I have concerns when some of the ism's come to the fore and are used to manipulate, dictate and ultimately control the thinking of the general populace. Through nationalism, and under the guise of patriotism, horrendous crimes have been perpetrated against mankind, not the least world wars and mass genocide. Nationalism has been used by imperialists as the mechanism to allow exploitation and the domination of weaker peoples and states.
The fear of some Australians is that their "cultural identity" will be swamped by others, who will impose their "cultural identity" in its place, thus destroying something they see as worthwhile preserving, not unique to Australia. Often it is easy for a power seeking demagog, a Hitler type, to manipulate all these uneasy feelings to their advantage. The demagog exploits the fears and prejudices of people, often invoking an unreal idealised version of "cultural identity" that must be preserved at all cost, from those that would destroy that 'which must be preserved at all cost'. The best way of course to guarantee preservation from the "inferior destroyers" is a preemptive strike, get them before they get you, do what is necessary! In that way, so much barbarism has been totally justified.

Paul

The most potent, and most often exploited ISM in current day Oz is the (FALSE) cry of RACISM.

Party’s like the GREEN have used it to the max to divide the community and garner votes from the non-thinkers.

And if you want to further your career drop a few hints that you feel you have been discriminated against --it works wonders

SPQR,

What are you saying? Racism and discrimination is some modern '"Urban Myth" perpetuated and fostered by lefty Greens with a secret agenda, such people as myself. Are you saying if R and D exists in the World, Australia is in some unique way devoid of such shamefulness.

<<And if you want to further your career drop a few hints that you feel you have been discriminated against --it works wonders>>

Did it work for you?

Paul,

<<What are you saying? Racism and discrimination is some modern '"Urban Myth">>

Racism no doubt exists --but at no where near the level(s) in Oz some (like the scurrilous Greens!) are wont to put about.

[Now take a seat before you read the next line I’d hate to be responsible for you injuring yourself –when you faint in disbelief & horror]
IT EVEN EXISTS IN NON-WHITE COMMUNITIES/GROUP!

But I have seen heaps of “racism” claims in my time and most were fabrications or exaggerations concocted to score political or career advantage.

<<Did it work for you?>>
No Paul. Regrettably I have the wrong ancestry I had to work to anything I accrued.

However, I was witness to an incident where one individual of south Asian extraction held a large govt dept to ransom on a *FALSE* claim of racism --and got her way --because the dept didn't want to wear mud that would stick even if it won.

Shockadelic,
Yes, exactly, the census doesn't count the students and the Chinese people who live elsewhere but congregate in High St Preston.
I'm not particularly bothered by it as Nhoj suggests because even if the bars, shops and restaurants were all White owned I still wouldn't be patronising them.
I'm merely pointing out that retail space and cultural life in Preston hasn't been so concentrated in the hands of one ethnic group for a long time and I doubt it's been 90% dominated by one ethnic group since the end of WW2. (Yes Nhoj I've actually walked from Wood St down to Bell St and counted the Chinese owned businesses)
Multiculturalists always love to brag about the expanded range of dining options that immigration has brought but the residents of Preston have actually seen theirs diminish, the Indian restaurant is gone, the Thai restaurant is gone, the Turkish takeaway closed and almost all the fish and chip shops, lunch bars and takeaways are run by Chinese...other than that at dinner time if you don't feel like Asian food or Pizza you have to drive to Coburg or Thomastown which are still pretty multicultural, ie there's a variety of options.
What has to be said too is that in Melbourne we had one "Chinatown" until the 2000's, now we have at least seven as far as I know, even the Vietnamese are being edged out of Springvale and Footscray.

I forgot to add, for sure monocultural towns are boring, I grew up in one, then at 21 I moved to a vibrant multicultural metropolis but now once again I'm back in a monocultural suburb, the fact that this one is ethnically different from the first is immaterial, it's still just as monotonous.