The Federal Government announced it will provide $4 million in extra funding to the country’s Islamic Museum in Thornbury, Victoria.
This additional funding will be put towards refreshing four main galleries that include the Faith, Islamic Contributions to Civilisation, Islamic Art, and Islamic Architecture galleries. This contribution comes at a time when communities in Melbourne and Sydney experience increasing attacks on faith-based communities, particularly Jewish-Australians and Muslim-Australians.
Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Julian Hill – MP, explains this funding is a positive step towards cultivating greater cohesion and understanding between various cultures in Australia.
“Australia is a great multicultural community. This extra funding signifies the museum’s significance.
The museum has attracted over 100,000 visitors since its opening in 2014,” says Hill. “This extra funding is not part of any election commitment. It is funding secured for the Islamic Museum of Australia.”
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke explains the museum invites the broader community to understand “the significant role the Islamic community has played in Australia”.
Australia has experienced an increase in hate crimes targeting Islamic and Jewish communities, particularly in parts of Sydney and Melbourne, including the former home of Jewish leader Alex Ryvchin and a childcare centre in Maroubra on the morning of January 21.
This announcement is a positive step toward rebuilding trust and fostering education among different faith-based and cultural groups in Australia.
“Social cohesion is not just an end state; it’s a process. We need to give the Australian people the space to learn about each other,” Hill shared.
The Islamic Museum of Australia attracts visitors through its education and arts programs. In 2024, the museum partnered with the SBS Learn to publish a curriculum-aligned teacher resource that builds students’ understanding of the practices and celebration of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (Understanding Ramadan and Eid).
Oz Arab Media has reached out to Evan Mulholland, MP for Northern Metropolitan and Victoria’s Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs, for further comment.
