A storm in Sydney

Over in Australia, a storm has been brewing over the comments made by Danna Vale, Liberal MP for Sydney.

Danna Vale was criticised after saying this week that Australia was aborting itself out of existence and could become a Muslim nation within 50 years. I haven't managed to find the full text of her speech, but it raises some interesting questions for Europe.

Europeans are having fewer children, are ageing rapidly, and their population is shinking. Europe also has a large and growing Muslim population, much of it under the leadership of religious extremists who have no interest in liberalism, freedom of expression, or religious tolerance (where other religions are concerned). What Danna Vale predicted is already the case in parts of the Netherlands.

Europeans should know better than anyone about the consequences of religion becoming a political force. Christianity may be rather harmless today, but it once ruled Europe with an iron fist, and slaughtered millions in the most cruel and barbaric way.

There's clearly a lesson to be learnt. But Europeans are too concerned with "sensitivity" to take any notice.