Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Concetta Fierravanti-Wells believes the fatal terror attack outside NSW police headquarters is a turning point in efforts to stop young people becoming radicalised.
But Senator Fierravanti-Wells, who earlier this year was also appointed to work on countering violent extremism, says Muslim communities must own both the problem and the solution.
Speaking on Wednesday at the National Press Club in Canberra, Senator Fierravanti-Wells said that while young people of different backgrounds have been preyed upon by those bent on radicalising them, the most affected cohort have been young Muslim Australians.
The comments come almost three weeks after 15-year-old Farhad Jabar shot dead police accountant Curtis Cheng, in a terror attack in front of the police HQ in Parramatta, not far from the mosque where he had earlier attended Friday prayer.
"I have spent recent months visiting Muslim communities around Australia," Senator Fierravanti-Wells said.
"I believe the tragic Parramatta incident is a turning point. I have called it a crossroads moment. Our Muslim communities now need to own the problem and own the solution."
However, the senator said there must also be close cooperation between government and communities in the design and implementation of anti-radicalisation programs, and a deeper understanding of reasons behind the disengagement of young Muslim Australians.
"As many community leaders around Australia told me, if their young people had jobs, they wouldn't be vulnerable, nor had the inclination or the time to be radicalised. But if your name is Mohammed, it is very hard to get a job in Australia today," she said.
In the wake of Tony Abbott's demise as prime minister, many Muslim leaders said they hoped for an improvement in the language coming out of Canberra and a better relationship with government under the leadership of Malcolm Turnbull.
Senator Fierravanti-Wells on Thursday said "language in any context is very important, particularly when you are dealing with these sort of issues".
"Certainly since there has been a change in recent weeks, the language has been different and I think that has been very welcome by our Muslim communities," she said.
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