Australia – A Land Built by Hard Work and Respect

ED: This was a letter to the editor in my local newspaper – well said!

I emigrated to Australia over 60 years ago. On the ship, there were English, Italians, Germans, Yugoslavs, Poles, Dutch, and Greeks—all Europeans—each looking forward to starting a new life in this great country.

I arrived with just 30 quid in my pocket—that’s all I had to my name. Did I put my hand out for help? No. Like so many others, I rolled up my sleeves, found a job, and worked hard to build a future. That was the way back then—if you wanted a better life, you earned it.

Now, I see a different Australia, one where some new arrivals seem to feel entitled rather than grateful. Instead of embracing our way of life, some demand that we change to suit them. If I had arrived here and didn’t like what I saw, I would have had the choice to leave—and I believe that same choice still exists today.

We welcome immigrants—Australia was built by them. But integration is key. Over the years, people from all backgrounds have come here, worked hard, and contributed while respecting the culture they joined. They learned the language, followed the laws, and became part of the broader Australian community.

Yet today, we see pressures to change longstanding Australian traditions to accommodate certain groups. We’re seeing calls for additional public holidays, school canteens adjusting menus without consultation, and even debates over our National Anthem being sung in different languages. Australia has always been an inclusive and fair country, but when does inclusion become surrendering the values that make us who we are?

We welcome immigrants—Australia was built by them. But integration is key. Over the years, people from all backgrounds have come here, worked hard, and contributed while respecting the culture they joined. They learned the language, followed the laws, and became part of the broader Australian community.

Yet today, we see pressures to change longstanding Australian traditions to accommodate certain groups. We’re seeing calls for additional public holidays, school canteens adjusting menus without consultation, and even debates over our National Anthem being sung in different languages. Australia has always been an inclusive and fair country, but when does inclusion become surrendering the values that make us who we are?

This is not about stopping immigration—it’s about ensuring that those who come here embrace Australia, just as past generations of migrants have. Get a sponsor, have a job, pay your taxes, follow the laws, and most importantly, learn the language. That’s how immigrants of the past earned respect, and it should be no different today.

If we don’t stand up for the Australia we love, who will?

Long live Australia!