I understand that, Commissioner. I am asking particularly about an unprecedented rise, horrific incidents, of Islamophobia, and your not having once written about it or talked about it. I know all forms of racism are bad. I have the antiracism portfolio, which includes antisemitism and Islamophobia as well. I don’t understand why you can’t acknowledge that as an issue. If you could table, on notice, any articles, anything that you have written about Islamophobia, that might be helpful, because I couldn’t find any.
Senator FARUQI: I have some questions for Commissioner Finlay. Good morning, Commissioner. You authored an opinion piece which was published in The Nightly on 27 March this year about antisemitism in Australia. As I said to Commissioner Sivaraman, we have seen a massive rise—it has been there always—in Islamophobia since October 7 in universities: 10-fold, then 13-fold and then 39-fold. You wrote that particular article in your capacity as the Human Rights Commissioner, but you didn’t once mention rising Islamophobia in that article. Can I ask you why?
Ms Finlay: I direct you to the second paragraph of that opinion piece. You’re correct; I didn’t mention Islamophobia directly. However, what I did emphasise, right from the beginning, was that racism in all its forms, no matter who the target is, needs to be called out. Then I go on to explain in the opinion piece why I focus particularly on antisemitism for the purposes of that piece, that being that, at this point in time, and given the unprecedented rise in antisemitism we’ve been seeing in the calculated and targeted attacks, it was my view that was something that needed to be a focus of this piece but of course stating right from the beginning that racism in all its forms needs to be called out. I certainly don’t believe that by calling out one form of racism you diminish the importance of any other form of racism, or necessarily that every time you mention one form of racism you automatically need to attach reference to every other single form of racism at the same time.
Senator FARUQI: I do understand that. However, there was an unprecedented rise in Islamophobia as well at exactly the same time. My question is: why wouldn’t you, as the Human Rights Commissioner, mention it at all?
Ms Finlay: Again, I would refer to my previous answer, and the fact that I outlined in that opinion piece the reasons that I felt it was important to expressly call out antisemitism at this point in time, given, again, the significant and substantial rise that we’re seeing, and the calculated and targeted nature of what we’re seeing in Australia. Again, framed by the fact that racism in all of its forms needs to be called out, I took the view that at that point in time, and at this moment, calling out antisemitism was particularly important and something that needed to be done.
Senator FARUQI: Did you receive any feedback on the draft of your article from any of the other commissioners?
Ms Finlay: Yes, I did.
Senator FARUQI: What was that feedback?
Ms Finlay: I can’t go into the internal discussions that I have with commissioners around the formulation of opinion pieces or views. What I can say is that I followed the normal processes of the commission in ensuring that there was appropriate consultation and visibility of other commissioners in terms of what I was intending to publish. Then, immediately following publication, of course, there was circulation amongst all of the staff in the commission so that there could be necessary discussions raised within the commission in terms of the views that were expressed.
Senator FARUQI: Was there any advice to you about including Islamophobia in that article?
Ms Finlay: I can’t talk about internal discussions, Senator, in terms of the formulation of opinion pieces.
Senator FARUQI: Can you point me to, or table, any public statements or articles you have made about Islamophobia or anti-Arab racism? I googled it; I tried to find it. There is not a single statement from you on that.
Ms Finlay: What I can say is threefold. Firstly, the work of the commission broadly addresses racism in all of its forms; secondly, there have been numerous occasions when I have made reference to racism more generally, and that has included antisemitism and Islamophobia; thirdly, I refer you to the fact that I meet broadly with a range of individuals and organisations that address various forms of racism and concerns about social cohesion, noting particularly, however, that I work within a commission that does contain a race discrimination commissioner, who obviously leads our work in that regard. Again, I simply refer you to the second paragraph of that opinion piece that makes very clear my view that racism, in all its forms, needs to be called out.
Senator FARUQI: I understand that, Commissioner. I am asking particularly about an unprecedented rise, horrific incidents, of Islamophobia, and your not having once written about it or talked about it. I know all forms of racism are bad. I have the antiracism portfolio, which includes antisemitism and Islamophobia as well. I don’t understand why you can’t acknowledge that as an issue. If you could table, on notice, any articles, anything that you have written about Islamophobia, that might be helpful, because I couldn’t find any.
Ms Finlay: Perhaps it would allay your concerns to say I do condemn all forms of racism, including Islamophobia. Again, I would refer you to the opinion piece itself, discussing why at this point in time there is a particular need to call out antisemitism, given the calculated, targeted nature of what we’re seeing and the unprecedented rise in antisemitism in Australia.
Senator FARUQI: I will finish there. I keep telling you that it works exactly the same for Islamophobia. You said you have been meeting groups. Have you met with any Jewish groups since 7 October? If yes, who have you met? Have you met with any Muslim or Arab groups since 7 October? If you have, who have you met?
Ms Finlay: Yes, I have. Perhaps, to ensure the accuracy of that answer, I could take it on notice.
Senator FARUQI: You have met with Jewish groups?
Ms Finlay: Yes, Senator.
Senator FARUQI: You have met with Muslim and Arab groups as well?
Ms Finlay: Yes, Senator.
Senator FARUQI: If you could take that on notice, I would appreciate that.
Ms Finlay: Certainly.
CHAIR: We are due to go to a break. We will suspend the hearing now.