Scott Morrison, the former Prime Minister of Australia, has come under fire for his recent comments suggesting that Islamic leaders should be required to hold a license to preach, following a terror incident at Bondi Beach.

During an antisemitism conference held in Israel on Tuesday night, Morrison proposed that Islamic institutions in Australia should translate their sermons into English and establish a regulatory board to keep a check on radical elements.

According to The Australian, Morrison stated, “Some will attempt to portray these comments as antagonistic towards Australia’s Islamic community and multiculturalism, labeling them as Islamophobic.”

He further clarified, “On the contrary, I am suggesting reforms that would aid religious leaders within our Islamic community to protect their followers from dangerous influences.”

“Addressing these issues openly rather than treating them as taboo benefits those who want to prevent radical ideologies from growing in secrecy, which is how our two homegrown extreme Islamist terrorists were radicalized.”

Morrison concluded, “After the events of December 14, we must consider all possible measures to combat antisemitism without bias, including examining how Islam is practiced and regulated in Australia.”

His comments have unleashed fury from the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), which said the rhetoric is dangerous and targets the Muslim community.

‘These comments are reckless, deeply offensive, and profoundly dangerous,’ AFIC said in a statement. 

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for Islamic institutions to police preachers. He has been criticised by the Muslim community

‘They revive a long-discredited narrative that seeks to divide Muslims into ‘good’ and ‘bad’, to portray Imam itself as a threat, and to frame Muslim communities as objects of suspicion rather than equal citizens.’

AFIC President Dr Rateb Jneid added that it would mean politicians ‘position themselves as arbiters of our faith’.

‘That is not leadership. It is dangerous, and history shows us exactly where it leads.

‘Our faith is constantly scrutinised, politicised, and blamed, yet never defended or protected by law.

‘When senior political figures single out Islam in this way, they legitimise the very hatred they claim to oppose.’ 

But Morrison doubled down on his comments while speaking to 2GB, claiming ‘you need to be accountable to leaders in your own faith community’.

‘You have to have training to make sure you’re compliant with Australian laws, and if you don’t do that, you don’t get a ticket,’ he said on Wednesday morning.

The former prime minister found support in the form of Liberal frontbencher Andrew Bragg, who said the introduction of a register for Islamic preachers is ‘worth looking at’ while appearing on ABC News.

The former prime minister made his comments at an antisemitism conference in Israel following the Bondi Beach terror attack on December 14 last year (a memorial is pictured)

‘The Australian Muslim community has to take some responsibility for the behaviours we’ve seen exhibited over the last couple of decades,’ he said.

Bragg was questioned about whether, by his logic, the Christian community should be held accountable for instances of Nazi hate speech.

‘Well, I mean, I understand the point, but I think that what I’m trying to say is that we’ve got to be honest about the source of these problems,’ he said.

‘I mean, it is a mutation of Islam which is leading to terrorism. And so I’m not going to pretend that’s not the case.’

However, Labor minister Pat Conroy claimed that Morrison may be a private citizen, but that Bragg’s comments were ‘really problematic and troubling’.

‘For Senator Bragg to essentially back them [Mr Morrison’s comments]… just demonstrates that the Liberal Party is incredibly divided on this issue,’ he said.