Motions

International Day to Combat Islamophobia

The Hon. M. EL DANNAWI (16:08): I move:

That this council—

1. Recognises 15 March as International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

2. Notes that 15 March was adopted as International Day to Combat Islamophobia by the UN General Assembly, in order to commemorate the Christchurch Mosque attacks.

3. Acknowledges the concerning rise in Islamophobic rhetoric, actions and sentiment in Australia.

4. Acknowledges that Islamophobia:

(a) isolates, endangers and dehumanises Muslim people;

(b) creates barriers to full and equal participation; and

(c) undermines social cohesion.

5. Affirms that Islamophobia, racism and discrimination have no place in Australian society.

I rise today to speak about a pressing issue that impacts hundreds of thousands of Muslim Australians, and that is Islamophobia. March 15 is the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the discrimination, prejudice and violence that many Muslims face worldwide. This day is not just about acknowledging the problem; it is about standing together in solidarity to create a world where every individual, regardless of faith, is treated with dignity and respect.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted this day on 15 March 2022 in response to the alarming rise in hate crimes, discrimination and violence targeting Muslims globally. The date was chosen in remembrance of the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand on 15 March 2019, where 51 innocent worshippers lost their lives. This tragedy was a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of hatred and the urgent need to combat Islamophobia at all levels.

Islamophobia is not an abstract concept: it is a major societal issue that has real consequences on the physical, mental and psychological wellbeing of the individuals subjected to it. It fuels hate crimes, discrimination in workplaces and schools, and policies that marginalise entire communities. It creates fear and division, preventing us from seeing the shared humanity that unites us all. No-one should have to live in fear because of their religion, the way they dress or the language they speak.

Unfortunately, there has been a concerning rise in Islamophobic rhetoric, actions and sentiment in Australia in the past few years. On 13 March, the Islamophobia Register released its fifth Islamophobia in Australia report, detailing an increase in the number of reports it received between January 2023 and November 2024. I encourage anyone listening to read through the entire report, because the stories that they have collected are both upsetting and eye-opening. The Islamophobia Register Australia is a non-profit organisation and provides a unique platform for incidents of Islamophobia to be reported, recorded and analysed. It has now operated for over nine years collecting hate incident data by working in partnership with universities.

They recorded a 250 per cent increase in reported online incidents and a 150 per cent increase in reported in-person incidents. Women and girls are the target of these incidents by an overwhelming 75 per cent. Muslim women and girls were 79 per cent of the reported victims of verbal abuse, 60 per cent of the victims of physical abuse, 95 per cent of the victims of reported incidents on public transport and 100 per cent of victims of reported incidents where a Muslim was spat at. The lead researcher, Dr Susan Carland from Monash University commented:

This is the tenth consecutive year of reporting on Islamophobia in Australia that has demonstrated that Muslim women and girls are specifically, overwhelmingly the victims of these incidents, and the perpetrators are generally men.

Professor Mehmet Ozalp said in his foreword to the report:

These numbers are not just statistics; they represent real lives impacted by fear, violence and systemic discrimination.

The impact of these incidents cannot be underestimated. They prevent many Muslim Australians from feeling safe and from fully taking part in the economic and social life of our country.

For the first time, the report also included a dedicated chapter on the issue of anti-Palestinian racism and how it drives an increase in Islamophobia. Reports to the register spiked after 7 October 2023, and I would like to read directly from the report:

The intersectional relationship between Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate is complex and contested. There is a documented overlap and relationship between anti-Palestinian hate and Islamophobia, their roots, and their manifestations. Palestinian Muslims constitute approximately 98% of the population of Gaza and West Bank, with Christians making up about 2%, and some political rhetoric used in Gaza employs religious symbolism…

The media often demonises or reduces the Palestinian activism against the Israeli occupation, framing the Palestinian nationalism and global support only as an Islamic struggle. This framing has contributed to the Islamisation of the Palestinian cause…It is worth noting that conflating Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate ignores the distinct experiences of Christian and Druze Palestinians, risks confusing political and racial bigotry with religious hate, and ignores the distinct aspects of anti-Palestinian hate that are not present in Islamophobia.

