Many Australians are worried ! They may not look to be outwardly, but engage them privately and you will discover that people are disturbed by many things. 

And most of us are more worried now than at any other time since WW2.

It’s a different battle now of course, but still  shaping up as a war of survival for many Australians.   

Seemingly insoluble problems are developing on so many fronts it is becoming difficult for the average Australian to come to terms with.

What worries Australians, not in any special order because we are all different, are :

• Climate change. It is real and it is here, and we may be in great danger. And those in charge, deny it. 
• Illicit drugs.  Destroying so many lives, particularly young people.
• Housing affordability – especially the younger generation.
• Job security and job prospects in the face of artificial intelligence.
• Political instability – here and around the world.
• The scourge of legal drugs, especially opioids and  overuse of antibiotics.
• A society in decline compared with how most people once knew it.
• Health care costs and availability of specialist care.
• Family violence – increasing at a frightening rate.
• Energy costs, electrical and petrol/diesel.
• Free speech – not as simple as it used to be. The power of Facebook.
• The rise of China and its increasing influence in the Pacific and Australia.
• The constant sale of our major assets, to foreign buyers which most of us want kept in Aussie hands. The privatisation of major corporations and publicly supported industries.
• The degradation of our great oceans and rivers. The rampant clearing of land and forests contributing to climate change. 
• Lack of trust in banks and financial and other institutions. Not to mention despair over our  politicians. 
• The nagging feeling that our valued social structure is in decline. Things aren’t what they used to be, and a feeling our country is slipping away from us, into other hands.
• The constant reminder that we “invaded” Australia. 
• Lack of manners on the roads and the dangers in driving. And also venturing in to streets and suburbs so unlike the Australia as we deemed it to be. 
• A senate that distorts the will of the people rather than being a house of review.
• And the really big one:  The loss of our identity and lifestyle –  as  migration, from too diverse cultures,  on too large a scale with too few obligations to assimilate to the Aussie way of life, , overcrowds our cities, changing  some suburbs into micro countries within Australia. Many people who live in these ‘enclosed’  suburbs, do not have a command of the English language. So WE are the foreigners in our own country.

Migration on the levels our government has created, overwhelms our systems and  the natural order of things  that we once considered normal.

Speak with an average Australian in private – the neglected middle class who do the work and pay the bills,  the hard-working creative people who are trying to  build Australia for their kids and  who beaver away  to sustain it – and they will latch onto migration.

They will say things to you in private that are guaranteed to be labelled as racist if said publicly.  So they don’t.   It is all about the subversion of free and honest speech; once  part of our normal robust communication.  It is more difficult than ever for many of us simply to express an honest opinion.

But these average  Australians, in the main, are not racist in any way;  they are genuinely and deeply concerned  at the dismantling of the great casual, friendly, fair-go Australia and our once tremendous  freedoms  and way of life.  They are doubtful, even frightened, about the ghettos of different races, religions and cultural backgrounds mushrooming and dominating communities, outpacing the locals all for “economic reasons.”

Most Aussies feel it is a dangerous experiment which will fail, or, is shown to be failing.  Here and in other countries.

It is unfair to label these people as radical, left or right leaning, they are simply starting to feel under pressure and put upon.  They are being given the task of  shouldering more of the load than ever before, especially financially, and the eventual outcome is possibly more political instability as voters seek answers from other parties or Independents.

Although the use of the word indigenous is generally taken to mean people of Aboriginal background,  I  would prefer to use the term ‘First Australians’ to indicate Aboriginal heritage;   a  unique history of which they have a right to be very proud.

But much of middle Australian referred to earlier are also indigenous in the sense that they were born in Australia; they rightly call themselves Australians, many carry Australian passports and their attachment to, and love for, Australia is undeniable.  Australian culture and way of life is in their DNA. Equally, people who have adopted Australia as their home of choice, feel the same.  They have paid their dues to society and they deserve to be accepted.  

