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| Minns unveils plan to fight anti-Muslim hate: ‘Naked racism and Islamophobia have no place in our state’ | Minns unveils plan to fight anti-Muslim hate: ‘Naked racism and Islamophobia have no place in our state’ |
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| Exclusive: $1m grant comes after reports of rising Islamophobia and a huge turnout for the Sydney Harbour Bridge march | Exclusive: $1m grant comes after reports of rising Islamophobia and a huge turnout for the Sydney Harbour Bridge march |
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| The Minns government will establish a $1m program to combat anti-Muslim hate, including establishing a support hotline for victims and a program to build awareness of Islamophobia. | The Minns government will establish a $1m program to combat anti-Muslim hate, including establishing a support hotline for victims and a program to build awareness of Islamophobia. |
| The initiative will fund a support hotline for those experiencing Islamophobia and a case management system for victims of abuse so authorities and the community have better information about what behaviours are being experienced. | The initiative will fund a support hotline for those experiencing Islamophobia and a case management system for victims of abuse so authorities and the community have better information about what behaviours are being experienced. |
| The funds will also be used to build support services for people who are impacted and to provide training programs to police responding to Islamophobic attacks. | The funds will also be used to build support services for people who are impacted and to provide training programs to police responding to Islamophobic attacks. |
| The grant comes after a huge turnout for a pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Police estimated 90,000 people turned out, but organisers estimated the figure was closer to 300,000. | The grant comes after a huge turnout for a pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Police estimated 90,000 people turned out, but organisers estimated the figure was closer to 300,000. |
| The march was opposed by the premier, Chris Minns, on public safety grounds but was permitted to go ahead after organisers successfully appealed to the supreme court. | The march was opposed by the premier, Chris Minns, on public safety grounds but was permitted to go ahead after organisers successfully appealed to the supreme court. |
| Minns’ stance caused internal dissent within the NSW Labor party, particularly among MPs whose seats have large Muslim populations, who saw Minns’ response as tone-deaf to the concerns of the community. | Minns’ stance caused internal dissent within the NSW Labor party, particularly among MPs whose seats have large Muslim populations, who saw Minns’ response as tone-deaf to the concerns of the community. |
| “Anecdotal evidence presented to me indicates that Islamophobia is far higher than what is reported, we don’t want Australians suffering in silence or enduring racism without help or support,” Minns said as he announced the program. | “Anecdotal evidence presented to me indicates that Islamophobia is far higher than what is reported, we don’t want Australians suffering in silence or enduring racism without help or support,” Minns said as he announced the program. |
| “Naked racism and Islamophobia have no place in our state or our country and it is abhorrent that people perpetuate this sort of behaviour,” he said. | “Naked racism and Islamophobia have no place in our state or our country and it is abhorrent that people perpetuate this sort of behaviour,” he said. |
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| The Action Against Islamophobia program, which will administer the grant, is run by the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC). | The Action Against Islamophobia program, which will administer the grant, is run by the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC). |
| The ANIC president, Imam Shadi Alsuleiman, said there had been a rise in anti-Muslim hate which had left many Muslims anxious about engaging in their daily religious activities, such as praying in mosques or leaving the house wearing the hijab. | The ANIC president, Imam Shadi Alsuleiman, said there had been a rise in anti-Muslim hate which had left many Muslims anxious about engaging in their daily religious activities, such as praying in mosques or leaving the house wearing the hijab. |
| “Islamophobia manifests itself in the community in several different ways, and we’ve seen an increase in micro aggressions that are often brushed off as ignorance or rude behaviour,” he said. | “Islamophobia manifests itself in the community in several different ways, and we’ve seen an increase in micro aggressions that are often brushed off as ignorance or rude behaviour,” he said. |
| “Understanding how Muslims experience Islamophobia will help guide our approach to combating the issue on a holistic level.” | “Understanding how Muslims experience Islamophobia will help guide our approach to combating the issue on a holistic level.” |
| The Scanlon Foundation’s most recent 2024 Mapping Social Cohesion report showed negative attitudes towards Muslims remain by far the highest towards any single faith group for more than 10 years. | The Scanlon Foundation’s most recent 2024 Mapping Social Cohesion report showed negative attitudes towards Muslims remain by far the highest towards any single faith group for more than 10 years. |
| Negative attitudes towards Muslims rose from 27% in 2023 to 34% in 2024, according to the survey. | Negative attitudes towards Muslims rose from 27% in 2023 to 34% in 2024, according to the survey. |
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| The Islamophobia Register Australia has recorded a surge of over 530% in Islamophobic incidents being reported since 7 October 2023 to July 2025, with more than 1,500 cases reported to the body. | The Islamophobia Register Australia has recorded a surge of over 530% in Islamophobic incidents being reported since 7 October 2023 to July 2025, with more than 1,500 cases reported to the body. |
| “This program will play a critical role in providing support to those who have been affected by this hatred while also spreading awareness of the importance of rejecting racism in all its forms,” the minister for multiculturalism, Steve Kamper, said. | “This program will play a critical role in providing support to those who have been affected by this hatred while also spreading awareness of the importance of rejecting racism in all its forms,” the minister for multiculturalism, Steve Kamper, said. |
| “To safeguard our vibrant multiculturalism, we must ensure we’re putting the plans in place to stamp out hatred, like that faced by our Muslim community,” he said. | “To safeguard our vibrant multiculturalism, we must ensure we’re putting the plans in place to stamp out hatred, like that faced by our Muslim community,” he said. |
| The NSW government has already taken steps to combat the rise in antisemitic incidents in NSW that escalated in the wake of the conflict in the Middle East. | The NSW government has already taken steps to combat the rise in antisemitic incidents in NSW that escalated in the wake of the conflict in the Middle East. |
| In February it passed controversial new laws cracking down on hate speech, offensive Nazi symbols, and desecration and harassment at places of worship. | In February it passed controversial new laws cracking down on hate speech, offensive Nazi symbols, and desecration and harassment at places of worship. |
| Minns said that these laws would protect not only Jewish people but members of all faiths and their places of worship. | Minns said that these laws would protect not only Jewish people but members of all faiths and their places of worship. |
| The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has reported that in the 12 months that followed 7 October 2023, there was a 316% increase in the overall number of reported antisemitic incidents in Australia compared to the same period in the previous year. | The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has reported that in the 12 months that followed 7 October 2023, there was a 316% increase in the overall number of reported antisemitic incidents in Australia compared to the same period in the previous year. |