In debates over repatriation, protest and politics, the real test is not what we say we value, but the virtues we are willing to uphold as a society.

Four women and nine children are currently trying to negotiate a return to Australia after several years spent in the al-Roy camp in Syria. Help or hindrance afforded them will speak volumes about the character of Australians, as interpreted and asserted by strident political voices. What kind of people are we? What kind of people do we want to be?

Character will also be on display at the Farrer by-election, as people choose to vote out of perceived grievance or out of a desire for a more just, sustainable and more harmonious future. It will be on display in the May budget, when the treasurer chooses between reform that delivers greater equity and justice, or yields to voices which demand their advantage be protected. It will be on even greater display in the commentary made upon it. It was on display, for good, at the recent ANZAC celebrations with overwhelming condemnation of booing as First Nations speakers delivered Welcome to Country.

Let me come to the hub of the issue. Political discourse is increasingly focused on what are called values. Values are the principles or standards that individuals or groups consider important in life, such as family, freedom, keeping people safe, democracy, rules, or success. Values reflect what is prioritised at any given time, they shape decisions or actions.

Virtues speak to who we are. They are enduring qualities such as kindness, mercy, generosity, hospitality, courage. A civilisation will not endure because of its values but because of virtues. Values tend to........

© Pearls and Irritations