Having been a fairly staunch (but no less sensible for that) denizen of a particular front bar in WA, I think I’ve got a pretty fair idea of what you’re talking about.

Still, it’s all part of the fun. You pick the people you can have conversations with; the ones you can reasonably challenge; and those who, when they demand “what we need is a national strike to (insert reason here)”, you just say “I absolutely agree with you mate. Buy us a beer.”

Human condition, eh?

Interestingly, the front bar were horrified, and made most speedily an amendment of their repatriation resolution to “sydney residents only” when one of the more switched on of their number pointed out that a policy of “repatriate ‘em all” would necessarily include several local identities, as the town has a significant muslim quarter, most of whom are 6th or 7th generation local residents/Queenslanders.

…. I was going to say these blokes not exactly noted for their research skills,… which would have been putting my foot right in it, as their diligence in studying the form guide & associated texts would be a model for any scholar.