Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges:

(a) the work the Government has undertaken to support Australia's multicultural communities, including:

(i) launching the Multicultural Framework Review;

(ii) supporting a cohesive and inclusive multicultural society;

(iii) investing $20 million in the Adult Migrant English Program;

(iv) extending the Community Language Schools grant program to pre-schoolers;

(v) committing $7.5 million to fund the Australian Human Rights Commission to complete its National Anti-Racism Framework;

(vi) reducing citizenship processing times by 42 per cent to the lowest level in six years; and

(vii) clearing the visa backlogs for nearly 1 million people left behind by the Liberal Party and slashing wait time;

(b) that Australia is proudly one of the world's most vibrant and successful multicultural societies; and

(c) the positive contribution that migration has made to our country, culture and economy; and

(2) condemns the:

(a) Liberal and National parties for their neglect of the immigration system, as outlined in the Nixon Review; and

(b) comments from a former Prime Minister on 2 November 2023, when he stated that he 'always had trouble' with the concept of multiculturalism.

After a long week in this building it is always a pleasure to return home to Bennelong, and for the entirety of February Bennelong has been bouncing. Last Saturday was the final day of the fortnight-long Lunar New Year celebrations, and as for many cultural celebrations throughout the year our town centres were lit up, our shops and restaurants were full, and families and friends spent time together. The sense of unity within the community was truly extraordinary. I'm not Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese, and it's not in the French or Mauritian cultures to celebrate Lunar New Year, but there I was, leaning right into the year of the dragon. I attended event after event. I dotted lion and dragon eyes and held red and blue lanterns in Eastwood Koreatown. I, too, took my family out for a huge Lunar New Year lunch alongside Bennelong's diverse community. Through it all, I couldn't help but reflect upon the incredible contribution multiculturalism has made to our nation.

Australian multiculturalism is truly something unique and special. Across every town, sporting club and school there are stories about how multiculturalism has made Australia better. I'm privileged to represent a diverse and multicultural community, Bennelong, which is filled with people with stories just like mine. I'm honoured to be the first member of Bennelong with a funny-sounding name. Like 58 per cent of Bennelong, I can speak a language other than English at home. Like 66 per cent of Bennelong, both my parents were born overseas. I'm just like the rest of our community—diverse, multilingual and proud of who we are.

Representing Bennelong is not only about representing multiculturalism; it's about protecting it too. So you can imagine my horror when in November last year Bennelong's longest serving member of parliament and one of the Liberal's most celebrated former prime ministers confessed that he had 'always had trouble' with the concept of multiculturalism. He went on to say:

"… one of the problems with multiculturalism is we try too hard to institutionalise differences, rather than celebrate what we have in [common]."

To Mr Howard and to the Liberal Party I say that those views are wrong and offensive, because in a modern, vibrant and diverse Australia we can celebrate our differences and we can celebrate what we have in common. We can do both. I truly believe that it's in our culture to celebrate the culture of others. When I joined thousands of locals celebrating Australia Day and Lunar New Year no-one was thinking about how cultural difference was being institutionalised, as Mr Howard put it. We were all celebrating together. We were all stunned by the high-pole lion dance, we all danced along with Korean drummers—and plenty loved the thong-throwing contest on Australia Day. We did all that together, not apart.

I'm proud to be part of a government that supports multiculturalism and multicultural communities. We believe in a fair and functioning migration system, we support community language schools and we back local multicultural projects. Mr Howard's views belong in an Australia that doesn't exist anymore, an Australia that—thankfully—has not existed for a long time. Mr Howard's views need to be condemned promptly and without qualification. Up until this moment, we have had near total silence from the Liberals on the comments of their favourite son.

In closing, I would like to challenge speakers from the opposition to condemn Mr Howard's archaic views. I note the shadow minister is next on the list to speak. The member for Wannon has the opportunity here to draw a line in the sand for the modern Liberal Party. I challenge him to stand up and condemn Mr Howard's views. Only a direct repudiation of these views will tell Bennelong and Australia that the modern Liberal Party values multiculturalism, because, if they don't, their five minutes of platitudes here will mean nothing. What Mr Howard said was out of touch, and the Liberal Party's near total silence about it has been shameful.

Should Mr Howard or the member for Wannon decide to return to Bennelong then it will be well worth noting the three absolute truths about our modern-day community: firstly, Bennelong is stronger because of our differences; secondly, Bennelong thrives because of our diversity; and thirdly, Bennelong is better because of multiculturalism. Mr Howard is wrong, and his views should be condemned. I commend this motion to the House.

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