We are fortunate in that we have so many people who are fiercely loyal to Australia;  but many of them also feel that our unique way of life is under threat.

The evidence is there: look at recent occurrences in Melbourne, the  almost daily shootings and stabbings in parts of Sydney,  violence that is occurring amongst groups of people,  often  from other countries who carry a legacy of conflict. 

Trying to justify or assume these new immigrants will meld in as previous generations from the upheaval of war torn and dangerous home countries, have done, seems a faint hope these days. Indeed, it seems too often, WE have to fit in with their needs and wishes, be it religious or politically correct otherwise WE are labelled racist. 

A watermark in the average persons’ tolerance levels occurred with the senseless slaying of  17-year  civilian police employee 58-years old  Curtis Cheng – right 

outside the Parramatta Police Station – on October 3^rd, 2015;  not by someone with a grudge or who even  knew Mr Cheng personally,  but by a person or persons who felt  like killing a “disbeliever”.   

Almost daily we hear of people who are prepared to repay Australia for giving them a peaceful and safe haven by planning to mass murder innocent citizens right on the street where they walk and work.

It is time for action.  Whichever party comes to power in Australia in May 2019 the strength of public opinion needs to convince the government that it’s time to stand up and speak up for all Australians. Otherwise we will get more of the same and nothing will happen to create any solution to this gathering storm.

Citizenship of Australia and similar free societies must be seen as great privilege.

When people  come here from other countries, they should be allowed to stay  and work here, as a resident on a conditional basis of having a clean  and admirable record both from country of origin, and for seven years probation before any application for Australian citizenship can be made. Any major breach of the law in that first seven years, will earn them  a seat on an aeroplane back to where they came from. No exceptions.  No arguments from lawyers about loss of statehood, fragmentation of families, poor state of mind at the time, or dangers in their home of origin.  Those arguments would not hold up any more than telling the court you didn’t think that speeding at 140kph in say a 90 zone, was wrong.

The rules of citizenship would be made clear to everyone  on  their application to become a resident; if newcomers can’t abide by Australia’s  rules, it is very simple, don’t come, or go home early.

Even if granted citizenship of Australia after a time frame  of seven years, there would be a period of a further three years in which federal government(s) would  retain the right of revocation of that great privilege and honor, regardless of international conventions on loss of  statehood.  Bad people would be  heading back from where  they came. No argument can prevent it.  The rules of citizenship must be absolutely clear to all comers.

We should never become isolationists, but Australia can’t fix other countries’ problems by accepting people with cultures and backgrounds that simply will never fit with our established society and way of life which must be held as tantamount. 

We are an island, and our isolation is our strength. No walls and borders, though our girt by sea is often penetrated by illegal fishing to tragic boat journeys, but we must maintain our stringent agriculture protections, and that our land of plenty isn’t sold off cheaply with the profits going to the big end of town and foreigners.  

Despite our robust and hearty, “She’ll be right” attitude, this a fragile land; topsoil  blows away in dramatic droughts, our seas are polluted, our land degraded, fires are stronger and more powerful and unpredictable, fracking, mining and destruction of pristine agricultural land, where too often profits go offshore, where Japanese buy our our gas at a fraction of what we have to pay, where our best produce, dairy and meat are sold overseas and we get the leftovers and the profits go into corporate pockets, isn’t good enough! 

We need to make a stand, and if we aren’t heeded, we vote them out. 

Tough love is what we need.  Now !!

(Footnote:  This article is not intended to be anti-immigration in any way.  Australia has benefited in numerous ways from sensible and planned immigration policies from day one.  The article is designed to be highly critical of more recent policies which are seriously flawed by too great a numbers  from too broad a spectrum of backgrounds, beliefs, cultures and  reasons for being here.  We simply have lost the plot on

immigration and it won’t work.)

The Scribe.

(The Scribe is a local resident who listens to what a lot of locals have to say. His views are his own. We welcome comments and thoughts. Ed.)