Liberal Senator Bragg Disagrees with Abbott on Multiculturalism
Party Dispute Over Immigration and Diversity
Wanderstayfinder.com – A significant disagreement has surfaced within the Liberal Party regarding multicultural policy. Senator Andrew Bragg has voiced strong opposition to Tony Abbott’s recent claims that Australia’s multicultural model has failed. The Liberal senator shared his perspective on the ABC’s Insiders program, responding to Abbott’s social media video addressing the issue.
As Liberal Party president, Abbott had released a video message through social platforms outlining his position. Bragg countered by highlighting how liberal principles inherently support multicultural success. He explained that liberalism establishes a framework enabling freedom of religion, thought, and conscience—cornerstones of a successful multicultural society.
Well, I don’t agree with that, and I’d make the point that liberalism has actually created multiculturalism because it creates a framework for people to have freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of conscience.
Bragg drew upon historical precedent to strengthen his case, pointing to the Liberal Party’s role in building modern Australia. He cited the Menzies government’s post-war opening, the Holt administration’s partial dismantling of the White Australia policy, and Malcolm Fraser’s multicultural initiatives including the SBS. These milestones, according to Bragg, demonstrate the party’s longstanding commitment to diversity and immigration.
And the Liberal party built modern Australia, if you look at the Menzies government opening up after the war, the Holt government abolishing parts of the White Australia policy, and then, of course, Malcolm Fraser’s actions to promote multiculturalism and introduce things like the SBS.
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Turning to One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, Bragg addressed her comments about Muslim Australians at the Conservative Political Action Conference in London. The shadow housing minister described Hanson’s approach as commercially driven criticism aimed at minority groups.
Look, she’ll do or say anything to tee off against minority interests. She’s made a business out of teeing off against minority interests, and I think it’s very regrettable. But it’s free speech as part of our society.
When asked about potential preference deals with One Nation, Bragg noted that while the Liberals prefer majority government, any arrangement would be unpredictable. He characterized both Labor and One Nation as similarly flawed, suggesting a choice between them would be like a coin toss. This stance reflects the Liberal Party’s ambition to remain a credible governing alternative.
We will always shoot for majority government, and we reject a large part of the agendas of both the Labor party and the One Nation party … I mean, they’re both as bad as each other. It’d be a coin toss.
Deputy Liberal leader Jane Hume also responded to Hanson’s remarks during her London visit. Speaking to Sky News, Hume labeled the comments unnecessary, divisive, and inflammatory—traits she deemed un-Australian. She stressed Australia’s identity as a proud migrant nation and expressed disappointment that Hanson criticized the gradual end of the White Australia policy in the 1960s and 1970s.
I think that they were unnecessary. They were divisive. They were inflammatory, and they were totally un-Australian. That’s not the way we operate in Australia. We have had a proud history of multiculturalism. We’re a great migrant nation.
Hume further argued that a thriving, progressive Australia requires migration that boosts productivity. She concluded that returning to a White Australia policy would harm the nation’s interests.
If we’re going to have the prosperous and progressive society that we have always wanted, that we’ve always enjoyed in Australia, we need to make sure that we have a migration program that’s delivering for our country, that’s driving productivity, not taking away
