Aftab Malik has been announced as the federal government’s first special envoy to combat Islamophobia in Australia.
The appointment comes two months after Jillian Segal was named as Australia’s first antisemitism envoy.
Malik, whose role will include talking to the Muslim community in Australia and , will start a three-year term in the role on 14 October.
He said working with Segal would play an important part of the role.
“Antisemitism and Islamophobia are not mutually exclusive: where there is one, you most likely will find the other, lurking. I don’t intend to use this role to advocate that one form of hatred is more important than another: both antisemitism and Islamophobia are unacceptable,” he said.
“Each of us can play a part in making sure that violence and hatred have no place in our communities. We can do this by valuing and strengthening the bonds between us and by calling out discrimination and being allies to those who experience it.
Promoting social cohesion and fighting against hate in Australia is more important today than it’s ever been.
Malik has previously worked in the NSW Premier’s Department, promoting social cohesion and countering hate and extremism and is considered a “global expert” on Muslim affairs by the UN Alliance of Civilisations, the government said.
Home Affairs minister Tony Burke said: “Bigotry is always wrong. You should be able to live safely and freely in Australia, regardless of who you are or what you believe.”