The Daily Telegraph editorial: National Party’s neo-Nazi shame
MANY long-established, if not quite mainstream, political parties attract members and followers with either extremist beliefs or backgrounds. But it’s a complete shock to discover the Nationals have more than 50 members with alleged links to white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups.
Opinion
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MANY long-established, if not quite mainstream, political parties attract members and followers with either extremist beliefs or backgrounds.
Depending on the party, those members may be from the left or right. One Nation, for example, appeals at certain levels to voters with more extreme attitudes towards issues of race and immigration.
The Greens, on the other hand, have included among even some senior representatives people who were previously supportive of communism and Marxism.
So it would not come as a complete shock to discover worryingly marginal types either voting for or joining those parties. But the National Party is another matter entirely.
It is therefore shocking to discover the Nationals have more than 50 members being investigated for alleged links to white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups.
These individuals appear to have recently infiltrated the Nationals rather than being long-term members. The NSW Nationals branch is investigating white supremacists and members of alt-right groups who have, since December last year, been recruited to the Young Nationals. Some hold positions on the state executive of the main Nationals Party.
NSW Nationals state director Ross Cadell told The Daily Telegraph he was “extremely troubled” by the extremist views of those members.
“We are uncovering people every day,” Cadell said. “We are now up to 19 we have a high degree of confidence in and we are investigating 35 people.”
Youthful idiocy might explain the troubling attitudes of some fringe-dwelling members, but Cadell points out that the Nationals face an extremist crisis across the entire party.
“It’s spread beyond the Young Nationals and we are looking at the National Party in general, including the metro branch,” he said. “One of the people seems to be in an Antipodean Resistance propaganda video and the quotes seem to celebrate Adolf Hitler in a very strong way. Two of them (under investigation) are on the executive of the metropolitan branch of the National Party.”
The Nationals have taken the correct first step by investigating these people. The correct second step, following confirmation of extremist connections, will be to forever expel them from the party.
BODY IMAGE AND BOYS’ PAIN
TEENAGERS generally lack confidence. This is not completely a bad thing. In fact, a lack of confidence may accurately reflect teenagers’ understandable concerns about a world they are shortly to join as adults. With experience, confidence grows.
But deeper deprivations of confidence can ruin young lives. Body image issues are well known among young girls, but there is now increasing focus on body image issues among boys.
Over-exercising and drug use to bulk up are becoming commonplace. It’s a kind of reverse anorexia, and it is just as destructive.
AUSTRALIA DAY STAYS PUT
A FEW words of persuasion, backed by a possibly more persuasive government warning, have averted a coastal citizenship controversy.
In September, Byron Shire Council announced its intention to shift next year’s Australia Day commemorations to January 25.
“No one wants Australia Day on the 26th,” Mayor Simon Richardson declared, claiming the traditional date marked “the day the cultural decimation and denigration of the First Australians began”.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the plan as “indulgent self-loathing” and then warned all councils they would lose citizenship-granting powers in the event of any Australia Day boycott. Those words worked.
Byron Shire Council will now hold its Australia Day commemoration on Australia Day. According to general manager Mark Arnold, the entire incident was somehow the result of a simple “misunderstanding”.
Whatever the case, Byron Bay has come to its senses. Sadly, a couple of minor Melbourne councils will continue with their UnAustralian Day antics. It is their loss.