Former Tasmanian Liberal premier Peter Gutwein has been appointed, by Labor, as chair of Australia’s peak multicultural advisory council, warning that rhetoric from parts of the political right is fuelling hatred and vilification.
Gutwein, himself a migrant, said One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s call for Australia to become a monocultural society should have been met with “appropriate disdain”, saying it was disappointing that Opposition Leader Angus Taylor didn’t immediately condemn the remarks when first asked about them.
On Monday, the Albanese government revealed Gutwein, who led Tasmania between 2020 and 2022, had been appointed chair of the Australian Multicultural Council, the independent body that provides advice to the government on multicultural affairs and social cohesion.
His appointment comes amid fierce debate on the political right over multiculturalism, and a surge in support for Hanson who last month warned Australia must exist as a “monocultural society”, warning high migration had caused the country to lose its values and identity.
Former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott has since claimed that multiculturalism has failed, prompting frontbench Liberal Andrew Bragg to reject his comments and say that it was not a view shared by elected Liberal members in parliament.
In his first interview as chair, Gutwein told this masthead that Australia had benefited from decades of bipartisan support for multiculturalism and that such an approach provided certainty and confidence in the system.
“Quite obviously that’s not occurring at the moment,” Gutwein said.
“Unfortunately, the leaning towards the right, especially some of the national narrative that we are seeing at the moment, is very unhelpful … both for the country but also for the communities in which people live.
“There has been green-lighting of an opportunity for those that might seek to do others harm through inciting hatred or vilification, that green lighting’s been occurring by voices on the right at the moment. I don’t think that’s good enough, and it needs to be called out.”
He said political leaders had a responsibility to reject rhetoric that risked dividing Australians rather than allowing multiculturalism to become another source of division.
Gutwein said Australia’s success had always depended on leaders resisting attempts to turn multiculturalism into a partisan issue.
“I believe that as a country, we need to govern from the centre,” he said.
Gutwein said Australia remained one of the world’s strongest examples of a successful multicultural society.
“You have to work hard at it. You need to lean into it. You need to accept it and embrace it.”
In 2024, Gutwein led a 330-kilometre walk to highlighted the contributions of Tasmania’s migrant and refugee communities to the state’s social and economic wellbeing.
The former premier said Australia had to spend more time highlighting the contribution migrants make to communities, businesses and public life.
“One thing that I think we have to do, and be very loud about, is the need to celebrate the contributions more that people make.”
Born in England to a British mother and an Austrian-Yugoslav father, Gutwein migrated to Tasmania as a child in 1969. He said his own family experience had shaped his belief that immigration had made Australia stronger.
“We are a multicultural country. We have been for a long period of time,” he said.
“As a former migrant myself … through my own lived experience, I know that if provided with opportunity, people can do wonderful things both for themselves and for the communities they live in.”
He also pushed back against attempts to harness community frustration over housing affordability by blaming immigration, saying it had become a political scapegoat, pointing to Tasmania’s experience during the pandemic.
“We had negative net migration. We increased supply, we reduced migration and house prices still went up,” he said.
“To have a strong, growing economy, especially at a time when you have low unemployment, we require immigration to fill those skill gaps.”
Assistant Multicultural Affairs Minister Julian Hill said Gutwein brought “strong leadership” and would help guide the council as it worked to bridge communities and build a more cohesive Australia.
“He brings a track record in strong leadership and a demonstrated commitment to speaking out
against racism and standing in support of the rights of all Australians to participate in our national life.
“Shared values, mutual respect and a genuine sense of belonging is the foundation of success in modern, multicultural Australia.”
Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Dr Anne Aly, said the council’s work helped ensure that people of all backgrounds felt valued, connected and able to contribute to Australia’s future.
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