On 12 January 2026, The Minister for Home Affairs, the Hon Tony Burke MP, wrote to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (the Committee) to refer an Exposure Draft of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026 for inquiry and report.
As the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, I support the Government’s shared commitment to safety, dignity and mutual respect following the violent attack and the killing of members of the Jewish community at Bondi Beach on 14 December 2025.
In accordance with my terms of reference to advise and assist the Government to better understand and combat Islamophobia, this submission focuses on addressing what I perceive to be an inequitable framework that contains significant gaps in the protection of all Australians.
It is my recommendation that the Bill be amended to include religion as a protected attribute within the Criminal Code and Migration Act and incorporate adequate procedural safeguards to ensure the law is comprehensive, fair and just for all.