Liberal race hate scam exposed on poll eve

Katharine Murphy
November 22, 2007

 

The race/hate pamphlet the Liberals are now trying to excuse as a 'Chaser-like' stunt

ABC TV: The Chaser's War on Everything

Labor's national campaign director, Tim Gartrell, has complained to the Australian Electoral Commission about three men: Jeff Egan, who is a member of the Liberals' NSW executive, Gary Clark, the husband of Ms Kelly, and Troy Craig, president of a community action group in the southern Sydney electorate of Lindsay.

Senior Liberal figures, including federal minister Andrew Robb, last night condemned the incident as offensive and confirmed that two of those involved were Liberal Party members, who had since left the party.

The pamphlet at the centre of the scandal was attributed to the fictitious "Islamic Australia Federation", and purportedly urged a vote for Labor because of its support for Muslim causes.

"We gratefully acknowledge Labor's support to forgive our Muslim brothers who have been unjustly sentenced to death for the Bali bombings," the pamphlet says.

"Labor is the only political party to support the entry to this country of our Grand Mufti Reverend Sheik al-Hilaly and we thank Honourable Paul Keating for overturning the objections of ASIO to allow our Grand Mufti to enter this country."

It also purported to call for the building of more mosques in a part of Sydney where an existing mosque proposal has recently been the subject of controversy.

NSW Liberal state director Graeme Jaeschke told the ABC that the distribution of the pamphlets was not authorised by anyone in the party.

He would not comment last night when asked whether one of the volunteers removed from the campaign was the husband of Ms Kelly, the former federal minister and a favourite of Prime Minister John Howard, who is retiring from politics at this election. "We are not commenting on individuals," he told The Age.

The ABC's Lateline last night aired a photograph of Ms Kelly's husband, an orthodontist, hiding behind one of the leaflets.

Mr Gartrell has requested the material be referred to the Australian Federal Police and the NSW Police for investigation.

Source - The age

______________ 

Liberal race hate scam exposed on poll eve

Comments (1)

	1. 28-11-2007 10:03
	More anti-Muslim hate Pig heads dumped at Muslim school site    November 28, 2007  Article from: The Daily Telegraph      * Pig heads on wooden stakes at school site  * Thought to be a local protest  * Residents opposed to Islamic school    TWO pigs' heads have been dumped at the controversial site of a proposed Islamic school in Sydney's southwest.    The pigs' heads, planted on wooden stakes on the Camden site, with the Australian flag draped between them, are believed to be in protest of the Muslim school proposal.    The proposed school, for up to Muslim 1200 students on 15ha and wedged between market gardens and pastures, has been highly controversial.    A public meeting held in Camden earlier this month attracted more than 2000 people opposed to the development.    The local council also received several thousand written objections during the planning approval process.    The chairman of the Community Relations Commission, Stepan Kerkyasharian, said today's "outrage" revealed what lay behind the opposition to the school.    "This insult and display of hatred is not something any fair-minded Australian would approve of," Mr Kerkyasharian said.    "The obsessive hatred of the mindless bigots who perpetrated this outrage is evidenced by their total disrespect of the ultimate symbol of our national pride, the Australian flag.    "Every Australian Muslim would be offended by such a display, especially one involving the Australian flag."    Mr Kerkyasharian said local residents with legitimate concerns about the impact of the development should condemn the action.    Camden Mayor Chris Patterson said the offensive protest was futile.    "The council will only and can only assess this DA (development application) on planning grounds, nothing else," Mr Patterson said on Macquarie radio.    "Anything like that which happened last night is not acceptable and will not influence council's decision."    The CRC has offered the council its assistance in resolving the community tension.    - with AAP http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22835669-421,00.html

admin

Write Comment

Please keep the topic of messages relevant to the subject of the article. Personal attacks will be deleted. COMMENTS WORK ONLY WITH FIREFOX BROWSER - alternatively email comments to us for publication
Name:
E-mail
Homepage
Title:
Comment:
Code:*
	I wish to be contacted by email regarding additional comments

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved