An Australian body against Islamophobia says it has lodged a religious vilification complaint with the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board against Opposition leader Peter Dutton's comments regarding Muslim political candidates.
On 4 July, Dutton was responding to candidates to run in Labor-stronghold seats at the next election, amid a backlash against the government's stance on the war in Gaza.
Dutton said in a press conference: "I think what it does demonstrate is that the prime minister, if he's in a minority government in the next term of parliament, it will include the Greens, it'll include the Green-teals, it'll include Muslim candidates from Western Sydney, it will be a disaster."
The comments were criticised as "an absolute disgrace" by Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja and .
In a statement, the Alliance Against Islamophobia (AAI) on Monday said it had issued a complaint to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board, describing Dutton's comments as "deeply offensive".
AAI said the comments reflected "a troubling attitude" towards multicultural Australia and the principle of equality before the law.
"That's not a decent way to treat any group, because it strips them of their humanity," an AAI spokesperson said.
"No group of people in Australia deserve to be treated that way."
'We welcome multicultural candidates'
SBS News has contacted Dutton's office for comment regarding the complaint but has not received a response.
Last month, a spokesperson for the deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley, who was responding while Dutton was on leave,
"He specifically references Muslim Vote independents alongside the Greens and the Teals," the spokesperson said in a statement to SBS News.
"We welcome multicultural candidates and people of faith to run in politics, of course we do."
The spokesperson pointed to the endorsement of Liberal Muslim candidates in Victoria and NSW — including Usman Ghani in Calwell, Zahid Safi in Bruce and Sam Kayal in Werriwa.
"We do not believe independents that seek to represent a specific ethnicity or faith group in the parliament help with social cohesion and nor will they contribute to the stability we need to address the many challenges our nation faces today."
Safi, an Afghan-born former refugee, defended Dutton and his comments, saying they were being taken out of context.
Zahid Safi, the Liberal candidate for the Victorian federal seat of Bruce, says Opposition leader Peter Dutton has given "Muslim candidates in the Liberal Party his full support". Source: Facebook / Zahid Safi
Safi said he had met Dutton on several occasions and also led a delegate of Muslims to meet with him.
"In my experience, he has been warm and understanding," he said.
"He has given me and other Muslim candidates in the Liberal Party his full support."
