Federal Election Information

1. Balanced Narratives and Representation
   Political leaders and parties must promote a balanced and fair narrative towards Islam, the Muslim community, and other minority groups. Misrepresentation and negative stereotyping must be actively challenged.

2. Addressing the Threat of Islamophobia
   Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment represent a growing danger in Australia. Since October 2023, Islamophobic abuse and attacks have significantly increased, with Muslim women who wear the scarf or veil overwhelmingly targeted. This alarming trend must be urgently addressed through public policy, education, and community engagement.

3. Condemnation of Ignorance and Prejudice
   Muslims continue to face ignorant and derogatory remarks about Islam, Muslim identity, and Islamic practices, often without any genuine effort to engage or learn. Political and community leaders must work to foster an environment of understanding, respect, and open dialogue.

4. Equal Legal and Political Response
   The same level of legal, political, and institutional response must be afforded to Islamophobic incidents as is rightly provided to other communities facing hate, discrimination, and violence.

5. Inclusive Political Discourse
   Political discourse must be inclusive of all Australians, reflecting the nation’s diversity. Language that seeks to divide, scapegoat, or create conflict between communities must be unequivocally rejected. Dog-whistling and opportunistic targeting of minorities for political gain must not be tolerated.

6. Combating White Supremacy and Far-Right Extremism
   White supremacy and far-right extremist groups pose a serious and growing threat to Australian society. Political parties must prioritise efforts to disrupt, counter, and proscribe these groups and their activities, treating them with the seriousness they deserve.

7. Upholding the Rights of All Minorities
   The rights of all minority groups must be protected and advanced. In particular, the rights and dignity of First Nations peoples and Indigenous Australians must be addressed as a national priority. Progress on Indigenous justice is essential.

   Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

   • Support inclusive narratives that reflect the true diversity of Australian society and actively challenge harmful stereotypes, particularly those directed at Muslims and other minority communities.
   • Condemn Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiment in all its forms, whether expressed in media, politics, or public life, and take concrete steps through legislation, education, and public campaigns to combat it.
   • Ensure equal legal protections for all communities facing hate and discrimination, and establish consistent processes to report, monitor, and respond to Islamophobic incidents.
   • Maintain respectful political discourse, rejecting dog-whistling, scapegoating, and inflammatory rhetoric that divides Australians along racial, ethnic, or religious lines.
   • Proactively address the threat of white supremacy and far-right extremism by proscribing dangerous groups, monitoring their activities, and ensuring that national security resources are equitably applied.
   • Prioritise justice and rights for all minorities, recognising that national unity depends on fairness, respect, and the protection of the most marginalised, especially First Nations peoples.

   Inclusion, justice, and respect must be upheld as fundamental principles in building a fair, united, and equitable Australia.

1. Consistent Application of Human Rights Standards
   The Australian Government must uphold a principled and consistent foreign policy approach that takes decisive action against international human rights abusers, regardless of political alliances or strategic interests. Accountability for crimes against humanity must not be selective.
2. Review of Sanctions Framework
   The Muslim community acknowledges the ongoing review of Australia’s sanctions framework, with human rights violations being promoted as a central criterion. This shift must be genuinely implemented and applied equally across all cases of severe abuse and oppression.
3. Precedent of Sanctions Against Russia
   Australia’s swift and comprehensive sanctions against Russian government officials and oligarchs in response to the invasion of Ukraine set a precedent. Such decisive action shows what is possible when political will aligns with moral responsibility.
4. Equal Application Across All Atrocities
   Measures to uphold international law, stand against genocidal regimes, and protect persecuted minorities must be applied universally. Sanctions and diplomatic actions should reflect Australia’s stated commitment to human rights, not geopolitical convenience.
5. Call for Targeted Sanctions:
   • China: Sanctions must be imposed on Chinese officials responsible for the persecution of the Uyghur population, widely recognised by international human rights organisations as genocide.
   • Myanmar: Sanctions should be urgently implemented against the Myanmar military regime for its documented atrocities against the Rohingya, which have similarly been described as genocide.
   • Israel: The Australian Government must apply sanctions against Israeli government officials, military entities, and complicit businesses for ongoing violations of international law. These include:
     • The genocide of the two million trapped in Gaza
     • The brutal and illegal occupation of Palestinian territories
     • Systematic oppression, land dispossession, and expansion of illegal settlements
     • Extrajudicial killings, indefinite detention, and torture of Palestinians
     • Apartheid policies against Palestinian citizens of Israel
     • The inhumane blockade of Gaza, widely described as the world’s largest open-air prison, which inflicts severe deprivation on over two million residents
6. Demand for Moral Leadership
   Australia must demonstrate moral leadership on the international stage by standing with oppressed peoples everywhere, not only when it aligns with strategic or economic interests. Human rights must never be selectively defended.

Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

• Support a values-based foreign policy grounded in international law, human rights, and universal accountability.
• Ensure the sanctions framework is applied consistently, without favouritism or double standards.
• Apply targeted sanctions against all regimes and officials responsible for crimes against humanity, including in China, Myanmar, and Israel.
• Acknowledge the suffering of oppressed minorities, including Uyghurs, Rohingya, and Palestinians, and take tangible action to support their rights and dignity.
• Reject selective outrage and show moral leadership by standing against all forms of injustice, not just those that are politically expedient.
• Elevate human rights as a central pillar of Australian foreign policy, reflecting the values of fairness, accountability, and compassion.

Australia must choose to be remembered as a nation that stood on the side of justice and human rights, not on the side of silence and inaction.

1. Urgent Attention to the Crisis in Gaza
   The ongoing slaughter of civilians in Gaza by the Israeli government and defence forces demands urgent and exceptional international attention. Rarely in modern history has the mass killing of civilians, including families, women, children, and the destruction of hospitals, schools, and refugee camps, been so extensively documented and accessible to the global public.
2. International Condemnation and Legal Action
   Inviolable institutions such as the United Nations, the International Criminal Court (ICC), and leading human rights organisations have unequivocally condemned Israel’s actions, citing credible evidence of potential genocide.

• • The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
  • In December 2024, a group of UN Human Rights experts called for immediate and concrete consequences against Israel for its systematic violations of international law, explicitly citing the use of starvation as a weapon, the targeting of healthcare workers and journalists, the destruction of hospitals, and the collective punishment of civilians.

1. A Matter of Universal Justice, Not a Single Community
   Opposition to these atrocities and genocide is not confined to the Muslim and pro-Palestinian communities. It is a matter of universal human rights, international law, and basic human decency, raising global concern across communities, nations, and institutions.
2. Israel’s Record of Violations
   Israel has a documented history of repeatedly violating international law with impunity. The current atrocities in Gaza are a continuation of this long-standing pattern.

Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

• • Condemn the atrocities, genocide and war crimes committed in Gaza and across Palestine.
  • Support international legal processes, including the ICC, in pursuing accountability.
  • Advocate for the protection of civilians and the end of collective punishment, genocide and war crimes.
  • Impose diplomatic and economic measures in line with Australia’s commitment to international law and human rights.
  • End all arms sales to Israel and impose a full arms embargo, in line with Australia’s obligations under international law.
  • Support and uphold international law, including the right of return for Palestinian refugees and the end of illegal settlement expansion in the occupied territories.

1. Urgent Need for Legislative Protection
   There is a critical and long-overdue need for comprehensive religious anti-discrimination legislation in Australia. People of faith, including Muslims, currently lack adequate protection against discrimination based on their religious identity and beliefs.
2. Lack of Legal Safeguards Across Jurisdictions
   There is no standalone legal protection against religious discrimination at the Commonwealth level. As a result, individuals who face discrimination due to their religious beliefs or practices, whether in public spaces, education, or the workplace, are left with little or no legal recourse.
3. Community Collaboration and Advocacy
   The Muslim community, in partnership with other faith communities, has constructively engaged with the Federal Government in advocating for a Religious Discrimination Bill. The aim is to establish nationally consistent legal protections, ensuring that Australians of all faiths are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect.
4. Aligning with Existing Anti-Discrimination Laws
   It is essential that protection against religious discrimination is brought into line with protections that already exist for attributes such as race, gender, age, and disability. Equal treatment under the law must extend to all forms of identity, including religious belief and practice.
5. Protecting Communities Amid Rising Hate
   For the Australian Muslim community, alongside other minority faith communities, these protections are especially critical in an environment marked by rising Islamophobia, hate crimes, and the proliferation of far-right and white supremacist ideologies. The absence of legal safeguards leaves these communities vulnerable.

Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

• • Introduce and pass a robust Religious Discrimination Bill at the Commonwealth level.
  • Encourage harmonisation of anti-discrimination laws across all states and territories to ensure consistent protections nationwide.
  • Ensure that any new legislation is comprehensive, enforceable, and inclusive of all faith communities, without privileging or disadvantaging any one group.
  • Support public education campaigns that promote religious tolerance, social cohesion, and respect for diversity.

Protecting religious freedom and dignity is not a special favour. It is a fundamental human right.

1. Widespread Abuse of Muslims, Particularly Women
   Muslims in Australia are routinely subjected to vilification and hateful speech both online and in public spaces. Alarmingly, the overwhelming majority of these victims are Muslim women who wear the hijab or veil, making them highly visible targets of abuse.
2. Lack of Federal Legal Protection
   Currently, no federal laws protect individuals from hateful speech and vilification on the basis of their religion. While Australia has enacted protections against vilification based on race, gender, sexuality, and other attributes, religion remains a critical and glaring omission.
3. Empirical Evidence of Rising Islamophobia
   According to recent reports on the rise of Islamophobia in Australia, verbal intimidation and harassment remain the most common forms of abuse. Alarmingly, Muslim women, particularly those who wear the Hijab and visible religious attire, make up the vast majority of reported victims, with many subjected to threats of violent abuse. These findings highlight a deeply concerning trend of escalating hate targeting a specific faith group, compounded by the absence of adequate legal protections to safeguard victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
4. Need for Consistency Across Anti-Vilification Laws
   The Australian Government has taken action to address hateful speech against other communities. It is essential that religious vilification is treated with the same urgency and gravity. Legal protections for religion must be brought into line with existing protections for other attributes under anti-discrimination and anti-vilification frameworks.

Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

• • Introduce federal anti-vilification laws that explicitly prohibit hateful and threatening speech based on religious belief or appearance.
  • Ensure these laws are enforceable and apply across all states and territories.
  • Prioritise the protection of visibly identifiable groups, particularly Muslim women, who are disproportionately affected.
  • Support educational initiatives and public awareness campaigns to combat ignorance, reduce prejudice, and foster religious tolerance and social harmony.

No one in Australia should be threatened, harassed, or humiliated because of their faith. It is time to enshrine these protections in law, as a matter of justice, equality, and national values.

1. International Legal Obligations
   Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) recognises every person’s right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the freedom to manifest that belief in worship, practice, and teaching. Australia ratified this covenant over 40 years ago, yet it has not enacted comprehensive legislation to reflect and protect this internationally recognised human right.
2. Freedom to Teach Religious Belief
   The Muslim community maintains that genuine expressions of faith and legitimate quotations of religious scripture, particularly when used for the purpose of teaching and not to incite hatred or vilify others, should not be subject to discrimination complaints. Freedom of religious expression in educational contexts is essential to maintaining an open and respectful multicultural and multifaith society.
3. State-Level Progress Must Be Nationally Reflected
   While some states have begun discussing legislative measures to protect legitimate scriptural references, there is an urgent need for national consistency to ensure that religious educators and students are protected under a clear and unified legal framework.
4. Parental Rights and Religious Ethos in Schools
   International human rights law, including the ICCPR, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, affirms the right of parents and guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in accordance with their own convictions. Religious schools must retain the ability to implement policies that reflect and uphold their religious ethos. This is vital to the integrity and identity of these institutions.

Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

• • Enact federal legislation that protects the freedom to teach, express, and live out religious beliefs and ethos in educational settings.
  • Safeguard the right of parents to choose religious education for their children without fear of reprisal or discrimination.
  • Ensure that religious schools are free to maintain their faith-based ethos through policies, curriculum, and conduct expectations.
  • Guarantee that expressions of faith, including scriptural references used in good faith, are not mischaracterised as discriminatory or unlawful.

