It's not just politicians super is it, where the biff and bash of politics gives way to matey consensus. It is also around national security, as illustrated in Beazley's proposal that immigrants and tourists pledge allegiance to "Australian values" .

I understand the strategy--it is designed to negate the wedge politics of Muslim bashing being practised by the Coalition. But it comes close to embracing integration as assimilation. Which values are to be included in the pledge to abide by Australian values? Multiculturalism as equality? Hardly. It's only respect for different religions and cultures. How are we to understand 'respect'? Why in terms of a mateship visa. See what I mean? More of an analysis is given here.

If Australian values are to include respect for women, then Shane Warne cannot enter the country can he? Or is just Muslims that have to respect women? If so, then the Beazley-ALP comes close to dog-whistling on Muslim-bashing.