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One Nation senator criticized for ‘Islamophobic’ questions to envoy
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One Nation senator criticized for ‘Islamophobic’ questions to envoy

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A One Nation senator has been accused of stoking anti-Muslim hatred and associating with neo-Nazis after criticizing Australia’s anti-Islamophobia envoy over Sharia law.
Malcolm Roberts, a Queensland-based representative of the right-wing party, questioned Aftab Malik during Senate estimates on Tuesday about why his report, which outlines a national response to Islamophobia, made no mention of sharia law.
“If Sharia law were allowed in Australia, it would replace Australian law, Australian courts, police and governments,” Roberts said.

“How can you talk about resistance to Islam without addressing the elephant in the room: Sharia?”

Malik said the question was a good example of why his role was established by the federal government: to help people understand misconceptions about Islam and Sharia law that fueled anti-Muslim discrimination, marginalization and exclusion.

Greens Senator David Shoebridge asked Malik whether false, politicized attacks, such as saying Sharia law was about to be imposed on Australia, were partly responsible for rising Islamophobia.

Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, Aftab Malik, said his role was established to help people understand misconceptions about Islam. Source: MONKEY / Bianca de Marchi

“You’re absolutely right,” said Malik.

“Part of the problem is that with freedom of speech or freedom of speech, you also have to exercise responsibility. And I think that’s what’s missing from the political discourse: responsibility.

“You can be critical of any religion, you can be critical of a Muslim country. But as soon as it makes the mistake of sweeping generalization, stereotyping or demonization or by specifically targeting Muslims personally… [it] normalizes prejudices.

One Nation Senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts sit next to each other in Parliament.

Last week, Pauline Hanson wore a burqa in parliament for the second time in her career. Source: MONKEY

“When people see or hear a political leader speak in a certain way, it confirms those prejudices and encourages discrimination.”

Roberts also accused Malik of trying to label concerns about Islamic terrorism as Islamophobia by not referring to ISIS (the self-proclaimed Islamic State group) or al-Qaeda in his report.
Labor senator Murray Watt denounced Roberts and accused him of associating with neo-Nazis.
“I don’t really know what point you are making, but I regularly have to answer questions from you and your colleagues in the Senate chamber that I would describe as Islamophobic,” he said.
“So I would encourage you to think very carefully about the kinds of questions and kinds of statements that you and your colleagues make in the public domain, at a time when we see social cohesion being threatened, and at a time when we are seeing the rise of neo-Nazis and other extremists you sometimes associate with.”
Roberts protested that he did not associate with neo-Nazis.
“My comments are pro-Australia,” he said.
“The name of my party is One Nation because we believe in unity.”
Last week, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was widely condemned and expelled from the Senate after she walked into the chamber wearing a burqa after attempting to introduce a motion to ban the Islamic head covering in public places.
Hanson is not a practicing Muslim.
Australia’s Racial Discrimination Commissioner Giridharam Sivaraman told Senate estimates on Monday that Hanson’s actions would increase negative attitudes and risks of violence towards Muslim women.

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