Group hugs can be dangerous

Janet Albrechtsen

GROUP hugs get us nowhere. And that about sums up a talk-fest in Canberra last weekend called “Australia Deliberates”. About 350 “representative Australians” came together to ask panellists questions about the fractured relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in Australia. Gushing headlines told us that, having listened to “detailed discussions”, non-Muslims are now more comfortable about Muslims. Of course they are. It was a con job. The hard issues were flicked aside. Here’s something we did not deliberate on: lulling ourselves into complacency is a dangerous option. More ...

6/3/07