What is clear from the huge increase in reports to the register is that when anti-Palestinian racism is not condemned or addressed by the media and the community it emboldens those who hold Islamophobic beliefs to act.

Since 7 October, the government has created roles for a special envoy to combat antisemitism and a special envoy to combat Islamophobia, noting that there has been an increase in both. It is concerning when we see the two roles being given different treatment by some politicians. On Monday, federal opposition leader Peter Dutton stated to journalists that the role of the Islamophobia envoy would be up for review and he would not commit to retaining the position if elected. A spokesperson for the opposition later confirmed to SBS News that the antisemitism envoy role would not be reviewed.

It is this sort of rhetoric that leads Australian Muslims to think that their safety is not as important, that they are not as valued by our society, despite a genuine increase in Islamophobic threats and attacks. The reality is that Islamophobia has complex and deep-seated origins stemming from political narratives, media portrayals and psychological biases.

While Islamophobia is a deeply rooted issue, it is not unchangeable. There are concrete steps we can take as individuals, communities and institutions to combat it, starting with education and awareness. One of the most effective ways to dismantle prejudice is through education. Schools and universities must play a role in raising awareness amongst our young people cohort about recognising and rejecting stereotypes and challenging misconceptions among students and their peers as well as the teaching and staff teams.

Secondly, we must challenge the media narrative. The media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and often perpetuates negative stereotypes about Islam. This contributes to an unconscious bias against Muslim Australians that unfairly associates them with violence, terrorism, oppression or backwardness. It is vital that we hold media outlets accountable for biased reporting and demand fair representation. This means amplifying Muslim voices, sharing positive stories about Muslim contributions to society and calling out Islamophobic rhetoric when we see it. It does not just end with the media, though. As public leaders, we need to avoid using divisive language that scapegoats Muslims.

Finally, on a societal level we need to be speaking up against discrimination. We must call out Islamophobic remarks in conversations, support Muslim colleagues and friends when they face discrimination and use our platform to advocate for inclusivity. The Islamophobia Register's recent report found that only 9 per cent of Australians believe that there has been an increase in Islamophobia. Despite the prevalence of incidents occurring in public places, people witnessing incidents are often not intervening to support victims. Bystander inaction was a common behaviour cited in the report, and witness reporting for the period dropped by about half.

If anyone listening today ever finds themselves in a place where someone is being Islamophobic or, indeed, discriminatory in any way, I encourage them to remember the four Rs: recognise, respond, record and report. Combating Islamophobia effectively is a challenge that requires collective effort, honesty and the courage to stand up. By educating ourselves, challenging biased narratives, advocating for stronger protections and building meaningful relationships across communities, we can create a society where everyone, regardless of faith or background, is treated with dignity and respect.

The fight against Islamophobia is not just about protecting Muslims, it is about upholding the fundamental values of justice and equality that define a healthy society. This is what makes Australia a model for multiculturalism worldwide, ensuring that diversity is not just tolerated but celebrated. I commend the motion to the chamber.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (16:19): I rise to speak in support of this motion and associate myself with the comments of the Hon. Mira El Dannawi, and thank her for bringing this motion before this council. It is very important—and we have seen a terrifying rise in Islamophobia in recent years, both in Australia and across the globe. We have seen stories of people being harassed, being spat at, being grabbed, being hit, and just recently there was an attempt to set a woman on fire in Canada.

I acknowledge the Christchurch mosque attack, which led to the International Day to Combat Islamophobia being set and established for 15 March, and I note that date has recently passed. The horrific attack there shows just what can happen when these prejudices are left unchecked. They can manifest in violent and catastrophic ways, taking the lives of people who should still be with us today. It shows that we must do better to protect Muslims in our community and Muslim communities from Islamophobia.

