Tanya Plibersek’s patriot pledge sparks anger

Tanya Plibersek has hit back at left-wing critics over her school citizenship pledge proposal.

Tanya Plibersek. Picture: AAP/Bianca De Marchi

Tanya Plibersek has hit back at left-wing critics over her proposal for the citizenship pledge to be taught in schools, declaring conservatives “don’t have a monopoly on citizenship and patriotism”. 

The opposition education spokeswoman said there was nothing inconsistent with being progressive and a patriotic Australian, after the Greens and left-wing commentators condemned her Australia Day speech for its proposal that schoolchildren learn the same pledge recited by new citizens. 

You can be proud of your citizenship and dedicated to progress. You can cherish this nation and want to make it better.

— Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) January 25, 2020

Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi called the proposal “sad” while social commentator Jane Caro condemned Ms Plibersek for ­endorsing pride in “spurious ­geography”.

Oh Tanya, Tanya, Tanya...I know not what to say. I hope my kids allythemselves with decency, kindness and compassion not spurious geography.

— Jane Caro (@JaneCaro) January 25, 2020

ABC TV personality Julia Zemiro said Ms Plibersek’s comments were “disappointing”, “retrograde” and a “low ebb”, while Women’s Agenda contributing editor Georgie Dent said the pledge idea was “inexplicable”.

Ms Plibersek’s speech came as 27,419 new Australians received their citizenship, including 51 who enjoyed a game of cricket with navy crew on board HMAS Canberra on Sydney Harbour. Scott Morrison praised the country’s ­inclusive national identity, saying: “This is the greatness of Australia. This is the strength of Australia. This is our secret. This is why as Australians we prevail.”

Coalition MPs Alex Hawke, Tim Wilson, Barnaby Joyce and Jason Falinski backed Ms Plibersek’s proposal, but it was rejected by other conservatives, including Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.

Responding to the controversy surrounding her Australia Day speech, Ms Plibersek said as a child of migrants she was “grateful every single day that I get to call Australia home”. “The point I have been making for years is that you can be a progressive and love your country too — conservatives don’t have a monopoly on citizenship and patriotism,” she said.

The party’s former deputy leader raised eyebrows in Labor ranks over the appeal to patriotism in her speech and on Twitter over the weekend, given claims by party MPs she influenced Bill Shorten’s drift towards political correctness before last year’s election.

Some MPs believe she was sending a signal to her colleagues that she should not be discounted as a future Labor leader as the party moves to reshape its messaging to win over working-class and regional voters. Ms Plibersek’s office said she had been calling for Australians to learn about the citizenship pledge for nine years.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison did not publicly endorse her proposal.

In her speech, Ms Plibersek linked patriotism with the left-wing and collectivist ideal of ­“solidarity”. “Patriotism, like mateship, is about solidarity. It’s about what we owe each other as citizens,” Ms Plibersek said on Sunday.

“Patriotism is the knowledge that we’re not alone in this life, that our neighbours are there to share our struggles, that we have 25 million people in our corner when we need it.”

Mr Wyatt said schools were not the right place to recite the citizenship oath. “Schools are there to focus on the three Rs, and children need (to achieve) an academic level for Australia to be a global competitive leader,” he said.

Mr Joyce said the proposal was a rare unity ticket between himself and Ms Plibersek. “It is a scary day when I agree with her,” he said.

“Patriotism as opposed to ­nationalism is an important thing. The love for your country is an ­essential component.”

Senator Hanson said she would prefer schools to teach the national ­anthem and force students to sing it in assemblies. “The national ­anthem is more important to me,” she said. “The pledge is what we expect of new Australians to take to us and the country they want to be a part of.”

Mr Wilson said it was “disappointing Pauline Hanson opposes young Australians swearing allegiance to our country”. “It would be a wonderful development to push back against cultural progressivism that undermines our national unity,” he said.

Mr Hawke, a minister and key factional ally of the Prime Minister, defended Ms Plibersek over the heavy criticism. “There is much wrong with narrow, negative attitudes given too much weight on ­social media,” he tweeted. “And Tanya Plibersek coming under fire for sensibly calling for Aussie kids to know the citizenship pledge is another example.”

The pledge, taken by new Australians at citizenship ceremonies, states that: “From this time forward, I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people, whose democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey.”