Silent majority fed up with erosion of multicultural values

Colin Rubenstein warns us that rising anti-Semitism threatens Australia’s multicultural fabric (“Our multicultural ideals must be upheld by leaders”, 18/3).

While mass migration from the Middle East and North Africa with consequent violence may have spelt the death knell for multiculturalism in Europe, it remains on life support in Australia.

Since Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, anti-Jewish hatred has surged – from protests and vandalism to arson. Rubenstein rightly argues that political leaders must act decisively to restore order and prevent extremists from exploiting the crisis.

The firebombing of Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue highlights the severity of the threat. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s $35m pledge to rebuild it sends a clear message: religious hatred will not be tolerated. The silent majority are fed up with the racism that is damaging our country’s reputation as a welcoming cohesive society. With anti-Semitism and immigration set to be election issues, we will no doubt see a swing to the right, as seen in Europe.

The government’s Multicultural Framework Review seeks solutions, but words must be matched with action. Multiculturalism depends on shared values – mutual respect, the rule of law and national cohesion.

John Kempler, Rose Bay, NSW

School’s lost principles

The Macquarie University Law School’s mandate on Acknowledgment of Country by students is beyond rational thinking. They are told they will fail unless when delivering Welcome to Country they are really sincere and show sufficient passion, regardless of the subjectivity of the assessor’s opinion.

How can students be sincere if they are forced to give the affirmation rather than voluntarily? In effect, the university is saying that students must be insincere and therefore less than honest to avoid failure of part of their degree. What a wonderful message this sends. Truth is such a significant basis for any court proceeding. It beggars belief that principles are allowed to fly out the window in an institution of learning.

Sue Weston, Medindie Gardens, SA

Do have a cow

Not that I’m much of a milk drinker, but the booming market for plant-based alternatives to the output of our hardworking dairy cows makes me chuckle (“Rush to non-dairy milk misses the udder side of goodness”, 18/3).

As far as I’m aware, cows have always been vegetarian in their consumption, and therefore milk must surely be a vegetarian by-product? If people had any inkling of the resources, particularly water, that are consumed in the production of some of these dairy alternatives, and I’m thinking specifically almonds and pistachios, they would reconsider the work of cows with great affection.

Mark Dwyer, Rankins Springs, NSW

Educate voters

Recent reports in this paper on the lack of understanding (due to lack of teaching) regarding civics is of concern. The Liberal National Party needs to allocate some money towards educating the public on how preferential voting works, not just using the phrase “a vote for the Greens is a vote for Labor”.

Until I was an observer at a polling booth, I didn’t really get it either. So Joe Public does not understand the system, voting 1 for the XX party, which has no hope of winning, but has put the Greens 2, which has no hope of winning, and then Labor 3, which will mean Labor will get the vote.

The Australian Electoral Commission won’t do it, as it seems to be too busy attending citizenship ceremonies.

Wendy Hollis, Ashmore, Qld

Tariff distraction

It’s apparent that on the eve of bringing down his budget, Jim Chalmers is seeking to escalate the effect of Donald Trump’s tariff war, the China slowdown and even Cyclone Alfred in an attempt to deflect attention from the political fallout of the government’s deteriorating fiscal position (“Trump a convenient cover for budget woes”, 18/3).

In reality, long before Trump’s return to power and Alfred’s progress through the Coral Sea, Treasury’s outlook for the Australian economy was a sea of red. Revenues were forecast to fall, with no commensurate adjustment to government spending.

It’s evident that structural deficits are to be the new black, and interest payments on compounding public debt will be among the largest items of budget expenditure. The Treasurer has conceded that he will deliver a deficit budget, but in typical disingenuous fashion adds “a much, much smaller deficit” than Labor inherited from its political opponents.

This unnecessary spin – when voters know that in fiscal years 2020-21 and 2021-22, Covid-19 had the effect of blowing every budget around the world – only adds to misgivings about the Albanese government.

Kim Keogh, Claremont, WA