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28 January 2026

Imams council demands end to ‘radical Islam’ wording after Morrison’s reform call

On 27 January 2026, speaking at an antisemitism conference in Israel, former prime minister Scott Morrison called for reform of how Islam is "practised and governed in Australia" after the Bondi Beach attack, saying such questions could not remain "taboo". He said: "I am advocating reforms I believe will help religious leaders in our Islamic community keep the wolves from their flock." Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg separately said on ABC Radio that Muslim leaders should "take responsibility".

The next day, 28 January 2026, the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) issued a statement calling their comments "reckless, irresponsible, and deeply ill-informed". It said: "Associating terrorism with Islam is wrong, rejected, and has no factual or moral basis. We cannot and must not blame entire communities for the actions of a few criminal individuals." ANIC added: "We call on former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Senator Bragg, and all political parties and leaders to act with responsibility, restraint, and integrity in their public commentary, and to refrain from using divisive and misleading terms such as 'radical Islam', 'extremist Islam' or other divisive language." ANIC president Imam Shady Alsuleiman was quoted in the statement: "To blame an entire community for the actions of a few criminal terrorists is unacceptable, rejected, and undermines our social cohesion." The statement pointed to the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack by a man "radicalised on Australian soil", saying "no collective blame was placed on a race, religion, or community" then. The statement also said the 2018 Bourke Street attacker "was later confirmed to be mentally ill". The Victorian Coroner found in June 2021 that the attack was "a premeditated act of terrorism, an ISIS-inspired attack attributable to his adherence to an extremist interpretation of Islam", and said mental illness could not be ruled out because there was not enough evidence (ABC).

Morrison replied on social media the same day that he was "asking for Islamic leaders to regulate and provide stronger protections against radicalisation within the Islamic faith community", adding: "This is not about blame for December 14 - that is a straw man argument - but an honest appeal for what is needed to prevent such radicalisation in the future."

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Source: Australian National Imams Council, "Statement on Responsible Leadership, Social Cohesion, and Rejecting Collective Blame" (28 January 2026)
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