By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
A RIVAL petition supporting the proposed mosque in Narre Warren North has been launched in opposition to a controversial Facebook page.
The petition has been set up on change.org by the Saarban Islamic Trust, which submitted the application for a ‘place of worship’ at 365-367 Belgrave-Hallam Road.
The application, which is currently being considered by Casey Council, includes plans for a school.
The change.org petition was set up after the Stop the Mosque in Narre Warren Facebook page went live two weeks ago, calling on people to sign another petition objecting to the mosque.
The anti-mosque Facebook page had collected 8526 likes as of Friday 11 March.
And the mosque controversy continued this week after a suspicious fire at the site last Friday 4 March, in which signs bearing the planning application were taken down and thrown in the blaze just after 3am.
The police investigation is ongoing.
President of Saarban Islamic Trust Zain Syed said they set up the rival petition, which has garnered more than 1700 signatures so far, to “gather support from our fair dinkum Australian community”.
“We are saddened at such divisive politics played by opportunists,” Mr Syed said.
“Some are trying to portray Australian Muslims as outsiders, while the Australian Muslim community is rich in its diversity with all ethnicities included – Asian, Middle Eastern, African, Aboriginal, British, European descendants.
“It’s unfair to the core value of modern Australia which is multiculturalism.”
Penny (not her real name) previously told Star News she signed the anti-mosque petition after raising concerns it would create traffic chaos.
“We’re nervous it’s going to go ahead whether we like it or not and we don’t get a say,” she said.
“Narre Warren North is a small community; it’s semi-rural and not suburban.”
It’s understood Casey Council is taking submissions on the issue until 11 March, but this week Cr Rafal Kaplon said legislation indicated that council must “accept and consider all objections provided to them before they make a decision on a planning permit application”.
“That means local councils will continue to receive and consider all objections until the planning application comes before the council or its planning committee, even after the advertising period of a Notice for a Planning Application is finished,” he said.
There is already an existing mosque at 131-133 Belgrave-Hallam Road, run by the Islamic Education and Welfare Association of Dandenong (IEWAD).
For more information on the planning application visit www.casey.vic.gov.au/building-planning/statutory-planning/advertised-planning-applications/l-z-suburb-listing.
Anyone with information about the grass fire is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
