Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has mirrored his predecessor John Howard, presenting a motion to the parliament promoting anti-racism and equal rights for all Australians.
The bipartisan motion, similar to that presented to the parliament when Pauline Hanson first joined parliament in 1996, denounces racial intolerance and reaffirms the parliament's commitments to Australians regardless of race, colour, creed or origin.
"A 20 year-old unity ticket perhaps, celebrating and reaffirming the Australian values of fair go and mutual respect for all regardless of how they look, how they worship or where they come from," Mr Turnbull told parliament on Monday.
In 1996, then Labor leader Kim Beazley asked incoming prime minister Mr Howard to back the motion.
Two decades later, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten wrote to Mr Turnbull seeking a similar motion at the opening of the new parliament, which marked the return to Canberra of the One Nation leader and new moves to water down protections against hate speech.
Mr Turnbull used Sydney Swan's AFL star and Sudanese refugee Aliir Aliir as an example of Australia's strong multicultural society.
"Australians do not define themselves by reference to race religion or ethnic background," he said.
"We are bound together by shared political values of democracy, the rule of law and equality of opportunity, a fair go.
"The glue that holds us together is mutual respect."
Mr Shorten said attacks on minorities were weaker when parliamentarians set an example and showed the way.
"As leaders we have a responsibility to unite not divide," he told MPs.
"To reject the falsehood of a strong man or a strong woman imposing simple 'us verses them' solutions."
We are not being swamped by anyone, he said, in response to Senator Hanson's comments the nation was in danger of being swamped by Muslims.
The motion also reaffirmed the commitment to indigenous reconciliation, he said.
