MAYOR Tom Tate has taken aim at organisers who have led a protest meeting against his plans to “convert” Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach to Islam. About 100 people attended a meeting last night at Nerang’s Hinterland Hotel organised by the Gold Coast Community Heritage and Safety Committee. Speakers at the meeting were cheered by supporters when they accused of the Mayor of a “lack of leadership” and “advocating the introduction of the forces of Jihad on the Gold Coast”. Cr Tate told the Bulletin during a trip to the Middle East last October that the Gold Coast City Council would encourage more Islamic prayer rooms and an extension to trading hours to cater for big spending Middle Eastern tourists. An Oxenford resident responded by creating an online petition No Concessions to Islam on the Gold Coast which has attracted 2237 respondents. Some interstate tourists who signed the petition have threatened not to return to the Coast and their comments have been forwarded to the Mayor and city councillors. Fearing council would follow the Mayor’s plan, a protest meeting was organised. The Mayor is overseas on a trade trip and neither he or any of his councillors attended last night’s meeting. Leaflets promoting the meeting maintained “this has nothing to do with race” but Cr Tate when advised of the protest accused the organisers of a fear campaign that is “misguided and out of touch” in a city where tourism provides employment for 27,000 residents. “A quarter of Gold Coasters were born overseas. They’re our friends, our neighbours and members of our own families,” Cr Tate said. “Racism and vilification has no place in our liberal western democracy and it should have no place on the Gold Coast. Organisers have bought into a sensationalist headline and accepted it as gospel.” Gold Coast Community Heritage and Safety Committee spokesman Chris Newman said the meeting was arranged after feedback from residents who claim their letters of concern were not acknowledged by the Mayor and city councillors.. “We are not attacking the Mayor. We are challenging his poor judgment in opening up the Gold Coast community to Islamic money, politics and influence. It is a road to tears,” Mr Newman said. Mr Newman declined to provide estimates of the supporter base in southeast Queensland for the new group which aims to “defend Australian culture, heritage and community safety”. goldcoastbulletin.au/news/gold-coast/group-gathered-at-nerangs-hinterland-hotel-to-express-their-opposition-to-making-concessions-to-islam-on-the-gold-coast/story-fnj94idh-1226860814042
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 00:44:33 +0000