Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Name them—yes, I should actually take that. I'll let him name his own boss! But to be able to do that on the basis of saying this has something to do with national security is an affront to us as Australians, because Australia—as Malcolm Turnbull, the Prime Minister, has always said—is a successful multicultural country. It's a broad tapestry that we have woven together that has made this country great. Simply trying to demean it by starting to talk it down, making levels of difference, putting the bar higher and making it more difficult for some, and doing it under the guise of national security, does not behove those here in their respect. As the minister said when he introduced this bill, it's about giving public confidence and support to migration and citizenship programs. I would have thought we as Australians are the product of positive migration and citizenship programs throughout the decades, and that's something that we should all be proud of. We should also be proud of all those who come to this country with a view to swearing allegiance to us, to our values and, more importantly, to our futures together.

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