Word: australian
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...were times when the relationship at a government level lagged behind. That's not only with Indonesia. When Mahathir (Mohamad) was the Prime Minister of Malaysia, the people-to-people relationship was a long way ahead of the government relationship. There are 250,000 Malaysians who are alumni of Australian universities...
...WHEN WE LOOK AT RECENT HIGH-PROFILE DRUG-SMUGGLING CASES INVOLVING AUSTRALIANS IN ASIA, ARE ASIAN COUNTRIES TOO HARD-LINE ON DRUGS? No, I don't think they are. I think societies have to be uncompromising in fighting drugs. I don't agree with the death penalty, we don't have it here. But I don't think they're too hard. Severe penalties for drugs - I support them. And so do most Australians. The Australian public is very, very hard-line on drugs...
...WHAT ABOUT THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE (IN COLLABORATING WITH INDONESIAN POLICE EVEN AFTER SCOTT RUSH'S FATHER CONVEYED HIS CONCERNS TO THEM)? I think the criticism of the AFP is quite unfair. I'm very sympathetic, as we all are, with the parents of young people who get caught up with this drugs thing. It must be a terrible prospect to think your son or daughter is going to spend the rest of their life in an Asian jail, or indeed any jail. But nobody can seriously say they haven't been warned...
...THINK MUSLIMS IN AUSTRALIA COULD DO MORE TO FIT INTO THE MAINSTREAM? I think we could all do more. Muslims have a particular responsibility because (the extremists) are part of their community. I do think that part of the problem is that we became too zealous in our multiculturalism. Australians don't mind where people come from, as long as they become Australians. Nobody's asking people to give up affection for their original culture. But people don't come here so they can continue to be x, y and z. They come here to enjoy being Australian...
...claim that he's failed as skipper. Except when they lost the Ashes five months ago, Australia under Ponting have trampled everyone in their path. He has played numerous sublime captain's knocks, and clearly has the respect, loyalty and affection of his players. But on another level, Australian cricket has suffered under a leader whose goals seem too narrow. Defeat in England stung him; the response hasn't always been edifying...