DAR AL HARB - AUSTRALIA: "TRUE AUSTRALIAN LIFE SAVERS DO IT FOR FREE"

Leaflet attack on Muslim lifesavers

THE far right candidate John Moffat has denied he put out a leaflet demanding the removal of Muslim lifesavers from North Cronulla and accusing "Islamic supremacists" of incest.

But Mr Moffat said many Cronulla people would incline towards the views expressed in the leaflet bearing his name.

Mr Moffat, Australia First's only candidate in the state election, is standing for Cronulla and called for an end to the multicultural "nightmare" he said was afflicting the area.

The Liberal Party will hold a state council meeting in Cronulla tomorrow - a key campaign event that signals the significance the area has for the party, which holds the seat with a comfortable 8 per cent majority.

The pamphlet delivered to letterboxes in Cronulla yesterday called for the axing of a campaign to encourage the integration of Muslim surf lifesavers at Cronulla, a project it describes as a "monstrosity".

Mr Moffat said that while he did not put out the pamphlet, it was "ludicrous" that the Federal Government was paying $600,000 for the "On the Same Wave" Muslim lifesaving initiative.

"I am not against Muslim lifesavers. But true Australian lifesavers do it for free."

On the claim in the pamphlet that many "Lebanese thugs" in the 2005 Cronulla riots were "the product of incest" and that these bloodlines had led to "an underclass of Islamic supremacists", Mr Moffat said "that is a popular sentiment", but he did not know enough about the issue.

At least 16 Muslim lifesavers have had full training at the four surf clubs at Cronulla under the project, which also funded school cultural education programs and encouraged Muslim children to go to the beach.

The federal Liberal MP for the area, Bruce Baird, said the pamphlet was appalling. "It is becoming sadly evident that some racist elements are intent on seeing the White Australia Policy once again rear its ugly head," he said.



Pertinent Links:

1) Leaflet attack on Muslim lifesavers