Restrict Muslim Immigration?

April 2007

Rev Fred Nile lifted the debate in the two weeks prior to the election with a call for a moratorium on Muslim immigration for ten years so we could avoid the social clashes now experienced in France, UK and other European countries, and for a positive discrimination toward Christians who have suffered from Muslim persecution.

His call has the support in various polls of at least half the population. It is not part of the considered CDP immigration policy.

This is actually a Federal issue and parties like the Australians Against Further Immigration will have no opportunity in State Parliament to alter Commonwealth laws.

An immigration moratorium against Muslims is an attractive idea to many people. It is a simple answer to a complex issue, and like so many simple answers it entails other issues that many of us would not accept.

Minorities can create huge problems with existing populations. Consider the Tamil growth in Sri Lanka, the Chinese domination in Singapore, the Indian clashes in Fiji and the political coups of the indigenous Fijians. Northern Ireland grew from British immigrants, and Israelis immigrated into Palestine. Every one of these cases brings strong reaction from others both inside and outside the country of conflict.

Restricting entry of a group of people that may be seen as threatening (of our security, our jobs, our healthcare, even our supply of water!) is the first thought of many people. When the Chinese started arriving in Australia to work through the tailings of our gold mines in the 1850's riots ensued and after many conflicts, Australians closed ranks behind the White Australia policy of restricted immigration.

Today Asian immigrants and their children have totally integrated into our society and what hospital could continue without them?

In the 1950's the Italians were the first migrants to arrive after World War 2, and many thought priority should be given to English immigrants. After all, they were our allies, whereas the Italians were fighting our forces and killing Australian servicemen.

In the 1950's aggression against European immigrants was a major social issue. Soccer, with nationalistic teams, became almost a blood sport as old antagonisms were fought on the playing fields and grandstands.

Yet these immigrants changed Australia for the better, and were the heroes of the Snowy Mountain scheme and our new industries. Their children are now the leading politicians in every state, found among all professions as lawyers, doctors, academics, clergy and researchers.

300,00 Muslims are now in Australia. That is 1.4% of the population. Most of these are law-abiding citizens making a contribution to the nation. Some young adults of Arabic speaking Australian families, who are themselves born in Australia, take upon themselves the right to intimidate and promote extreme views, including terrorist calls. Some like David Hicks, have trained overseas in terrorist camps and are believed to have declared they will fight Westerners overseas and in our country. The terrorist atrocities s in USA, London, Madrid, Paris makes it possible that we will be next.

That has made many citizens extremely nervous. Such threats, from any minority are not acceptable to Australians, and we certainly did not see them in the past from immigrants from China, the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and so on.

The trouble with banning immigrants on the basis of either their religion or ethnicity, is that it cuts right against our Christian and democratic principles. No matter how we may be afraid of minorities, banning them is a return to the White Australia policy, or the policies of Hanson's One Nation, or the Australians Against Further Immigration is not the way to go. Such bans encourage racists and red-necks who can quickly swing into action as we saw in Cronulla and its reaction.

Restricting immigrant visas to only Arabic speaking Christians from Muslim persecution will create a call of people who declare themselves Christian in order to get visas, and create resistance to integration when they arrive here.

The solution? Open immigration policies for all in need, strict application of the existing laws against people involved in terrorist or anti-social activities, the removal of all social and economic barriers against minorities that cause social unrest, the building of an attitude of neighbourliness, and of every kind of activity leading to integration into Australian culture and values. Encouraging a multiculturalism that divides cultures and entrenches old antagonisms is not the way to go.

Our people should be educated on what it means to be an Australian. Families, schools, the media and even "shock jocks" ought to understand the need for harmony in our communities. An emphasis in these contexts must be placed on the manner in which people from different ethnic groups have added to the social fabric of this nation. Those in leadership in our nation ought to be fully aware of their responsibility as agents of construction - they add to the sentiments and values that make this nation what it is. Christian leaders should be peacemakers, and mediators of the divisiveness that destroys us all.

With immigrants coming to Australia from more than 150 countries, we have been the greatest melting pot in the Southern Hemisphere. We are a peaceful and cohesive community with contributions to the total welfare from immigrants and the children of immigrants making our nation.

Currently we have some problems with some Muslims, limited to some parts of Sydney and Melbourne. What we must do is solve the problems where they exist, not ban entire groups of people on the basis of ethnicity or religion.

REV THE HON. DR GORDON MOYES, A.C., M.L.C..