The Dandenong-based Taha Association Centre is calling for the restoration of its $670,000 grant, which was cancelled by the Federal Government after the centre mourned the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The grant for facility upgrades and community activities was promised by Bruce MP Julian Hill, assistant minister for citizenship and multicultural affairs, during last year’s election campaign.
On 4 March, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Anne Aly announced the cancellation citing “social cohesion concerns” after her department reviewed the application.
“Like all governments, we do give grants to community organisations, whether they be religious organisations, for mosques, temples, for sporting groups, but we take seriously our expectation that the activities of those organisations and the activities of those groups are conducted within the rule of law and within the expectations of taxpayers and the standards that taxpayers expect,” Dr Aly said.
This unfolds after Taha, as well as other mosques in the south east, held memorial services mourning the assassinated Ayatollah Khamenei, regarded as a leading influential leader in the Islamic world, especially for Shia Muslims, but a “brutal dictator” and sponsor of terrorism by others.
Taha Association Centre put out a media release calling on media outlets, federal parliamentarians and public commentators to “immediately retract inaccurate statements” made about the organisation and broader Shia community.
They also requested the Federal Government review their grant cancellation decision, based on “facts rather than narrative”.
“What is not in dispute is that his decision was made on the basis of an unchecked narrative – without consultation with our organisation, our leadership or our community.”
The statement says their “sincere religious gathering” mourning service was subjected to media reporting and parliamentarian commentary that had “fundamentally misrepresented” the nature of their gathering.
“The service marked the passing of a significant religious figure who, for Shia Muslims globally, holds a weight broadly comparable to the loss of a Pope for Catholics.
“It was act of faith. It was not political and it should not be framed as such.
“Our practises are purely spiritual and commemorative in nature.
“We gather to mourn, to pray and support one another in grief -as communities of faith have done for centuries.”
The Centre asked for its members’ grief to be recognised as grief, saying the Shia mourning practises are 1400 years old.
It held fears for a rise in Islamophobia and for the physical safety of its members and community, it stated.
The Taha Centre was built by the community, delivering services such as funerals, cross-cultural volunteering, community food drives to support the wider community regardless of faith or background, it stated.
Its patrons are largely the Afghan-Australian and Hazara community who themselves had fled Afghanistan out of fear of persecution or their Shia religious beliefs and ethnicity by the Taliban.
“Families amongst us have lost dozens of loved ones to the very extremism we are now being associated with.
“For those people, the current media and parliamentary narrative is not merely offensive – it is retraumatising.”
It also stated it has no affiliation with any foreign government, foreign political party or any political movement, denouncing extremism and that the community stands firmly against all wars and violence.
Bruce MP Julian Hill, who said “mourning this tyrant (Khamenei)” was “offensive to the majority of Australians”, said he’d seek a meeting with Taha management, “about the way forward in support of the community and bringing people together.”
“The TAHA Humanity Association have stated their event was intended as solely religious in nature and I conveyed the broader community’s concerns about Khamenei.
“There have always been limits to cultural expression in Australia, and religious practice does not justify all actions.
“The Minister’s decision to not proceed with the commitment in light of social cohesion concerns is really difficult for the Association but justified in the circumstances.”
He slammed the Liberal Opposition who he said had “stupidly tried to pretend” his $670,000 pledge to Taha was “secret”, when it was “widely publicised” on social media posts by Taha and a press release on Hill’s campaign website.
“The Government’s election commitment was matched by the previous Liberal Candidate who bizarrely showed up one night and offered double the amount of funding but curiously seemed not to have issued a press release.”
Taha Centre confirmed the Liberal Party candidate Zahid Safi’s office reached out twice with an election promise in last year’s federal election. It said its management turned down the offer, opting to support the ALP.
Greater Dandenong councillor, Rhonda Garad has strongly opposed the Government’s withdrawal of funding, labelling it as a “shocking act of religious discrimination.”
“Punishing a community for the ‘crime’ of mourning is a shocking act of religious discrimination.
“Will we now punish Buddhists for mourning the Dalai Lama, or Catholics for mourning the Pope?
“Julian Hill praised this community when he was asking for their votes — now he’s thrown them under the bus when his political career is threatened.”
Meanwhile, Victoria’s Multicultural Affairs Minister Ingrid Stitt told Parliament that her department was investigating whether $149,380 of state funding to Taha’s facility in 2022 was used “appropriately”.
She said the Government recently implemented a “social cohesion” commitment for “our grants going forward”.
Opposition multicultural affairs spokesperson Evan Mulholland said “Labor’s desperate use of taxpayer funds to buy multicultural votes has robbed them of a moral compass”.
“Not a single cent of public money should go to those who sympathise with regimes that murder protesters, deny women education rights and firebomb synagogues in Victoria.
“Mourning the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is sickening. It should be condemned by all sides of politics.”
Australian Iranian Society of Victoria vice-president Kambiz Razmara says Australians have the right to exercise their freedom of association and grief as they see fit.
“I dare question the morality and validity of people who stood there, (in memorial services) disregarding the sufferings of Iranians.
“They should’ve considered their actions more carefully, it was most unwise to say the least.
“For people not to acknowledge the suffering of millions under this regime is irresponsible of Muslims, with all due respect to my fellow Muslims.”
Speaking on the grant cancellation he says, “I think it’s within the framework of the law, people should react and act.”
Mr Razmara defends the large celebrations by the Iranian diaspora across the country, saying the celebrations were an “emotional connection to the sufferings.”
“No death is ever celebrated.
“They are celebrating the hope for a new future and he (Ayatollah Khamenei) was the obstacle, he was the leadership of the Iranian government.”
Victoria Police is also on alert since the ongoing incidents and conflicts in the Middle East.
A spokesperson said there had been no reports of incidents or threats in Victoria.
“Victoria Police retains close communications with all communities who have a strong interest in the events that are unfolding.
“We are mindful of the potential for escalating tension including at places of worship and local police have been briefed to respond accordingly.
“Victoria Police will continue to work with our partner agencies across Government and community to monitor the situation.”
Safety concerns for mosque attendees and its communities are high, especially after a 20-year-old WA man, Jayson Joseph Michaels, allegedly detailed his intentions to attack mosques in WA, Police Headquarters and WA Parliament House.
He was charged with an act in preparation for, or planning terrorist act by the Western Australia Joint Counter Terrorism Team.
Australian Federal Police refused to comment.
