SR,

I always find it troubling when people try and rewrite the dictionary.

Patriot:
a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.
"a true patriot"
synonyms: nationalist, loyalist;

Whereas a nationalist also:
a member of a political party or group advocating national independence or strong national government.

Re the reference to Iran as 'home' after 40 years in Australia.
When I was a kid, many Australians still referred to Britain as 'home' , even if they were 3 or 4th generation Australian, and passionate patriots especially during the cricket season.

"Immigrants,minorities,aboriginal welfare,greenies and social security bludgers all need to be trimmed at the feet and the finances redirected to the grass roots of the country,the aged and infirm, child safety services, returning service personnel,
public housing, homelessness."

Chris, the problem is that people don't fit into neat single boxes.

What to do about aged and infirm greenies who are returned service personnel? Do you help them because they are aged and infirm ex-soldiers or reject them because they are greenies?
Or Aborigines who are aged and infirm and/or returned soldiers, or need child safety services. In because they aged/infirm/ex-solders, or out because they're Aborigines.
And those social security bludgers - well, some of them are no doubt part of grass-roots too. (I'm not condoning such bludging, just think it is exaggerated to demonise people generally).

When does an immigrant stop being an immigrant? My father migrated here as a child with his family in 1927 (economic immigrants); he died a couple of years ago aged 97. In between he was in the Australian army in WW2 (New Guinea), ran several businesses, produced many children and grandchildren who include teachers, doctors and a resource geologist whom you will never have heard of but who has probably contributed more to this country than all of us writing on OLO put together, plus all the politicians over the last 50 years. Would you have trimmed my father and his parents at the feet when they first arrived in poverty? His family are now part the grass-roots of this country.

I think you had in mind trimming organisations that help minorities, immigrants. Aborigines etc. rather than individuals themselves who are in need. Yes, better direction of funds and accountability is essential. But the way you and others write demonises individuals and just contributes to division and hate, such as that exhibited on the bus yesterday.

Globalism: high immigration, multiculturalism, 'free' trade deals ruining job opportunities for unskilled Australian workers, was forced on us by dictatorial politicians without reference to the people. Hungary, late of the Soviet bloc, and now barely democratic, held a referendum on whether or not they should take refugees as demanded by the despots in Brussels. How pathetic does that make Australia, touted as one of the oldest democracies in the world? Only direct democracy will save Australia from the self-serving politicians and furtive power brokers.

"High immigration, multiculturalism, 'free' trade deals ruining job opportunities for unskilled Australian workers".

Perhaps if the unskilled Australian workers got some skills that would help them (a) get a job, and (b) create businesses that would employ other people? Ideally, the skills should be flexible and added to so they aren't stranded when the economy and industry evolves.

Re free trade deals: when it comes to our important food export markets, direct democracy might show that more people are in favour than against. This is an area where there is still unskilled work. But can fruit-growers get unskilled Australians to do it? No, we're dependent on back-packers. (There is an issue here because of the seasonality of the work, but that varies by crop and by region, so that work is staggered around the country).

In my region high immigration and multiculturalism have contributed to the economy through diversification: Italian migrants developing great varietal wines, Indian migrants value-adding to basic produce (http://www.grewalgoldengrain.com.au/) to name just a couple of examples. (Approximately 50 countries now buy Australian almonds, with India being Australia’s largest overseas market, twice the size of the next largest market, the United Arab Emirates. No, I'm not in the almond business, but have been interested since I first saw the mega-processing-actories in the back-blocks of NW Victoria years ago).

//high immigration, multiculturalism, 'free' trade deals ruining job opportunities for unskilled Australian workers, was forced on us//

'Were' forced on us, ttbn. Little wonder that some of the clever foreigners are more employable than the home-grown bums, when they speak English as a second language and still have a better handle on English grammar than some of the natives.

//by dictatorial politicians without reference to the people//

Dictators? In Australia? When?

For my entire life, Australia has been a democracy and politicians have been forced to make reference to the people every 3 to 4 years. Can anybody older than me remember a time when this was not the case?