AMAN condemns the Albanese Government’s cancellation of community funding on the basis of ‘social cohesion concerns.’
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Anne Aly and the local Labor MP, Julian Hill, announced last night that the Government would renege on a major election commitment to the Shia community in that electorate for a community centre, citing ‘social cohesion’ concerns.
This follows a raft of commentary from Labor leaders demonising Shia Muslims who are mourning the illegal assassination of Khamenei.
Weaponisation of grief for political purposes
Just weeks ago, we were told that inviting Israel’s President to Australia after the Bondi mass shooting was justified because it would be a comfort for grieving Jewish Australians, even though the UN Commission of Inquiry found he incited genocide against Palestinians.
Premier of NSW, Chris Minns, told the community to “remain respectful”. We were told we should separate the “head of state” from the actions of the government he represents.
Our National political leaders weaponised the grief of the Jewish community to justify an invitation to Herzog.
Now Albanese, Minns, and other federal cabinet ministers weaponise the grief of the Shia Muslim community for a different political purpose: to reinforce foreign and defence policy and lessen the intense scrutiny they are currently facing for supporting an illegal war.
No ‘calm and measured’ government
According to our Defence Minister, 900 Australian defence personnel are embedded in the US military, and we continue to supply arms and intelligence to the US, so the absence of any red lines is legitimate grounds for scrutiny. The government’s position that they have enough evidence to support the US and Israel’s actions, but not enough evidence to say if it’s illegal, is embarrassing.
Their attempt to deflect attention by cancelling funds, demonising a community who have committed no crime, is evidence of impulsive and unprincipled governance.
The fact that any funding can be cancelled over ‘social cohesion’ concerns without any procedural fairness raises questions about the funding for Zionism and Israel-related activities (like the implementation of the Antisemitism envoy’s report), as well as Hindu activities that engage in the burning of effigies that cause deep harm and humiliation to caste-oppressed and Muslim groups by revering past atrocities and tragedies.
The government brushes away those concerns. So, what criteria are being used for ‘social cohesion concerns’, and will it be applied universally? This is not ‘calm and measured’ government as the Albanese Government claims to be.
ENDS.