Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s remarks come after independent Senator Fatima Payman questioned why he hadn’t done more to publicly denounce the alleged assaults in Melbourne.

Anthony Albanese, the prime minister of Australia, has broken his silence on the alleged Islamophobic attacks on two women at a suburban shopping center nearly a week after the assaults.

He was questioned on Wednesday, February 19, about physical assaults on two Muslim women—one of whom was pushed to the ground—in separate incidents at a shopping mall in Epping, northern Melbourne, on February 13.

“I find this outrageous—that people were assaulted for who they are. Attacks based on race or religious belief are un-Australian. They are outrageous,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

“The perpetrators should be held fully accountable and face the full force of the law.”

Fatima Payman Criticizes Anthony Albanese

Albanese’s comments come after independent Senator Fatima Payman criticized the media and politicians for their responses to the alleged Islamophobic incidents in a video posted to social media on Tuesday, February 18.

Payman questioned why Albanese hadn’t done more to publicly condemn the alleged incidents and accused the “right-wing media” of showing “double standards” by not covering them as extensively as the alleged anti-Israeli remarks made by two NSW nurses.

“Silence from the PM and minimal coverage from journalists when it comes to Islamophobic attacks,” Payman said.

“Where is the outrage?”

Echoing Payman’s comments, the Islamic Council of Victoria’s Adel Salman said Australian leaders should treat anti-Muslim hatred as seriously as they do antisemitism and other hate-based crimes.

“They know it’s real. They know it hurts Muslims. They know it kills Muslims,” he told SBS News, pointing to the Christchurch terrorist attack and other Islamophobic incidents overseas.

“Why is the government so reluctant to take as strong a stance as they have with antisemitism?”

The physical security of Australian Muslims is being threatened almost daily, and the response from authorities and political leaders has been “grossly insufficient,” said Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Rateb Jneid.

“When compared to the swift and significant attention given to less severe incidents affecting other communities, the disparity in response is not only apparent but also unacceptable,” he said.

Anthony Albanese Says Race- and Faith-Based Attacks Are ‘An Outrage’

Albanese denies that Australians view Islamophobia differently from antisemitism.

“All I can do is speak for myself, and I regard any attacks based on race or faith as an outrage. I believe that, overwhelmingly, Australians are harmonious,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

The victims of the Epping attack, one of whom is pregnant, were taken to the hospital with bruises, scratches, and potentially long-term physical injuries, according to the Australian National Imams Council.

Commissioner Says Australia Has ‘A Problem with Racism’

Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman said the incidents demonstrate that Islamophobia remains a significant issue in Australia, often manifesting in violence against visibly Muslim women.

“It was shocking to hear about these attacks—they were violent, unprovoked, and distressing,” Sivaraman told SBS News.

“Social cohesion is a term that’s often thrown around, but in reality, we won’t truly get along unless we acknowledge that racism exists and take real steps to address it.”

Source: SBS News