# ‘Melancholic fantasy’: Wong escalates Labor rhetoric against Hanson over ‘monoculture’ comment

https://mins.news/en/item/21162

- The Guardian, 2026-08-13 11:00 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/13/penny-wong-labor-rhetoric-pauline-hanson-monoculture-ntwnfb

> Foreign affairs minister Penny Wong will call Pauline Hanson’s vision of a ‘monocultural society’ a ‘melancholic fantasy’ that could damage Australia’s national security and social cohesion. In a Lowy Institute address, Wong will defend multiculturalism, warn against politicians deepening racial divisions and highlight resilience amid foreign interference, disinformation and AI risks.