Andrews slams Muslim 'safe spaces' idea
By
AAP
FTBA
PGL
Premier Daniel Andrews says he's "very troubled" by the Islamic Council of Victoria's suggestion for safe spaces where Muslim youth "could be radical".
The ICV made a submission asking for taxpayer-funded "safe spaces" where young Muslims can express themselves openly, even if those views are "inflammatory".
Mr Andrews says he is very concerned about their proposal and the council's state funding will be reviewed.
"There is no safe way to rail against the West. There is no safe way to rail against the values that we hold dear," Mr Andrews told reporters.
"I am very troubled by the suggestion that we might have a space where people could be radical as part of a deradicalisation program. That makes no sense to me whatsoever."
He added that no such program would receive Victorian government funding.
"We will be having a very close look at the Islamic Council of Victoria's funding in a broader sense," Mr Andrews said.
(Why on earth are they being funded in any case???)
The ICV's June 1 submission to a parliamentary inquiry on religious freedom also called for federal counter-terrorism and deradicalisation funding to be used for the program.
"Existing Commonwealth CVE and CT funding re-allocated to create safe spaces urgently needed by Muslim youth to meet and talk about a range of issues in emotional terms," the ICV submission says.
"(A space) where they can be frank and even use words, which in a public space would sound inflammatory".
The submission says young people are unable to express anger or use certain facial expressions without becoming a target for surveillance.
"We are not asking for forums for youths to go berserk in terms of expressing extreme views," Adel Salman, ICV Vice President told 3AW on Thursday.
"We are asking for forums for youth to express themselves in various ways with various emotions and not to be judged."
Queensland's One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson has called the Victorian proposal a "load of rubbish".
"How much more money have we got to put into this? To make them feel good about themselves? I think it is absolute rubbish," she told Seven's Sunrise program.
© AAP 2017
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http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...safe-spaces-needed-in-vic#oYrphRCfLJ4V9DGS.99
