George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator McKim. Before addressing your question, if I might for a moment put party politics aside and express the concern of those who sit on the government benches, and I am sure of all senators, for the wellbeing of your colleague, Senator Ludlam. May I convey on behalf of the government and of all senators our best wishes for his speedy recovery.

The government is immensely proud of the success of Australian multiculturalism. No government in Australian history, either coalition or Labor, did more to advance multiculturalism in this country than the Howard government. Between the time the Howard government commenced in 1996 and the time the Howard government came to an end in 2007, Australia had been transformed, as a result of the policies of that government, into a multicultural society—the stand-out success story of multiculturalism in the world. And I remember an anecdote that Mr Howard told once—