SYDNEY — Australia’s left-leaning government has appointed the country’s first special envoy for social cohesion amid tensions over Israel’s war in Gaza. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday that friction in the community was causing “a great deal” of concern.
Australia’s special envoy for social cohesion is Peter Khalil, the son of Egyptian migrant parents and a governing Labor party lawmaker in Federal parliament.
Khalil will report directly to the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about how to improve social cohesion.
Albanese told reporters in Canberra Monday that there is a “great deal of concern about disharmony” across Australia.
Community groups have reported an increase in Islamophobic and antisemitic abuse in Australia since Israel’s war in Gaza began last October.
Australian police are investigating an attack by a masked gang on the Melbourne office of a Jewish-Australian lawmaker last month. Windows were smashed, and fires were lit. The slogan "Zionism is fascism" was graffitied in red paint over an image of Josh Burns, a federal government parliamentarian.
Activists have also alleged that certain media outlets in Australia “have demonstrated bias against Palestinians and Muslims.”
Peter Khalil told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Monday that he will work to bring people together.
“Those two issues of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, which we have seen an increase in both over this period. We are looking at ways that we can develop policy and shape policy to bring people together and find that common ground,” he said.
Earlier this month, Australia appointed its first antisemitism envoy to help curb a rise in violence and abuse against Australia’s Jewish community since the start of the Israel-Gaza conflict last October.
The Canberra government has also confirmed it would soon appoint a special envoy on Islamophobia, which, like its antisemitism counterpart, will advise policy makers and political leaders.
Australia takes great pride in its cultural diversity. About a third of the population were born overseas, according to official data. The five most common languages in Australia other than English are Mandarin, Arabic, Vietnamese, Cantonese and Punjabi.
Australia’s center-left government has appointed three special envoys; for social cohesion, for Defense, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia and also for Cyber Security and Digital Resilience.
