John Masanauskas, from The Advertiser, May 17, 2011 11:00pm
- Calls for help funding Islamic schools, food outlets
- AFIC says greater government investment needed
- "Would increase integration and reduce enclaves"
AUSTRALIA'S top Muslim body wants taxpayers to help fund the expansion of Islamic schools and halal food outlets.
It says integrating them into mainstream suburbs would mean Muslims are not forced to live in enclaves.
And the nation's peak Jewish organisation has called for new migrants to be put on probation while their commitment to Australian values and laws is checked.
In a submission to a federal inquiry into multiculturalism, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils said Muslims were limited from taking part in civic life when cut off from essential services such as access to Islamic schools, mosques and halal food.
"The Government should invest in expanding services like halal and kosher meat and food outlets as well as faith-based schools which allow a greater capacity to work and live in areas where they exist," it said.
"If the Government and politicians cannot recognise this as essential, it should no longer accuse the Australian Muslim community of intentionally living in enclaves."
Submission author and AFIC board member Heba Ibrahim yesterday said there were reasons why groups were drawn to certain suburbs.
"There needs to be a greater investment generally in schools that wish to go out into other areas that are not heavily populated with particular migrant and religious groups," she said.
Governments don't pay for the building of new private schools, but most private colleges get state and federal funding for running costs and in some cases for upgrades.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry told Federal Parliament's joint standing committee on migration Australia must learn from Europe's failed "anything goes" model of multiculturalism.
It wants all new migrants to be put on probation for a "confident assessment of their acceptance of Australian values and laws before granting full citizenship".
The council's executive director, Peter Wertheim, said there was concern about Islamic extremists and others linked to terrorist groups.
"If they're involved in criminal activity or incitement of violence or incitement of racism, that's something that should be taken into account," he said.
The Jewish body also wants mandatory English training for migrants who lack fluency.
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Commentary: In reaction to this AFIC proposal, the Herald Sun in its editorial (Islamic call goes to far) said:
A PROPOSAL that taxpayers fund the building of Islamic schools to encourage Muslims to move out of their ethnic enclaves sounds more like an ultimatum.
"We will assimilate with the mainstream Australian community when you pay to expand Islamic education", seems to be what a submission from the Federation of Islamic Councils is saying.
The submission has been sent to a Federal Government inquiry into multiculturalism. But it appears ignorant of longstanding policy on the funding of religious education, or chooses to ignore it.
Church schools receive generous government funding once they are established and Islamic schools already receive millions of dollars in government assistance.
The Labor Government has provided grants through its controversial Building the Education Revolution to build new classrooms and facilities at existing state and private schools.
However, to demand that taxpayers' money be used to finance the spread of Islamic education in outer suburbs and regional Australia, as well as paying for halal and kosher food outlets, goes too far.
Making Australian taxpayers foot the bill for building such schools is the reverse of what is a fair and reasonable policy.
The responsibility for integration with the Australian community rests with Islamic organisations and Muslim families.
