‘Space to rage’: Victoria’s Islamic leaders call for taxpayer-funded refuges where youths can vent

THE State Government will consider pulling its funding of Victoria’s peak Islamic group in the wake of revelations it wanted taxpayers to pay for “safe spaces” for Muslims to share their extreme views.

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The State Government will consider pulling its funding of Victoria’s peak Islamic group in the wake of revelations it wanted taxpayers to foot the bill for “safe spaces” for young Muslims to share their extreme views.

The Herald Sun revealed today that the Islamic Council of Victoria wants young Muslims to have access to taxpayer-funded “safe spaces” in which they can make “inflammatory” comments.

Premier Daniel Andrews slammed the Council’s call as “wrong”, saying the places would be a “hate space”.

“There is no safe way to rail against the West,” he said.

“It is wrong, it is not going to receive any state funding.

“We will be having a very close look at the Islamic Council of Victoria’s funding in a broader sense because I am very troubled, very troubled, by the suggestion that we might have a space where people could be radical as part of a deradicalisation program.

“We’ll be having a close look at the Islamic Council of Victoria’s funding and their approach to these matters in a boarder sense.

“We will not be supporting this.”

In a highly controversial submission to a parliamentary inquiry into freedom of religion, the Islamic Council of Victoria is demanding that funding for federal counter-terrorism and anti-extremism programs be diverted to create the refuges.

“Muslim young people are feeling more emotionally overloaded. A safe space is needed for them to meet and talk about a range of issues in emotional terms, where they can be frank and even use words which in a public space would sound inflammatory,” the submission says.

Muslim men gather for one o'clock prayers at a mosque.

“That they cannot express irony, humour, anger or joy in words and facial expressions that would make them a target for ‘surveillance’ is a cause for despondency leading to mental health issues among many.”

Vice president of Islamic Council of Victoria Adel Salman denied they wanted rage rooms.

“(The submission) talks about a range of emotions, one of them being anger, were not asking for rage rooms … we’re actually asking for youths to express themselves with a range of emotions and not to be judged,” he told 3AW.

Multicultural Affairs Minister Robin Scott said: “This idea is deeply unhelpful and wrong. Under no circumstances would we support the diversion of state funding from counter-terrorism initiatives for such a proposal.”

Multicultural Affairs Minister Robin Scott. Picture: Mark Dadswell

The Herald Sun can reveal that in the wake of Monday’s deadly siege in Brighton, Victoria is putting radical new anti-terrorism measures before tomorrow’s meeting of Australian governments, including posting of federal specialist police at Melbourne airport and other national airports.

Access to phone-blocking technology at major event sites such as the MCG will also be sought, so authorities can beam a single message to scoreboards and screens.

The mother of the Chinese-born Australian victim Kai Hao speaks after the Brighton terror siege. Picture: David Caird

Yesterday, the mother of Chinese-Australian Kai Hao, who was shot dead by jihadi Yacqub Khayre in the Brighton siege, broke down as she paid tribute to her only son. “I feel like my world has ended ... I hate that terrorist that tore my family apart,” she said.

But the Islamic Council questioned whether the attack was terrorism.

“We understand that the police are investigating this as a potential terrorist attack but note that the perpetrator, himself, appeared to be confused as to who he was acting on behalf of, claiming allegiance to both IS and al-Qaeda — known enemies,” it said.

“Whether this act was inspired by an evil warped ideology or was in fact the actions of a deranged violent individual, this does not change the reality that a horrendous crime was committed ...”

Police outside the Buckingham Serviced Apartments in Brighton following a siege. Picture: David Geraghty/The Australian.

The council’s submission to the federal inquiry also slams national laws to impose control orders on terrorism suspects as young as 14, saying this has “a dampening effect on the freedom of religion for Muslim Victorians”.

It wants the control orders reviewed and for taxpayers to fund counselling for Muslim parents of children affected by the orders.

“This will acknowledge the risks to mental health, employment, rental housing, poverty and education as a result of any unforeseen consequences of legislation which disproportionately affects Muslim youth,” the submission says.

The council has received millions of dollars for programs since 2001, including a $850,000 youth officer grant over four years and $550,000 for an “empower youth” program over three years.

Tim Smith, parliamentary secretary to Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, said the submission was “head in the sand ignorance that will do nothing to improve social cohesion”.

“If this is what the ICV believe then they need a reality check,” he said.

The submission, made before the latest terrorist attacks in London and Melbourne, says “Islamophobia” is a reality imposed on the state’s estimated 200,000 Muslims.

“(It is a) daily threat limiting our freedom to enjoy going to work and school, to apply for jobs, to walk safely in the street, to wear what we want, and to practise our faith free of fear,” it says.

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