For long-term observers of Muslim community politics, there was much that was familiar about the launch of the Muslim Votes Matter campaign at Broadmeadows Town Hall on Sunday afternoon.
There were the tables set out with platters of mezze and jugs of juice and soft drinks, the observance of the asr prayer, the familiar faces of veteran community leaders, the impassioned calls for unity. Also familiar during the lead-up to the event were the dog-whistling responses from LNP politicians, with Peter Dutton having described the potential election of Muslim candidates in western Sydney as a “disaster”. For his part, Anthony Albanese claimed that religious political parties (Muslim Votes Matter stresses that it is an advocacy group rather than a party) would undermine social cohesion.
For the 350-strong cohort of mostly middle-aged, middle-class Muslims, yesterday’s launch was in many regards a well-practiced routine. But if the seasoned campaigners were going over familiar territory, they were also exploring new ground, as the organisers of Muslim Votes Matter embark on a campaign of education and engagement in the lead-up to the next federal election.
The impetus, of course, was the federal government’s failure to stand with Palestine during the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Australian surgeon Dr Bushra Othman provided an emotional account of her recent experiences working in Gaza’s collapsing healthcare system, while GP Umber Rind cited her Afghan cameleer and Badimiya Yamitji Aboriginal heritage in her description of the similarities between Israeli and Australian colonialism.
The ultimate decision to launch the campaign is also a response to the changing political landscape. Dwindling support for the major political parties in favour of the Greens and teal independents has created what campaigners consider a genuine moment of opportunity. Former Islamic Council of Victoria executive director Nail Aykan stated that a hung Parliament would be the best possible outcome for the Muslim community, empowering independents whose values aligned with “ours” — particularly in regard to Palestine.
The theme of the evening was the line from Aykan: “There is no such thing as a safe seat”. And there is certainly no such thing as a rusted-on ALP voter, with some speakers and attendees describing themselves as former party loyalists who had left in frustration after finding themselves unable to bring about change from within. There were frequent references to Senator Fatima Payman, derided by Labor Party leadership as a rat for voting with her conscience and eventually leaving the party over Gaza.
If Muslim Votes Matter has given up on the idea of change from within the major parties, it is extremely upbeat about its capacity to reshape the political landscape. The UK recently saw the election of five independent candidates (including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn) who aligned themselves in solidarity with Palestine. Recorded messages of support from the organisers of the UK Muslim Vote campaign were played at the Australian launch event, and their tactics were cited as an illustration of what could be achieved here.
Muslim Votes Matter has issued scorecards on Gaza for MPs in 32 marginal electorates with large Muslim populations. These electorates are nearly all held by the ALP, with Blaxland (Jason Clare) and Watson (Tony Burke) at the top of the list. Non-Labor electorates on its radar include Banks (currently held by Liberal David Coleman), Mitchell (currently held by Liberal Alex Hawke) and Fowler (currently held by independent Dai Le). The scorecards are based only on comments made in Parliament rather than in the community, a measure contested by some of the targeted MPs, who say that it ignores support they have provided outside Parliament.
The horrorscape of Gaza loomed large over the gathering in Broadmeadows, yet the mood was upbeat and optimistic. The CEO of Muslim Women Australia Maha Abdo described the launch as a development which she and other leaders had dreamt of for many years. The community was finally ready to flex its political muscle, not just in regard to Gaza but over a range of political issues ranging from gambling advertising to alcohol regulation to domestic violence. (However, “family values”, aka LGBTQIA+ rights, were low on the agenda. The organisers emphasised the need to prioritise issues where their intervention was likely to be effective, and rolling back LGBTQIA+ rights was not among them.)
Last night’s launch was only the beginning, the organisers stressed. They are yet to determine which candidates they will support at the next election. And the movement has its sights set on the very long term. One day, they claimed, we would tell our grandchildren that we were present on this historic evening.
That, of course, remains to be seen. But ALP parliamentarians in marginal electorates are right to feel concerned.
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