Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, has described the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia’s report, released on Friday, as a pivotal opportunity to confront racism directed at Muslims.
The report outlines the breadth of Islamophobia across education, media, law enforcement, politics and public life, highlighting that Muslim women are disproportionately targeted in public settings while Muslim men are more likely to face attention in security and policing contexts. It calls for reforms spanning legal, education, government, media and community sectors, aligning with the Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Anti-Racism Framework.
Sivaraman said the report’s recommendations track closely with the Commission’s work: ‘I welcome its alignment with the National Anti-Racism Framework.’
He also pointed to recent incidents in Queensland — including a threatening email to the Islamic College of Brisbane and a bomb hoax at Arundel Mosque — that have unsettled local communities, reinforcing the report’s findings on harm and fear.
The Commissioner said a coordinated approach is now within reach, with the National Anti-Racism Framework recommendations before government, two Special Envoy reports delivered, and the Racism@Uni study due to report its findings.
‘I look forward to continuing engagement with both Special Envoys as we work toward meaningful change.’
Framing the challenge as one of values as well as policy, Sivaraman urged swift action: ‘I urge governments, institutions and individuals to act with urgency and compassion.’
