Reports put hate crimes on radar

The extent of discrimination, racism and hate faced by Australia’s Islamic community has been revealed through a series of research reports authored by Charles Sturt University’s Dr Derya Iner in collaboration with Islamophobia Register Australia.

The four research reports, published between 2014-2022, highlight both individual and institutional aspects of Islamophobia in Australia and have led to the raising of public awareness through media coverage, policy debate and increased advocacy for the Muslim community.

One of the many outcomes from Dr Iner’s reports includes the awarding of $385,000 in funding to the Islamophobia Register Australia in 2022 to conduct the bystander activation project. The initiative aims to educate the broader Australian community about the importance of combating hate incidents as they are witnessed.

Following the publication of Islamophobia in Australia III, then-Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and Shadow-MP for Multicultural Affairs Andrew Giles released a statement highlighting their commitment to tackling Islamophobia in Australia. Their statement cited the research in Dr Iner’s reports. The reports have also been referenced as a key source in MP Paul Lynch’s Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Vilification Bill), launched in 2021.