Shock,

Regardless of how desirable you may find it, immigration to Australia is no longer predominantly White Anglo-Saxons from the Mother country. For a variety of reasons we have moved on from the immediate post war immigration pattern from Britain and Southern Europe. Today Australia is far more diverse with migrants coming from a large variety of countries and places.
Multiculturalism does not mean only embracing the culture of new arrivals, but also being able to embrace Australian customs and heritage that have developed over the past two centuries of settlement, along with respect and a understanding of the heritage of Indigenous Australians. Respect for others culture is a key to an understanding of multiculturalism and how it works.
Here is a link to a basic teaching aid on the subject which may help you understand multiculturalism better.

http://www.teachingdiversity.org.au/Context/context1.php

Dear Shocker,

There's an Avenue of Flags in the Main Street of
Cooma unveiled in 1959 which shows all the various
countries of the migrants who took part in the building of the
Snowy Mountains Scheme. As you seem interested - it may be
worth your while to visit the place.
I'm not sure how many "Whites," there were. There were people
from Rumania, Ukraine, Russia, Cypress, Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and many, many, more. However I
doubt whether they were classified according to colour.
Hair-colour - maybe!

otb,

Just for your information.

Tim Soutphommasane is a presenter of the six-part
documentary series - "Mongrel Nation: The Story of
Australian Multiculturalism." He tells us that -

"Social change in Australia has always been accompanied by
cultural anxiety (for some)."

"For some there is a certain "Fortress Australia," mentality
against outsiders."

However, as Mr Soutphommasane points out, "the hardest
work has already been done in accepting differences by past
generations."

Yes, there remain challenges and Multiculturalism isn't
without its tensions. But according to Mr Soutphommasane
"today's Australians, and the attitudes of younger
Australians in particular is on the whole accepting of
cultural diversity."

Mr Soutphommasane ends by telling us that "These to me
at least are all strong signs, you might say, that
a Multiculturalism Australia has come through its
historical trials in pretty good shape."

The current Immigration Minister Mr Scott Morrison
agrees, "We have learned to appreciate our
differences... We must come back to the important
point of connection between all of us which is
not where we have come from but where we are going
together."

otb,

The following may be of interest to you:

Our current PM - Mr Tony Abbott has stated:

"(Our) Multiculturalism is a beacon of hope to a
troubled and divided world."

He said, "People from all around the four corners of this
earth have come to this country of ours to be welcomed
by us and to build a better life in freedom for
themselves and their children."

Our current PM considers Multiculturalism as a
"Heroic dimension to our national history."

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/tony-abbott-woos-sydney-muslims-20130805-2ra4z.html

All that we need now ts for our Muslims to embrace multiculturalism and everything will end up rosy.

Dear Is Mise,

What we all need is for extremists of all persuasions
to change their small-minded intolerance.

Yes, Foxy, that's what they said in England before the Muslim trouble.