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AAP
AAP
Politics
Will Nicholas

'Who's in the mono': clarity sought on multiculturalism

Liberal frontbencher Ted O'Brien believes the arguments over multiculturalism is confounding. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Senior Liberals have been forced to clarify the party's stance on multiculturalism, after calls by One Nation for Australia to become a monoculture.

Pauline Hanson made the comments during a speech at the National Press Club earlier in June, which prompted criticism.

She later told parliament that attempts to highlight the diversity of the Socceroos were not a counter to her argument on monoculture, but actually proved her point.

The debate also led to the coalition being forced to come out on their own position after Opposition Leader Angus Taylor previously failed to say whether he supported multiculturalism.

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor (file image)
Angus Taylor and other coalition frontbenchers have been frustrated over multiculturalism questions. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

In a separate address to the press club, opposition foreign spokesman Ted O'Brien said debate on the issue had been bizarre.

"Who's in the mono? I don't know. Are you in the mono? I don't know if I'm in the mono," he said on Wednesday.

"What, do we have a minister for cultural purity?"

He raised another example of a homogenous nation Senator Hanson had neglected to mention.

"I don't know how many of you have been to North Korea," he said.

"I can tell you it's not the sort of place you want to live."

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson (file image)
Pauline Hanson says Australia should be a welcoming multiracial society, but monocultural. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Mr Taylor clarified his stance on multiculturalism, denying the issue was hurting the party in diverse communities.

"We need every Australian to believe in our system of law, to believe in our basic freedoms, to believe in our parliamentary democracy, and people have been coming to this country in recent times who do not believe in those things," Mr Taylor told Sydney's 2GB Radio.

"Making sure that people who come to this country contribute to this country and commit to it, that's not a monoculture ... but it is requiring that people adopt Australian values. They are not welcome if they're not prepared to do that."

Deputy leader Jane Hume said it was evident Australia was not a monoculture.

"I can't believe that we've managed to get ourselves into this," she said.

"We are a multicultural society. Let's face it, we already are. Goodness me."

A graphic composite featuring the Socceroos coach and some players
The Socceroos represent the kind of monoculture Australia should be, Pauline Hanson says. (Susie Dodds/AAP PHOTOS)

Following Senator Hanson's speech, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Socceroos' World Cup squad was evidence Australia was not a monoculture.

The 26-man World Cup squad comes from 15 cultural backgrounds, with two - Nestory Irankunda and Mohamed Toure - migrating to Australia after being born in an African refugee camp.

But Senator Hanson said the soccer squad proved her point.

"The Socceroos in fact represent my vision of a ... monocultural Australia. People from different backgrounds and cultures and nations all wearing green and gold," she told parliament.

"Australian monoculture is not exclusive, it is welcoming. It's an umbrella which covers all manner of difference. It's not a dirty word."

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