Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor has suggested people try and switch off, literally, these Christmas holidays, even for a few days. “It has been a busy year. Each year it seems to get busier. If there’s one thing we can do to slow the pace, it’s to switch off. Switch off the tv, the iphone, the ipad, and think about what’s really important.

“Love and support of family and friends, gratitude for gifts and the generosity of others, forgiveness for those who have let us down and goodwill towards our neighbours: this is what we should be focusing on at Christmas.

“The feedback I am hearing at end-of-year get togethers is that people are overwhelmed and pretty cynical about constant messaging; they are nostalgic for a simpler, easier time.

“The constancy of social media and 24 hour news reporting is not a small factor in this. We want things to be the way they were, simpler and easier, but we are bombarded by what’s on our screens.

“When we reflect on the events of the past week and the prominence of terrorism in the news this year, it is important to put the threat in perspective.  

“Australia remains a very safe country in which to live. We are incredibly lucky and privileged to have the freedoms we have and to enjoy the standard of living we so often take for granted.

“It is difficult to achieve this sense of perspective, when we witness attacks on our democracy and the barbaric treatment of innocent people. I know there is a lot of community anger about the atrocities we have seen on our tv screens – and when it happens close to Christmas, it is an even greater challenge to forgive. “But this is the Christian message. It can often be far from easy, but we have to try and forgive.”

Mr Taylor said he would be attempting to follow his own advice in terms of turning off technology over the holiday break. “Together with my wife Louise, I wish everyone a peaceful and happy time with family and friends. I hope everyone gets a chance to relax, take a break and really switch off.”