A long way to go

While our leaders prepare to "deal" with Islamic extremism - and yet completely ignore any discussion about the foreign policy goals of the Howard government - a more disturbing report closer to home suggests that a great number of Australians hold homophobic views.

Queensland and Tasmania are the most bigoted states while Victoria is the least so. Males between the ages of 14 and 17 hold highly homophobic views and surprisingly, Catholics were least likely of the faithful to harbour fear and hatred of homosexuals. This result should shame us all:

"Overall, 35 per cent of respondents were intolerant of homosexuality. Four in 10 people surveyed in southern Sydney - almost half of men - described gay relationships as immoral. This compared with 27 per cent in the northern suburbs, 34.5 per cent in the west and 37.5 per cent in the south-west."