Islam is a minority religion in Australia.

It makes alot of noise, well above its right for representation.

As a minority it feels it has an entitlement to equality with the majority of Non-Islamists.

imho, there are two types of islamists, just as there are two types of Christians..

Type 1:

the extremist zealot who demands to impose their version of religion on the rest of the population

Type 2:

those who peacefully practice their beleifs and co-habit wiht those of different belief

We should welcome only the type 2 Islamists and those type 2 of any other religion

We should, where possible deport those of Type 1 attitude of risk greater sedition in the future.

Zealots of any faith are intolerant of others and present civil spociety with grave risks in the name of their particular zealotary.

Like Peter Costello famously said: If you do not like it here, return to where you do like

and good riddance to you

And once again Lexi is 100% correct.

"Regardless of what Mr Patel says and whether he is to be believed or not Australia has a secular government and no official or state religion. Religious laws have no legal status in Australia and I can't see that changing."

Section 116 of the 1900 Act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia (Australian Constitution) provides that:

The Commonwealth of Australia shall not make any law establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.

"Rather Ms Krayem says some of the processes around legal matters such as divorce and inheritance could take on board Muslim notions of dialogue and alternative dispute resolution, but the law should service all community members alike.

But Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland has ruled out any chance of sharia law being introduced to Australia.

In a statement released to the ABC, Mr McClelland said: "There is no place for sharia law in Australian society and the Government strongly rejects any proposal for its introduction.

"Australia's brand of multiculturalism promotes integration. If there is any inconsistency between cultural values and the rules of law then Australian law wins out."

So what ever little slip of the tongue Mr Ikebal Patel made, I think he just didn't read his E-mails:)

LEAP

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/australian-troops-fair-game-for-muslims-in-war-on-afghanistan-hizb-ut-tahrir-believe/story-e6freuy9-1226086675320
I offer this link, and recommend the editorial one that comes up too on opening.
Not as evidence of majority sin.
But to remind some our freedoms can be miss used, the editorial is good but both need to be considered.

I agree that Sharia law, like other theocratic codes, has no place in Australian society. Col Rouge is correct that "Zealots of any faith are intolerant of others and present civil spociety with grave risks in the name of their particular zealotary (sic)". Deportation would certainly be appropriate for non-citizens who are proven to have engaged in illegal incitement to violence or other acts that seriously contravene Australian secular law, however that option would be unavailable in dealing with citizens who engage in such activity. It's also hard to see how such people could be 'screened out' in the immigration process, since they could simply lie to conceal their zealotry.

In recent years there has been a worrying trend towards religious fundamentalism, particularly among Muslims and Christians. While most Australians reject such nonsense for the bunkum it is, it is incumbent upon us to be vigilant about incursions on our civil liberties and hard-won rights by religious extremists from any faith. Australia has a proud tradition of secularism and I think most of us want to keep it that way.

This is what some are saying. I have not formed an opinion accept i oppose ritual slaughter

Problems with the halal market:
http://www.australianislamistmonitor.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4361
Halal certification is a commercial market: The rort continues as certifying agencies only have access to certain markets so if a producer wants access to many markets *do they pay MULTIPLE halal certifiers?

Since some overseas countries also want to charge fees for market access you can easily see that this is simply a rort on the dopey non-Muslims as the Muslims are providing nothing at all – they simply look and dictate and hand out a certificate but they don’t produce anything, they just charge and idiotic companies PAY and YOU pay.

Some claim this benefits Australia because we reach the great Islamic market but this is a nonsense as the NON-Islamic market covers 80% of the world and hence companies should be producing for that market so there is no need for US to be made to adhere to sharia and to pay for the imposition of sharia and halal certification which we do NOT want.

Let companies who want to tie themselves to the Islamic world and submit to its control separately produce their products to suit at the cost of their Muslim purchasers BUT don’t pass those products and extra costs onto US, the 80 % of the world and 98% of Australians who are NOT Muslim! Muslims in Australia make up <2 % of the population so let THEM IMPORT their special halal food if they are incapable of eating ordinary food –which their text and laws allow!

All the costs involved in the halal rort make their food as well as ours unnecessarily more expensive.

King Hazza
Thank you for that comment.
I will ponder my how I can respond in the next day or two.

Lexi,
Sorry I missed u on the other thread. How are you?
To respond to your comment-

TBO, I doubt it & to be fair at times afic has become dysfunctional & undemocratic imop.

*Many of whom probably were surprised by his action in this matter.*

Maybe & maybe not.. It could be that only *some were surprised by his actions.
Australia needs to know if it was a full council &members who voted for Sharia – or just Mr Patel acting alone?.
We need to know if we have the right advisor to the Federal Government.

Or are the Government so keen to get the Islamic Banking $ here they turn a blind eye.
http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/21/islamic-finance-sharia-islamic-finance-islamicfinance08-cx_ee_mn_0421islam_land.html

Is this way MLA & The Government have allowed 15 abattoirs in Australia to operate under ritual slaughter in accordance to Sharia law .

Other sites show Aussies are paying more tax on 80% of product