Micro-economic reform and the expansion of education brought not rising prosperity but the severe recession of the early 1990s. This weakened support for the dominant economic policies, and new issues began to come on to the agenda: national identity, Asianisation, migration and multiculturalism; native title and reconciliation with indigenous people; citizenship and civics education. The growing recognition of difference and diversity created tensions, especially after the election of the Liberal and National parties in 1996, and brought new problems and possibilities to education.