SYDNEY, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Controversial Australian senator-elect Pauline Hanson has come under renewed criticism for her anti-Islam stance after claiming Australians are scared to walk the streets on fears of terrorism.
Amid clashes between Hanson's supporters and anti-racism protestors outside the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's headquarters on Monday night, the controversial parliamentarian renewed her calls for a royal commission into Islam and a ban on Muslim migration.
Her comments were attacked on Australian social media on Tuesday as hate speech while newly elected government ministers are publicly disagreeing with her views.
"There are individuals in our community that, yes, subscribe to the Muslim faith and want to do us damage, and we need to have a strong security, border protection and other policies place to deal with those issues," newly crowned Australian Resources Minister Matt Canavan told broadcaster Sky News on Tuesday.
"But don't put people into groups -- that is not the basis of our society."
Hanson's 20-year hiatus from Australian political life hasn't changed her discriminatory views on immigration, especially toward Asians and those of the Muslim faith, causing a lot of concern among Australia's vibrant multi-cultural communities.
"You are creating a dysfunctional country by isolating a religion, 20 years ago isolating a race, and if you keep on going down this track I will fear for my wife's life, I will fear for my kid's life," audience member Khaled Elomar said, after claiming he taught his son about Islamophobia by showing videos of the senator speak.
But Hanson has been given an olive branch by one person, 30-year-old psychologist Mohammed Attai, who invited the senator to his home for a meal so she can get a deeper understanding of his culture.
"I believe the best way to increase understanding and mutual respect is through interaction,"Attai said.
