ABC’s Q+A audience left speechless by a single question about modern Australia
A question about the benefits of ‘multiculturalism’ in Australia has caused a stir on the ABC’s Q+A program.
Audience member Jenny Carroll told the panel on Monday night that when her children were in school in the 1990s, they were taught from childhood that diversity is one of the country’s greatest strengths.
However, the mother of two says she believes people descended from European colonists are now being “demonised” by those from other backgrounds.
“My children, now nearly 30 and 34, went to the local public school and were told that multiculturalism is a wonderful thing,” said Mrs. Carroll.
‘I don’t believe that because I feel like the culture of the original British and Irish majority has been continually demonised over the last thirty years.
‘An example is the frequent vandalism of memorials to Captain Cook. How does democracy fit into this atmosphere of beating up the white man?’
Presenter Patricia Karvelas immediately put the question to federal minister for youth Anne Aly, the first Muslim woman to be elected to the federal parliament. This led to tense laughter in the audience.
Mrs Aly was born in Egypt and moved to Australia with her parents as a toddler.
She strongly disagreed with Ms Carroll’s views on the controversial subject.
Jenny Carroll (pictured) claimed her children were being ‘dictated’ by teachers about multiculturalism and questioned how their education ‘fitted democracy into this atmosphere where the white man is being beaten up?’
“I know that multiculturalism is not a thing. It is who we are. It is the character of our nation. And it is not a policy that is imposed on anyone,” Ms. Aly began.
‘Look around you. We are multicultural. That’s who we are.’
Ms Aly drew on her experiences as an immigrant in Australia to better explain Ms Carroll’s perspective.
“I think multiculturalism has brought enormous benefits,” she said.
‘I’m not talking about being allowed to eat soy sauce on your sausage roll or being allowed to wear a sari or anything like that. I’m talking about the fact that democracy is more resilient and better when there’s diverse ideas, diverse ways of thinking, diverse beliefs and cultural backgrounds.
“I don’t think we’re bashing the white man, as you would say. And if we swapped places for a day, you might feel differently. I hear a lot of racism.
“I think if we swapped places and if we had the chance to walk in each other’s shoes, you might think differently.”
Former Liberal Senator George Brandis was the next panelist to answer the question.
He considered himself awas a staunch defender of multiculturalism during his time in parliament.
V+A presenter Patricia Karvelas (pictured) was shocked by the Boomers’ question, calling it “a debate that’s happening worldwide”
“But I don’t think it’s an either-or situation. I think we can accept that Australia is a multicultural society,” Brandis explained.
‘It’s not a question of whether we should be. We are. That’s the reality and it’s not going to change.
“We want to be the best multicultural society we can be.”
Mr Brandis pointed out that Australia’s British heritage should also not be underestimated.
“We owe so many fundamental features of Australian society to our British heritage. That is not something to be ashamed of, but rather something to be proud of,” he said.
‘I think we can see the good in all aspects of Australian society.
‘That we have now reached the point where we are proud of our centuries-old indigenous heritage.
‘We are proud of our more modern British institutions that go back to 1788 and we are proud of the society that has emerged from those institutions and that both political parties have created together. I think this is one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world.’
He told Mrs. Carroll that he does not think the antithesis implied in her question actually exists.
Ms Carroll made it clear that her views were not due to migration, but to a failure to make peace with Australia’s complex colonial history.
“Perhaps we have not yet reconciled enough with the Aboriginal people,” she said.
Youth Minister Anne Aly (pictured) drew on her own experiences as an immigrant in Australia
“I think that’s the underlying reason: we can’t really look at these kinds of heroes in our environment and say, ‘Thank you for what you did.
‘He was just doing his job, Captain James Cook. He was given the task of navigating and finding the Great South Land.
“So if he gets the blame, I think that’s really bad.”
Karvelas also gave his opinion and invited English academic and podcaster David Runciman to share his views.
‘O“It’s clear that this is a debate that is happening globally in places that have been colonized,” she said.
“But there is a kind of rejection and there is a tension.”