Islamophobia envoy says government taking too long to act on report

Islamaphobia envoy Aftab Malik is asking the federal government to "urgently" respond to a report he handed down last year. (Supplied) The author of a report into Islamobphobia has spoken out against the federal government over concerns it has not responded since it was handed down last September. Special envoy Aftab Malik warned the government not to wait 'for another Christchurch [massacre]' before responding. It comes just days after a man was charged in Brisbane over alleged threats to worshippers with an AK-47 assault rifle. Link copiedShareShare articleThe author of a landmark report on Islamophobia in Australia says the federal government is taking too long to act on the issue. The Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, said the government had "sufficient time" to respond to the report he handed down in September last year. Mr Malik recommended inquiries into Islamophobia, another into anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism, the effect of counterterrorism laws on Muslim communities and more support for Islamic facilities and communities. He and other Muslim leaders and organisations have voiced frustration with the government's failure to respond to the report and its 54 recommendations designed to combat the rise of "anti-Muslim hate, prejudice, dehumanisation and vilification". The first recommendation was for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to "confront Islamophobia with equivalent urgency to other discriminatory practices, and provide it with the same rights, protections, and legal recourse". "So I urge the government to respond to my 54 recommendations urgently." The Lebanese Muslim Association issued a statement calling on the federal government to "stop shelving the Islamophobia envoy's report and start acting on it". The report has been endorsed by the Australian National Imams Council, Shia Muslim Council of Australia, and other major Muslim organisations across the country. Minister Anne Aly said the government was still considering the report's recommendations. (AAP: Mick Tsikas) Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly said the government "has zero tolerance for Islamophobia, or any form of hatred, in Australia". "Every Australian, regardless of race or religion, deserves to feel safe, respected, and included in our community," Dr Aly said in a statement. "I thank Mr Aftab Malik, the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, for his work and report. Its recommendations are significant and require careful consideration across government. Many recommendations build on work already underway to support communities following October 7. "The Albanese Government is focused on combating Islamophobia and is carefully considering Mr Malik's report and recommendations, with a response to be provided soon." According to the report, Islamophobic incidents have been on the rise over the past few years. "The 7 October 2023 attacks in Israel mark the most recent turning point, where Islamophobia has since reached unprecedented levels," the report said. Islamophobia Register Australia has recorded a 619 per cent increase in reported incidents from October 2023 to February 2026 It recorded an additional 740 per cent increase in Islamophobic incidents in the fortnight following the Bondi terror attack. Nora Amath, the executive director of the Islamophobia register, said recorded incidents were just the "tip of the iceberg". Nora Amath says the targeting of mosques echoed international patterns including the 2019 Christchurch massacre. (Supplied) Mr Malik said at the centre of each incident were real people. "These are individuals and communities that are being directly impacted by vile and hateful speech, but also physical violence on properties being damaged and torched," he said. Last Sunday, a 33-year-old man allegedly entered Masjid Taqwah in Brisbane and threatened worshippers with an AK-47 assault rifle he claimed was in his vehicle. The man has been charged with creating a public nuisance and disturbing a place of worship and a court date has been set for May 22. "[Someone] knocked on our door and said, 'there is somebody here please go out he has a gun with him'," witness Mohideen Thassim told the ABC about the incident. Mohideen Thassim says the Masjid Taqwah mosque incident was "quite scary". (ABC News) "I mean, at that time, you are panicking, and then we got out of that room, he mentioned that the police is coming … it was pretty scary." Dr Amath had previously said that the targeting of mosques echoed international patterns, including the 2019 Christchurch massacre where 51 Muslims were gunned down inside their mosque. "There were warnings from Muslim communities about escalating rhetoric in the period leading up to Christchurch that were not adequately heeded," she said. Mr Malik said "the time is now" for the government to respond to his recommendations. Mr Malik took aim at the lack of funding to combat Islamophobia in this week's budg

Islamophobia envoy says government taking too long to act on report

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