Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi says anti-Muslim hate becoming ‘dangerously normalised’ in Australia

The Greens senator accused the Albanian government of failing to address rising Islamophobia in Australia as the world marks the seventh anniversary of the Christchurch mosque massacre.

Mehreen Faruqi, one of a handful of Muslim politicians in the federal parliament, made the comments in a statement issued to mark the United Nations International Day Against Islamophobia on March 15.

The date coincides with the anniversary of the 2019 mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which 51 Muslims were killed by an Australian white supremacist who livestreamed the terror attack.

“The fact that this terrorist act was committed by an Australian white supremacist with an Islamophobic ideology should have been a reckoning, but seven years later anti-Muslim hatred has become dangerously normalized in this country,” Senator Faruqi said in a statement.

“But rather than confronting the conditions that make such cruelty possible, governments have ignored or, worse, fueled this reality.”

Senator Faruqi claimed successive governments “have not really recognized or responded” that the Christchurch attacker’s Islamophobic ideology was shaped by decades of marginalization of Muslims, including portrayals of the community as “dangerous”.

“For decades politicians and the media have claimed that Muslims threaten the so-called ‘Australian way of life’,” he said.

“Things are getting worse for Muslims in this country because Labor and the Coalition are now in a racist race to the bottom with One Nation.”

He then highlighted a motion tabled by the Greens Senate earlier this week to suspend the standing orders, which noted the “dangerous normalization and escalation of anti-Muslim hatred in political discourse, media commentary and public discourse.”

It was rejected by the votes of the major parties.

“Politicians will line up for kunefe and take the opportunity for Ramadan selfies, while also whistling, belittling and dehumanizing Muslims,” ​​he said.

“Rather than cherry-picking one form of racism, Labor can fund the National Anti-Racism Framework and begin to tackle the systemic racism that harms communities of color every day.”

In December, the Islamophobia Register Australia documented a 740 per cent increase in reported anti-Muslim incidents following the Bondi terror attack.

These include physical attacks, verbal abuse, threats and vandalism.

The same month, the National Council of Imams of Australia, Australia’s highest religious Islamic authority, warned that Australian Muslims feared “Christchurch-style” attacks on their places of worship.

Since then, several Islamophobic incidents have made national headlines, including four threatening letters sent to Sydney’s Lakemba mosque, a roadside attack by a Victorian imam and the desecration of Muslim graves in Western Sydney.

Anti-Muslim sentiment in Australia has reached “crisis levels”, Islamophobia Ambassador Aftab Malik said on Sunday, adding that Australian Muslims were being alienated from the “Australian national fabric”.

“For many Australian Muslims, daily activities such as praying, traveling or simply walking now raise the issue of safety,” he said.

“This is unacceptable by any standard.”

Addressing anti-Muslim hatred requires “systemic reforms, not just statements made after the damage is done,” Mr. Malik said.

“To address these issues, we must strengthen institutional accountability, improve victim protection, promote education that combats prejudice, and implement policies that actively support Muslim communities,” he said.

Earlier, Muslim cabinet minister Labor MP Anne Aly also shared a statement on the occasion of the International Day Against Islamophobia.

“This day is deeply personal to me. I know the strength, compassion and connection that faith brings to the lives of many Muslim Australians,” he said.

“Islamophobia has no place in Australia. It causes real harm. It makes people feel unsafe, unwanted and unfairly judged.

“Today and every day, we stand against Islamophobia and continue to work to build an inclusive, harmonious and respectful Australia where everyone can feel safe, valued and belonging.”

His comments echoed those of Anthony Albanese, who said Australia “stands united with Muslim Australians against hatred and division”.

“This day, which coincides with the anniversary of the Christchurch massacre, is a tragically important day to reconnect with the fundamental truth: everyone has the right to be proud of who they are, to practice their faith peacefully, and to feel safe and secure,” he said.

“Muslim communities have long been part of the breadth and richness of Australia’s history, and we celebrate all that Australian Muslims have contributed to our modern nation through their aspirations, hard work and love of country.

“Today reminds us of the importance of interfaith and community dialogue, building understanding that serves as a safeguard against growing fear and intolerance both here and around the world.

He reiterated Australia’s determination to “always speak and act openly against Islamophobia”.