PM responds to landmark Islamophobia report

A landmark report on Islamophobia urges more to be done to tackle the issue at its roots.

The federal government has accepted 35 of 54 recommendations put forward by Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik on Saturday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters prejudice directed at Islam or Muslims had no home in Australia. 

“There is simply no place in Australia, or anywhere in the world, for Islamophobia and racial hatred,” he said.

“This is about practical action to keep communities safe and strengthen our social cohesion and based on the envoy’s four guiding principles.”

While the government will not endorse several of the recommendations, it will support an education task force aimed at tackling Islamophobia in the community.

There will also be targeted funding to bolster the safety and security of Muslim institutions, which includes $41.9 million across initiatives to improve security at Muslim faith-based places.

The measures are set to build on extensive existing work across government to combat Islamophobia, along with all forms of hatred.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke added that Islamophobia remained “chronically under-reported” and that it was “debilitating”.

The report’s release follows a long wait for Muslim Australians, who continue to face Islamophobia in their everyday lives, Mr Malik said.

He added, this was just the start of the journey.

“To tackle Islamophobia at its roots, we must address the challenging questions,” Mr Malik said.

“Muslim Australians should not be expected to bear the cost of that complexity indefinitely. Where the government has acted, I will support that progress.

“Where recommendations remain outstanding, I will continue to advocate for them.”