value we all share.

David Flint does not offer us a set of values but rather a set of his preferences of who he would include as Australians.

As an Australian decended from amongst the earliest European arrivals to my state I find this sort of jingoism offensive.

David obviously does not understand what it is to be Australian. An example is his so called fourth pillar -Judeo-Christian values and his homogendered preferences to claim what is Australian.

My great grandfather who served with the Light Horse and my grandfather who served in the Second World War were both Atheists and Republicans. Both had hoped Australia would be rewarded with full independence from the Monarchy for Australias sacrifices during the wars. My great grandmother contributed so much to freedom in this country by lobbying for sufferage yet as a woman her contribution to the formation of what we pride ourselves in as a country is now only aknowleged by those old enough to have met her.

My story is a tiny slice in millions of Australian stories which contradict Davids views.

Anybody who says they are Australian are Australian in my mind whether they stepped off the aircraft this morning or have roots going back thousands of years.

There is only one single value which is relevant which David appears not to hold if judged by his article. Mutual respect between all citizens.

Is that an Australian value?

Judging by rudeness, road rage, religious righteouness, domestic violence, child abuse, bigotry and divisionism in this country today I think not.

David Flint always gets a serve from the usual suspects for whom he is too intelligent, successful and articulate. Nevertheless, I thought only extremely embittered left-tragics would disagree with him on Australian values. And, of course, they showed up.

Sneekeepete could barely control his sad, left sarcasm. AMSADL was predictable. He hates everyone, but couldn’t resist giving John Howard a special mention. And, a couple of newcomers have joined the club.

As long as we have people with king-sized chips on their shoulders because the democratic process prevents them from electing to government whoever it is that will satisfy their needs, there is not much point talking about Australian values. Personal hatred and childish name-calling are not conducive to rational discussion.

It is sad that so many people who call themselves Australians seem intent on rubbishing their country. It’s not perfect. We don’t all get what we want. But, if there is a better country to live in, I would like to hear about it. However, as these Australia-bashers are still living here and taking what they can, I doubt very much if such a country exists. I further doubt that there would ever be a country that would make them happy

Well said Leigh.

Sneekeepete by name and nature.Some of these bottom feeders have the ethics lower than litigation lawyers.They'll feed off the system that sustains them and then have the audacity bag the hard working society that made it all possible.

I don't agree with everything David Flint writes,but he stands for more positive values & achievements than all the Sneekeepetes could muster in a life time of negative sniping.

The left are feeling very much threatened at the moment since the general populace is rejecting their anti-establishment rhetoric.If Labor is to survive,they'll have to subdue the left.

Right now there is an opening for a new political party that can fill the void left by Labor.

I always regarded David Flint as a bit of a D-ckhead, but he seems to be more than just a pretty face.
I think he needs to bone up on the various conflicts that we had prior to Federation, for example the Rum Rebellion, Eureka Stockade to name a couple, but at least we steered away from major conflicts.
It always amuses me that those who accuse us Aussies of being racist, or jingoistic or whatever, need to look in the mirror.
Also, whatever we may think of the current state of the Monarchy, it is going to take a very concerted push for the Republicans to win the day.