One in four Australians have negative feelings towards Muslims, study finds

Australia's attitudes towards Muslims has not changed in the past year amid growing concern over national security and the threat of homegrown terror, a national survey finds .

The Social Cohesion Report published by Monash University and the Scanlon Foundation monitored public attitudes on issues like immigration and multiculturalism .

More than 24,000 people took part in the survey .

It found one in four Australians have a negative attitude towards Muslims, a figure that reflected last year's findings .

Experience of discrimination remained close to the highest level recorded at 18 per cent since the surveys began in 2007 .

Of those who reported discrimination, 30 per cent said it happened at least once a month .

Report author Professor Andrew Markus said the results are more troubling in the current climate .

"What we're finding is negativity towards Muslims is five times higher than towards Christians and Buddhists," Professor Markus said .

"So there's quite a significant issue there .

"Even though the proportions haven't changed over the last four or five years, it appears that increased tension [means] those who are negative are more likely to act out .

"That's the major concern. That you've got 10-15 per cent of the population who are quite strongly negative towards cultural diversity, towards aspects immigration, towards certain faith groups .

He said those over 65 and people living in regional areas were more likely to discriminate against Muslims .

Silma Irham from the Australian Muslim Women's Association said the results are not surprising .

"There has been so much negativity from the media, from the Government," she said .

"Until the Federal Government changes its rhetoric and stops using Muslims as the cause of hardships facing the population, things aren't going to improve .

"The Muslim community is a minority here but it is established, there are far more Australian-born Muslims, but it is like it still has to sell itself to the [rest of the] community .