FEAR and misunderstanding of Muslim faith can be overcome through open dialogue and education, Labor's spokesperson for multiculturalism and citizenship Michelle Rowland believes.
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Ms Rowland spoke of the importance of distinguishing the differences between Islamic State and every day Muslims, the "curious case" of the anti-Halal movement and the contribution of Muslim people to Australia's history during an interview with the Bendigo Advertiser on Thursday.
She visited the city to attend a roundtable of Bendigo Community Health's Refugee Resettlement Program, speak at a lunch celebrating multiculturalism and to meet with Bendigo's Muslim community.
Ms Rowland said she learnt a lot during a visit to the Islamic Museum in Melbourne on Wednesday and it helped to distinguish the difference between terrorism and the Muslim faith.
"That distinction between terrorism and the Muslim faith needs to be stated regularly and forcefully by people in positions of authority," Ms Rowland said.
"I would encourage people who feel they are getting themselves washed up in things that they might be hearing to actually go and educate yourself.
"I was at the Islamic Museum in Melbourne yesterday, and I found it an educational and entertaining experience.
"It puts to bed the myth that Muslims in Australia are somehow new and have brought new problems.
"Muslims in Australia opened up Australia - everyone from the Afghan pioneers to some of our leading business and cultural institutions."
Federal Labor's multiculturalism spokesperson highlighted the ways anti-Muslim sentiment had manifested itself into various causes, including the anti-Halal movement, which she said had no basis in reality.
Ms Rowland said there was bipartisanship in the Federal Parliament over multiculturalism and it was leaders' roles to articulate the difference between conflicts abroad and the beliefs of Muslims locally.
The City of Greater Bendigo received a petition from more than 2000 residents late last month opposing various actions of the council, including its support of the mosque and of multiculturalism.
Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said the petition had "other local issues interwoven" and some might have been unaware of what they were signing.
"They targeted some areas of Bendigo - areas that are very low socio-economic - areas like Eaglehawk, Long Gully and California Gully, and the conversation that people have on people's doorsteps is quite different to what people signed," she said.
"There was a lot of misinformation that was put forward on people's doorsteps to encourage them or get them to sign the petition."
