Australia’s Imams Council Criticises Former PM’s Call for Better Regulated Muslim Teaching

‘It is time that Islamic institutions in Australia adopted nationally consistent, self-regulated standards,’ former Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks during a House Select Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on July 23, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Australia’s peak Muslim body has condemned former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s call for English-language sermons and an accreditation regime for imams to deal with Islamic extremism.

The Australian National Imams Council (ANIC), which represents about 350 imams nationwide, said Morrison’s remarks unfairly implicated an entire faith to acts of terror carried out by individuals.

“The recent comments by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, calling on Muslim leaders to undertake so-called ‘wholesale reform’ and to take ‘accountability and responsibility’ to address ‘political Islam,’ and implying that Islam or Muslims bear responsibility for the recent terrorist attacks at Bondi, are reckless, irresponsible, and deeply ill-informed,” the group said in a statement on Jan. 28.

The ANIC also stressed that the Bondi terrorist attack was not directed, organised, or endorsed by any religious body, citing conclusions by law enforcement.

“To suggest that an entire faith community should be held accountable for the actions of two criminal offenders, both of whom law enforcement agencies have confirmed acted alone, is unacceptable and categorically rejected,” the statement said.

At the same time, the council said it was “profoundly disappointing” to hear such comments from a former prime minister, who ANIC said should best understand the importance of “unity, social cohesion and responsible leadership.”

ANIC also cited Morrison’s leadership during the Christchurch massacre saying Brenton Tarrant was radicalised on Australian soil.

In March 2019, Tarrant man carried out coordinated attacks at a mosque and an Islamic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 51 people.

“On that occasion, no collective blame was placed on a race, religion, or community, nor should it have been. That same standard must apply consistently,” the council said.

Morrison’s Jerusalem Address

The ANIC’s criticisms followed Morrison’s speech at an international conference on anti-Semitism in Jerusalem on Jan. 27 (AEDT), where he argued Australia needed stronger oversight of religious teaching.

Morrison said Muslim leaders should consider licensing preachers, translating sermons into English, and establishing a national body with enforcement powers.

“It is time that Islamic institutions in Australia adopted nationally consistent, self-regulated standards, including a recognised accreditation framework for imams, a national register for public-facing roles, clear training and conduct requirements, and disciplinary authority for their governing councils,” he said.

The former prime minister also noted that similar measures have been adopted by Muslim countries around the world.

“Over the past decade, Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Oman, as well as Egypt and Jordan, have taken deliberate action to confront radical Islamist ideology,” he said.

“They have reasserted state authority over religious teaching, standardised sermons, licensed imams, and shut down informal or foreign-funded networks that acted as vectors for extremism.”

In addition, Morrison argued that Islamic institutions in Australia lacked a system of robust governance compared to other religions.

“Religious institutions must maintain sound governance to ensure proper teaching, accountability and discipline,” he said.

“Christian denominations in Australia learned this painfully through the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Accountability was rightly imposed and reforms followed.

“While strong structures exist for most Christian and Jewish denominations, the governance of Islamic institutions in Australia is inadequate and requires reform.”

Labor Minister Says Morrison’s Comments Are Irresponsible

Meanwhile, Small Business Minister Anne Aly, who is a Muslim, said Morrison’s speech was disappointing.

“I think it’s incredibly irresponsible, and I also think it’s incredibly disappointing, because it draws on historical stereotypes and a historical trope that continually puts the blame and responsibility and the burden on Muslim communities whenever there is any form of a terrorist attack,” she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Aly also highlighted that local Muslim communities offered their support to Jewish communities following the terror attack.

“The Muslim community leadership was among the first to go out, come out and condemn the acts of the terrorists in Bondi last year,” she said. “They were among the first to wrap their arms around the Jewish community.