Australian Treasurer Peter Costello called multiculturalism misguided and warned immigrants to adopt Australian values or face loss of citizenship.
In a speech Thursday to the Sydney Institute, Costello said immigrants should be forced to honor the pledge of allegiance to Australia or face deportation, The Age reported.
"Those who are outside this compact threaten the rights and liberties of others," Costello said. "They should be refused citizenship if they apply for it. Where they have it they should be stripped of it if they are dual citizens and have some other country that recognizes them as citizens."
Costello said Muslims who immigrate to Australia should have as much respect for the country's values as they do for a mosque.
"I suspect there would be more respect for these values if we made more of the demanding requirements of citizenship," he said.
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