Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. As I have often said, and as we reflected today in the debate on national security, Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world. There is no more-honoured title in our democracy than that of 'Australian citizen'. Australian citizenship should be respected, honoured and valued, and it should be offered to those who respect our laws and institutions and share our values.

We are a remarkable country. Unlike many others, we define our national identity by reference to shared values, not by reference to ethnicity, religion or race. They are shared political values: democracy, the rule of law, freedom, equality between men and women and mutual respect. These are fundamental political values that are available to all. That is the key element in the success of our democracy. We are a beacon of harmony around the world, in the midst of our own diversity. We must not take this for granted.

A Productivity Commission report from 2016 showed that integration and English language skills are key ingredients for our success as a multicultural society, and indeed our safety, so strengthening those requirements is fundamentally important. Equally, I would have thought all honourable members would agree—but I fear that many on the other side of the House do not agree with this proposition—that those who seek to be Australian citizens should clearly demonstrate that they share our values and are integrating in our community. Australian citizenship should not be the end-product of a political administrative process that does not seek to establish that a person who wants to be part of the Australian political family, one of our citizens, a citizen in our nation, shares our values.

I was very disappointed to see today that the member for Watson said that a strong position on citizenship—the reforms that we have described—have nothing to do with national security. The member for Watson should understand, as well as anyone in this House, that the harmony in our society is based on shared values and a strong commitment to integration. If he thinks that a strongly integrated society, one based on commitment and sharing the values that make us the nation we are, has nothing to do with national security then he totally misunderstands the nature of the threats we face. (Time expired)

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