ISTANBUL

Australia’s Muslim community on Wednesday criticized former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, accusing him of promoting Islamophobic narratives and unfairly blaming Muslims for acts of violence.

The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC), the peak body representing Muslim religious leaders in Australia, said Morrison’s calls for Muslim leaders to undertake so-called “wholesale reform” and to take “accountability and responsibility” to address what he described as “political Islam" and implying that Islam or Muslims bear responsibility for the recent Bondi beach attack, were "reckless, irresponsible, and deeply ill-informed."

“This is not the first time Scott Morrison has made such reckless remarks,” ANIC said, adding that during his time in office he made similar claims following the 2018 Bourke Street attack, suggesting Muslim leaders and communities should be “more proactive” and implying they would know who was being radicalized.

The council rejected any suggestion that Islam or Muslims bear responsibility for the Bondi attacks, noting that law enforcement authorities have clearly stated the incidents were not organized, directed, or endorsed by any religious group.

Morrison made the comments at a conference in Israel and in an opinion article for The Australian, calling for nationally consistent accreditation, regulation, and oversight of imams and religious institutions, according to SBS News.

The council said it was deeply disappointing to hear such language from a former prime minister, warning that holding an entire faith community accountable for the actions of individuals undermines social cohesion and exploits public fear for political ends.

ANIC also criticized recent remarks by Senator Andrew Bragg, saying they reinforced a dangerous narrative that fuels division.

The council warned that inflammatory rhetoric contributes to a rise in Islamophobic incidents, including verbal abuse, physical attacks, and threats against mosques and community leaders.