Peter Costello. Australian Federal treasurer Peter Costello, next in line for Prime Minister, has called for Muslim extremists to be stripped of their citizenship. In a speech to the Sydney Institute on the 23rd February, he described multiculturalism as "mushy and misguided". Mr Costello particularly singled out Muslims in his remarks, saying extremists should move to countries where they feel more comfortable. Mr Costello's comments targeting Muslim extremists, won support from Prime Minister John Howard, and controversial ex-politician Pauline Hanson . Abdul El Ayoubi, a director of the Lebanese Muslim Association said, "it's upsetting to hear such comments, especially when you consider that the majority of Muslims have accepted the Australian way of life and Australian values." Mr Nguyen said Mr Costello appeared to be aligning himself with the "now discredited argument of his colleague Danna Vale – that Australia is in danger of becoming a Muslim nation". "Obviously nobody supports violent people in our society, but what we don't understand is why allegedly violent Muslims are any different from any violent people of other cultures or religions," he said. "What about deporting the people who participated in riots in Cronulla last year? Those people did not exhibit any Australian values in their actions." Malcolm Thomas from the Islamic Foundation of Victoria says it's the fact that Mr Costello singled out Muslims. "If you remove the word Muslim from what he said, well then I totally agree with Peter. Yeah, I'm prepared, just as much as Peter, to be as intolerant to anyone who wants to attack Australia and the Australian values, irrespective of their race or religion or ethnicity," said Mr Thomas. "Language is everything. The words are marginalising a segment of our community and creating division within the community." Another Muslim community leader said Costello is promoting division and Islamophobia and should be censured. Keysar Trad , president of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, has said he genuinely hoped the Prime Minister would censure Mr Costello. Mr Trad said nobody was protesting Australia's secular laws through any other means than the normal democratic process. "We have not asked for sharia law to be imposed. 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," he told ABC radio . "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." Ikebal Patel, an executive member of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils , said the comments were "inflammatory". "Islam law teaches that when you go into a country you embrace the laws of that country," Mr Patel said. "I hope we are not going away from multiculturalism as the founding stone of our immigration policy." Mr Costello said Muslims who did not like the depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in newspapers should recognise this does not justify violence.
Peter Costello. Australian Federal treasurer Peter Costello, next in line for Prime Minister, has called for Muslim extremists to be stripped of their citizenship. In a speech to the on the 23rd February, he described multiculturalism as "mushy and misguided". Mr Costello particularly singled out Muslims in his remarks, saying extremists should move to countries where they feel more comfortable. Mr Costello's comments targeting Muslim extremists, won support from Prime Minister John Howard, and controversial ex-politician . Abdul El Ayoubi, a director of the said, "it's upsetting to hear such comments, especially when you consider that the majority of Muslims have accepted the Australian way of life and Australian values." Mr Nguyen said Mr Costello appeared to be aligning himself with the "now discredited argument of his colleague – that Australia is in danger of becoming a Muslim nation". "Obviously nobody supports violent people in our society, but what we don't understand is why allegedly violent Muslims are any different from any violent people of other cultures or religions," he said. "What about deporting the people who participated in riots in last year? Those people did not exhibit any Australian values in their actions." Malcolm Thomas from the says it's the fact that Mr Costello singled out Muslims. "If you remove the word Muslim from what he said, well then I totally agree with Peter. Yeah, I'm prepared, just as much as Peter, to be as intolerant to anyone who wants to attack Australia and the Australian values, irrespective of their race or religion or ethnicity," said Mr Thomas. "Language is everything. The words are marginalising a segment of our community and creating division within the community." Another Muslim community leader said Costello is promoting division and and should be censured. , president of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia, has said he genuinely hoped the Prime Minister would censure Mr Costello. Mr Trad said nobody was protesting Australia's laws through any other means than the normal democratic process. "We have not asked for sharia law to be imposed. 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," he told . "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." Ikebal Patel, an executive member of the , said the comments were "inflammatory". "Islam law teaches that when you go into a country you embrace the laws of that country," Mr Patel said. "I hope we are not going away from multiculturalism as the founding stone of our immigration policy." Mr Costello said Muslims who did not like the depiction of the in newspapers should recognise this does not justify violence.
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Sydney Institute
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Pauline Hanson
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Lebanese Muslim Association
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Danna Vale
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Cronulla
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Islamic Foundation of Victoria
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Islamophobia
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Keysar Trad
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secular
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ABC radio
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Australian Federation of Islamic Councils
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Prophet Muhammad