Controversial One Nation leader Pauline Hansonhas joined the fight against an Islamic community centre and prayer hall proposed at Kemps Creek.
Ms Hanson, arguably Australia’s most divisive politician, was one of two keynote speakers at a fundraising dinner for the Protect Penrith Action Group on Saturday night in Liverpool.
The second was another prominent anti-Islam politician Kim Vuga, who was one of the most contentious contenders on SBS reality TV show Go Back to Where You Came From.
Ms Hanson denounced Islam because “it is incompatible with our culture, way of life, laws and beliefs”.
“We have never had terrorism on our streets before Islam came here,” she said.
The 61-year-old called for a “moratorium on any further Muslim immigration into Australia” as well as a ban on the burqa to improve “integration”.
She dismissed the notion that the majority of Muslims opposed terrorism and said Muslim leaders had not done enough to condemn terrorism.
“I have heard Muslims who say they agree with 9/11 ... You give me the name of one imam or Muslim cleric who says they don’t want terrorism on the streets.
“All I have heard one cleric say is ‘if you don’t like Australia, then leave’.”
Ms Hanson has also linked halal certificationto terrorist organisations.
She denied she was racist.
“This is nothing to do with racism. We are talking about a totalitarian ideology that is not in keeping with our way of life.”
Ms Hanson’s One Nation party is putting up senate candidates across Australia and she is standing in Queensland.
Kim Vuga announced the formation of her Love Australia or Leave Party. She is standing for the Queensland senate and she is putting up a candidate in NSW.
The 47-year-old spoke about how the community fought off a proposal for a $70m Islamic Boys boarding school in Mareeba in Queensland and about the “security concerns” of taking asylum seekers from a UN camp in Jordan where she had visited.
Ms Vuga, who co-hosts theStop The Boat People Facebook page, said only refugees with Christian values should be accepted but she did not believe Australia was currently in the financial position to take any.
“I believe charity should begin at home,” she said.
The 47-year-old also supported a moratorium on further Muslim migration and also denied she was racist, saying the term was described too “loosely”.
Manzoor Allahyari is the director of Iman Ali Ltd, which plans to build one of the Islamic developments.
“It will be the fifth or sixth prayer hall in Sydney so it’s already part of the community, so I don’t know why people feel they have to create this headache for themselves,” said Mr Allahyari, who came to Australia as an asylum seeker from Afghanistan.
“I came here to live a safe and happy life away from oppression and bad things.”
He did not believe all Muslims should be held accountable for the recent acts of terrorism, including the shooting death of Curtis Chengoutside Parramatta Police Headquarters.
“I do not support the (terrorist’s) actions.
“He will be charged because he is a criminal and it has nothing to do with Islam.”
Mr Allahyari said everyone should be allowed to live a peaceful life “according to their beliefs”.