Angus Taylor repeatedly refused to affirm his support for multiculturalism in Australia during a press conference on Tuesday, asking a reporter: "Do you want to define it for me?" Taylor stated that "there's all these vague words running around."

Later on Tuesday, Taylor issued a statement indicating he supported a form of multiculturalism. He said: "I believe in an Australia where everyone respects our laws, shares our values and contributes to the fabric of our country." Taylor added: "That is the type of multiculturalism that we believe in. We reject Labor's multiculturalism which sees different people held to different standards because of their cultural background." He continued: "That is how we have ended up with antisemitic hatred on our streets, ugly protests on the Harbour Bridge, terrorist sympathisers back into our community and non-citizens accessing benefits that should be there for Australians."

Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan criticized the initial stance, stating: "If you aspire to lead our nation you should embrace the reality of modern Australia." McLachlan said it is "a prerequisite of a leader to fight for the aspirations of each and every member of our community." Regarding remarks made by former prime minister Tony Abbott, McLachlan called them "unhelpful and deny the realities of modern Australia" and said: "Abbott should focus on building our campaign capability and organisational strength. Not trying to build a Tardis to take us to a time and place that never was."

Shadow foreign affairs minister Ted O'Brien called the debate over what constitutes a monoculture, and who would belong to it, a "silly one." O'Brien asked: "Who's in the mono? I don't know. Who decides who's in the mono? I mean, I assume it's government, right. And I'm a Liberal, I believe in small government, not big government. I mean, what do we have, a minister for cultural purity?" He also stated that the idea of someone not being able to speak their family's native language at home is "nuts," saying: "The thought that Johnny, who's at work speaking English, can't go home and speak Italian to his nonna, that's nuts."