A diverse nation is held together not by embracing monoculture but by building familiarity and then trust.

There is a growing argument in parts of Australian public debate that multiculturalism has failed and that Australia should aspire to become a monocultural society.

This view gained renewed attention following Pauline Hanson’s recent National Press Club address, where she argued that multiculturalism had weakened national unity and that Australia should place greater emphasis on a single national culture.

Whether one agrees with that view or not, the question it raises is serious. What actually holds a diverse nation together?

After more than three decades living in Australia, nearly thirty years in the Australian Public Service, and a lifetime across several countries and cultures, I have come to a simple conclusion. It is trust.

My understanding of multiculturalism did not begin in Australia. I was born and raised in Bangladesh. Later, I received a Malaysian Government scholarship to study economics at the International Islamic University Malaysia, where I was part of the pioneer intake. For the first time, I lived and studied alongside Malays, Chinese, Indians and students from many parts of the world. Later, I pursued postgraduate studies in economics in Canada, before migrating to Australia in 1992.

Those experiences shaped a lasting insight. People do not leave their identities behind when they migrate. They expand their sense of belonging.

I remain proud of my Bangladeshi heritage. I am also deeply Australian. These identities do not compete. They strengthen one another. That is why I have never been persuaded by the monoculture argument.

Australia was never monocultural. Long before European settlement, this continent was home to hundreds of First Nations nations, languages and cultural systems. Diversity is not new to this land.

Post-war migration added further layers. Millions arrived from........

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