Australia's Treasurer Jim Chalmers has fired a strong rebuke at opposition leader Angus Taylor, accusing him of "playing footsie with the monoculture language" after the Liberal leader dodged questions about his stance on multiculturalism. At a recent press conference, Taylor refused to explicitly state his support for multiculturalism in Australia, instead choosing to sidestep five separate questions on the topic and dismissing concerns as "vague words." Chalmers' sharp criticism comes as Labor ministers reaffirm their commitment to embracing and celebrating Australia's diverse multicultural society. The exchange highlights a deepening divide between the two major parties on issues of cultural identity and diversity, with implications for the country's social fabric and its reputation as a welcoming haven for immigrants.
Treasurer says Coalition playing ‘footsie with the monoculture language’ after Liberal leader sidesteps questions at press conferenceFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAngus Taylor has repeatedly refused to say whether he supports multiculturalism in Australia, sidestepping five questions at a press conference about his views and claiming “there’s all these vague words running around”.The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, accused the opposition leader of “playing footsie” with One Nation and Pauline Hanson’s call for a “monoculture” in Australia, as Labor ministers committed to backing multiculturalism. Continue reading...
