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Major Australian party leaders reaffirm racial tolerance
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Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (left) and opposition leader Bill Shorten shake hands as they arrive for the leaders' debate at the National Press Club in Canberra, May, 29. (Pool Photo via AP/Tracey Nearmy)
T
he leaders of Australia's two major political parties have reaffirmed their commitment to racial tolerance in Australia after several senators called for a ban on Muslims.
Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull introduced an anti-racial discrimination motion to the House of Representatives on Monday at the request of opposition leader Bill Shorten.
A similar motion was passed by the lower chamber 20 years ago after Pauline Hanson, then an independent lawmaker, used her first speech to Parliament to warn that Australia was "in danger of being swamped by Asians" due to the nation's non-discriminatory immigration policy.
Hanson was elected to the Senate in July after 18 years out of Parliament. The four senators in her One Nation party now want an end to Muslim immigration.
