Angus Taylor refuses to commit to a multicultural Australia

Angus Taylor says people who move to Australia must share its core values. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore) Angus Taylor was asked five times whether the Coalition still supported multiculturalism, and refused to commit his party to it. The opposition leader also did not give an endorsement of an Australian "monoculture", which has been demanded by One Nation. The Coalition has called for an "Australian values test" to be more strictly applied to immigrants, with Mr Taylor saying he wanted to see people support shared values. Link copiedShareShare articleOpposition Leader Angus Taylor has refused to say whether or not the Coalition still supports multiculturalism, while also avoiding an endorsement of One Nation's demand for Australia to become a "monoculture". Mr Taylor was challenged multiple times on whether the Coalition still supported multiculturalism or whether it would follow One Nation's push to end multiculturalism. The opposition leader would not give a position, instead saying the culture he wanted to see was people supporting "Australian values". "You explain to me what you mean by that. There is all these vague words running around. I'll tell you what, the one thing I want all of us to share is those core Australian values," Mr Taylor said. Pauline Hanson demanded an end to multiculturalism at her National Press Club address, suggesting the decades-long stance held by Labor and Coalition governments had failed. "How can you generate social cohesion if people can't speak the language?" she said. "Under the failed policy of multiculturalism, all cultures are allowed equivalence to ours. Surely opposing that is not racist; it's common sense." Senator Hanson told Channel 7 this morning that "nothing will really change" under her proposal, pointing to Japan as an example of the "monoculture" that she envisioned for Australia. Japan's government endorses a policy of "tabunka-kyosei" or "multicultural coexistence", which expects immigrants to learn the Japanese language, adhere to local customs, and maintains a strict immigration policy, while still formally respecting cultural differences. Pauline Hanson has called for Australia to reject multiculturalism and be "monocultural". So what does it involve and are there any nations overseas that show what it might look like in Australia? "I believe in Australians all working together towards the same goal under the same flag, regardless of skin colour, ethnicity or background," Senator Hanson said on social media. "That's what monoculturalism is — a country united by what we share rather than divided on our differences." One Nation MP David Farley told ABC Afternoon Briefing that people from other nations were welcome, but they should be "Australian first". "We don't mind if you're Australian British, Australian Canadian, or Australian Chinese, but you've come to this country and been adopted by this country from the generous gift we're giving to become an Australian. So, you're an Australian first. So, blend in," he said. Outgoing Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jono Duniam told the ABC yesterday he did not know what Senator Hanson was proposing by calling for a monoculture. "I don't even really know what it means, that we all must dress the same, believe the same religion, it's a bizarre concept," he said. "Frankly, at the end of the day, the success of multiculturalism has depended on our capacity for people to accept their differences, and park them, and look at what unites them. "That is what makes Australia a good country. "Do we want people to respect our rule of law? Yes. Do we want people to respect democracy and its institutions, definitely; do we want people to understand that individuals have equality before the law, yes — but that's not what I think she means by monoculture." After a reporter put to Mr Taylor that he had not given a commitment to multiculturalism in his response to several questions, Mr Taylor responded: "I have been very clear what we have committed to." "I have answered that question four times," he said. Pressed a fifth time by Insiders host David Speers whether he was unable to support multiculturalism, Mr Taylor replied: "Do you want to define that for me, Speersy?" "We can have people from all over the world, that is not a problem," Mr Taylor said. "We can have people from all over the world, of all races and religions in this country, but they must share those core values. "Others will carry on with all these other sort of theories, I think it is really simple. "When you go to a citizenship [ceremony], that is what we talk about." Angus Taylor was attacked over his responses by the prime minister during Question Time. (ABC News: Ian Cutmore) New citizens give an affirmation when becoming a citizen asserting their loyalty "to Australia and its people", that they share its democratic beliefs, respect its rights and liberties and uphold its laws. The Coalition has proposed introducing a "values test"

Angus Taylor refuses to commit to a multicultural Australia

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