Recently, I was honoured to be invited by the Consulate General of India in Sydney, Dr S. Janakiraman, to celebrate India’s 78th Independence Day.
The evening reminded me of the immense potential in partnerships built on shared democratic values and mutual respect. Recent ‘anti-immigration’ and ‘pro-Australia’ marches across our country prompted me to reflect on what it means to be Australian and why our internal cohesion is crucial not just for our own prosperity, but for our ability to be a reliable partner to nations like India in an increasingly complex world.
I am Australian. Not by birth, but by allegiance to a flag which represents shared values, historical roots, institutions, and aspirations, each enriched by diversity while remaining uniquely and proudly Aussie. Now that’s something truly worth marching for!
Our Democracy
Australia’s strength lays in the Westminster democratic traditions that form our constitutional foundation. These principles, parliamentary democracy, the rule of law, separation of powers, and individual liberties, create the framework that allows every Australian, regardless of background, to participate fully in our national life.
These institutions protect the rights we often take for granted: freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and the presumption of innocence. They guarantee that every citizen has equal standing before the law and equal opportunity to contribute to our society’s direction. This is the Australia that welcomed my family and millions of others, a nation built on merit, fairness, and the radical idea that your potential matters more than your postcode or your parents’ country of birth.
Getting Our Foundations Right
However, we must remain vigilant about protecting these democratic traditions from distortion. Pro-nationalist sentiment, when grounded in genuine love of country and appreciation for our democratic inheritance, can strengthen our national fabric. But when hijacked by ignorance, racism, or fear of the ‘other,’ it becomes a destructive force that undermines the very values that make Australia worth defending and renders us an unreliable partner on the world stage.
The fear of losing our identity is perhaps the most dangerous trap we can fall into. Australian identity is not some fragile thing that disappears when we welcome new citizens or celebrate our multicultural reality. Our identity, forged through the struggles of Indigenous peoples, the courage of early settlers and convicts, the sacrifice of ANZAC forces, the vision of post-war nation-builders, and the contributions of waves of migrants, cannot be erased. It can only be enriched. What makes us uniquely Australian is not our uniformity but our ability to unite diverse peoples around shared democratic values while maintaining our distinctive character. The larrikin spirit, the fair dinkum attitude, and the willingness to lend a mate a hand, these qualities transcend ethnicity and unite us as Australians. This unity of purpose and character is precisely what makes Australia a trusted partner for democratic nations like India, particularly in defence cooperation and regional stability initiatives.
Our Path Forward: Unity
A strong Australia can only emerge from unity, not division. Our prosperity, security, and international standing depend on harnessing the talents and energy of all Australians.
India, as our largest democratic partner in Asia, requires Australia to be more than just a resource supplier or trading partner. The deepening defence relationship between our nations, from naval exercises to intelligence sharing, from the QUAD partnership to bilateral security agreements, demands an Australia that is politically stable, socially unified, and strategically reliable. Internal discord and division compromise our ability to project strength and stability in a region where authoritarian powers seek to exploit democratic weaknesses.
Those who burn our flag fall into two categories: troublemakers with agenda-driven motives or misguided individuals responding to a vocal minority that has attempted to associate our flag with a nefarious agenda. Both responses miss the mark entirely. The Australian flag cannot and should not be burned, it should be loved, protected, and waved with pride. It represents our embrace of diversity achieved in a uniquely Australian way, under institutions that protect everyone’s right to belong.
A Vision Worth Defending
We must remain vigilant, proud, and fearless. Our democracy requires active citizenship, not passive consumption of freedom, but active participation in protecting and extending it. This means calling out racism when we see it, whether it comes wrapped in nationalist rhetoric or extreme leftist multicultural slogans.
It means defending democratic norms even when they protect speech or assembly we disagree with. It means insisting that newcomers embrace our democratic values while we embrace the fresh perspectives they bring.
We have enough room for everyone in this vast continent. Our challenge is not managing scarcity but managing abundance, the abundance of talent, energy, and potential that comes when democratic institutions allow people from every corner of the earth to contribute to a shared national project.
Great Potential
The Indo-Australian partnership exemplifies this potential. Two great democracies, both shaped by Westminster traditions but adapted to local conditions, working together to navigate global challenges.
Our defence relationship with India has never been more crucial. As we face shared challenges from maritime security in the Indian Ocean to cyber threats and regional stability concerns, Australia’s ability to contribute meaningfully depends on our internal strength and unity. The economic dimensions of our partnership, from critical minerals cooperation to technology sharing, also require Australia to present a unified front.
This is the model: not isolation or assimilation, but integration around shared democratic values while maintaining distinct cultural identities.
Australia’s story is still being written. Each generation of Australians has the opportunity to strengthen the democratic foundations laid by those before us while adapting them to new challenges and opportunities. Our flag, our values, and our future belong to all of us, and that’s something truly worth marching for!
– Ishita Sethi (Barrister)
Ishita Sethi (Barrister)
Ishita Sethi is a Sydney-based barrister who channels her legal expertise and strategic vision into advancing the rule of law and improving outcomes for her clients and community.
