SYDNEY: Australia has failed to tackle persistent and intensifying Islamophobia, a government envoy said Friday, calling anti-Muslim hate a “deeply ingrained societal challenge”.
At a news conference in Sydney unveiling the results of a year-long inquiry, Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik said that incidents had soared in recent years.
“The reality is that Islamophobia in Australia has been persistent, at times ignored and other times denied, but never fully addressed,” he said.
Without any remedies, “Islamophobia has intensified over the past two decades”.
Among the report's 54 recommendations to parliament and government were stronger measures to ensure accountability for hate speech and greater support for victims.
