Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has today rejected calls for Australia to embrace a single shared national identity, warning that such a dangerous idea could make it much harder for politicians to separate the country into neat little voting blocs.
The PM said Pauline Hanson’s suggestion that Australians should see themselves as one people under one flag was “deeply troubling”, mainly because it would leave Labor with far fewer groups to accuse each other of racism, privilege, bigotry, oppression, climate denial or not clapping hard enough during Welcome to Country.
“This is not who we are,” Albanese said. “Australia is a proud multicultural nation made up of many different communities, each of which deserves its own targeted press release, grant program, advisory council and taxpayer-funded awareness week.”
The Prime Minister said the idea of everyone simply calling themselves Australian was “dangerously simplistic” and could lead to a frightening future where people judged each other by character, contribution and shared values, rather than which demographic box they tick on a government form.
Asked whether a united national identity might actually bring people together, Albanese appeared visibly shaken.
“Bring people together?” he said. “Mate, how am I meant to win elections with that sort of attitude?”
Labor insiders have since confirmed the government will launch a new $48 million campaign reminding Australians that unity is important, provided it happens separately.