Minister warns Morrison and Bragg’s Islam remarks risk inflaming division; Ley’s rivals to meet today in Melbourne
Multiculturalism Minister Anne Aly, former prime minister Scott Morrison and Liberal senator Andrew Bragg risks exacerbating social tensions and stoking fear with statements targeting Muslim Australians following the Bondi terror attack in December.
His rebuke was also amplified by Islamophobia ambassador Aftab Malik. He said extremism must be confronted, but also warned that conflating criminal activity with the Muslim faith would undermine trust and jeopardize genuine counter-extremism efforts that keep society safe.
Both are Muslims who worked in countering extremism before their current roles; Aly was a professor, while Malik ran programs in the NSW premier’s department.
His comments responded to a new dispute Morrison’s opening statement Australian Muslims spoke in Israel on Tuesday calling on Australian Islamic leaders to enforce stronger standards in their communities.
Morrison said Muslim leaders should start licensing preachers, all sermons should be translated into English and a board should be set up to police radicals.
Read the whole story By federal political correspondent Natassia Chrysanthos.
