Scott Morrison was unscathed by TV interview

TV host Waleed Aly seemed determined to push his own agenda.

For a man of many talents, TV host Waleed Aly seems preoccupied with sugar-coating Islam and berating Australians for being Islamophobic (“PM takes Muslim fight up to TV host”, 22/3). While it is true that most Australians are not well versed in the Koran, nor the various warring religious sects that constitute Islam, they recognise the fact that Islam is a religion whose manifestations are the antithesis of our liberal democracy.

They look across the Muslim world and see authoritarianism, poverty and violence everywhere. In Australia, Muslims pursue religious and social customs that are medieval, such as the treatment of women.

The danger of people such as Aly is that, like so many of the identity politics crowd, he wants to pose the culture clash as a problem created by mainstream Australia. He is not doing Muslims any favours. I don’t see Islamophobia becoming Islamophilia.

Jim Wilson, Beaumont, SA

Amid assertions and denials about Scott Morrison’s comments in a shadow cabinet meeting eight years ago, it would be wise to actually examine Morrison’s record on the question of Muslim immigration.

Morrison’s electorate of Cook was the centre of the Cronulla riots that followed a long period of incidents involving youths in the beachside suburb. In the aftermath of that event, my recollection is that Morrison and Labor’s Jason Clare sponsored a Muslim youth — accused of burning the Australian flag — on a Kokoda Track walk. This was a wonderful gesture of reconciliation. Morrison’s record has been consistent ever since.

Vicki Sanderson, Cremorne, NSW

Although Scott Morrison played Waleed Aly easily enough off the front foot during his interview, he showed a cringe-worthy acceptance of Aly’s allegation that Australians suffer from Islamophobia.

This expression gives legitimacy to the politically correct notion that suggests that ignorance of, and resistance to Islam is some sort of illness or psychotic condition in need of medical treatment or re-education. No such phobic diagnosis has been applied to those who have a fear of, or aversion to Christian or Jewish faiths.

Morrison and Bill Shorten owe it to Australians of non-Islamic faiths and secular beliefs to stop using this PC term and use plain English to call it what it is. After all, if it is accepted practice to refer to a hatred of Jews and Christians and their faiths, the same honest plain-speaking reference should apply to a hatred of Muslims and their faith, especially in the media and in our parliament.

John Bell, Heidelberg Heights, Vic

If Bill Shorten, Tanya Plibersek or Chris Bowen try to make political capital out of the interview by Waleed Aly with the Prime Minister, then I will never vote Labor. Aly allowed himself to be a pathetic puppet of the extreme Left.

I believe Scott Morrison was sincere in rebutting Aly, and affirming his kind of Christianity that seeks to embrace people of goodwill.

Geoff Hinds, Merrylands, NSW

Generally speaking, Australians are a pretty tolerant lot forever on the lookout for some harmless slinging off at one another. But normally that’s as far as it goes unless they’re drunk, drugged or just plain stupid. Waleed Aly brought that to a whole new level in his first public campaign to become this country’s inaugural Islamic PM, when he is just another political commentator with limited understanding of our democracy.

John Bain, South Bunbury, WA

Full marks to Scott Morrison for going head-on with Waleed Aly. It shows Morrison is a man of both courage and conviction. He knew Aly would attempt to unfairly tear him down but he took him on and won.

Morrison is a decent, level-headed individual who deserves to be treated with more respect than he is getting from some sections of the community including the ABC which goes to considerable lengths to unearth and publicise the slightest misstep. Naturally, the ABC leaves its hero, Bill Shorten, alone — he can do no wrong.

We have seen Morrison in action on two key issues in recent days and it’s hard to fault him — Christchurch and Turkey. In both these situations he has been measured, articulate, firm and personable.

John George, Terrigal, NSW