By Jill Fraser
MELBOURNE
The CEO of an Australian Muslim women's association has labeled the "ban-the-burqa" crusader of a new political “network” as ignorant, telling The Anadolu Agency on Wednesday that the senator’s stance on Muslims is divisive.
“I don’t want to make assumptions. I believe she may not understand and out of ignorance she says these things," said Maha Abdo. "But to keep it going for so long causes me to think she just wants to incite fear and anxiety in Australians’ hearts about a particular race and faith.”
Maverick Independent Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie was elected to Parliament in 2014 representing the Palmer United Party (PUP), but broke away in Nov. 2014.
Her Chief of Staff, Rob Messenger, told AA Wednesday that “hundreds” of supporters have already signed up to her new self-titled political “network."
The network's 12-point platform includes support for the clear labeling of halal foods, halving the foreign aid budget, the opposition of any attempt to introduce sharia law into Australia and a special interest in all matters associated with veterans, serving members of the Australian Defense force and their families.
“All [12 core] policies are resonating” with supporters, Messenger told AA.
Lambie’s anti-Muslim stance - calling for a ban on the burqa, linking halal certification fees to the funding of terrorism and sharia law to the cultivation of terrorists - has outraged Australian Muslims.
She is frequently compared to One Nation founder and leader, Pauline Hanson, whose strident opposition to multiculturalism formed the bedrock of her party.
Hanson has claimed that "multiculturalism is only segregating Australia as a nation," "Halal is being forced on us by 2 percent of the population,” people arriving in Australia from South Africa have AIDS, and Australia is in danger of being swamped by Asians.
"Of course, I will be called racist, but if I can invite whom I want into my home, then I should have the right to have a say in who comes into my country,” she said in Sept. 1996.
Messenger did not respond to a question put to him by AA , which compared Lambie to Hanson.
United Muslim Women Association CEO Abdo publicly debated Lambie on her stance regarding the burqa on morning television in October last year.
She challenged Lambie repeatedly to explain why she thought the burqa poses a risk.
Lambie didn’t answer, citing hearing problems.
As far as AA understands Lambie is not hearing impaired.
Abdo - a recipient of the Order of Australia medal and the NSW Premier’s Multicultural Medal - told AA Wednesday that on several occasions she had invited Lambie to join her and other Muslim women for a "sociable discussion."
Lambie’s response came in the form of a tweet, which stated: Jacqui Lambie would not visit a mosque “because it’s not my moral upbringing."
"I’m Australian,” she added.
Abdo said that following Lambie's call to ban the burqa in Parliament House, she also sent her an official invitation to "come and meet with us," so we can show her our way of life.
"That’s the Australian way of doing things,” Abdo told AA.
She confesses that the establishment of the Jacqui Lambie Network troubles her.
“Using anti-Muslim sentiment as a political platform is a concern,” she says.
