It was officially announced recently by the Hunter and Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel that the Elermore Vale regional Mega Mosque development application has been rejected on the grounds of traffic, car parking, and noise issues; this followed advice from Newcastle City Council planners, who had recommended that the mosque application be refused.[1] This is a great victory for local residents who did not want to live in the shadow of a large mosque and all of the related problems that such a development could bring.
It was apparent right from the start, when the development application was lodged, that the general population of Elermore Vale had not been advised or consulted with by the Newcastle Muslim Association about this proposed regional Mega Mosque. It has been suggested, because of its size and extra resources, that the mosque would end up catering for thousands of Islamic worshippers, bringing in Muslims from all over the central coast region of New South Wales, becoming the largest Islamic base in NSW outside of Sydney.
Throughout the process of considering the application over the past 18 months, there were heated arguments over a plethora of problems regarding the Mosque being built.
To add to the problematic nature of the proposal, it was reported in the media that the Newcastle Muslim Association in charge of the development of the new regional Mega Mosque was being taken over by Wahhabis (those belonging to a strict fundamentalist sect of Islam, which has been linked to violent Jihad).[2]
Further to the matter, it was said over the course of the approval process that the Newcastle Muslim Association (NMA) had misled both the council and residents about the actual numbers that would be attending the Mosque; or the NMA had accidentally been mistaken in its assessment of the mosque’s impact. This became apparent when traffic experts working on the number of cars bringing worshipers to the mosque, using information supplied by the NMA, found that the volume was unsustainable for the prayer times given and the already congested main road that would be used to access the mosque.[3]
Diane Rah, a spokeswoman for the NMA, had previously said that the building of the new Mosque complex would change nothing, “It will be the same thing but with the better side of on-site parking and space to accommodate for our community” she had claimed.[4]
After the official announcement a representative of the Newcastle Muslim Association appeared bewildered and asked “Where are we going to worship now?” However, it should be noted that there are already several mosques in the Newcastle area.[5]
It has been reported that local residents feared “that a big new mosque and associated facilities will see Elermore Vale become Newcastle’s Lakemba”.[6] However, due to the fear of being victimized by the thugs of political correctness, as well as facing the lack of an avenue for cultural considerations to be taken into account in planning decisions, these concerns were not publicly debated as part of the mosque proposal process.
The final decision was one of common sense, as the Mosque proposed was just unrealistic for the area. Furthermore, local residents were pleased to learn that the council’s new environment plan now prohibits the establishment of any places of worship in that particular area, so the Newcastle Muslim Association cannot make any new applications to build a mosque in that location.[7]
However, this is not the end of the matter for Newcastle, as the Hunter and Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel, as part of their announcement, have also stated that they were favourably disposed towards seeing the development of such a mosque elsewhere in the Newcastle area:
“The Panel is of the view that a Mosque located in an area of Newcastle where it will not present such impacts will be a worthwhile addition to Newcastle’s social and cultural environment and appropriately reflect Newcastle’s growing cultural diversity.”[8]
Also, a recent statement from the only Muslim politician in the New South Wales parliament, Lebanese-born Shaoquett Moselmane (who was appointed, not elected, to the NSW Legislative Council), made it clear that he wanted areas to be specified by law whereby the establishment of houses of worship could not be held up by the existing planning laws. Such a law would obviously enable more mosques to be built, by riding roughshod over the objections of locals.
“I intend to raise a number of issues of significant concern to religious minorities and, in particular, to the growing Islamic community of New South Wales. These include development applications for places of public worship and prayer houses, and associated ongoing community tensions whenever a local government authority receives such an application … To resolve this problem the Government must take the initiative by amending the relevant planning laws and regulations to create religious development zones.”[9]
Moselmane has also called for laws to be passed in NSW against “discrimination on the grounds of religious belief”.[10]
However, experience of these laws in other areas has shown that such laws are politically-motivated and have been used to silence those who criticize the ideology of Islam and various practices of Muslims. Such laws are part of a class of legislative acts which have been termed “multiculturalism laws”, being laws that aim to further the social-political ideology of multiculturalism by making it illegal to criticize the problematic realities of multiculturalism and immigration.
If there are any problems with certain ethnicities or religious groups, then it can become illegal to discuss them or to publicly give an opinion on the underlying issues; these laws are used as a way of silencing dissent against multiculturalism and immigration and are an integral part of what has been called “multicultural fascism”. In various instances these anti-freedom laws have been used by Muslim groups and others to harass their critics; they are a standard element of the anti-democratic nature of official multiculturalism.
Moselmane has said that he is committed to Australia. But what kind of Australia? An Australia where freedom of speech is paramount, or an Australia where anyone who is slandered as a so-called “racist” can be jailed for a thought crime?
“I am aware of the community and media interest that I have attained as the first Australian of Arabic-Lebanese-Muslim heritage to enter Australia’s oldest Parliament … I am proud of my heritage, proud of my family and proud of who I am. I am first and foremost an Australian, and like all members here, I will always put Australia first … We have a duty to condemn racism and we can fight it through education and the rule of law … racism is ignorance and a crime.”[11]
Obviously there are some multiculturalists and Muslims who intend to destroy various elements of our democratic society and our freedom of speech in the pursuit of their own agendas. Such developments should never be taken lightly.
