Keeping a close eye on our democracy

Tony Burke says: “Australia is a strong democracy and that’s a good thing”, according to Piers Ackerman (“Albanese government must stop appeasing extreme hate preachers”, SM, 28/7).

It is that very democracy that has allowed hate preachers from terrorist groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is not considered “terrorist” in this country, to emit its toxic message of sharia law for our country.

A quarter of a century ago this would have been considered waffle but now we have thousands of Islamic folk here, some of whom would love to see our democracy crumble.

Our democracy is strong but is it strong enough to withstand the continual hammering of those who would wish to do it harm?

We must not take for granted that democracy will endure.

We must seek to ensure it will by being vigilant and stopping this appeasement syndrome which is always bound to fail. The Albanese Labor government – you need to wake from your slumber.

Claire Jolliffe, Buderim