Australian Muslims say anti-Islamophobia plan falls short on funding
Government adopted 35 of 54 envoy recommendations but left calls for a counter-terror law review and commission of inquiry unanswered
CANBERRA, Australia (MNTV) — Muslim advocates are pressing for real new spending to combat Islamophobia after the Labor government adopted only part of a special envoy’s plan, warning that repackaged existing programs should not be mistaken for fresh action.
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, the nation’s peak Muslim body, said the government’s commitment to act on 35 of the 54 recommendations in special envoy Aftab Malik’s report at least recognized anti-Muslim hate as a serious national problem, according to The Canberra Times.
But it said the response fell short, amounting to a handful of genuinely new commitments bundled with expansions of work already under way.
Presenting it all together, federation president Rateb Jneid said, makes the package look more substantial than it is, and the community is entitled to know what is actually new, what was already happening, and what additional money the government has committed as a direct result of the report.
The measure of success, he added, is not how many existing programs are gathered under one banner but whether Muslim Australians end up safer.
The government adopted measures on social cohesion in schools, including a review to strengthen religious and racial tolerance, along with tolerance training for politicians and public servants, a curriculum review, and $41.9 million to improve security at faith-based sites.
But Malik’s calls for an independent review of counter-terrorism laws and a commission of inquiry into Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Arab racism went unanswered, 10 months after he handed over the report. He said he would back the progress made and keep advocating for what remains outstanding.
The Alliance of Australian Muslims and the Australian National Imams Council called the response an important step while insisting Muslims must see real improvements in their safety, inclusion, and ability to take part in Australian life without fear. Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly called it a milestone, saying the government was the first in the country’s history to recognize Islamophobia as an immediate threat that is dangerously close to becoming normalized.
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