The Australian federal government is gearing up to launch an education taskforce dedicated to combating Islamophobia, marking a significant move in its strategy to address discrimination. This initiative is part of a larger, structured response to a major report on Islamophobia, which also includes training programs for politicians and public servants.
However, insiders from SBS News reveal that the government may not fully endorse several of the 54 proposals laid out in Aftab Malik’s comprehensive report. Ten months after submission, this decision has stirred skepticism among Muslim community leaders, raising concerns about whether the government is indeed committed to curbing Islamophobia.
Among Malik’s recommendations is the cessation of religious discrimination, advocating for legal protection under racial discrimination laws, akin to those safeguarding Sikhs and Jews. He also suggested an independent review of Australia’s counterterrorism laws to ensure Muslims are not unfairly targeted or discriminated against.
The report further urged the establishment of a commission of inquiry specifically to address Islamophobia. Malik also proposed a separate inquiry to tackle growing anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab sentiment, attributing its rise to a perceived governmental moral void regarding Middle Eastern communities.
As the government prepares to release its response on Saturday, there is an expectation that it will unveil additional strategies aimed at stemming the tide of anti-Muslim actions within the nation.
A spokesperson told SBS the government is “focused on combating Islamophobia and is carefully considering Mr Malik’s report and recommendations, with a response to be provided soon”.
“The Albanese government has zero tolerance for Islamophobia. Every Australian, regardless of race or religion, deserves to feel safe, respected, and included in our community,” the government spokesperson said.
Australian Federal Police community liaison teams will be expanded to respond to Islamophobia in the community and there will be targeted support as well a boost in multicultural grants to bolster Muslim community organisations.
The response could further test Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s relationship with some Muslim Australians, many of whom have expressed disappointment in what they say is the government’s failure to address Islamophobia.
There has been a 650 per cent rise in Islamophobic attacks from October 2023 to June 2026, according to the Islamophobia Register. The organisation said the total number of reports in that time was more than 2,600.
Relations between the government and some Muslim Australians have been strained following the government’s response to conflict in the Middle East and what critics perceive as a lack of support for Lebanese and Palestinian people.
In March, Albanese, joined by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, was heckled in a hostile reception at one of his most recent public engagements with the Muslim community on Eid at Lakemba Mosque in Sydney’s south-west.
The prime minister also faced pushback for what critics said was a delay in responding to the report by the special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, which she handed down in July 2025.
Four days after the Bondi Beach terror attack, when two gunmen inspired by the self-proclaimed Islamic State group killed 15 people at a Jewish family event in December, the government said it would work through the implementation of all Segal’s 13 key recommendations.
Part of its action to tackle antisemitism also included an antisemitism education taskforce, as well as providing Burke with new powers to cancel or reject visas for people shown to deliver hate speech.
In the wake of the massacre, Albanese also set up the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, which is currently holding public hearings.
In January, the government was forced to amend a bill aimed at tackling hate speech — one of the recommendations by Segal — after both the Coalition and the Greens ruled out support. The laws later passed, with a provision clamping down on racial vilification removed.