Australia remains a very strong multicultural country and the government stands with migrants, including those from India, said Philip Green, the Australian High Commissioner to India, on Thursday.
His remarks come in the backdrop of the recent anti-immigration protests in Australia. There have anti-immigration rallies across the country in recent weeks.
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"People in Australia are entitled to have demonstrations, but we would say this very clearly, we stand with migrants, including migrants of Indian origin and we stand very much for multiculturalism in Australia," high commissioner Green said.
He was speaking on the sidelines of an event organised by India Australia Business and Community Alliance (IABCA).
"More than half of our population either comes from somewhere else or has one or both parents who come from somewhere else. So a huge number of Australians are from a migrant background and the vast majority of Australians are hugely supportive of our multicultural heritage," he stressed.
He maintained that Australia remained among the safest parts in the world. There are now over a million people of Indian origin in Australia, he pointed.
"There will be occasionally incidents as there will be anywhere in the world and we deal with them very effectively," said Green.
India and Australia have been in negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement. An interim deal - Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) - was signed back in December 2022.
That agreement has led to a strong growth in trade between the two countries, according to Green. He pointed India's exports to Australia have grown 200 per cent in five years. The sides are committed to complete the second phase of the agreement, he stated.
"We have had now nearly a dozen rounds of negotiations. We are getting towards the business end of this. Both governments are very committed to this and very serious about it, and we think that it could have huge advantages for Australian and Indian business and society," said Green, without sharing specific deadlines.
Green energy, agri and food, education and tourism are among the areas where there will be growth opportunities between the two countries.
