Politics With Michelle Grattan: Ghaith Krayem On Muslim Votes Mattering
Author:
Michelle Grattan
(MENAFN- The Conversation)
It is almost been a year since the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. Since then, the conflict in the Middle East has increasingly impinged on our domestic politics, despite Australia having no direct role in it.
The horrific death toll in Gaza and the increase in both antisemitism and Islamophobia in Australia have focused the attention of the Albanese government. Both Muslim and Jewish communities have criticised the government for its responses to the conflict, as it tries to maintain a sense of social cohesion.
Australian Muslims are one of the fastest-growing minority groups in the country. They are important to Labor in some heartland seats. The recently-formed group Muslim Votes Matter aims to amplify the Muslim voice. The group plans to back candidates who support the issues it says Muslims care about.
Today we're joined on the podcast by Ghaith Krayem, a spokesman for the group. He is a past president of the Islamic Council of Victoria and formerly CEO of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils.
Krayem says the Muslim community is frustrated over the government's consultative process in relation to appointing an envoy to combat Islamophobia. There is still no announcement, despite the envoy to combat antiseminitism being in place for some time.
Apart from the Gaza issue, Krayem talks about other issues of concern to the Muslim community:
On how Muslim Votes Matter will gather information on candidates, and if being a Muslim is a requirement for their support, Krayem says:
On the Coalition's calls for a pause and greater security checks on Gazan refugee intake into Australia:
On the relationship between the Muslim community and the Jewish community in the wake of the war:
Israel
Immigration
Palestine
Gaza
Politics with Michelle Grattan
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