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PM backs Muslim comments
February 24, 2006 - 10:48AM
Mr Howard says Mr Costello's comments were "fundamentally accurate".
Prime Minister John Howard has refused Muslim calls to censure Treasurer Peter Costello over comments he made about Islamic extremists.
And Mr Costello has challenged Muslim leaders to pledge their allegiance to Australia before they criticise him over his comments about citizenship.
Muslim leaders have called for Mr Howard to censure Mr Costello over his speech last night to the Sydney Institute in which he said anyone who believed Islamic sharia law could co-exist with Australian law should move to a country where they felt more comfortable.
Islamic Friendship Association president Keysar Trad said Mr Costello had unfairly singled out Muslims and was promoting division and Islamophobia.
But Mr Howard said Mr Costello's comments were "fundamentally accurate".
"He's not trying to stir up hostilities with Islamic people any more than I was when I made some comments three days before the Cronulla riots,"Mr Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting in Melbourne.
Mr Costello said Muslim leaders should be pledging themselves and their followers to Australian values before they started criticising him.
"Rather than try and censure me ... they should make a clear statement that they subscribe to all of these views - that they are loyal to Australia, they respect the rights and liberties of others, they believe in democratic government and they believe that all Australians should live unequivocally under the one law made by the Australian parliament - and endorse these values and recommend them to their followers,"Mr Costello told Southern Cross Broadcasting.
"Pledge themselves unequivocally to these values first of all, and then call on their followers to pledge themselves unequivocally to these values.
"This is what I would invite them to do, rather than to criticise me because all Australians should in my view subscribe to these values."
But Mr Trad said nobody was protesting against Australia's secular laws through any other means than the normal democratic process.
"We have not asked for sharia law to be imposed," he told ABC Radio.
"I don't know anyone in this country who is asking for sharia law to be imposed and I don't known anyone in this country who has rejected the rule of law.
"I am genuinely hopeful that the prime minister will censure the treasurer over these ridiculous comments, that the treasurer is grossly out of line.
"Rather than try to promote understanding and harmony in this society, his comments are highly divisive and he is stirring up Islamophobia, and these comments should really be beneath any decent politician."
Mr Trad said the Muslim community in Australia had disowned Islamic fanatics.
In his speech, Mr Costello said where there was reason to believe people were not truthfully or honestly meeting their citizenship test, there was every right for them to be denied citizenship.
He likened entering Australia to entering a mosque, with people entering a Muslim place of worship expected to take their shoes off as a mark of respect.
"If you don't want to take your shoes off, don't go into a mosque. If you want to come into Australia, you will be asked respect for its values," Mr Costello told the Nine Network this morning.He said more demands should be made of people wanting to become Australian citizens.
"If you don't have respect for those values, don't ask to come into Australia.
"This is what we ask of people. We have to preserve a way of life which makes us the greatest country in the world."
Muslims read riot act
Lincoln Wright
September 17, 2006 12:00am
AUSTRALIA'S Muslim leaders have been "read the riot act" over the need to denounce any links between Islam and terrorism.
The Howard Government's multicultural spokesman, Andrew Robb, yesterday told an audience of 100 imams who address Australia's mosques that these were tough times requiring great personal resolve.
Mr Robb also called on them to shun a victim mentality that branded any criticism as discrimination.
"We live in a world of terrorism where evil acts are being regularly perpetrated in the name of your faith," Mr Robb said at the Sydney conference.
"And because it is your faith that is being invoked as justification for these evil acts, it is your problem.
"You can't wish it away, or ignore it, just because it has been caused by others.
"Instead, speak up and condemn terrorism, defend your role in the way of life that we all share here in Australia."
Mr Robb said unless Muslims took responsibility for their destiny and tackled the causes of terrorism, Australia would become divided.
Mr Robb, the parliamentary secretary for immigration and multicultural affairs, said it was important for migrants to learn English.
"I see as critical the need for imams to have effective English language skills -- it is a self-evident truth that a shared language is one of the foundations of national cohesion," he said.
On the eve of Mr Robb's release today of a discussion paper on a new citizenship test, the chairman of the Government's Muslim Reference Group, Dr Ameer Ali, said Opposition Leader Kim Beazley's idea of a values test was silly, as was the need for a universal English test.
He called for an orientation program for new migrants akin to a university student's orientation week.
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on
Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted
radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to
Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister
John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists
would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir
apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked
to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular
st ate, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your
values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic
state, then Australia is not for you", he said on National Television.
"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws
governing people in Australia: one the Australian law and another
the Islamic law, that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary
law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law
and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices
it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said.
Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave,
he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move
to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told
reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values
should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians,
and who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them,
well then, they can basically clear off", he said.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday
by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques
Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It
Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are
offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on
Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of
Australians."
"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the
'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that
our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor
do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming
to Australia." "However, there are a few things that those who have
recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to
understand." "This idea of Australia being a multicultural community has
served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. And as
Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language
and our own lifestyle."
"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials
and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"
"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese,
Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to
become part of our society Learn the language!"
"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing,
political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian
principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is
certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God
offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as
your new home, because God is part of our culture."
"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is
that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."
"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go", then you
should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are
happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't
care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your
culture, but do not force it on others.
"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will
allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done
complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian
beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one
other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."
"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here.
You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."
Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American
citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and
voting the same truths!!
Yup, what was said,:clap1: Hey I like that...'put another shrimp on the barbie' I just wish and pray our politicians do the same....are you listening GW?
Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, American
citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and
voting the same truths!!
We're doomed, this country could NEVER pull something like THAT off. Not today, not with the PC crowd.
I ALWAYS have liked the Aussie's, no worries mate.....
