Australians have received a rare glimpse inside the highly secretive Q Society with the far-right, anti-Islam group holding a pair of fundraising events in Sydney and Melbourne this week.
As the sun was setting on Friday evening, more than 100 anti-racism protesters tried to block those arriving at a dinner in St Kilda, where newly independent Senator Cory Bernardi was a guest of honour.
They carried signs, rocked a bus and shouted slogans including, “Racist, sexist, anti-queer Cory is not welcome here”.
Bernardi wasn’t the only high profile politician on the guest list either, conservative Nationals MP George Christensen was also billed to speak, prompting widespread criticism.
“Bigotry and racism have no place in Australia,” Greens leader Richard Di Natale said in a scathing Facebook post.
“Malcolm Turnbull has to condemn George Christensen for supporting this vile event.”
On Thursday night 160 people attended a similar event at an RSL in Sydney, where a number of attendees were outed for spouting anti-Muslim rhetoric by Fairfax reporter Jacqueline Maley who attended.
“Let’s be honest, I can’t stand Muslims,” cartoonist Larry Pickering declared, according to Maley’s piece in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“If they are in the same street as me, I start shaking.”
Pickering donated some of his own works, including a cartoon depicting a woman in a niqab being raped by her son-in-law, to be auctioned off as part of the group’s fundraising effort.
They are hoping to raise money to pay the legal bills — estimated at up to $1 million —of Kirralie Smith, NSW Senate spot with Australian Liberty Alliance last year, and Q Society President Debbie Robinson, both of whom are being sued for defamation.
“Australia is much further down the path of political correctness than most people realise,” Robinson told the room at one point.
“People are beginning to wake up. Brexit and recent results in the US and Europe are indicative of the rise of conservatism.”
Controversial ex-Liberal MP Ross Cameron has also been labelled homophobic after repeatedly referencing homosexuality in his speech and referring to the NSW branch of the Liberal Party a “gay club”.
“I don’t mind that they are gay, I just wish, like Hadrian, they would build a wall,” he said.
He defended attending the event on Sky News yesterday.
Top Comments
Those protesters were reminiscent of the Nazi Brownshirt enforcers of the 30's, using Intimidation and brutality against anyone who didn't toe the line of their dictates.
How dare anyone have an opinion contrary to ours, is their mantra.
I ask people to just keep an open mind please about what I’m
about to say, I’ve no doubt that there are some people in the right who are what they are painted out to be, but I’ve done some research on Halal Certification and Kirralie Smith, and whilst I’ve no doubt that she is a conservative Christian, I don’t think she is the bigot that she is being painted out to be, she is just a woman who is deeply concerned about Islamic extremism.
You notice in these reports that none of those insulting remarks
where made by her. My understanding from other interviews with her, is that years ago she did some volunteer work in a third world country and was witness to some Islamic extremists who victimised Christians. If you watch the Four Corners doco, “The Truth About Halal” she even states that not all of the Muslims were involved, and some even helped the Christians, but she saw first hand what Islamic extremism can be and she is just concerned about where this halal money ends up. I’m going off memory here it’s been a while since I watched it but you can still watch that episode on the internet.
Halal Certification is a $2.1 trillion dollar industry, and she is now being sued for her concerns about where the money ends up. These people have deep pockets, and Kirralie is just an ordinary woman. Yes she has some powerful friends in the conservative parties, and some of those friends may have unsavoury reputations but if you were being sued and those people will help you where else can you go? It’s not like the Greens are going to pay the
bill.
What is lost in all of this is that Kirralie was one of the first in Australia to speak out about her concerns with Islamic extremism, I’ve no doubt she will have had death threats, she has been incredibly brave. At that time she wasn’t in politics she had no backing by any powerful political group (as far as I’m aware). Why would she put her life on the line if she was just some kind of bigot?
The truth is Kirralie Smith spoke out against Halal Certification and how it is being rorted.
If she has evidence about this, she should refer it to the police instead of a political meeting.
The meeting is to raise funds for a court case brought against her by Mohamed El Mouelhy from the Halal Certification Authority. He is entitled to sue the Q Society as well as Kirralee Smith entitled to defend herself. In a court case both side are entitled to put forth their arguments. The judge will rule on it. The public are entitled to analyise what is being said and form opinions accordingly.
Both sides look like they will pay for there own legal council. At least the taxpayer does not have to fork out money to either side.
Both sides of the debate will have equal opportunity to present the facts and to defend the facts.
Even the Indonesian and Malysian governments are reviewing the Halal Certification.
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