AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Australian government unveiled the "National Action Plan to Combat Islamophobia"; a plan presented as the official response to the report of Aftab Malik, the Special Envoy for Combating Islamophobia.
Anthony Albanese, Australia's Prime Minister, announced this package with the aim of preventing the spread of anti-Muslim sentiment in the country.
Under this plan, approximately $42 million will be allocated for the implementation of a series of measures, including strengthening security measures at places of worship and supporting Muslim communities, particularly women and youth. A special taskforce is also to be formed to address Islamophobia in the education system, and the national curriculum will be revised with the aim of promoting racial and religious tolerance.
In another part of this program, the Australian Federal Police will increase the number of community liaison officers and will launch a special communication portal to facilitate reporting of hate-related incidents. Previously, criminal penalties had been considered for membership in banned hate groups, and universities are now also required to prevent and respond to cases of Islamophobia.
Despite the announcement of this support package, the Australian government did not accept all the recommendations of the Special Envoy for Combating Islamophobia. Among other things, the government did not agree to review anti-terrorism laws or establish a special commission to examine anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism. Tony Burke, Australia's Home Affairs Minister, meanwhile described Islamophobia as a deeply rooted and underreported phenomenon, emphasizing that its consequences for the Muslim community are devastating.
Also, Anne Aly, the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, who is recognized as the first Muslim in the country's history to serve in the Australian Parliament, emphasized that the government has for the first time officially recognized Islamophobia as a structural problem. This stance comes as Australian officials say that combating religious and racial hatred remains one of the government's main priorities in the field of social coexistence.
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