Foreign Minister Penny Wong has declared Australia “is not a monoculture and never has been”, using one of the country’s most significant Indigenous gatherings to deliver a passionate defence of multiculturalism and First Nations culture.
Speaking at the Garma Festival in northeast Arnhem Land on Saturday, Senator Wong stepped in for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was unable to attend the annual event, telling thousands of delegates Australia’s diversity was one of its greatest strengths and should be embraced both at home and abroad.
“As I look around here at this festival, this is who we are,” Senator Wong said.
“So rich in history. So rich in culture, home to more than 300 ancestries, and we share common ground with so many of the world’s peoples.”
“We are not a monoculture, and we have never been.”
The Foreign Minister used the keynote address to argue Australia’s Indigenous heritage and multicultural identity should be viewed as a national advantage rather than a point of division, saying they were central to how Australia engages with the world.
“Foreign policy starts with who we are,” she said.
“What we project to the world about who we are is an element of our national power.”
Senator Wong said First Nations people had connected Australia with neighbouring countries for centuries before European settlement through trade, diplomacy and cultural exchange, describing Indigenous Australians as the nation’s “first diplomats” and “first traders”.
She said those deep historical ties continued to strengthen Australia’s relationships across the Pacific and Southeast Asia, pointing to agreements with Fiji, Vanuatu and Timor-Leste that have drawn on First Nations culture and leadership.
“First Nations diplomacy is a source of strategic national advantage, which cannot be replicated or emulated,” she said.
The Foreign Minister also highlighted the Garma Festival’s 2026 theme, Bukmak, describing it as a powerful reminder of Australia’s shared future and the importance of bringing people together despite different backgrounds, cultures and beliefs.
“No matter your background, no matter your culture, your race, your religion, or your language, Garma is an invitation to everyone to come together, to learn together,” she said.
“And at a time when there are those who seek to set us apart, First Nations peoples, with your generosity, remind us our many different stories brought together make us stronger.”
Senator Wong said embracing Australia’s full identity would strengthen the nation’s diplomacy, trade and regional partnerships.
“The more we bring of Australia to the table, the stronger we are,” she said.
Her address came after Mr Albanese withdrew from attending the festival, leaving Wong to lead the Federal Government’s delegation at the annual gathering, which brings together Indigenous leaders, politicians, business representatives and community organisations from across Australia.
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