AUSTRALIANS must be vigilant about the threat from ethnic hatreds, and migrants should accept our way of life, says former premier Jeff Kennett. As Europe debates whether multiculturalism has failed, Mr Kennett said Victoria had avoided the sort of "shocking experiences" in places like Britain, but there was no room for complacency.
"You do have to make sure that you don't allow the issues of countries overseas to become imported here," he said.
"People make the choice to come to Australia and have to accept our way of life."
Mr Kennett was responding to controversial comments by British Prime Minister David Cameron, who at the weekend dubbed multiculturalism a failure in the UK and linked it to the rise of Islamic extremism.
"Under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream," Mr Cameron said. Read more.