I’ve been watching the debate around the “March for Australia” unfold online over the past few days, and frankly, it’s left me both frustrated and deeply concerned about where we’re heading as a society. What started as people asking legitimate questions about the march’s organisers has devolved into the usual online shouting match, with some folks demanding “concrete evidence” while others point to what seems pretty bloody obvious if you just scratch the surface.

The recent call by Peter Dutton telling his supporters to ignore certain media outlets rings eerily familiar bells. Standing at a podium, directing followers to disregard specific news sources while promoting others feels like a carbon copy of political tactics we’ve witnessed overseas - and not in a good way.

Living in the digital age means we have unprecedented access to diverse news sources. The ABC, The Guardian, and other independent outlets play crucial roles in our media landscape, providing necessary counterpoints to the dominant commercial narratives. When a political leader actively discourages engagement with these sources, it should concern every citizen who values democratic discourse.