From graffiti to physical assaults, Muslims face hatred in Australia.
From graffiti to physical assaults, Muslims face hatred in Australia.
2025-09-12 04:44
Shafaq News – Canberra
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Friday that his government will consider the recommendations of an independent report on Islamophobia, which indicates that anti-Muslim sentiment in the country has reached “unprecedented levels .”
A report by the government’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, noted that “the normalization of anti-Muslim sentiment has become so widespread in Australia that many incidents go unreported .”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese considered that “targeting Australians based on their religious beliefs is an assault on the country’s core values .”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government would consider the recommendations of an independent report on Islamophobia, noting that anti-Muslim sentiment in the country had reached unprecedented levels .
The government’s Special Envoy on Combating Islamophobia reported that “the normalization of anti-Muslim hatred has become so widespread in Australia that many incidents go unreported .”
“Australia has failed to address the persistent and worsening phenomenon of Islamophobia,” said Aftab Malik, the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, describing it as a “deep-rooted societal challenge .”
He explained that “Islamophobia is not just a personal phenomenon, but is also institutional and structural .”
“The reality is that Islamophobia in Australia persists, is sometimes ignored and sometimes denied, but has never been fully addressed ,” Aftab Malik said during a press conference in Sydney, which Albanese also participated in.
He added that “direct Islamophobic incidents have increased by 250% online since Hamas’s attack on Israel in 2023,” while Malik also recommended conducting a large-scale survey on Islamophobia to investigate its drivers and potential discrimination in government policies .
The 60-page report proposed 54 recommendations to the government, including an investigation into religious discrimination and the impact of Islamophobia on social cohesion and democracy .
Malik was appointed last year to recommend steps to combat anti-Muslim hatred, after Australia witnessed a rise in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic incidents since the start of Israel’s offensive on Gaza nearly two years ago, following Hamas’s attack on Israel .
The report stated, “The attacks of October 7, 2023 in Israel represent the latest turning point, as Islamophobia has reached unprecedented levels .”
Since the start of the conflict, an Islamophobia index reported a 1,505 increase in hate incidents by November 2024 .
The report also called for “an independent review of the country’s anti-terrorism laws, as well as an investigation into the causes of racism against Palestinians and finding solutions to them .”
The report stated: “From hateful graffiti to vandalism of Muslim property, and verbal and physical violence against Muslim bodies, Islamophobia is part of everyday life for Muslim communities in Australia .”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “Targeting Australians based on their religious beliefs is an attack on the country’s fundamental values .”
He said he would “carefully consider the report’s recommendations,” adding, “Australians must feel safe at home in any society. We must eradicate the hatred, fear, and prejudice that fuel Islamophobia and division in our society.”
shafaq.com
