When Imam Alep Mydie heard One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s call to establish a monocultural Australia, he was more confused than concerned.
“Even in the place I call home, which is Katanning, I have been here for the past 56 years, multiculturalism has existed before I arrived here,” he said.
During her address to the National Press Gallery last week, Senator Hanson said the policy of multiculturalism in Australia was “utterly flawed”.
She said while the country was multiracial, it must be monocultural.
Mr Mydie lives in the farming town of Katanning, 300 kilometres south of Perth, with a population of about 4,000 people.
Its residents hail from more than 40 nationalities; Mr Mydie moved there with his family from Christmas Island.
He said he would welcome a discussion with the One Nation leader.
“I would like to sit with Ms Hanson and talk to anybody who has the view of that ideology,” he said.
“Am I not Australian? Yes, I am.”
Mr Mydie said multiculturalism led to the sharing of knowledge.
“When we arrived here 56 years ago, who was assisting us?” he asked.
“We learned from the Italians, the Greeks, from people from Europe that were living in Katanning, that were here before us.”
Proud community
A line of flags in the main street of Katanning pays respect to the diverse cultures that occupy the area, celebrated at events like the annual Harmony Festival.
Shire president Kristy D’Aprile said the town had worked hard to build a strong community with different faiths, cultures and beliefs.
“Katanning certainly is very proud of who we are and how our many different cultures work together to form a solid community,” she said.
“Katanning has a very long history of being a welcoming place for new Australians.”
The abattoir has been a major lure, attracting workers from Christmas and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, as well as Afghanistan, Myanmar and China.
Ms D’Aprile said multiculturalism had strengthened the town’s economy.
“We have a workforce that has been built around many different cultures filling critical roles within our community,” she said.
“We are multicultural at our core, and we need that to continue for our sustainability.”
No such thing as a monoculture
Federal Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly said Senator Hanson’s comments denigrated difference.
“Difference is actually something that is good; it’s good economically, it’s good socially, it’s good for the nation,” she said.
“Diversity and difference are not new to Australia; it is ancient. Even our First Nations people had different cultural practices, spoke different languages.”
Dr Aly said there was no such thing as a monoculture.
“Even within family units, there are different practices of culture,” she said.
One Nation WA leader Rod Caddies said Senator Hanson’s monoculture concept was a message of unity, not division.
“If you accept Australia as your home, you accept Australia has a culture and you contribute to that culture,”
he said.
“We have a culture that is set on shared beliefs, values and behaviours. For countries to be stable, there has to be a single, overarching culture.”
Mr Caddies said the counterargument that Australia’s workforce relied on diversity had missed the underlying point.
“Cultural differences do not play a part in our workforce,” he said.
“[Multicultural workers] are Australian; they are a part of the workforce as Australians, not as a different culture.”
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