A One Nation senator has been accused of fanning anti-Muslim hate and associating with neo-Nazis after grilling Australia's envoy to combat Islamophobia about sharia law.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Malcolm Roberts, a Queensland-based representative of the right-wing party, grilled Aftab Malik during Senate estimates on Tuesday about why his report outlining a national response to Islamophobia did not mention sharia law.
"Sharia law, should it be allowed into Australia, would replace Australian law, Australian courts, police and governments," Senator Roberts said.
"How can you talk about opposition to Islam without addressing the elephant in the room: sharia law?"
Mr Malik said the question was a good example of why his role was established by the federal government: to help people understand misconceptions around Islam and sharia law which were fuelling anti-Muslim discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion.
Greens senator David Shoebridge asked Mr Malik whether false, politicised attacks, like saying sharia law was about to be imposed on Australia, were partly to blame for rising Islamophobia.
"You are absolutely correct," Mr Malik said.
"Part of the problem is that with freedom of expression or freedom of speech, one must also exert responsibility. And I think this is what is lacking from political discourse: responsibility.
"One can be critical of any religion, one can be critical of a Muslim country. But once it errs upon sweeping generalisation, stereotyping or demonisation or specifically targeting Muslims personally ... (it) normalises prejudice.
"When people see or hear a political leader speak in a certain way, it confirms those prejudices and it emboldens discrimination."
Senator Roberts also accused Mr Malik of attempting to cast concerns about Islamic terrorism as Islamophobia by not making reference to ISIS or al-Qaeda in his report.
Labor senator Murray Watt slammed Senator Roberts, accusing him of consorting with neo-Nazis.
"I don't really know what point you're making, but I have to answer questions from you and your colleagues on a regular basis in the Senate chamber which I would describe as Islamophobic," he said.
"So I would encourage you to think very carefully about the sorts of questions and sorts of statements that you and your colleagues make in the public domain, at a time when we are seeing social cohesion under threat, and at a time when we are seeing the rise of neo-Nazis and other extremists with whom you sometimes associate."
Senator Roberts protested that he did not associate with neo-Nazis.
"My comments are pro-Australia," he said.
"My party's name is One Nation because we believe in unity."
Last week, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was widely condemned and ejected from the Senate after walking into the chamber in a burqa, after attempting to bring forward a motion to ban the Islamic head covering in public places.
Senator Hanson is not a practising Muslim.
Australia's race discrimination commissioner, Giridharam Sivaraman, told Senate estimates on Monday that Senator Hanson's actions would deepen negative attitudes and the risk of violence towards Muslim women.
Australian Associated Press
