This is an appropriate time, I suppose, to start my new Australian section. After all it is January 26, 'Australia Day'. Actually, I only remembered this as I drove past the park in my little town, Yass, this morning. I saw Australian flags fluttering and 100 or so people gathered around having a breakfast 'barbie' to celebrate. Not my 'cup of tea' I'm afraid. This kind of gung-ho nationalism is not for me. Lately the 'Aussie' spirit has been getting a little too close to racism and xenophobia for my liking. The right wing politicians seem to be playing some pretty low games with people's lives (refugees) lately and, more to the point, they're getting away with it and enjoy widespread public support for their mean policies. It seems to me that the kind of 'patriotic' spirit being engendered today at many 'Australia Day' ceremonies in little towns like mine is leaving a slightly sour taste in the mouths of those of us who love the tolerant, multicultural country that we know also exists. Traditionally, we don't really 'do' patriotism here in Australia as it seems to be (over?) done in the U.S. for example. As a result and seeing it so clearly in evidence this morning, I worry a lttle about hidden agendas.

Jonathon Delacour and Garth Kidd have both been including quite a bit of Australian content in their recent postings. As an Australian , myself, I sometimes feel like sticking my bib in as well. The trouble has been that I'm trying to concentrate on a Filemaker Pro/Radio thread and categories haven't been working well enough to get things organised and separated. However, the very latest Radio 8 update seems to have improved things considerably so I've create this new category just for occasional postings.

Greg Smith: Australia