I hope people aren't suggesting that those with a surname like Smith, Watson, Brown or other typical anglo surnames are barred from learning how to cook Thai dishes or Italian dishes or putting together a nice curry. Are people saying that the Ryde School of Catering actively bars such people from attending? And are people suggesting that people with a surname like Ryan, Billings or Turner are not allowed to open an Indian restaurant or a Thai restaurant?

As for the cost of multiculturalism, S Rimmer put it at AUD$7.2 billion per year. Some people might find that acceptable but I reject it. I'd rather Mrs Turner get her hip operation pronto than to fund the Estonian community as they ponce about in their national costume on Black Tuesday.

LEIGH - statements of fact regarding the origins of Australian citizenship in our legal history do not show "apalling ignorance". Our national identity has been an issue in recent press - including what exactly are Australian values and what it means to be Australian. I love The Man from Snowy River - but I don't see the pioneers all that relevant to our future. I don't deny Britain's colonisation of this country (why I pointed out the fact about citizenship). You either have difficulties reading or enjoy misquoting.

TONYKEVIN - your comments and support are appreciated. It's a shame that there is so much rhetoric here and not enough meaningful dialogue.

COUNTRYGAL - I understand your sentiments. A fractured nation is not what I want for my children either.

HAMLET - your comments re individual versus group are interesting. But I am greatly troubled by your views on the ABS stats - since when do countries "similar" to Australia count for Australian? Since when does an European heritage count as an Australian heritage? There are significant differences between living in Australia than say, living in London. Are your sentiments that white anglosaxons (where ever they are from) are close enough to white Australians and, therefore, Australians?

BOAZ_David - My source for 65% of Australian's having non-Australian ancestry is http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics/popflows2003-4/index.htm
Since when did English and Irish come close enough to being Australian? Don't accuse me of peddling an agenda - I'm loud and clear about where I stand. Most Australians come from somewhere else. Ireland is SOMEWHERE ELSE. England is SOMEWHERE ELSE. Loud and Clear?

How can we discuss issues of nationality without raising the point of when Australian citizenship existed in law? Please.

KEITH - many thanks - yes, I am raising Australians. I consider myself Australian. That's my point. When you talk to children of migrants, they will be amongst the proudest and grateful Australians you will ever meet.

Thanks to all for reading and commenting.
Agnes Tay (unable to change username - didn't think I would be writing articles when I joined up :))

Having finished trumpeting British beliefs for reasons unknown, Leigh is now promoting promiscuity, saying "you should start having intercourse with people with whom you do not agree."

OK, I’m cheekily taking this out of context.

This brazen pickup line is just for a special "not agreeing" someone.

(References: Leigh 22sept2006 12:28PM and 23Sep2006 09:35 AM)

Agnes Tay

No need for thanks, though it is appreciated.

Your point was well made and understood.

And yes you are right...my children too are 1st generation Aussies and are 'amongst the proudest and grateful Australians you will ever meet.'... and high achievers also!

Regards Keith Kennelly

Agnes wrote:

HAMLET - your comments re individual versus group are interesting. But I am greatly troubled by your views on the ABS stats - since when do countries "similar" to Australia count for Australian? Since when does an European heritage count as an Australian heritage? There are significant differences between living in Australia than say, living in London. Are your sentiments that white anglosaxons (where ever they are from) are close enough to white Australians and, therefore, Australians?

Agnes, I really don't care about the colour of a person's skin, or their 'ethnicity', it is culture that matters.

For instance, an African-American may share the same cultural values as an Australian of say, Chinese heritage, which may be very different from a white part anglo Sud Afrikaana who has a hatred of blacks and 'mixed race' people.

But in general terms, 'Australian' culture shares more characteristics with European, in particular North West Europe, than with other parts of the world. Australian culture is not 'unique' to this land mass, it is a manifestation of an overall European culture that includes in its tenets: equality, the rule of law, not using 'patronage' to get ahead in the same way that it is used in many Middle Eastern and Asian countries, an abhorence of official corruption.

Getting baack to the African-American example. Here is a person who is raised in a democracy and has a similar world view to a European, whereas even some people from South American, due to that continent's mixture of cultures - indigenous, imported European - particularly Spanish and Portugese, and African cultural influences imported with slavery, has caused a different world view than that of the Northen American continent.

A classic example is the way that Australia has been berated by Asian politicians for the criticism of'Asian values', when it is actually 'Asian values' conflicting with 'European values'.

So yes, Australia does have more in common with the cultures Europe and particularly the British Isles than with other cultures.

Australia shares Shakespeare and Gothe more than Confucious.

Blackstone,

Be careful of what ABS statistics say. Given that we have just had the most recent census, I am quite able to recall that I put English and Scottish as my ancestry, despite the fact that at least on the English side it was my GG grandfather that immigrated in 1852. I am still of English descent, despite the fact that I was born in Australia (as have several generations of my family). My husband in the same census listed his ancestry as Irish, despite his ancestor arriving on the First Fleet. He also considers himself as Australian, and not Irish.

Stat's can prove anything, its just a matter of how you present it. If 65% of respondents said they were from a non-Australian ancestry, then I assume that 33% simply ignored the question (isnt the indigenous population around 2% - they are the only ones that can fully claim Australian ancestry). Get with it and learn how to properly interpret statistics, rather than manipulate them to prove an agenda.