Albanese Government responds to special envoy Aftab Malik’s report on Islamophobia
The Prime Minister responded to the special envoy’s Islamophobia report.
About 10 months ago, Aftab Malik presented the Australian government with a national response to Islamophobia; This report included 54 recommendations.
The government responded to 35 of them on Saturday.
Asked why it had taken so long for the report to be submitted, Mr Albanese said it was important that the issues raised were given “due consideration”.
“Every Australian deserves to be safe, respected and at home in our country,” he said.
“And we are seeing an increase in Islamophobic attacks and harassment against Muslim Australians.
“Hate directed at one community harms us all because our diversity is one of Australia’s greatest strengths and as a nation we will not allow hate to divide us. It’s clear we need to do more.”
Mr Albanese said the government’s response was based on four key principles of education and awareness, protection and support, building social cohesion and accountability and responsibility.
Mr Malik said the government had made many “important commitments”.
“I understand that the government must balance competing priorities, work across portfolios and navigate complex legal and policy questions,” he said.
“But Muslim Australians should not be expected to bear the cost of this complexity indefinitely.
“They have the same right to security, dignity and protection as all other Australians.
“My report remains my independent advice to the government and the benchmark against which progress should be measured where the government takes action.”
Mr Malik said he would continue to defend the outstanding recommendations.
“Today is not the end of this process. It marks the beginning of the most important phase of translating commitments into meaningful actions and continuing work in areas where agreement has not yet been reached,” he said.
“Lasting change requires the government and Muslim communities to remain engaged, build trust, deepen understanding and work on common ground.”
Home Secretary Tony Burke said Islamophobia was “chronically underreported” and “debilitating”.
“When I entered Parliament I never thought in my political life that anyone elected to Parliament would call for a white Australia,” he said.
“I thought we were in a country where everyone accepted that we had moved on and that we were better for moving on.
“Part of saying you love Australia is loving Australia for who we are, not some perverted notion of a country where we will turn on each other, where Australians will fundamentally lose their capacity for civility towards each other.”
