<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>335480</docID> <postdate>2024-12-17 12:44:59</postdate> <headline>Islamophobia a ‘hidden cancer’ of Australian society</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-335482" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/imengine.public.prod_.mmg_.navigacloud.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></p> <caption>Growing anti-Muslim sentiment is eroding Australia's social harmony, an expert says. (Glenn Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p class="wire-column__preview__author"><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Melissa Meehan</b> in Melbourne</span></p> <p><strong>Islamophobia is a "hidden cancer" eating away at Australia's social cohesion and polarising society, according to the nation's official expert. </strong></p> <p>Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik says there has been a rise of anti-Muslim sentiment across the nation, describing recent vandalism in Sydney as a symptom of a deeper issue.</p> <p>NSW Police have launched an inquiry into anti-Islam graffiti found in a western Sydney suburb over the weekend.</p> <p>The words "F*** Islam" were spray painted onto an overpass and the words 'cancel Islam' were graffitied on a nearby advertising board.</p> <p>The graffiti has since been painted over.</p> <p>Mr Malik, appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in September, said the weekend's incident was "appalling and simply unacceptable".</p> <p>"It crosses a line from free speech to hate speech," he told ABC Radio on Tuesday.</p> <p>"That graffiti has no place in a multicultural, multi-faith Australia."</p> <p>Mr Malik spoke of his five-week tour of Australia and shared some harrowing stories from those he met with, including public humiliation and death threats.</p> <p>"I think Islamophobia is one of those hidden cancers that eats away at social cohesion," he said.</p> <p>"It is well known among Muslim communities but it really hasn't warranted or received a public outcry and coverage that many of us believe it should."</p> <p>In his first interview since his appointment, Mr Malik emphasised the need for government action, including countering stereotypes, holding perpetrators accountable and improving safety for Muslims.</p> <p>He noted women were particularly vulnerable to Islamophobia, with a number of people he spoke to telling stories of women being asked if they were carrying a bomb under their clothing or others having their hijab's ripped off their heads.</p> <p>Mr Malik said he had spoken with his Jewish counterpart, Special Envoy to Combat anti-Semitism Jillian Segal, on many occasions about the challenges both groups faced.</p> <p>Hate speech and intimidation is on the rise in Australia triggered by the war in Gaza.</p> <p>Recent anti-Semitic crimes include the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue - being investigated as a likely terrorist attack - and anti-Israel graffiti sprayed on a building before a car was set on fire in Sydney.</p> <p>Mr Malik has been appointed for a three-year term and will report directly to the prime minister and the minister for home affairs, immigration and multiculturalism, and cyber security.</p> </body>