The thing we need most is each other.

With increasing frequency and growing vehemence, you hear people saying they are ashamed to be Australians.

Polls are no substitute for leadership because, at its very essence, leadership is about giving people what they don't already have - a sense of vision, inspiration, or even an adequate grasp of a particular subject.

Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational.

Is it possible that literacy standards are falling because young Australians are growing up in a culture in which they can be entertained and informed, and in which they can communicate effectively, without having to master any but the most rudimentary literacy skills?

Reading is a huge effort for many people, a bore for others, and, believe it or not, many people prefer watching TV.

It's Australian to do such things because, however uncivilised they may seem, it's human to do them.