Dear Lexi,
Thank you for your lovely words about my post. 'Tis the nature of the beast that lies within me...it also can be a pain too, what a dreadful mix I am, not only a Pisces but I suffer from an overdose of empathy too. If I can think of a good side.....mmmmmmmmmm, ah yes, I have an off the wall sense of humour, which too, gets me in trouble some times.
But I am healthy, that is the main thing.
Enjoy your evening my friend,
NSB

Dear Lexi,
Thank you for your informative post regarding the research and findings regarding migrants since about 2002, it was a very interesting read.
Not only do I respect the trouble you go to regarding many of the topics discussed within this forum, but you light the path for understanding (and at times, differing opinions. Well done Lexi.)
NSB

Dear Belly,

As Noisy said -
of course you're entitled to your opinion and the
right to express it. And your fears and mistrust
are perfectly understandable. We fear what we don't
know or understand and as I stated in my previous
post the media, the politcians, the governments
have not helped matters regarding Muslims in Australia.

I firmly believe that our differences will not matter
in the long-term. We'll have a more vigorous,
exciting country, with a wide mix of people, and in the
end, through interaction and discussion, we'll sort
the problems out as we've always done.

It's important to remember Australia BEFORE the most
recent wave of migration. It was dull, self-satisfied,
and joylessly conformist. Of course, the option of
taking in people who appear different to ourselves
involves taking considerable risks - but almost every
human advance is based on experiment, innovation, and
adventure.

In the past, we've had to travel the globe to see
worlds that contrasted with our own. In a diverse
society such as ours today - such experiences are
within walking distance or over the back fence.
Good heavens, we can even risk inviting them in.

As for the way people choose to dress. As long as they
don't break any of our laws - what difference does it
make. Not all Muslims wear the traditional garbs. My
doctor is a Muslim - and she prefers comfortable western
dress. The same as not all Jews wear their traditional
dress, not all Greek women dress in black with the granny
black scarves. Not all Indian women wear the beautiful
saris and so on. As I said earlier - we can sort out
all our problems - with a bit of understanding.

Abdul J,
Trying to read the meaning of your posts is hard but I'll try.

You are saying that a businessman got Australian citizenship by paying $10,000 to the Liberal Party and that this was revealed in parliameent in about 2001 and is in Hansard.

Without more detail, like the actual date and who spoke, that would be difficult to find but, if correct, it certainly would be illegal. Hansard is a record of every word spoken in Parliament so I doubt if that was what was said because others and the media would make a big issue of it and some people would likely lose their jobs or be prosecuted if it were shown to be correct.

See if you can get some help with translation to be sure of what you are saying. Must have more accurate details before commenting further.

Is that your only complaint about our immigration programme?

Abdul,

<<One business man from oversease got citizenship just for $10,000 and money deposited into libral party fund Government >>

Sounds like an urban myth to me. The sort of half baked story certain groups tell themselves to justify their irrational belief systems. For reasons that Banjo outlined, I seriously doubt that either Liberal or Labor could get away with it.

And as urban (or, perhaps ghetto) myths go, it’s only bettered by this one:
<<It's important to remember Australia BEFORE the most
recent wave of migration. It was dull, self-satisfied,
and joylessly conformist.>>
ROFL

Let us tread a little lightly here my fellow OLO ers.
It is true, both a federal Labor and a Liberal have been caught doing this, not sure about convictions.
Think the ALP bloke may have done time for it.
We can not, any longer be morally superior to any country in the matter of bribes and corruption.
We are up to our eye brows in it.
I thank the Lady's for those kind words.
But warn ,honestly, while we have bigoted politicians, and people, they are driven, the politicians, by public opinion.
I do not will not ever share Lexis view dress is not a matter for concern, see any news broadcast, on TV OUR Women presenters MUST to be safe, wear scarfs in those country's.
Let us leave our views,every one of them out side the threads door.
Enter clear of all biases.
Now one rule, can we look at this problem/concern
As the western world moves to a softer view of the religions of our birth, some no longer believing at all, can we be expected to not fear a whole new one seemingly controlling one emerging.
How many here have not heard words like the dead meat quote? or that awful bloke Kaiser Trad.
Is the concern built only on the shoulders of WASP?
My welcome to Abdul is sincere my wish for his future too.
My fears are not a rare gem, one can be found in the mind of great numbers of my country men.
BOTH sides working together only can make it work.