I'm getting used to the health warnings the ABC puts on my appearances. For example:
Mark Steyn is a Canadian polemicist and he is about to speak in Brisbane on the theme of "Habits of liberty".
"Canadian polemicist" sounds like some dying heritage industry - "Romanian folk dancer" or some such. At any rate, Steve Austin of ABC Brisbane and I discussed many issues, from the great migrations to free speech. Click below to listen. I think you'll enjoy it:
~Chris Burns in The North West Star of Mount Isa, Queensland eschews "Canadian polemicist" for "Q&A panellist". The Star's headline is "Q&A panelist Mark Steyn visits Cloncurry as part of his six part Australian tour":
Cloncurry is the odd one in the otherwise list of capitals and when Steyn saw it on the itinerary he assumed that Cloncurry must have been a capital of a little known jurisdiction he had not heard of.
And yet Cloncurry may have the larger influence in Steyn's future presentations elsewhere in the world after speaking to local taxi driver Dave Mitchell.
Steyn was speaking about how an emphasis on political correctness and an effort to avoid offending a minority was restricting democracy...
In the taxi before the presentation Mr Mitchell also offered an example; a Kelloggs All Bran Flakes ad known as 'Tall Jan is Malicious' which sparked a complaint because it was considered offensive towards tall women...
Steyn used the most of being in the outback. The reporter last saw him getting in a taxi that night to look for kangaroos.
Actually, it was rock wallabies, and our quest was successful. But let's not quibble.
Very different vibe at today's speech in Parliament House, where Foreign Minister Julie Bishop gave me a very touching introduction I'm not sure I really deserved. On Tuesday, I'll be in Sydney for a sell-out crowd of over 600, but, if you'd like to be put on the waitlist, please email Rachel at the IPA here. Also on Tuesday I'll be starting the day with the legendary Alan Jones on 2GB just after 7am Sydney time.
