Thanks for your wonderful analysis . Very enlightening. I must say that it is our ethical responsibity to point out the latent agendas behind such reports which paint complex multicultural adjustment and power issues with broad brush. Afte reading such reports usually with great interest, I always ask a few simple questions to myself and they bring new imports for me: Who is the author of this report? Whose voice is heard whose not? Why has the author/s have written it?

History always, as your post shows, brings such new meanings to the text . Thanks very much. I liked it immensely

There is definitely a latest threat/new enemy kind of phenomena. In order to grow out of it we need to try and recognise these lessons from our history.

It’s ironic that the very Gaelic language which was viewed with suspicion was also used for dictation tests to keep out non-white immigrants during the White Australia Policy. However, the rich linguistic heritage of Gaelic Australia is little celebrated.

Also it wasn’t too long ago- within living memory of many- that the phrase “Catholics need not apply” was placed in job descriptions. It’s hard to understand how the media and our leaders, including some Catholics, can perpetuate the same kind of bigotry unto other groups.

Meanwhile we shouldn’t forget that Muslim peoples have traded with our first peoples, opened up the desert for exploration, built railroads and telegraph, run supplies to remote settlements and contributed to multicultural Australia. And this is also part of our heritage.