Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I am just saying I have not seen his remarks. I am being completely straight with you. I have not seen what he said. It does not surprise me what the given individual might be saying in any public policy debate on any given day. He has a habit of expressing his views in his own way.

My own view is that in Australia there is a strong, fundamental tradition of racial tolerance and inclusion, of which all Australians are proud. It is not my view that there is a racist sentiment in the Australian society. It is my view that this country is built on a culture of tolerance—one which embraces our neighbours; one which seeks to include people from different ethnic origins; one which seeks to embrace properly, through our orderly refugee program. It is a culture in which we can say to those who come here from offshore: your future in this country can be part of the nation-building program of Australia’s 21st century. Ours is a nation which brings all peoples from the world together in one and forges our one Australia. That is the one that I believe in.

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