Muslim affairs expert announced as the special envoy to combat Islamophobia in Australia by Anthony Albanese

The Albanese government has appointed a ‘special envoy’ to strengthen actions against criticism of Islam and Muslim adherents amid a rise in tensions in the Middle East.

Two months on from the appointment of a Jewish envoy to combat a reported rise in anti-Semitism, the government has now done the same for Muslims with the appointment of Aftab Malik.

Anthony Albanese made the appointment on Monday, after the Prime Minister had said finding a suitable candidate had ‘proved more of a challenge’ than it had when Jillian Segal was chosen as anti-Semitism envoy.

Mr Malik has spent almost a decade working in the NSW Premier’s Department, proposing measures to stamp out anti-Islamic sentiment.

He will consult with local Muslim leaders and religious discrimination experts before framing a response.

Tensions in Australia have been heightened by the conflict in the Middle East which was sparked by the October 7 attack on Israel by Islamist group Hamas.

Israel responded with a sustained bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip and the conflict has now spread into Lebanon.

Mr Malik said ‘fighting against hate’ in Australia was more important today than it had ever been in order to maintain some social cohesion.

‘I don’t intend to use this role to advocate that one form of hatred is more important than another: both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are unacceptable,’ he said.

‘Each of us can play a part in making sure that violence and hatred have no place in our communities.

‘We can do this by valuing and strengthening the bonds between us and by calling out discrimination and being allies to those who experience it.’

Australia Palestine Advocacy Network President Nasser Mashni said both special envoy roles risked inflaming community tensions ‘by suggesting that the experiences of some racialised groups are more significant than others’.

‘Anti-Palestinian racism is not about religion, but about colonialism and the systemic oppression of Palestinians as an indigenous people whose lands have been stolen and illegally occupied,’ he said.

Mr Malik said he looked forward to working with his counterpart Ms Segal to ‘fortify’ social cohesion and bring communities together ‘rooted in dignity for all’.

Mr Malik will start his three-year term in mid-October and will report to the prime minister and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

The government has spent $90 million on the ingoing impacts of the conflict on Australian communities.