• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF MUSLIMS IN AUSTRALIA Final Report June 2010 Prepared by: Kais Al-Momani Nour Dados Marion Maddox Amanda Wise Centre for Research on Social Inclusion Macquarie University TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................................. 2 Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 1: Aims, Research Questions & Methodology....................................................................................... 4 Chapter 2: Political Participation & Muslims in Australia ................................................................................... 9 Chapter 3: Literature Review ........................................................................................................................ 266 Chapter 4: Opportunities and Barriers .......................................................................................................... 333 Chapter 5: Tackling The Problem .................................................................................................................. 488 Chapter 6: Australian And International Case Studies .................................................................................... 677 Chapter 7: Summary of Key Findings ............................................................................................................... 98 Chapter 8: Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 1011 Appendix One: Audit of Initiatives ............................................................................................................ 11009 Appendix Two : Profiles of Selected Political & Academic Commentators .................................................... 1433 Appendix Three: List of Interviewees (de-identified) ................................................................................... 1522 Appendix Four: Interview Questions ........................................................................................................... 1555 Appendix Five: References ........................................................................................................................ 15858 2 | P a g e ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research for this report was undertaken by Kais Al-Momani, Nour Dados, Marion Maddox, and Amanda Wise. All authors are researchers in the Centre for Research on Social Inclusion at Macquarie University. Lead Researchers, Marion Maddox and Amanda Wise, wish to thank Nour and Kais for their excellent work on the project, especially in recruiting participants and conducting interviews for this study. We also thank Lillian He at Access Macquarie for her efficient assistance with project, budget and contract management. The report authors wish to thank all those who generously gave up their time to be interviewed for this project. Thanks also to the Australian Electoral Commission for providing data on patterns of informal voting in culturally and linguistically diverse communities. We also thank Anna Hassett and Matthew Jones from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship for their assistance during the course of the project, and DIAC for providing funding to undertake the research. 3 | P a g e CHAPTER 1: AIMS, RESEARCH QUESTIONS & METHODOLOGY AIMS To identify: 1. The scale of Muslims’ participation in Australian political life; 2. The locations in which Australian Muslims are politically active; 3. Enabling factors and obstacles to greater political participation by Australian Muslims; 4. Characteristics of successful Australian Muslim political leaders; 5. Programs (both successful and unsuccessful) that address these issues; and 6. Recommendations for future interventions to enhance political participation by Australian Muslims. RESEARCH QUESTIONS & OBJECTIVES Through the literature review and field research, the project identified both successful and unsuccessful initiatives, enabling new strategies to build on past achievements and avoid foreseeable mistakes. Specifically, the project had the following objectives: . Identify overseas examples of direct and indirect Muslim political participation. Examine factors which have contributed to successful participation of Australian Muslims and Muslims in other Western countries. Identify barriers to Muslim political participation in Australia. Document international and local best practice initiatives to support and accelerate direct and indirect political participation by Muslims. Conduct an audit of successful Australian and overseas interventions, both government and non- government, which support and accelerate Muslims’ political engagement and participation. Identify common or distinctive themes and approaches. Conduct in-depth case studies of selected successful initiatives, including analysing their strengths and weaknesses. Analyse ways in which such inititiatives could be strengthened, developed or, in the case of international examples, adapted for Australian circumstances. Document suggestions from interviewees of strategies that have yet to be tried. Propose additional strategies to enhance Muslim political participation. Identify ways in which international best practice models could be implemented in Australia – including by local, state and national government levels, NGOs and other organisations. Develop a three-tiered best-practice model for local, state and national level interventions. The model will: a. Be evidence-based. b. Be informed by overseas and local best practice. c. Be informed also by overseas and local unsuccessful interventions, so as to avoid repeating their mistakes. d. Include measurable/testable outcomes so its success can be monitored. e. Include strategies for further refinement and development in the light of experience following its implementation. 4 | P a g e METHODOLOGY The research employed a mixed methodology, with a focus on qualitative data. For the qualitative component, politically active interviewees were identified through a mixture of snowballing and web-based methods. An NGO and a relevant settlement organisation were the point of connection for recruiting participants who were not politically active. LITERATURE REVIEW An iterative literature review was undertaken, evolving as the project went on. The scope of the review includes: . General research on political participation . Why political participation matters . Participation and ethnic minorities . Religion and political participation . Political participation of Muslims in Australia . Evaluations of Australian and UK initiatives aimed at enhancing political participation of Muslims. INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS Representatives from the groups outlined under ‘sample summary’ below were recruited to participate in semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus groups, conducted either in person or by telephone. Thirty-nine individual interviews were conducted, twenty-three face to face and sixteen by telephone. Twenty interviewees were from Melbourne, sixteen in Sydney, and one each in Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide. Telephone interviews were only used when it was not possible to arrange a face-to-face interview in a mutually agreeable location. The main sample for these interviews was thirty individuals identified as politically active, or influential within and beyond Australian Muslim communities. Nine telephone interviews were conducted with coordinators and participants of selected case study initiatives. 5 | P a g e All interviewees are profiled in Appendix One, including their organisational and nature of interviewees’ roles in public life. FOCUS GROUPS Four focus groups were organised in Sydney, of which three went ahead; the fourth did not attract participants, for reasons discussed under ‘limitations’, below. The focus group sample was primarily intended to be ‘everday’Australian Muslims,representing the voice of those not involved in active political participation or community leadership. Groups were co-ordinated through a small NGO and a community settlement service working with this demographic. The researchers also attended a workshop in Campsie on 26 November 2009, organised in conjunction with the other research teams undertaking research projects under the umbrella of ‘Working with Muslim Communities’. SAMPLE SUMMARY a. Current and past federal, state and local politcians. b. Active members of political parties. c. Australian Muslim ‘community influentials’. d. Australian Muslims who have been unsuccessful in having their voice heard in the public arena. e. Convenors and project workers from selected initiatives. f. International ‘community influentials’ and those involved with selected identified initiatives. g. Bureaucrats at federal and state level. Of the total number of interviewees, seven were members of Australian political parties (3 ALP, 3 Greens, 1 Liberal). Five of these had successfully been elected to a seat at local government level. Two of these elected councillors were members of the ALP, two were with the Greens, and one was a member of the Liberal Party at the time of the interview (having previously been a member of the ALP). A further two interviews were conducted in Canada with one current and one former elected member of its national parliament, both members of the Liberal Party (Canada’s nearest equivalent to the

Load more

  164

Copy Link