Failure to legislate such protections risks the gradual erosion of religious freedoms and the distinct identities of faith-based schools that many communities, including the Muslim community, deeply value.

1. Fulfilling International Obligations
   Australia must uphold its obligations under international law concerning the treatment and protection of refugees. As a nation that professes a commitment to human rights, Australia has a responsibility to contribute its fair share in addressing the global refugee crisis and to act with leadership, compassion, and justice.
2. Cruelty of Mandatory and Offshore Detention
   The policy of mandatory and offshore detention, often in appalling conditions and for indefinite periods, is cruel, inhumane, and incompatible with international human rights standards. The overwhelming majority of those affected are people of colour and Muslims, many fleeing violence, persecution, and war. Australia’s current approach has inflicted lasting harm on thousands of vulnerable individuals.
3. Discriminatory and Dehumanising Measures
   Temporary protection visas and restricted access to basic services, including health, education, and the right to work, further dehumanise refugees and deny them the opportunity to rebuild their lives. Many refugees come from Muslim-majority nations and have close family ties to Australian citizens and permanent residents, yet are treated with suspicion and hostility.
4. Addressing Global Injustice in Refugee Crises
   Many refugee crises stem from serious human rights violations, including war, occupation, persecution, and systemic discrimination, often unaddressed or unchallenged by the international community. Australia must not only acknowledge this context but also act with justice and compassion in its policies.

Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

• • Immediately close all offshore detention facilities and end the use of third-country processing.
  • Dismantle the mandatory detention regime and implement community-based alternatives.
  • Abolish temporary protection visas, allowing refugees to live with certainty, dignity, and access to services.
  • Release detainees into the community while their claims are processed fairly and efficiently.
  • Significantly increase Australia’s refugee intake to better reflect its capacity and moral responsibility.
  • Prioritise the reunification of families and acknowledge the social and cultural ties many refugees have with communities already in Australia.

Australia must choose compassion over cruelty. A fair, humane, and rights-based refugee policy is not only achievable but essential to global responsibility.

1. Challenging Harmful Narratives
   Narratives suggesting that Australia is under threat of being “overrun” by migrants have been allowed to take hold in public discourse. Such rhetoric fuels xenophobia, division, and fear, portraying immigrants as a threat to national identity instead of recognising their vital contributions to the nation’s prosperity, diversity, and social fabric.
2. Structural Inequities in the Immigration System
   While Australia’s immigration policy is officially described as non-discriminatory, in practice, systemic barriers disproportionately disadvantage individuals from poorer, non-English speaking backgrounds, many of whom are from Muslim-majority countries. The heavy emphasis on skilled migration and financial capacity effectively excludes large segments of the global population who are equally deserving of opportunity and safety.
3. The Contribution of Migrants
   Immigrants are routinely scapegoated for social and economic challenges, yet they are among the greatest contributors to Australia’s development. From building businesses and essential services to enriching our cultural and community life, migrants, particularly from historically marginalised communities, play a central role in Australia’s advancement and prosperity.

Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

• • Reject divisive and fear-based rhetoric about migrants and refugees.
  • Reform immigration policies to remove structural barriers that disadvantage those from poorer, non-English speaking, and conflict-affected regions.
  • Recognise and accommodate humanitarian and family-based migration pathways, not just skilled and high-income categories.
  • Ensure immigration officers and decision-makers are trained in anti-discrimination principles and cross-cultural understanding.
  • Acknowledge and value the contributions of migrants from all backgrounds, including Muslims, and ensure their inclusion in national policy conversations.

A fair immigration system must reflect the values of equity, compassion, and opportunity, not wealth, privilege, or prejudice.

