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Thank you for inviting me to join you here tonight to celebrate the 39th Annual Congress of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. I appreciate very much being given this opportunity to talk with you about those issues, both international and domestic, which are of concern to Australia's Muslim communities.
The Annual Congress draws Muslim leaders and the friends of our Muslim communities from all over Australia. It provides an essential forum for discussing issues and determining a way forward on matters of interest to Australian Muslims. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Federation for its outstanding work in representing our nation's Muslim communities since its establishment in 1964. The tradition of hospitality among Islamic cultures is well known and I am honoured to be your guest at tonight's dinner.
While I know that the history of contact between Muslim peoples and Australia pre-dates European settlement, the vast majority of our Muslim community came to Australia during the last 50 years - many choosing Australia as a refuge from war and persecution, a safe haven.
Australia has become a haven for many because this is a nation which not only embraces but importantly practises the principles of equity, freedom, justice and harmony. I know that these values are precious to Australia's Muslims.
Australian Muslims come from many social, political and ethnic backgrounds - the diversity is astounding. Islam has always recognised and valued diversity. It embraces so many races, so many cultures and so many ethnic groups.
The government too recognises that diversity enriches. Australia's cultural, racial and ethnic diversity is a deliberate choice to ensure that our nation remains vital, ready to adapt to, and make the most of, the fast changing world.
But diversity does not need to be promoted at the expense of unity. A point I know our Islamic community well understands. Those who make Australia their home have also embraced our nation. All Australians, regardless of their ethnic or cultural background, regardless of their faith, should participate fully in the wider Australian community - and show a commitment to our nation, its egalitarian values, its democratic institutions and its laws, above all other commitments.
Our Muslim communities are continuing to develop their Australian identity so that they can interact fully with other Australians and enjoy all the benefits this nation can offer you and your families. But that bond with Australia does not have to be at the expense of Islamic beliefs or ethnic heritage.
In return, the government is committed to ensuring that all Australians respect the freedom of religion and racial equality enshrined in our law and that Australian Muslims are able to express and practise their religious beliefs without intimidation or interference.
Part of that expression - a very important part - is the right of every parent to determine the character and value system of the education that their children receive. To ensure that we respect this freedom, the government has sought to strengthen both government and independent schools.
I am sorry that we had to move our venue for tonight from the Malek Fahd Islamic School. Because it embodies the Commonwealth government's commitment to ensuring that people can make choices about their children's education - particularly their religious and ethical education. The Malek Fahd Islamic School will receive some $6.6 million in recurrent funding from the government this year and I understand that Commonwealth capital grants to the school have totalled some $900,000 since 1996.
The principles of federal government assistance to independent schools apply in the same way to Islamic schools as they do to Christian or Jewish schools.
Late last year I received a copy of the Muslim Schools' Charter. I was very pleased to see the efforts of the Australian Council for Islamic Education in Schools in promoting harmony and encouraging Australian Muslim students to contribute positively to Australian society. Such a philosophy ensures that cultural and religious diversity enriches, rather than divides, the nation.
As you know, diversity can only provide these benefits when there is tolerance and mutual respect. The vast majority of Australians respect people's religious and cultural differences. But it is very important, particularly at this difficult time, for the government to continue to work in partnership with Muslim community leaders to promote harmony and send the strong message that racism and divisive behaviour will not be tolerated in Australia.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Federation on the work it has undertaken to achieve greater harmony and understanding between Australian Muslims and the broader Australian community.
The booklet produced by the Federation, Appreciating Islam is an excellent layman's guide to Muslim beliefs and practices. A number of other projects currently under way, will seek to address concerns about the stereotyping and demonisation of Muslims.
The world is rightly concerned about international terrorism. Australia participated in military action in Iraq because of our deep concern that if the possession of weapons of mass destruction proliferated amongst rogue states the possibility of them coming into the hands of terrorists would multiply with potentially lethal consequences for nations such as our own.
Terrorist groups such as al Qaida detest the values of nations such as Australia.
The use of terror contradicts the basic philosophies of Christianity Judaism and Islam. It is an afront to Muslims not only in Australia but elsewhere in the world when merchants of terror invoke the name of their religion to justify their perverted deeds.
We in Australia will never accept that al Qaida or Jemaah Islamiyah speak or act on behalf of the Islamic world.
I know that Islamic communities in Australia shared in the outpouring of national grief at the deaths of 88 Australians in the Bali terrorist attack just six months ago. You responded with generous support to the Red Cross Bali Appeal.
This past week has been momentous for the people of Iraq and for the world.
Australia was right to join the United States and Britain in the military campaign to remove Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. We did so to ensure the disarmament of Iraq. That loathsome regime has now gone.
There will be many transitional challenges but of this we can be absolutely certain - the people of Iraq will have happier, freer and more secure lives without Saddam Hussein.
The great tragedy of Iraq is that its civilian population has suffered at the hands of a tyrant for decades. To have this man lauded as an Islamic hero is not only absurd but obscene. This is the man who, in an effort to increase his control over the oil wealth of the Middle East invaded his neighbours - Iran and Kuwait. This is the man who used terrible chemical weapons against innocent Kurdish villagers. This is a man who slaughtered tens of thousands of Iraqi Shi'a, persecuted and murdered their clerics and desecrated their holy shrines at Karbala and An Najaf.
The collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime is a victory for the people of Iraq. They are not a conquered people. They have not rallied to Saddam's cynical attempt to manipulate Islamic sentiment. When they tore down his statues and images, when they danced on the street for the sheer joy of freedom, the Iraqi people were sending the world a message - they want us to know that he is gone and they are glad to be rid of him.
