Tony Abbott isn't helping the Liberals with their Pauline Hanson problem
The Australian Labor government faces political pressure regarding its response to an Islamophobia envoy's report. The situation is complicated by internal party dynamics and the influence of figures like Tony Abbott and Pauline Hanson.
Why it matters
It highlights the challenges governments face in balancing multicultural policy, counterterrorism legislation, and domestic political polarization.
Pauline Hanson's grievance politics is a challenge for Labor, but a splitting headache for the Liberals — compounded by former prime minister Tony Abbott. ( ABC News: Matt Roberts )
Link copied Share Share article As Pauline Hanson was travelling around Europe railing against Muslims, Labor chose Saturday, the quietest day of the news cycle, to announce its response to the Islamophobia envoy's report.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appointed Jillian Segal as antisemitism envoy in July 2024 and Aftab Malik as Islamophobia envoy three months later. Segal handed her report to the government in July last year and Malik his in September — both before the Bondi terror attack.
That may explain why it took the government 10 months to respond to the Islamophobia report, rejecting key recommendations it deemed too contentious.
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