Australia’s anti-immigrant rage a sign of democratic erosion

It is sometimes argued that democracy suffers when autocrats manipulate legal frameworks or when institutions are weakened. Yet in liberal democracies such as Australia, a quieter but similarly corrosive danger is emerging: the normalisation of street-level hostility. This hostility, particularly towards migrants from the Indo-Pacific region, is an early warning signal of democratic erosion.

In late August, thousands joined coordinated rallies across major Australian cities under the banner of “March for Australia”. What might have sounded like a deep expression of patriotism quickly revealed its darker side. Neo-Nazi groups featured prominently, while demonstrators waved banners demanding “stop immigration”. The message was unambiguous: Australian national belonging is to be redefined in racial, exclusionary terms.