Muslim leaders’ meeting boycott a gross discourtesy, says Abbott

Tony Abbott says Islamic leaders’ refusal to meet Scott Morrison is a “gross discourtesy” and the PM is “absolutely correct” in his stance on extremism.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Picture: AAP

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has slammed Islamic leaders for refusing to meet Mr Morrison, calling it a “gross discourtesy at the very least”.

The former prime minister said it would have helped the standing of Muslims in Australia if the Grand Mufti took up the Prime Minister’s offer for a roundtable meeting.

“I think that it would certainly help the standing of Islam and Muslim people in Australia if their official representatives would sit down and have a meaningful discussion with the Prime Minister about what all of us can try to do to try to ensure that we don’t see more terrorist outrages like the attack in Melbourne 10 days or so back,” Mr Abbott told 2GB radio.

Mr Abbott said Mr Morrison was “absolutely correct” to say there was a problem with Islamic extremism in Australia.

“It is absolutely incumbent on all decent Muslims to do everything they humanly can to expose these kinds of people,” he said.

“As I said some years ago as PM, I have heard lots of Western leaders describe Islam as a religion of peace but I haven’t heard enough Muslim leaders describe it as a religion of peace.”

‘Mistake’ to walk away: Clare

Labor frontbencher Jason Clare says it was a “mistake” for Islamic leaders to boycott the meeting, arguing they should have taken the opportunity to convey their concerns to the Prime Minister.

The opposition trade spokesman said the Grant Mufti and other leaders should not have “walked away” from the opportunity to have dialogue with Mr Morrison because they did not like his language after the Bourke Street terror attack.

“If people have decided to boycott it I think that is a mistake. Take the opportunity and tell the Prime Minister what you think,” Mr Clare told Sky News.

“Nothing beats dialogue. If you have got a difference of opinion then tell the person face-to-face but never walk away from an opportunity to talk to the Prime Minister of Australia about the issues that you have got.”

Mr Clare represents the western Sydney seat of Blaxland, where 30 per cent of residents identify as Muslim.

Mr Clare said religious leaders had the responsibility to ensure they were doing all they could to keep the community safe.

“We have all got a special responsibility here to take action to make sure our community is safe,” Mr Clare said.

“As political leaders we have got that responsibility, religious leaders have got that responsibility, community leaders have got that responsibility as well.”

‘Path of denial’

Earlier, Mr Morrison said Muslim leaders refusing to meet with him are “continuing down a path of denial” about terrorism and they are “letting their communities down”.

Australia’s Grand Mufti and other Islamic leaders are boycotting a proposed roundtable meeting with the Prime Minister over his tough stance on Islamist terrorism after the Bourke Street attack.

Mr Morrison told The Australian that he would not back down on calling out extremist Islam.

“Extremist radical Islam is a serious problem. We all have responsibilities to make Australia safe, and that means making sure Muslim communities do not become infiltrated with this dangerous ideology,” he said.

“That’s why I privately invited Muslim leaders to attend a meeting, without media, to talk honestly about these issues and what more we should be doing together to protect these communities.

“Some have chosen to publicly boycott this meeting. Continuing down a path of denial only let’s their communities down. It makes their communities less safe and more vulnerable.”

Mr Morrison said he will push ahead with his roundtable with or without the Grand Mufti and others.

“The meeting is going ahead with those who want to deal with this issue seriously rather than look the other way,” he said.

“I expect all leaders in Australia, whatever religion they come from, or whatever community they represent, to do everything they can to keep Australians safe.”

[1/6] Extremist radical Islam is a serious problem. We all have responsibilities to make Australia safe, and that means making sure Muslim communities do not become infiltrated with this dangerous ideology.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) November 21, 2018

[2/6] That’s why I privately invited Muslim leaders to attend a meeting, in good faith, to talk honestly about what more we should be doing together to protect our communities.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) November 21, 2018

[3/6] I have always respected and worked with Muslim communities, and at the same time, been honest and upfront in my dealings about the problems that need to be addressed.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) November 21, 2018

[4/6] Some have chosen to publicly boycott this meeting. Continuing down a path of denial only lets their communities down. It makes their communities less safe and more vulnerable.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) November 21, 2018

[5/6] I expect all leaders in Australia, whatever religion they come from, or whatever community they represent, to do everything they can to keep Australians safe.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) November 21, 2018

[6/6] The meeting is going ahead with those who want to deal with this issue seriously rather than look the other way.

And where some can genuinely not attend, I look forward to following up with them at a later time, including with key Ministers.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) November 21, 2018

The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils said in a statement Mr Morrison called his meeting too quickly and that he would not address their concerns about his approach to counter-terrorism.

“The objective of the proposed meeting disregards many of the points our community made last week,” a spokesman said.

“The stated objective of the meeting is not achievable in the time frame set and so any outcomes are unlikely to be sophisticated or of any real value … the meeting had been called in haste and is unlikely to deliver sustainable outcomes.”

“These issues are of too much importance to be responded to on the run in this matter.”

AFIC also said that they wrote to Mr Morrison on November 12 about their concerns about the government’s approach to counter-extremism and they did not receive a reply. They said this is one reason they will not meet with him.

Earlier, Grand Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohamed joined the leaders of state and federal Islamic groups to release a statement declaring they will boycott the proposed government roundtable this week to discuss extremism.

The statement comes after three men in Melbourne were charged with terrorism offences with police alleging they planned to shoot at crowds, and a fortnight after the Bourke Street terrorist attack.

Mufti of Australia, Professor Ibrahim Abu Mohamed.

“Many in the Muslim community including the undersigned are deeply concerned and disappointed with statements made by senior Government ministers and the Prime Minister in the recent past which infer that the community is collectively culpable for the criminal actions of individuals,” the joint statement reads.

“These statements have achieved nothing to address underlying issues, but rather, have alienated large segments of the Muslim community.”

Mobile users can read the statement here.

The Prime Minister said in the wake of the Bourke Street attack that he would not accept “excuses” about terror from Muslim leaders and called on them to help security services more.

Islamic leaders say in their statement that they will reschedule a meeting with Mr Morrison if he agrees to certain terms and that he will “respect” their viewpoints.

Signatories to the statement include controversial imam Shady Al Suleiman, the leaders of the Islamic Council of Victoria, the Islamic Council of Queensland, and the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils.

“In order to have a meaningful meeting that will result in positive outcomes, attendees must be confident that their views and concerns will be genuinely respected and that such a forum will not be used to emphasise the very sentiments that the Muslim community consider to be invalid and divisive,” the Islamic leaders’ statement reads.

“The stated objective of the meeting does not provide any such confidence.”