Best of 2025 - Australia’s fragile multicultural consensus under threat |
_Anti-immigration rallies_ around Australia in late August and mid-October exposed public divides over migration, social cohesion and national identity.
A repost from 7 November 2025
The rise of anti-immigration sentiment underscores a fragile consensus – while multiculturalism remains official government policy, its meaning and legitimacy are increasingly contested.
Public reactions to the protests were sharply divided. Some argued that the protesters voiced legitimate concerns about the cost of living, housing affordability and growing pressures on infrastructure and resources, while others contended that the rallies played into the racist agendas of white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
In contrast to divided public opinion, political leaders’ views appear less polarised. The centre-left Labor Party Government has adopted a defensive stance. Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek responded to claims that migration was “out of control” by noting that Labor had already reduced the intake. Within the conservative opposition Liberal Party, some members of Parliament have quietly drifted towards positions historically associated with the far right, while former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott has openly opposed a more “ diverse” immigration program. Support for the anti-immigration One Nation Party has risen significantly, with the latest Resolve poll showing its primary vote reached 12%, higher than the Greens at 11%.
These developments are part of the growing wave of anti-immigration sentiment in many