If people come to Australia, they must accept Australian customs and expectations. I have no problem with migrants coming here and continuing to believe what-ever they wish, and practising those beliefs without imposing on anyone else.

The problem is that some migrants demand, under the guise of tolerance, that everyone should accommodate them and their beliefs.

If they don’t find Australia satisfying their peculiar needs, then go somewhere else that will.

Many in the media and others are quite ready to demonise Geert Wilders as 'hateful and intolerant'. To me he appears no more 'hateful and intolerant' than the people who he is accused of being 'hateful and intolerant' about.

Just look at what is going on in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. Certainly no Nirvana of Tolerance in those places.

I'm not suggesting that one attitude justifies the other but let's get real here - Wilders is clearly reacting to the capitulation  of his country (and the rest of Europe) and countrymen to a foreign culture. I don't just mean foreign as 'not from here' but foreign in terms of 'strangeneness' of what his countrymen are accustomed to. He is justifiably concerned about his country's living reality, and fearful of what is in store in the years ahead.

I have been a liberal all my life - but being liberal doesn't mean that just because someone else wants to do things to you or your environment, that you have to let them. Liberal thought and tolerance cuts both ways - it's very ecumenical to be tolerant and loving to  all - including new migrants with their distinctive cultures. But what happens when the 'loving' is only one-way and the people you are tolerant of are not reciprocating the tolerance.

Do you say "Oh well - doesn't matter" or do you attempt to protect what is your intrinsic makeup and character?

That's your choice of course, but I suspect that there are millions more people in Europe who share the feelings and concerns of Wilders but are too intimdated or fearful to say anything.

Considering the industrial action by society's most necessary workers (health, education, police), maybe it's time to change the priorities we have in society. I suggest the following:

• A society must treat all people equally and without bias;
• Education at all levels must be accessible to all and the only way to do that is to make it free and make all tertiary education merit-based;
• Private education is open to all who choose it but the State won’t fund it to any greater extent than if the student was in the public sector;
• The law must be blind to colour, religion, gender, sexual preference and socio-economic status;
• Equality of health access and health quality to all;
• The state and its instrumentalities must be secular – because people in society believe different things. The State must be neutral while allowing anyone to believe “anything” they choose – provided it doesn’t harm or denigrate anyone else;
• Free speech comes with responsibility and obligation (i.e. no harm to others);
• If you are unemployed and you want unemployment benefits, you must work for the state on community projects, to the best of your ability;
• Migrants to Australia must accept Australian law and Australian values – otherwise they can go elsewhere;
• Hate speech (or actions) is illegal;
• The Education system must teach students, civics, ethics and basic commercial principles to enable them to interact effectively in society when they graduate from school;
• Politics must lift its game – it needs to be principled and competent;
• Donations to political parties must be illegal;
• Politicians who make promises before an election must deliver them or suffer a penalty (lose a percentage of their pro-vote) at the next election;
• The helping professions (health, education, etc.) would receive significant tax cuts to enhance their standing and their value – to both society and the individual;
• … and I could go on…..

In response to a colleague's question “How does a society build robustness?” I suggest the following:

• A society must treat all people equally and without bias;
• Education at all levels must be accessible to all and the only way to do that is to make it free and make all tertiary education merit-based;
• Private education is open to all who choose it but the State won’t fund it to any greater extent than if the student was in the public sector;
• The law must be blind to colour, religion, gender, sexual preference and socio-economic status;
• Equality of health access and quality to all;
• The state and its instrumentalities must be secular – because people in society believe different things. The State must be neutral while allowing anyone to believe “anything” they choose – provided it doesn’t harm or denigrate anyone else;
• Free speech comes with responsibility and obligation (i.e. no harm to others);
• If you are unemployed, to get unemployment benefits, you must work for the state on community projects, to the best of your ability, until you find alternate employment;
• Migrants to Australia must accept Australian law and Australian values – otherwise they can go elsewhere;
• Hate speech (or deed) is illegal;
• The Education system must teach students, civics, ethics and basic commercial principles to enable them interact effectively in society when they graduate from school;
• Politics must lift its game – it needs to be principled and competent;
• Donations to political parties must be illegal;
• Politicians who make promises before an election must deliver them or suffer a penalty (lose a percentage of their pro-vote) at the next election;
• The helping professions (health, education, etc.) would receive significant tax cuts to enhance their standing and their value – to both society and the individual;
• … and I could go on…..