Australia has been very accepting of other cultures. There is no discrimination on the basis of ethnicity/race/culture here on the governmental level. Migration is judged on skills, Humanitarian grounds, and family reunion grounds. Any discrimination comes from the people. And this discrimination is an essential requirements for any stable society. Some cultures are simply incompatible. There has to be some form of shared values for a culture to be stable. Discrimination serves a purpose.

If you're really concerned about humiliation on the basis of race, perhaps some consistency can be applied. Australians/British/Europeans are utterly denigrated in Humanities and Social Sciences departments, particularly in the discipline of history. Australian/British/European history is taught as one long journey of "exploitation" and "oppression". Imagine an historical analysis of Aboriginal history taught as one long journey of violence toward each other. It would be academic suicide. Until "progressives" maintain consistency here they will not get my support.

Wah, wah, wah.

Well you only have yourselves to blame.
Too much, too many, too soon.
And you're surprised there's a backlash.

For almost 200 years there was almost nothing but British immigration (Irish included as they were part of UK during our early development).

Then suddenly the doors are open to anything and everything all at once, in huge numbers.

If you didn't want a backlash, you should have been more moderate, *slowly* expanding the range, over hundreds of years.
You didn't, too bad.
Now we're sick to death of it.

Dear Shocker,

Did you know that when the First Fleet arrived it
brought 1000 convicts. We were told in our history
books that it brought 1000 English convicts.
It didn't. It brought 1000 conivcts but probably
they came from a dozen different countries. As someone
put it so delightfully, "English jails were no
respecters of nationality." The first Italian arrived
pn January 26, 1788 - Giuseppe Tuso. There were people
from South Africa, there were people from Ceylon, from
India, from Spain, from Portugal, from Hungary.
So when people ask, "Do you believe Australia should
become a multi-cultural society?" It really doesn't
matter what you may think. The fact remains what it is,
which is a country of tremendous diversity.

The values and principles that we share in this country
were moulded and modernised through waves of settlement
by people from all over the world. These values and
principles reflect the strong influences on Australia's
history and culture. These include Judeo-Christian ethics,
A british political heritage and the spirit of European
Enlightenment. Distinct Irish and non-conformist
attitudes and sentiments have also been important.

Our values and principles should not be seen as a quest
for conformity or a common set of beliefs. On the contrary,
respect for the free-thinking individual and the right to be
different are foundations of Australian democracy.

What is needed is to help new citizens understand the core
values that have helped to create a society that is
stable yet dynamic, cohesive yet diverse. A society based
on the rule of law and maintained as an orderly and free
society.

The nature of being
Australian is to be part of this diversity. And the wide
and varied gathering of "identities" is in keeping with
the sense of potential and openess so many people enjoyed
on coming here. Most feel privileged not only to have been
able to make a home here but also to have found their own
sense of belonging.

Probably what it has always meant.

A huge waste of money on divisive policies, featherbedding for some very lazy people, & a great gravy train ticket for too many ethnics.

Next question.

Jalinder,
I trust it means that finally we will be rid of the flawed multicultural ideology that has prevailed for far too long.

During the later part of the Howard government the term multiculturalism was dropped and it was just going to die a natural death. PM Gillard floated MC a couple of times but it did not gain public support as most people recognized the flaws and could see it divided the community. Consequently the Gillard government did not pursue the matter.

Over the years, we have wasted millions on grants related to MC and it only served to divide us into a society of tribes. 'Unity in Diversity' never did become a reality. supporters of MC only saw the nice things and ignored the baggage that came with it.

I suggest that the term multiculturalism is a misnomer as we are multi-racial but not multicultural. We still retain and need the backing of our westminister foundations for a cohesive society. We only accept some parts of some cultures.

Oh, you said,"In the major cities: Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, over 80% of the resident population are born overseas". I believe you are incorrect and that you should do your sums again.

The multicultural nature of Australian society means
that there is no single national identity but a
gathering of many cultures, and this is one of the
most unique and rewarding aspects of living in
Australia. The nature of being Australian today is to
be part of this diversity.