The New South Wales government has announced a new $1 million program aimed at combating anti-Muslim hate, a move that follows a massive pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Guardian reported. The initiative, named the Action Against Islamophobia program, will be run by the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) and is designed to address a troubling rise in racism and prejudice.
Speaking at the announcement, Premier Chris Minns stated, “Naked racism and Islamophobia have no place in our state or our country.” The program will fund a support hotline for victims, establish a case management system to document incidents, provide training for police, and create support services for those affected.
The announcement is particularly timely, as a recent report from the Scanlon Foundation found that negative attitudes toward Muslims have risen significantly, reaching their highest level in over a decade. The march, which drew between 225,000 and 300,000 people, highlighted the need for the government to be more responsive to the concerns of the Muslim community. Minns’ initial stance against the protest had caused internal dissent within his own Labour party, with some members calling his response “tone-deaf.”
The new program aims to provide a tangible response and demonstrate the government’s commitment to protecting its diverse population. The initiative will also build upon existing efforts to combat antisemitism, which were established in the wake of the Middle East conflict.
