Multiculturalism has long been debated in European countries.
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The rise of far-right parties in countries such as France shows a growing unease with the idea.
More recently, the Nice terror attacks have brought this issue into focus more.
Poland's interior minister, Mariusz Blaszczak, said the blame lay with the embracing of multiculturalism.
In Australia the return of One Nation to parliament has brought the debate to the country’s mainstream media.
On ABC program Hack TV last week, a panel including far-right group United Patriots Front leader Blair Cottrell, as well as Muslim Australians and a One Nation voter, debated the merits of multiculturalism.
It was a heated discussion and many of the panel members had made up their minds already. They were there to make their point, rather than listen.
Some of the views expressed would have surprised and even shocked viewers. Mr Cottrell insisted that Islam was incompatible with democracy, although as panel members pointed out, he is no scholar on the religion.
Australia is arguably the world’s most successful multicultural society.
It is a country with a population built almost entirely on waves of immigration. Each time new migrant groups have come, there has been resistance from the community already living in Australia.
Irish, Italian, Greek and Asian immigrants have all faced the prejudice of the mainstream community. There’s been resistance to their arrival.
While people such as Mr Cottrell argue Muslims do not fit within Australian society, these arguments have been made in some form about people of other backgrounds before.
Australia values free speech and is a democratic society, and so it’s natural that multiculturalism will be debated.
What was missing from the panel members on Hack TV was a willingness to listen to each other. At times they grew disrespectful.
It showed the importance of a calm, measured and respectful approach to public discussion.
This will be essential for Australia as it has this debate, as it risks damaging social cohesion.
All involved are part of the same community, and should remember that.