24/06/2026
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has backed Pauline Hanson’s call for Australia to embrace a stronger shared national culture, despite Coalition leaders distancing themselves from her use of the term “monoculture.”
The debate began after Hanson told the National Press Club that Australia should not be a multicultural society, but rather a multiracial nation united under one common culture.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rejected the proposal, saying Australia “is not a monoculture and never has been.” Liberal leader Angus Taylor and Nationals leader Matt Canavan also declined to support Hanson’s wording.
However, Abbott defended the idea during an interview with Sky News, arguing that Australia has a longstanding cultural foundation shaped by its Celtic heritage and Judeo-Christian values.
He said many migrants come to Australia because of its existing culture and institutions, and warned against altering the nation’s identity to accommodate new arrivals.
Abbott also criticised parts of Australia’s political and media establishment, suggesting some are reluctant to celebrate the country’s culture and traditions.
Hanson later clarified that she was not calling on people to give up their heritage or cultural backgrounds. Instead, she said her comments were about national unity, shared laws and a common identity, with Australians coming together under one flag through assimilation.
Taylor responded by saying he supports shared Australian values rather than the term “monoculture,” highlighting democracy, the rule of law, individual freedoms and mutual respect as the principles that unite Australians.
Canavan likewise rejected the term, saying he preferred the idea of a “common culture” that brings Australians together while allowing people to maintain and celebrate their cultural backgrounds.
The discussion has reignited debate about national identity, immigration and what it means to be Australian in a diverse modern nation.
What do you think — should Australia place greater emphasis on a shared national culture, or is multiculturalism one of the country’s greatest strengths?
🇦🇺