The history wars

A day after the Prime Minister's summit with Muslim leaders, the Government stepped up its push to get "Australian values" — epitomised, it says, by the Anzac story of Simpson and his donkey — taught comprehensively to Muslim children.

So, Australian values are epitomised by an Englishman who was a deserter, a boozer, a brawler, and a man with an almost congenital inability to follow authority.* I can see why he's an obvious role model for children.

Or maybe Costello is suggesting that we should model ourselves on the donkey.

*Without a doubt, he was also incredibly brave.