Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the community must not be “used as fodder in an internal Liberal Party dispute” over migration.

“They are hard-working, family-oriented and peace-loving communities, and it is a national disgrace that they have been publicly vilified from any quarter.”

For me, supporting the Australian Indian community is in my DNA – and it is in my DNA because I am a Liberal.

“Our High Commissioner and Consulates General in Australia were in regular touch with both the Australian government and community members before and during the protests.”

I feel terrible that Indian Australians are receiving such a damaging message.

Senator Penny Wong said that the nation’s strength lies in its multiculturalism, with more than 300 ancestries represented and nearly half of Australians either born overseas or with a parent born overseas.

Australia remains one of the best countries in the world. But preserving its strengths requires vigilance. Extremists on both the left and the right must be resisted.

“They are not marches for Australia, they are marches against Australia. I will always stand up for multicultural Australia.”

Many others who support migration also argued that such theatrics by elected members risk fuelling negative sentiment towards migrants.

“March for Australia” rallies target wrong people — it’s government's failure, not migrants