Despite this, a recent report on Islamophobia in Australia that is based on reports to the Islamophobia Register between January 2023 and November 20 24 has found a steep increase in assaults, abuse and threats. More than 600 in-person and online incidents were analysed, and it was found that Muslim women are overwhelmingly victims of these attacks. People have been jumped in the street, attacked, yelled at in shopping centres. They have been exposed to violent threats online and, after a Muslim man's truck was set on fire in Victoria, he expressed frustration at the police, stating that he 'felt like they don't care', and that, 'They wouldn't even say it's a hate crime.'

That report found that a spike in incidents occurred after 7 October, including the targeting of Palestinian rallies and, of course, university encampments right across the country and here in Adelaide. I must say that there were several firework attacks on the encampment at Adelaide University, where people in tents were sleeping peacefully in the night time when fireworks were thrown into their presence, creating fear and, of course, potential harm.

Some people have been targeted for displaying Palestinian symbols such as the keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf, which started out as a garment worn by farmers for protection during harsh desert conditions and which has become a powerful symbol of Palestinian identity and resistance.

Shamefully, despite this rise we often see incidents of Islamophobia go unreported or not given the same level of reporting as other kinds of discrimination. There is no hierarchy in which one type of discrimination is worse than others: they are all abhorrent, and should be treated with the same level of action to call out that behaviour. One example of this asymmetric treatment was the horrific attack on an Islamic school bus in Reynella in December just last year here in Adelaide. That bus was parked outside the driver's home overnight when it was targeted and lit on fire. It received scant coverage in our local media and barely got a mention in the national media.

I note that the UN Secretary-General has repeatedly condemned the continuing acts of anti-Muslim hatred and bigotry around the world, saying the impacts and trends of this rise have impacts beyond Muslim communities. While this might be true, we should not care about Islamophobia just because of the impacts it might have on other communities and non-Muslim groups: the simple fact that such discrimination and harassment exists at all, and impacts those that are the target of it, is enough.

Everyone has the right to peace and freedom of religion, values that the Greens are proud to uphold and stand behind. No-one should be fearful of simply existing while wearing religious clothing, such as a hijab.

As this motion sets out, Islamophobia isolates, endangers and dehumanises Muslim people. It is unacceptable in all its forms. But on the campaign trail, as the Hon. Mira El Dannawi noted, just in this last week in the federal election, the federal Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton, said he would review the role of the recently appointed Islamophobia envoy, questioning its role in helping; however, he would not apply that same level of scrutiny to the antisemitism envoy's role. This is an unacceptable double standard from the man who wants to be our Prime Minister. I will repeat that—he wants to be our Prime Minister, which means governing for us all.

So in this chamber today, I am glad that we do acknowledge that 15 March was the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. I am saddened and outraged that we have to have such a day, but we acknowledge here today the tragedy that this day evolved from and I cannot do this without acknowledging and calling out that Muslim people are still targeted at utterly alarming rates and that it is getting worse. There is so much more work to be done to ensure that Muslim people feel safe to practise their religion and simply just exist.

It is heavy lifting that this parliament should be doing in this debate, and I look forward to all parliamentarians joining and supporting this motion, not just here today with our words but with our ongoing actions.

The Hon. S.L. GAME (16:27): I rise briefly to put on the record my support for the honourable member's motion. There is no place in a civilised society for Islamophobia or targeting of a particular group based on their religion or their heritage, so I strongly support this motion.

I also want to echo the sentiments of the Hon. Tammy Franks. I absolutely believe we need to do everything we can in this parliament to foster peace and freedom of religion in our community. Certainly, global events have inflamed tensions between certain groups where we, unfortunately, unfairly hold one another accountable for events that are beyond our control happening overseas. So I absolutely want to put on the record that we all have a right to exist peacefully and cohesively regardless of religion or background and I absolutely extend that to the Muslim community.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.