I want to share with you a letter I received from an Iraqi who sought refuge in Australia seven years ago. Her husband was taken by Saddam Hussein's regime sixteen years ago. She never heard of him again. She tells me about her current life in Australia and I quote "this was not the life I lived in Iraq, but it's a life I appreciated and still appreciate when I think about the regime there. We lived rich and happy in Iraq, but lived in fear, not peace of mind. We were scared of executions, shotguns and chemical attacks ... despite being in Australia, we are still scared of speaking out loud and that's exactly how the people feel in Iraq. We are scared here of spies. I am scared for my children."
It saddens me deeply that even here, thousands of miles from Saddam's brutal regime, our Iraqi community still feels scared. The removal of Saddam Hussein will lift this immense burden of terror from Iraqi people everywhere.
Tragically there have been civilian casualties in this war. We mourn that and I express the fervent hope that in the interests of saving lives both military and civilian, hostilities cease as soon as possible.
The death of innocent people - especially children - should always shock and sadden us lest we lose our basic humanity. But as we read of civilian death and suffering in Iraq now, let us never forget the deaths and suffering of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and others over the past twenty-five years under Saddam Hussein.
Let us remember that the people of Basra were at first reluctant to rebel against the regime's henchmen even as British forces encircled the city because of their fear and bitter recollection of the deaths of tens of thousands of their number in 1991 as Saddam Hussein exacted reprisals for their uprising at the end of the first Gulf war.
Let us also remember that if the now fallen Iraqi dictator had remained in power torture, execution and rape would have continued as a routine instrument of State terror.
Let us also acknowledge that in this war unprecedented endeavours have been undertaken to minimise non-combatant casualties. Our own Australian forces have adhered to a strict code of conduct. All Australians should be proud of their bravery, professionalism and ethical behaviour.
The war against Saddam Hussein is not an attack on Islam. It is an outrageous depiction of the motives and values of the United States, Britain and Australia to suggest otherwise.
This nation has never engaged in conflict on the basis of religious or cultural difference. I was reflecting recently that four years ago, at the height of NATO's action in Kosovo - an action we supported but did not contribute to - I attended a Greek National Day celebration in Sydney. A section of the crowd, small but vocal, booed me because they perceived NATO's action to be an attack on the Orthodox Christians of Serbia with whom they shared a sense of religious commonality.
Australia supported the NATO action as being justifiable against an oppressive Serbian regime which had clearly committed genocide against the Muslims of Kosovo. We did not base our position on a sympathy for one religion over another.
The same was true of our intervention in East Timor. These decisions were based on a consideration of Australia's national interest. We don't choose conflict willingly but sometimes it is the only way of achieving peace and international security and stability.
Our closest neighbour, the Republic of Indonesia, has the world's largest Islamic population. When I visited Jakarta earlier this year I discussed the situation of Iraq with President Megawati. She didn't agree with our assessment of what was needed but she understood and fully accepted that our stance was in no way an attack on Islam.
Good neighbours recognise and respect each other's values and beliefs. Indonesia and Australia are good neighbours. The strength of the relationship has been clearly demonstrated by the close cooperation experienced during the investigation of the Bali attacks.
We also intend to be a good friend of the Iraqi nation. The coalition forces have no desire to occupy Iraqi territory; I want to make that very clear. Inevitably there will be a transitional authority to ensure that the country can function and provide the basic necessities for its people and we will be part of that authority. But we are committed to a transition to Iraqi rule as soon as practicable.
We want the United Nations to be engaged, but equally we recognise that the coalition nations have a special responsibility to support Iraq at this time. The Australian government has already provided $100 million in humanitarian aid for Iraq. We will offer administrative support in areas where we believe our expertise is pertinent to the Iraqi environment. We can share our knowledge and experience in dry land farming for instance. There are however, other areas where Australian expertise will be offered and utilised.
Having engaged in the action to disarm Iraq, and thereby brought on the collapse of Saddam Hussein's despotic regime, we believe we must commit to playing a positive and significant role in the reconstruction effort.
The rule of Saddam Hussein has bankrupted and exploited the Iraqi people. But Iraq has enormous potential - both in terms of its human and natural resources. The challenge will be to unlock that potential. We believe that this is best achieved through a political structure which can represent all the peoples of Iraq and an open economy which will underpin Iraqi independence and prosperity.
Iraq is a special place. The land between the Tigris and the Euphrates is the birthplace of the written word, our calendar, and our numbering system. If Iraqis can find a way to live peacefully with one another and their neighbours, it has the capacity to be a powerhouse of development and culture for the region.
Fundamental to the peace and the stability of the region is a resolution to the seemingly intractable Israeli Palestinian conflict. Australia has been and remains a staunch friend of Israel. We also strongly support the creation of a viable independent Palestinian state.
The world's current focus on the region brings renewed vigour to the peace effort. This opportunity must not be squandered. It places responsibilities on both the Israelis and the Palestinians. We urge both sides to embrace the proposed roadmap to peace which has been developed by the United States in close cooperation with Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.
Each side needs to feel confident that the other is serious about peace. The decision of Chairman Arafat to appoint Mahmoud Abbas to the newly created position of Prime Minister is welcome. He must however be allowed effective negotiating authority if his appointment is to become anything more than empty symbolism.
It is crucial to the peace process that the murderous suicide bombings against Israel cease.
I again urge Ariel Sharon to use the mandate of his re-election to respond positively to all opportunities to achieve a peace settlement. I ask him to understand why the Palestinians view the expansion of Jewish settlements as provocative.
The Australian government will do everything in its power to encourage and support the Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a resolution to this bloody conflict, which has cost too many innocent lives and casts a shadow across the entire region.
Equality, freedom, justice, civil rights, peace and harmony - these should be the inheritance that every nation strives to provide to future generations. Tonight we celebrate the contribution of Australia's Islamic communities to Australia's diverse, harmonious and vibrant society.
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