Page 552 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 14 March 2007
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Obviously members on the government side do not accept Mr Pratt’s amendment. Mr Pratt would have got a bit of a feel for that from—
Mr Smyth: So what are you against celebrating—the rich diversity of ACT society?
MS MacDONALD: Mr Smyth, I did not interrupt you. Please do not interrupt me. Opposition members would have got a feel for the reasons why we are not supporting Mr Pratt’s amendment from the speeches by Ms Porter and Mr Hargreaves. However, I will say that the main reason I do not support Mr Pratt’s amendment is because he does not seem to understand—and this is the key to the entire debate—the difference between the words integration and multiculturalism. I do not mean the dictionary definition, Mr Pratt, but the political definition and the connotation that attaches to the word integration, which is a negative connotation. Historically there is a negative political connotation attached to that word in Australia, and that is why we are rejecting Mr Pratt’s amendment.
I have to say that I agree with a lot of what Mr Pratt said, especially about the contribution that people from many different multicultural backgrounds have brought to Australia and how we could all learn a lot from them. I think that is a legitimate and very positive comment that Mr Pratt made. Mr Pratt also made a comment about Sheik al-Hilaly setting up a political party, and I think the point he was making was that a reason why we should not support multiculturalism is because here is a man who is clearly—
Mr Pratt: No, no, no.
MS MacDONALD: This is my interpretation. I could be wrong.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Members of the opposition will come to order.
MS MacDONALD: I understood Mr Pratt to be saying that this political party was being established and that, because Sheik al-Hilaly and Kayser Trad clearly did not have Australia’s best interests at heart, this was a problem. I believe the electorate will sort this out. It is up to the electorate to sort it out. It is not up to us. What are we going to do? Are we going to start condemning political parties that do not conform to our own views? This is an echo of the days when we tried to outlaw the communist party?
Mr Stefaniak raised concerns about the Cronulla riots. I absolutely agree with Mr Stefaniak, and I have spoken in this place about the Cronulla riots. I grew up in the part of Sydney where the riots took place. I lived in Maroubra. The riots are a concern, and they are the reason why we should be making a contribution and retaining the concept of multiculturalism.
I absolutely agree with Dr Foskey’s comment that it is also about the different cultural communities talking to each other. Mr Stefaniak mentioned Arthur Calwell, and I agree with Mr Stefaniak. I am sure it is the case for people on the other side as well
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