Australia’s Foreign Minister has claimed that Melbourne was built by indigenous people and immigrants in a slick pro-multiculturalism social media clip filmed in Chinatown.
Penny Wong, a Malaysian-born Chinese lesbian, accused Opposition leader Angus Taylor of divisiveness with his proposal to stop giving non-citizens taxpayer-funded welfare benefits.
“It’s great to be in Melbourne, it’s one of great multicultural cities of the world, that’s been built by so many people from our first nations (sic) Australians to our newest migrants,” she said.
“And you might have heard Angus Taylor, the Liberal leader, wanting to divide Australians depending on when our families arrived here. Imagine the migrants who staff our hospitals, who work as carers, not being being able to access services for their parents or their grandparents.
“Well, we know who his words were directed at and we know what it feels like. Labor wants to bring this country together – we value the contribution of every Australian.”
But many Aussies objected to Ms Wong’s claim in response to the video, and called for an end to mass immigration.
“What a load of hogwash… don’t you get it. You are making White Australians feel like the minority of their own country by what you are doing. On your watch we are becoming more divided,” read one of the most popular comments on her Instagram post.
Independent journalist Drew Pavlou shared the video on X, asking: “I wonder if anybody else contributed to building up Australia?”
“Funny how she erases the British, European settlers and pioneers who actually built the cities, roads, farms and nation,” replied another X user.
Lawyer and political commentator Katherine Deves also criticised Ms Wong for the video.
“When Penny Wrong peddles this propaganda, where are the misinformation, disinformation and hate speech/vilification laws?” she asked.
“Why generational Australians constantly be having to pay for freeloaders you’ve never paid into the system, like aged parents of new arrivals?”
Ms Wong regularly speaks out in favour of multiculturalism, and sparked controversy in the lead-up to last year’s federal election by holding a “Chinese town hall” event in Melbourne where White Australians were refused entry.
