A senior figure within One Nation has sparked controversy by labeling multiculturalism a “failed experiment,” despite being an immigrant residing in Australia.
Bianca Colecchia, who serves as the state secretary for One Nation’s Victorian branch, recently posted a video capturing the New Year’s Eve scene in Melbourne’s central business district.
In the video, Colecchia focused on the crowd gathered outside Flinders Street Station, inviting viewers to engage in a “spot the Westerner” challenge.
“Let’s see if you can find any,” she remarked.
“It doesn’t resemble a Western nation at all, does it?” she commented.
“Yet here we are, witnessing the reality of Melbourne’s CBD on New Year’s Eve,” she concluded.
Colecchia went on to blame ‘multiculturalism’ for eroding Australian culture.
‘And this is an issue, a big one, because … they might be good people, but it is a problem at the collective level. It erodes our cultural identity and cohesion,’ she said.
One Nation MP Bianca Colecchia (pictured with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson) shared a video on New Year’s Eve
Colecchia shared footage from outside Flinders Street Station (above) and asked viewers to play ‘spot the Westerner’
‘Multiculturalism is a failed concept. When you start seeing demographic change and clusters of groups of people that are supposed to be a minority, and all of a sudden, we are the minority. It is a problem and a big one.
‘All we need to do is look at Europe, what is happening there, in Germany, the UK and France, and Italy, it is terrifying and we must oppose it with everything we’ve got.’
Commenters under the clip were quick to highlight the apparent hypocrisy of Colecchia’s statement – given she speaks with a European accent and is an immigrant similar to the people she’s judging.
‘Brown migrant with accent complains about other brown migrants with accents?’ one commenter wrote.
‘By the way Australia belongs to Aboriginals. Imagine if they were to walk out on the streets playing the same game as you. I wonder how you would feel?’ another said.
‘You’ve got a strong accent, and you’re criticising others for coming here? By rights you should be leaving with them if that’s your stance. Or because you’re more white presenting you’re okay? Explain it to me,’ another wrote.
‘Most of them were born here! With your accent, where are you imported from?’ another said.
However, other commenters agreed with Colecchia and claimed Melbourne no longer feels like ‘home’.
Commenters under Colecchia’s video (above) were divided with some agreeing with the MP and others calling her hypocritical
Colecchia (above) moved to Australia from Italy in 2016
‘If you’d put me in the back of [a] shipping container, drove in circles for eight hours and opened the door, I’d have thought I was in Malaysia… migration has happened too rapidly and unfortunately Australia is on the path of losing its Western identity,’ one wrote.
‘How did we let this happen, and in such a short period of time? Western world is finished as we know it I’m afraid,’ another said.
‘Multiculturalism is a myth and always has been, when a country no longer looks how it should that’s not the original country at all that’s deliberate invasion,’ another wrote.
Other commenters simply called for people to stop looking to create division.
‘We are all Australians. When I started school in Melbourne in the 1950’s new migrants were collectively known as New Australians. They enriched our culture. The newer New Australians will do the same in time,’ one wrote.
‘I see human beings living harmoniously. Immigrants migrated to Australia to start from scratch and want a better future. Respecting and being kind to one another is the key,’ another said.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2021 found 10.6 per cent of Victoria’s population was born overseas.
New Year’s Eve is also a major tourist event for Australia’s capital cities, drawing in many foreign holidaymakers.
A former model, Ms Colecchia previously ran for the seat of Bruce in Melbourne and is a fan of Donald Trump and hard-wing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
Last January saw 3,393,977 arrivals at Melbourne Airport, the busiest in its history, including 600,000 from international locations.
Colecchia herself was born and raised in the tiny rural Italian town of Sant’ Eusanio del Sangro.
She moved to Australia in 2016 with only $1,000 and was unable to speak a word of English, she said.
Since then, Colecchia has studied politics, international relations and sociology at Melbourne University and managed a gentleman’s club in the city.
Colecchia spoke proudly of the impact Australia had on her life and the opportunities the country had given her in a blog post.
‘This country has given me so much, and it gave me the opportunity to turn my life around,’ Ms Colecchia admitted in her article.
‘So, I learned the language, I worked hard, and I embraced the Australian way of life. Today, I am incredibly grateful to be able to call Australia home.
‘To me, becoming an Australian citizen was a privilege but also a commitment to this nation and its future.’
In her biography on the One Nation website, the self-professed Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni fan said she was ‘focused on growing a strong, principled movement that defends our values, protects our heritage, and puts everyday Australians first’.
‘I am committed to common-sense policies that strengthen our national identity, protect our heritage and secure a prosperous future for all Australians,’ she wrote.
‘My mission is to build a stronger voice for conservative Australians and ensure One Nation continues to stand firm where others have wavered, and finally establishes itself as the third party alternative to the major parties’ duopoly.’
