Hume council has
never experienced anything like the extraordinary religious angst
evident at last Monday night’s council meeting.
More than 1000 people turned out at Broadmeadows to protest
against a plan to build a mosque next to St Mary’s Ancient Church of the
East in Coolaroo.
Many were locals and many were from outside the area, including right-wing Australian Christians Senate candidate Vickie Janson.
PICTURE GALLERY: Mosque plan sparks tension in Coolaroo
Ms Janson failed to declare her candidacy when she
addressed the meeting, instead claiming expertise in trauma and “trauma
triggers”.
She asserted that the sight of a minaret on a mosque was a
trauma trigger to St Mary’s church members, whose Christian sect is
based in the former Persian lands of Syria, Iran and Iraq. It is also
known as the Nestorian church.
“I’m still shocked. I’ve never seen anything like it,” mayor Geoff Porter told the Weekly.
Broadmeadows Progress Association spokesman John Rutherford, who led the charge of speakers against the mosque permit,
said he was not aware of the church’s plans, even though these were
clearly spelled out by finance committee representative Michael Eyar.
“The economic impact on the church will be insurmountable,” Mr Eyar told the gallery.
“The church … has a master plan which includes building a school
and a reception centre at the current location. If this planning permit
[for the mosque] is approved, then these master plans will not be
realised.”
A spokesman for the Shia Muslim Al Sadiq Foundation confirmed church leaders had asked to buy the land earmarked for the mosque.
Council planners say they have not heard of St Mary’s master plan,
and the church’s current site is obviously not big enough to fit the
wish-list.
Reverend Peter Weeks, the head of Hume’s Interfaith Network, said
the controversy presented an opportunity for the network to develop “a
safe space” for dialogue between the parties.
“If the [religious] leaders can find a way, they should have some influence on the way things go from here,” Mr Weeks said.
“One of the things I would hope to point out is that at Meadow Heights, a church and a mosque were deliberately built next to each other.
“They share car parking and there’s a community centre in between.”