1. Disproportionate Impact of National Security Laws on Muslims
   Since 2001, Australia has introduced more than 90 terrorism and national security laws, the highest number among OECD countries. While national security is important, several of these laws have enabled disproportionate targeting of individuals based on religious identity, particularly impacting Muslim Australians. This has resulted in unjustified surveillance, questioning, and harassment that breach civil liberties and erode trust in public institutions.
2. Profiling at Airports and Public Spaces
   Muslim individuals are regularly subjected to stereotyping and profiling at airports and other public places, often based on their names, appearance, travel patterns, or religious attire. Such practices create an environment of fear, suspicion, and alienation for Muslim Australians and contribute to their marginalisation. These measures also divert valuable security resources away from serious threats such as organised crime, domestic violence, people smuggling, and drug trafficking.
3. Lack of Scrutiny of Far-Right Extremism
   Despite growing evidence of links between far-right extremist neo-Nazi groups in Australia and similar movements in Europe and North America, individuals associated with these groups often do not face the same level of scrutiny or preventative measures. This inconsistency undermines public confidence and demonstrates a clear double standard in the application of national security laws.
4. Amend Discriminatory Terminology in National Security Policy
   The current use of the term “religiously motivated extremism” in national security discourse disproportionately targets Muslim communities and reinforces harmful stereotypes. The terminology must be revised to reflect a more accurate and equitable framework, international law and legal principles, such as ‘politically motivated” terrorism. This broader and more appropriate term captures all forms of violent extremism, including those rooted in religious, nationalist, or supremacist ideologies, without unfairly stigmatising any one group.
5. Rise in Domestic Threats Ignored
   White supremacy and far-right extremism represent an increasing security threat in Australia. Just last year, a bomb was planted on a car displaying a Palestinian flag, an act that, if perpetrated by a Muslim, would likely be classified and responded to as terrorism. Yet, such incidents often fail to prompt the same level of media coverage, public outrage, or government action when Muslims are the victims.

Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

• • Prohibit racial and religious profiling in all security-related policies and practices.
  • Review and reform national security laws to ensure they do not enable discriminatory targeting of any community.
  • Apply counter-terrorism laws equally to all individuals and groups, including far-right and white supremacist extremists.
  • Increase scrutiny of violent extremist movements, regardless of ideology or ethnicity, and treat their actions with the same urgency.
  • Hold social media platforms accountable for failing to remove extremist content, incitement to violence, or hate speech.
  • Provide transparent oversight and independent review mechanisms to monitor the use of security powers and ensure accountability.
  • Amend discriminatory terminology in national security frameworks by replacing “religiously and ideologically motivated terrorism or extremism” with “politically motivated terrorism or extremism” to ensure consistency, fairness, and accuracy in how threats are classified and addressed.

National security must not come at the cost of justice, equality, and the rights of law-abiding citizens. Discrimination weakens, not strengthens, Australia’s security.

1. Acknowledging Historical and Ongoing Injustice
   Australia’s history of colonisation, systemic racism, forced removals, and the denial of basic human rights to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remains a national shame. These injustices continue to manifest in the present day through persistent inequality, discrimination, and institutional neglect. The truth of these crimes can no longer be denied, they must be openly acknowledged and addressed through the principles of reparative justice.
2. Ongoing Inequality and Deaths in Custody
   The scale of injustice facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remains staggering and should shock the national conscience. Today, the child mortality rate in First Nations communities is more than double that of non-Indigenous Australians. Life expectancy is over 10 years shorter. Despite comprising just 2% of the adult population, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up nearly 30% of the prison population. One in five live in poverty, compared with one in thirteen across the broader population.

These are not historical issues, they are current, systemic failures demanding urgent, sustained, and community-led action.

Aboriginal deaths in custody continue to be a national disgrace. Since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in custody, with many of the Commission’s recommendations still unimplemented. This reflects a broader failure to ensure justice, accountability, and the right to life for First Nations peoples.

Political representatives and election candidates must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the following policies as a measure of their seriousness, credibility, and suitability for public office.

• Formally acknowledge the historical and ongoing injustices committed against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• Implement the recommendations of the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and other key reports.
• Close the gap in child mortality, life expectancy, incarceration rates, and poverty through properly resourced and community-led solutions.
• Support truth-telling processes and initiatives that allow First Nations voices to be heard and respected.

Justice for First Nations people is not optional. It is a moral, legal, and national imperative.