Neither the Qur’an nor the earliest Muslim sources specifically require women to cover their faces or wear garments like the Afghan-style burqa or Gulf-style niqab.
On the same weekend the cuts to the State Library of Victoria were revealed, it was reported that the Allan Labor government will provide A$21 million in support for the $45 million redevelopment of the Bendigo Art Gallery.
Two-thirds of Australians see China as a security concern, though this is the lowest level in five years. Mistrust of the Chinese government has also fallen, from 76% in 2021 to 64% today.
Just this year, Australia published a Net Zero Plan, set its 2035 target and published six sector plans that include electricity and energy, transport and agriculture.
The agreement’s impact may reach far beyond the state’s borders, offering a model for how respectful partnerships can be forged between First Peoples and the state.