Sunshine Coast anti-mosque protestors say they have no intentions of speaking face-to-face with Muslims about a planned “place of worship” because they already know what to expect.
Genital mutilation and severe punishments including the amputation of hands and feet will become part of the Coast’s future, according to Restore Australia CEO Mike Holt.
“It will be a prayer room or a mosque but upstairs they will be administering Sharia Law. That’s why we are opposing this; we don’t want Sharia Law on the Sunshine Coast,” Mr Holt said.
His comments came after a gathering of like-minded anti-mosque groups.
Mr Holt rallied the groups to discuss their “next moves” against the application to develop a Muslim “place of worship” in Maroochydore’s Church St.
Representatives from Restore Australia, Patriotic Defence League Australia, One Nation and Sunshine Coast Safe Communities attended.
Mr Holt said it was a “good” meeting, with plenty of discussions on their legal avenues to quash the mosque application.
He gave a grim prediction of the future if the application is approved.
“There will be divorce courts, there will be marriage counselling with punishments that include cutting off of hands and feet,” he said.
“There will be female genital mutilation parties; we just don’t know what else they are going to do there.”
He said he had never spoken to Muslims behind the application because there was “no point”.
“We are not prepared to talk to them, we have nothing to say. We know what Islam is and we don’t want that on the Sunshine Coast.”
His comments came after Sunshine Coast Council revealed it will not consider views of anti-mosque protesters when it decides on the application.
The council confirmed the material change of use application submitted by the Muslim Organisation Sunshine Coast (MOSC) would be considered purely on planning grounds.
As no substantial changes to the site are intended, the development application will be assessed by council officers and will not require public consultation.
Under the MOSC application, the former office building in Church St will become a place of worship with a caretaker’s cottage.
Restore Australia has warned of more street protests and a High Court challenge if the plan is approved, within a matter of weeks.
Mr Holt said he was concerned public opinion would not be taken into consideration, but he said it did not dampen the passion and fight in the protestors.
“We are looking at legal options, we have some powerful people on board and we will oppose this long and hard,” he said.