Australian Government Accepts 35 of 54 Islamophobia Recommendations, Rejects Legal Changes

The Albanese government released its response today to a September report from special envoy Aftab Malik that contained 54 recommendations on combating Islamophobia. The response addressed 35 recommendations and said it would consider the remaining 19.

It did not adopt Malik’s calls for a ban on religious discrimination, protection of Muslims under racial discrimination laws, an independent review of counter-terrorism laws, or a commission of inquiry into Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism.

The government also declined a proposal, submitted by Malik to the antisemitism royal commission, to amend terrorism laws by reducing reliance on religious and ideological motivation as a central criterion. Instead the government announced a review to strengthen religious and racial tolerance in education, funding for mental health support especially for Muslim women, creation of an Islamophobia-related trauma protocol, promotion of cross-cultural events, and workplace training for politicians and public servants on Islamophobia.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the response followed principles outlined by Malik and was guided by security agency advice on the terrorism-law proposal.

“Islamophobia has no place in Australia,” Albanese said. ” Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly called the response the first government recognition that Islamophobia is an immediate threat. “It is dangerously close to becoming normalised, and that it has traumatising, detrimental, and long-lasting effects on a significant number of Australians,” Aly said.

Malik welcomed the recognition of the threat but said further measures were needed. “This is just the start of the journey,” he said.