A landmark report by Australia's first Islamophobia envoy, Aftab Malik, has called for renewed efforts to outlaw religious discrimination and review counter-terrorism laws. Malik presented 54 recommendations on Friday, advocating for inquiries into the prevalence of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism.

"The reality is that Islamophobia in Australia has been persistent, at times ignored and at other times denied, but never fully addressed," Malik stated during a press conference. He emphasized that the recommendations aim to foster a fair and inclusive environment that actively combats prejudice while respecting fundamental freedoms.

Despite these calls for action, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's stance on religious discrimination legislation remains unchanged. Efforts to legislate protections for religious beliefs, akin to those for race, gender, and sexuality, have failed in the last two parliaments. Albanese previously refrained from publishing a draft bill due to a lack of support from the Coalition, citing concerns over potential community tensions.

"I certainly support religious discrimination legislation, but I don't support starting a debate that leads to rancour," Albanese said, reiterating his willingness to engage on the issue. He noted that his government would consider Malik's recommendations, which were made independently, similar to a report from anti-Semitism envoy Jillian Segal in July.

Malik's report highlights ongoing Islamophobic attitudes and incidents targeting Australian Muslims, tracing their roots back to the September 11 attacks in 2001. A study from the following decade revealed that half of Australians identified as "anti-Muslim," a trend that has persisted in more recent surveys. A 2024 Scanlon Institute survey found that over one-third of respondents expressed negative attitudes towards Muslims.

Particularly concerning, Malik pointed out, is the abuse faced by Muslim women who wear hijabs. "[They] have had their hijabs pulled and ripped off. They have been subjected to foul, disgusting and degrading behaviour," he said. He also referenced two bomb threats made against a mosque and an Islamic school in the past week, indicating that Islamophobic incidents are often under-reported, with harassment and death threats being commonplace.

The proposed national inquiry into Islamophobia would investigate the factors contributing to the prevalence of hate, including government policies and media coverage, and assess the impact on Muslim communities. Additionally, a separate inquiry into anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism would focus on the repercussions of the Gaza conflict.

Malik expressed concern over the "dehumanisation" of Palestinian-Australians, linking it to the suffering experienced by people in Gaza. However, he cautioned against conflating Islamophobia with this form of racism. He also recommended an independent inquiry into the effects of counter-terrorism laws on Muslim communities, echoing a previous recommendation from the Australian Human Rights Commission. Furthermore, he suggested that racial discrimination laws be clarified to explicitly include the "ethno-religious" Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim communities, similar to protections already in place for Jewish communities.