Residents of the Newcastle area may yet face the prospect of having a mega mosque built in their backyard, so to speak, acting as a ethnic-religious magnet bringing in thousands of muslims to their area, whether they want that situation or not. Not only that, but the spectre has arisen of some ugly anti-democratic laws being forced upon them as well, to stop their freedom of speech. The political machinations that are inevitably associated with multiculturalism, large-scale Third World immigration, and Islamification are bringing their chickens home to roost. Whilst this situation is particularly pertinent to Newcastle, how long will it be until this same scenario is played out across the width and breadth of Australia?
Australia’s way of life is changing, and not always for the better. Many people are worried about the creeping onset of Islamification, drastic changes to our population, and the gradual erosion of free speech in our society. The multiculturalists are forcing ill-considered changes upon our society that will badly impact upon many of us in our lifetime, and which will certainly impact upon the lives of our children and grandchildren. We can either bury our heads in the sand, or we can join together to protect the future of ourselves and our families. If you care for Australia, then join together with other patriots to fight for the future of our people. Join the Australian Protectionist Party.
References:
[1] “Regional Panel determines Elermore Vale Mosque DA”, Joint Regional Planning Panels (NSW Government), 22 August 2011
Tim Connell. “Mosque rejected over traffic”, Newcastle Herald, 23 August 2011
““DA 10/1049 Elermore Vale”, City of Newcastle
[2] Richard Kerbaj. “Extremist students take over mosque”, The Australian, 20 March 2007
Richard Kerbaj. “Islamist students ‘spreading hate’”, The Australian, 12 September 2007
Nick Folkes. “Community concern over proposed Elermore Vale mosque”, Australian Conservative, October 2010
Paul Vallely. “Wahhabism: A deadly scripture”, The Independent (UK), 1 November 2007
Adrian Morgan. “Saudi Arabia’s Export of Radical Islam”, Sullivan-County.com, [January 2007]
Amb. Curtin Winsor, Ph.D. “Saudi Arabia, Wahhabism and the Spread of Sunni Theofascism”, Global Politician, 22 October 2007
Roger Hardy. “Analysis: Inside Wahhabi Islam”, BBC, 30 September 2001
Zubair Qamar. “Wahhabism: Understanding the roots and role models of Islamic extremism”, The As-Sunnah Foundation of America
Rretta. “The wahhabi soft Jihad”, Franklin County Va. Patriots, 14 January 2011
[3] Ben Smee. “Elermore Vale mosque faces rejection”, Newcastle Herald, 6 August 2011
Ben Smee. “Elermore Vale mosque proposal set to be refused”, Newcastle Herald, 5 August 2011
Tim Connell. “Mosque rejected over traffic”, Newcastle Herald, 23 August 2011
Helen Gregory. “Protest and prejudice”, Newcastle Herald, 14 May 2011
[4] Naomi Davidson. “Elermore Vale community consulted over mosque say Muslims”, Newcastle Herald, 10 December 2010
[5] “Masjids and Musallahs in Australia”, Islamia
[6] Jeff Corbett. “Mosque fears”, Newcastle Herald, 16 September 2010
[7] Ben Smee. “Elermore Vale mosque faces rejection”, Newcastle Herald, 6 August 2011
[8] “Regional Panel determines Elermore Vale Mosque DA” [PDF], Joint Regional Planning Panels (NSW Government), 22 August 2011
[9] “Religious freedom”, Hansard (NSW Legislative Council), 25 May 2011
“Public worship”, Hansard (NSW Legislative Council), 4 June 2011, p.2103
“Shaoquett Moselmane”, Wikipedia
Gemma Jones. “Mayor to become the first Muslim MP”, The Daily Telegraph, 26 November 2009
[10] “Religious freedom”, Hansard (NSW Legislative Council), 25 May 2011
[11] “Legislative Council”, Hansard (NSW Legislative Council), 25 February 2010
“Inaugural Speech of the Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC in Parliament”, Middle East Times
Muslims should leave our country, this country is a Christian country, we don't wear Islamic clothing, we wear western clothing. They are taking over this wonderful country, how far should we go north or south to get away from them in Sydney or any other major city in Australia? This might sound racist but it is not I like Muslim people but there is too many of them. If we go over to their country we are expected to follow their laws and rules. If you are a woman you have to wear the clothing in there country so why can't Muslim people follow our Australian ways. Leave the central coast and Newcastle alone.
Ending 'racism' through education? Firstly, Islam isn't a race and secondly, in Australia we still {I think} have a right to an opinion. Muslims and the Left believe you have a right to an opinion….as long as its one they approve of. They won't change me one bit.
well said
I use to think that…. but I don't think any party will be "brave" enough to stop Australia's Islamisation until it is too late!!!
Cory Bernardi, SA Liberal Senator has just been distanced from his party because he had the audacity to invite Geert Wilders to Australia!!!
Yet we allow people fron Hizb ut-Tahrir to spread their anti western, anti democracy hate in Australia!!!
Such a good point Diane….the hypocrisy is astounding.
Newcastle people need to think about who they vote for at the next election.When they vote labour.Because the labour party does not support the Anglo Celtic worker like they did 50 years ago.