One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has pointed to the Socceroos as an example of her vision of a “monoculture” in Australia.

Debate has raged since Hanson said during her National Press Club speech that “we cannot be a multicultural society” but “we must be monocultural”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Socceroos’ World Cup squad was evidence Australia was not a monoculture.

But on Wednesday, Hanson told parliament that attempts to highlight the diversity of the Socceroos were not a counter to her argument on monoculture.

The 26-man World Cup squad comes from 15 cultural backgrounds. It also includes two — Nestory Irankunda and Mohamed Toure — who migrated to Australia after being born in African refugee camps.

But Hanson said the soccer squad proved her point.

“The Socceroos, in fact, represent my vision of a  … monocultural Australia. People from different backgrounds and cultures and nations all wearing green and gold,” she told parliament.

“Australian monoculture is not exclusive, it is welcoming. It’s an umbrella which covers all manner of difference. It’s not a dirty word.”

Senior Liberals have been forced to clarify the party’s stance on multiculturalism after Opposition Leader Angus Taylor failed to say whether he supported multiculturalism.

In a separate address to the press club, opposition foreign spokesman Ted O’Brien said debate on the issue had been bizarre.

“Who’s in the mono? I don’t know. Are you in the mono? I don’t know if I’m in the mono,” he said on Wednesday.

“What, do we have a minister for cultural purity?”

He raised another example of a homogenous nation Hanson had neglected to mention.

“I don’t know how many of you have been to North Korea,” he said.

“I can tell you it’s not the sort of place you want to live.”

Taylor clarified his stance on multiculturalism, denying the issue was hurting the party in diverse communities.

“We need every Australian to believe in our system of law, to believe in our basic freedoms, to believe in our parliamentary democracy, and people have been coming to this country in recent times who do not believe in those things,” he told Sydney’s 2GB Radio.

“Making sure that people who come to this country contribute to this country and commit to it, that’s not a monoculture … but it is requiring that people adopt Australian values. They are not welcome if they’re not prepared to do that.”

Deputy leader Jane Hume said it was evident Australia was not a monoculture.

“I can’t believe that we’ve managed to get ourselves into this,” she said.

“We are a multicultural society. Let’s face it, we already are. Goodness me.”

-with AAP