In our first column we wrote about youth crime and the cracks forming in Australia’s social fabric.
We return to those cracks – but this time, they are not being caused by our youth.
They are being caused by us, the adults.
In recent months, we have seen racist banners in Docklands, neo-Nazi marches in Melbourne, places of worship attacked, and increasing community tensions flaring after global conflicts.
Protests around the Israel–Palestine war, now further fuelled by Israel/USA-Iran war, have heightened fear and anger, leading to division.
New laws are being rushed through parliaments.
We are seeing bans on protests symbols in NSW, a hate speech bill in Victoria, and concerning youth ‘adult crime – adult time’ in Queensland. But are we solving anything?
Are we losing our grip on social cohesion and expecting legislation to solve the problems?
The real danger is not in protests, it is in polarisation.
For example, any sane sensible person would feel the pain for the thousands being killed in Gaza, especially innocent children, but do the same protestors realise that they are causing isolation for the Jewish community here?
Let us be clear.
This is not about justifying extremist views or excusing hate speech.
This is about exposing the deeper problem, a vacuum of Cultural Intelligence (CQ).
When we remove the ability to talk, understand and learn, all that is left is fear and reaction.
Just with youth crime, these adult actions are not only ‘criminal’, they are cultural symptoms of disconnection, of misunderstanding, and of division masquerading as diversity.
Social breakdown is not an ethnic problem.
It is a national problem.
A reader recently emailed us after our last column and said: “It’s not about culture, it’s about crime.”
We appreciated the feedback – and respectfully, we believe it is all connected.
Culture is not just curry nights and costumes.
It is how people think, grieve, protest, raise children, express frustration, and how society responds to all of that.
Without that lens, we legislate based on fear, not cultural factors.
It is why we are seeing spikes in Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, racial tension and silence from many leaders who fear saying the wrong thing.
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So, what is the Root Cause?
It is not Gaza. It is not religion. It is not protest.
It is our lack of tools to deal with difference.
It is the absence of values-based education in schools.
It is the failure of our systems to invest in CQ.
It is the way we keep funding celebration, but not integration.
We have an ‘us versus them’ mentality rather than understanding that there are systemic problems.
There is a tendency to play the blame game.
Hate is rising. Fear is festering. And any harmony is fragmenting.
Protests against conflicts overseas should reach out to members of the opposite community to jointly protest atrocities.
What a wonderful gesture it would be if Palestinians, Jews and all the wider community here come together to protest as one voice against atrocities in Gaza for example.
Let’s all become part of the solution by reaching out to each other. We are all in this together.
We can enforce laws but we also need to build trust.
We can crack down on hate speech but we need to encourage and conversations.
We can protect public safety and rebuild public unity.
But it requires a cultural reset, not through cancellation, but through connection.
Let’s create Neighbourhood Listening Circles:
• cultural competency panels to advise Parliament and CQ training for media and police.
• parenting forums
• interfaith networks
• respectful speech campaigns.
Let us bring Australia back to its values – not just its slogans.
We don’t have all the answers.
But we do have one clear message.
If we want social cohesion, we must stop blaming culture and start understanding it.
– What do you think? Let us know at dailyeditor@starnewsgroup.com.au
