Would Michael Cullen have the balls.......

[Biff]

Sounds like a good idea. But just take a moment to look at what's happening in the UK...in general, the individuals that live in the UK, who hold fundamentalist/extreme views, especially those that chose/plot/want to attack the UK itself, didn't migrate to the UK as extremists, they were born in the UK. This shit is breading and morphing from within.

[kerryg]

Sounds like a good idea. But just take a moment to look at what's happening in the UK...in general, the individuals that live in the UK, who hold fundamentalist/extreme views, especially those that chose/plot/want to attack the UK itself, didn't migrate to the UK as extremists, they were born in the UK. This shit is breading and morphing from within.

It's a good point well made Biff. Kinda makes you wonder whether Peter Costello's outpourings were just simplistic political rhetoric. I guess the answer is obvious. And it's not as though your average putative Muslim suicide bomber is upon hearing Mr Costello's words going to re-consider the whole idea of emigrating...so they're empty words really, and by pointing the finger at new immigrants potentially distract people from another and possibly bigger threat (marginalised and alienated naturalised Australians and even 2nd and 3rd generation Australians). Xenophobia feeds that marginalisation process. You only have to look at what's happening in France at the moment.

[Jackrat]

Australian treasurer Peter Costello stated recently:

If you are somebody who wants to live in an Islamic state governed by sharia law you are not going to be happy in Australia, because Australia is not an Islamic state, will never be an Islamic state and will never be governed by sharia law.

We are a secular state under our constitution, our law is made by parliament elected in democratic elections.

We do not derive our laws from religious instruction.

There are Islamic states around the world that practise sharia law and if that’s your object you may well be much more at home in such a country than trying to turn Australia into one of those countries, because it’s not going to happen.

The first paragraph of this should be displayed in the arrivals areas of Australian airports.

Talking about Peter Costello.
Here's a Pic' of him an little johnny during smoko.