22/10/2026
🇦🇺 STOP THE HATE — AUSTRALIA IS LOSING SOMETHING FAR MORE IMPORTANT
The horrific attack on Helen Haines and the subsequent abuse directed at Governor-General Sam Mostyn should concern every Australian.
But I fear we are once again focusing on the symptoms rather than confronting the underlying problem.
This is not simply about protecting politicians and public figures. It is about protecting the very foundations of Australian society.
Following the Bondi terrorist attack, our national debate moved through antisemitism, concerns about anti-Muslim hatred, social media restrictions, freedom of speech and changes to fi***rm laws affecting law-abiding Australians.
Each issue generated more political argument, more legislation, more blame and, sadly, more division.
Yet we continue to avoid a much more uncomfortable question.
What is happening to the values that once held our communities together?
Some argue that Australian culture is under attack. I believe that assessment misses something fundamental.
Our culture has always evolved. As Australians, we have embraced new ideas, challenged old assumptions, welcomed different perspectives and adapted to changing times. We have added some traditions, left others behind and continued to develop our identity as a nation.
That is not a weakness. It is one of our greatest strengths.
But culture and values are not the same thing.
Our values are the foundations upon which a decent society is built.
They are the principles that guide us when times are difficult. They determine how we treat our neighbours, how we respond to disagreement and how we care for people less fortunate than ourselves.
They are reflected in our belief that hard work, enterprise, initiative and taking risks should be rewarded.
But equally, they are reflected in our willingness to help someone who has fallen on hard times, to care for the vulnerable and to ensure nobody is abandoned when they genuinely need assistance.
They are about fairness, compassion, responsibility, opportunity, integrity and respect.
These are the building blocks of a successful society. And I fear we are allowing them to crumble.
We have witnessed a growing loss of trust in our democratic institutions.
Too many Australians now see politicians as self-interested, more concerned with winning elections and protecting their positions than serving the people who elected them.
Small businesses and hardworking Australians increasingly feel overwhelmed by regulation, taxation and bureaucracy. People who invest their savings, employ others and take financial risks often feel that governments make their lives harder rather than supporting their contribution to our nation.
Our welfare system must protect those genuinely in need while maintaining fairness, accountability and incentives to work. When people lose confidence in that balance, resentment grows.
We have created an environment in which those who work hard, take risks and contribute increasingly question whether the system is fair.
Meanwhile, communities that once worked together increasingly find themselves divided by politics, identity, ideology and competing grievances.
Sections of the media, social media influencers, podcasts and online groups have discovered that anger, outrage and division attract attention.
And too often, our political leaders participate in the very behaviour they later condemn.
We cannot legislate our way back to decency.
Laws have an important role in protecting Australians from violence, threats and intimidation. But governments cannot simply pass legislation and expect respect, compassion and trust to return.
Nor should we surrender our freedoms in the belief that government censorship can somehow manufacture a more respectful society.
These are matters of character, leadership, personal responsibility and community.
They require something much harder than announcing another inquiry or introducing another law.
They require us to change our behaviour.
I have spent recent months warning about the growing hatred and anger in our political debate.
I have watched discussions that once involved reasonable disagreement descend into personal abuse, intimidation and increasingly the language of hatred.
I have written to media organisations, raised concerns publicly and urged people to disconnect from those who deliberately promote division.
Sadly, much of that concern received little attention until tragedy struck our own community.
I have also reflected on my own language and the responsibility I carry to demonstrate the standards I expect of others.
None of us should be exempt from that responsibility.
But the greatest obligation rests with those entrusted to lead.
Our Prime Minister, premiers, ministers, parliamentarians and political leaders must recognise their own contribution to the deterioration of public trust.
That responsibility extends across every political party, including my own.
Leadership is not simply about winning an argument, defeating an opponent or passing legislation.
It is about setting an example.
It is about representing Australians who did not vote for you just as faithfully as those who did.
It is about having the courage to acknowledge mistakes, listen to criticism and change course.
It is about bringing people together rather than exploiting their differences for political advantage.
And it is about understanding that the strength of our nation ultimately rests not in Canberra or our state parliaments, but in our families, workplaces, businesses, sporting clubs, volunteer organisations and local communities.
That is where Australia’s character is formed. That is where our values must be defended.
The terrible injuries suffered by Helen Haines are a tragedy for her, her family and our community. My thoughts remain with Helen, Phil, their family and everyone affected by this horrific attack.
But if our national response focuses only on protecting public figures, increasing security and introducing more laws, we will have missed the bigger warning.
Every Australian deserves to feel safe, respected and heard.
Every Australian deserves a government that serves them rather than divides them.
And every Australian has a responsibility to help rebuild the trust and decency that our communities desperately need.
The urgency is now.
We need leaders prepared to look beyond the next election, put aside political self-interest and restore confidence in the institutions and values that sustain our democracy.
We need leadership that rewards effort, protects freedom, encourages enterprise, cares for the vulnerable and respects the dignity of every Australian.
Above all, we need leaders who understand that their responsibility is to the entire nation, not simply their supporters.
But leadership alone will not restore what we have lost.
We must also be prepared to examine our own behaviour, the language we use, the information we share and the way we treat those with whom we disagree.
We cannot demand respect while showing contempt for others.
We cannot condemn hatred when it comes from our political opponents while excusing it among our own supporters.
And we cannot expect our communities to remain united if we continue rewarding those who deliberately divide them.
Before we ask who should lead Australia, perhaps we should first ask what values we expect our leaders to uphold, and whether we are prepared to uphold those same values ourselves.
Because unless we address the underlying erosion of our values, we will continue treating the symptoms while the foundations of our society weaken.
Australia is a remarkable nation. We have overcome enormous challenges throughout our history because of the strength of our people, our willingness to help one another and our belief in a fair go.
Those qualities have not disappeared. But they need to be defended, demonstrated and passed on to the next generation.
This is not about returning to the past. It is about ensuring the values that made Australia a great nation continue to guide our future.
STOP THE HATE. RESTORE RESPECT. REBUILD TRUST.
Brad Robertson, CSC
Chairman, Farrer Federal Electorate Council
The Nationals
