http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/multiculturalism/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/australia-you-have-nothing-to-fear-but-fear-itself/ Hansonism’s back – and we’re not just talking about Pauline appearing as a sometime wannabe journo for Today Tonight. Her ideas are still spreading like the clap. Remember this? I and most Australians want our immigration policy radically reviewed and that of multiculturalism abolished. I believe we are in danger of being swamped by Asians. They have their own culture and religion, form ghettos and do not assimilate. Of course, I will be called racist but, if I can invite whom I want into my home, then I should have the right to have a say in who comes into my country. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/australia-you-have-nothing-to-fear-but-fear-itself/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/australia-you-have-nothing-to-fear-but-fear-itself/#item8568 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/will-the-really-offended-people-please-stand-up/ If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/will-the-really-offended-people-please-stand-up/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/will-the-really-offended-people-please-stand-up/#item8093 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Im-white-Christian-and-live-happily-among-Muslims/ I have been asked by The Punch to offer a different point of view about Muslims in Australia. Being a white, Christian, male living in Australia’s most populated Muslim suburb, I should be the most vilified person in Australia according to some fellow Punchers. Well the truth is, I’m not. My background has many different layers and stepping stones to it. I was born in the mid 80s in Broken Hill to a dad that was local and a mum that was from Wilcannia. Growing up, she was one of the only few white families in town but never had a bad word to say about Aborigines, irrespective of how the situation is there now. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Im-white-Christian-and-live-happily-among-Muslims/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Im-white-Christian-and-live-happily-among-Muslims/#item8011 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/1400-years-of-tradition-is-no-excuse-for-sexism/ Islam does not have a monopoly on sexism. The concept that sons hold a special place over and above daughters is not held solely by the more orthodox practitioners of the Muslim faith, but can be found to varying degrees across a range of cultures. For example, at the suggestion of British Prime Minister David Cameron, our very own Royal Family is considering scrapping the system whereby the first-born son will always be the next in line to the throne. There’s a progressive idea. Equally, in a country such as Australia, built as it was through waves of migration, there are plenty of communities which have historically favoured sons over daughters on issues such as the carve-up of property, or where sons have always been deferred to as the decision-makers on any family issues purely on gender grounds. But while this column is not intended as a generalised criticism of Islam in all its forms, I would argue that there is still a very specific problem when it comes to the treatment of women under the more conservative interpretations of the Islamic faith. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/1400-years-of-tradition-is-no-excuse-for-sexism/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/1400-years-of-tradition-is-no-excuse-for-sexism/#item8010 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/change-the-topic-australia-day-is-not-about-racism/ In the past few days, we have had a few prominent and highly regarded individuals coming out to voice their concerns about racism in Australia. They say it is very much alive and kicking. Dr Charles Teo, a very respected neuro-surgeon who has saved many lives, said that racism is still “very much alive in Australia”. Then came Fayia Lahai, a refugee from Sierra Leone in West Africa, who also agreed with Dr Teo’s assessment that Australia has a racism problem. Mr Fayia Lahai was recently appointed to a new body called People of Australia Ambassadors – a body that will give advice to the Government and to the Australian Multicultural Council. Mr Lahai arrived in Tasmania in 2006. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/change-the-topic-australia-day-is-not-about-racism/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/change-the-topic-australia-day-is-not-about-racism/#item7589 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Multiculturalism-its-as-Aussie-as-a-lamb-roast/ Christmas is long gone, New Year is a distant memory, the tennis is on TV and the summer break that saves the sanity of so many Australians is almost over. As usual in the lead up to Australia Day it’s time debate the health of the nation: where we stand internationally, and the slippery issue of our national identity. I don’t think there are many countries that spend so much time trying to define exactly what they stand for. While navel-gazing isn’t always healthy, one of the reasons for this debate is that we do not feel that our national identity is fixed, or tied to events of the past, but something that is always changing and improving. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Multiculturalism-its-as-Aussie-as-a-lamb-roast/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Multiculturalism-its-as-Aussie-as-a-lamb-roast/#item7580 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-great-wall-of-cabramatta/ On Tuesday night, four shots were fired into the front of a Wetherill Park home. Inside a woman and her two children were sleeping. This incident was the ninth shooting to take place in Sydney in eight days. NSW Police have not laid any charges and have voiced their frustration, blaming the “wall of silence” in the community. On Saturday, 25 May 2002, a man shot and wounded seven people including a child attending a wedding at a restaurant in Cabramatta. There were 140 witnesses in the New World Restaurant but no one was able, or willing, to give a clear description of the gun man. It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-great-wall-of-cabramatta/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-great-wall-of-cabramatta/#item7570 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-biggest-bigots-are-the-buggers-who-blame-bigotry/ “Opinions are like orgasms: mine matters most, and I don’t care if you have one.” I’m not sure where I first read this, but it seems to typify public debate in Australia, where opposing parties love to discredit an argument by giving it a label: racist, sexist, chauvinist, insensitive, homophobe, ignorant… In philosophy classes, this type of argument was called an ad hominem, and it’s only reward was an F, but in public debate it’s a timesaver, a cheap political point. Remember when Bill Heffernan questioned Gillard’s leadership because she was “deliberately barren”? Same deal. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-biggest-bigots-are-the-buggers-who-blame-bigotry/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-biggest-bigots-are-the-buggers-who-blame-bigotry/#item7568 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/motherland-in-decline/ This video does not make for happy viewing. It depicts a British Mum, who quite possibly is intoxicated, and her racist rant against just about everyone else in her tram carriage. The video, taken this weekend, has sparked a nationwide debate about racism and immigration and has reportedly resulted in the woman being arrested. After this year’s London riots, it is hardly the video the English needed the world to see. London’s Olympic organisers probably won’t be too chuffed either. But mostly, we feel sorry for the kid on her lap. What kind of life can he look forward to? penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/motherland-in-decline/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/motherland-in-decline/#item7263 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/culture-and-religion-are-no-excuse-for-child-brides/ Cradle snatcher. Toy boy. Cougar. Child bride. Teen bride. Paedophile. How old is too old, how young too young? We may have a visceral revulsion when we witness a large age gap in a relationship, but when does it go from odd to deeply wrong, sick – when should it be illegal? And what can we do about it? The Daily Telegraph reports that more than 200 17-year-old girls and hundreds of 18, 19 and 20-year-olds have been granted prospective spouse visas to marry older – in some cases much older – men here in Australia. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/culture-and-religion-are-no-excuse-for-child-brides/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/culture-and-religion-are-no-excuse-for-child-brides/#item7091 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 If only Wikileaker Julian Assange was in the Government and could leak the actual footage of these mysterious focus groups that found Anzac Day was ‘divisive’ because of multiculturalism. It’s hard to imagine who, specifically, is planning to be offended by the World War I centenary commemorations.  Unless some dopey focus group leader who desperately needed something to put in the ‘possible issues’ column sketched some outrageous possibilities such as gory re-enactments of Australian soldiers killing Turks, or Vietnamese. According to today’s Daily Telegraph, the Federal Government commissioned research and focus group testing that found multiculturalism means commemorating the centenary of Anzac Day is a “double-edged sword” and a “potential area of divisiveness”.