In February 2022 ASIO chief Mike Burgess warned “angry and alienated Australians” could turn to violence after being exposed to “an echo chamber” of extremist messaging, misinformation and conspiracy theories during the coronavirus pandemic. He said online radicalisation was in “overdrive” and he noted a “deeply distressing” trend of children – some as young as 13 – being radicalised online and in school. Many Australians would have dismissed this as nothing more than alarmist rhetoric from Burgess, 'Capitol Riots' and such nasty stuff occurs elsewhere and not in Australia.

This week it has been revealed that German authorities have arrested 25 people, with 50 in total suspected of plotting to overthrow the democratically elected German government and replace it with their own order. Included in the bunch arrested was a a former far-right member of the Bundestag (parliament) and a descendant of German royalty. In a statement the German federal prosecutor’s office said; “The accused are united by a deep rejection of state institutions and the free democratic basic order of the Federal Republic of Germany, which over time has led to their decision to participate in their violent elimination and to engage in concrete preparatory actions for this purpose” This far right radical group only formed in November 2021, and have been moving quickly to recruit members and prepare for action.

With their failure to gain traction at the ballot box in recent years, and in light of Burgess's warning in February could far right elements in Australia be moving in the same direction as the German Reich Citizens Movement. I'm sure there is extreme right wing dissatisfaction with the newly elected Albanese government, as well as progressive Labor and Liberal state governments.

Dear Paul,

I remember the several TV programs they had on extremist right-wing
groups - on 60 Minutes and on the news a while back. And the
warnings that came with them. I thought that ASIO had things
under control then - and was going to monitor their activities.
They were a small band of activists back then. I'm sure that
as with anything - things from overseas do infiltrate our
country. Whether they grow in their influece however is another
story.

I have every faith in our security agencies and am sure that
they'll be able to handle whatever comes. Personally I think
that most Australians are far too laid back to be influenced
greatly by this sort of extremism. Football, - yes, cricket-
yes. But playing with a "hillbilly mentally?"- Nah, leave
that to the yanks.

The movement already exists in the form of the Greens Party and its sympathisers in the ALP.

Dear Paul,

Another reason I don't think that these extremist
movements will take hold in this country - is because
Aussies have a great sense of humour. People who can
laugh at themselves are not going to take themselves
too seriously.

Humour helps foster understanding and
respect ( aka Paul Hogan). And comedy can be used as
a weapon. I recently saw a Ukrainian comic doing
stand-up comedy from a bomb shelter.

Humour and comedy shows that we are all human. That there
are so many things that make us different - but also
that make us similar. Aussies are great mate! And as Hoges
has shown - no nutter or oddball can change that!

No ttbn, its not the Greens or Labor, who do taste success through the ballot box, and can democratically influence outcomes. Just the opposite, its the truculent failures of the extreme who have no political clout, but see their own failures as a wrong perpetrated on them by those who in their mind are welding unjustified power, its never anything of their own making.

You, are often critical of all those in power, claiming they are leading us to destruction, are you not? Like others here you are a conspiracy theorist when it comes to political governance in Australia.

In the 1920s there was an authoritarian current among some Australian industrialists who admired fascist Italy under Mussolini and wanted something similar for Australia. They approached Monash to sound out his interest. Monash wanted no part of it. D H Lawrence's novel, Kangaroo, is based on the incident.