The White Australia Policy

       Fifty years ago, when I lived in Sydney, I frequently visited my godmother in the old suburb of Ashfield. However, when I returned in the 1990s, the suburb had changed. It no longer looked like Australia. The commercial centre was full of east Asians. My godmother's church was offering lessons in English because, apparently, you don't need to be fluent in the national language in order to immigrate. English, at any rate, was optional on the shop windows, where indecipherable languages predominated. The population, I presume, were basically good people with whom I'd make friends if I lived there, but it was like a foreign country. I don't like feeling a stranger in my own country. I want my country back!

The Plot Against Pell

Never have I seen such vituperation and opprobrium directed against anyone as I have seen in the press directed against Cardinal Pell over many months, if not years. . . . it seems to me that there is no chance Cardinal Pell could ever receive a fair trial, so poisoned has the public's mind been. 

Geoffrey Horgan, former Victorian Crown Prosecutor

     At trial the accused's guilt must be established beyond reasonable doubt. On the other hand, Cardinal George Pell, one time Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne might be unique in that his innocence was established beyond any reasonable doubt - but not before he served more than 400 days in prison for a crime he could not possibly have committed.

Reparations for Slavery?

      You will no doubt be aware of a recent movement to claim reparations for West Indian populations in general from Britain in particular and Europe in general because of past slavery. Here we see two popular tropes: (1) negative experiences have permanent, intergenerational effects, and (2) those poor dark skinned people can't possibly improve themselves without the help of a (left wing) white saviour. Let us shine a more rational light on the subject.