Critics and community advocates argue that the government's response, while a welcome first step, fails to address the structural roots of Islamophobia in Australia. By rejecting the call to overhaul counter-terrorism laws and declining to establish a commission of inquiry into anti-Muslim racism, the government has left the most significant systemic issues untouched. For many in the Muslim community, the refusal to remove religious or ideological motivations from the legal definition of terrorism is a glaring omission that perpetuates a narrative of suspicion toward their faith. This approach, they argue, fails to acknowledge how current laws can inadvertently stigmatize entire communities.
There is also a deep concern that the government is opting for 'soft' measures—such as education and grants—while avoiding the 'hard' work of legislative reform. Without an independent review of counter-terrorism laws or a formal commission of inquiry, the underlying biases that fuel Islamophobia remain unexamined and unchallenged at the institutional level. Advocates warn that without these deeper reforms, the government's actions risk being perceived as performative rather than transformative. The delay of 10 months in responding to the report has already caused frustration, and the partial adoption of recommendations is seen by some as a missed opportunity to enact meaningful, lasting change.
Furthermore, the political context surrounding the announcement has drawn criticism. By using the launch of the report to challenge the Opposition over its relationship with One Nation, the government has been accused of politicizing a sensitive issue of human rights. This tactic, critics say, distracts from the urgent need for a bipartisan, comprehensive strategy to combat racism. For those who have experienced the trauma of Islamophobia, the government's response feels incomplete, leaving them to bear the burden of systemic inequality while waiting for further, uncertain consideration of the remaining recommendations.