Go elsewhere for sharia law: Costello

Daily Telegraph ^ | 23 Feb 2006

[Fair Go]

ANYONE who believes Islamic sharia law can co-exist with Australian law should move to a country where they feel more comfortable, Treasurer Peter Costello said today.

All Australian citizens must adhere to the framework in society which maintains tolerance and protects the rights and liberties of all, he said. It is a pre-condition for citizenship of Australia.

Mr Costello was giving a speech on the meaning of Australian citizenship to the Sydney Institute.

"There is one law we are all expected to abide by," Mr Costello said.

"It is the law enacted by the Parliament under the Australian Constitution.

"If you can't accept that, then you don't accept the fundamentals of what Australia is and what it stands for."

Mr Costello, the son of a Methodist lay preacher and who was raised a Baptist, emphasised that Australia is a secular state under which the freedom of all religions is protected.

"But there is not a separate stream of law derived from religious sources that competes with or supplants Australian law in governing our civil society," he said.

"The source of our law is the democratically elected legislature.

"There are countries that apply religious or sharia law – Saudi Arabia and Iran come to mind.

"If a person wants to live under sharia law these are countries where they might feel at ease.

"But not Australia."

Mr Costello said there were some beliefs and values which were so central to Australian society that those who refused to accept them refused to accept the nature of Australian society.

"If someone cannot honestly make the citizenship pledge, they cannot honestly take out citizenship," he said.

"If they have taken it out already they should not be able to keep it where they have citizenship in some other country."

It was more difficult for those born in Australia or who had no dual citizenship, Mr Costello said.

"In these cases, we have on our hands citizens who are apparently so alienated that they do not support what their country stands for," he said.

"Such alienation could become a threat to the rights and liberties of others.

"And so it is important to explain our values, explain why they are important and engage leadership they respect to assist us in this process.

"Ultimately, however, it is important that they know that there is only one law and it is going to be enforced whether they acknowledge its legitimacy or not."

[Fair Go]

How many times does Peter Costello, Australian Treasurer, have to keep saying this before the leaders of other countries have the courage to do the same?

[PrinceOfCups]

Aussies are something special.

[goldstategop]

I see him as John Howard's heir apparent. Dismissing the Sharia is like waving a red flag in front of the Islamofascists. What a gutsy guy!

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[Stoat]

WOO HOO!!! Great Speech!  Other world leaders should take note and follow his example.

 

The Commonwealth Treasurer – Biographical Note

 

The Hon. Peter Costello MP
Treasurer and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party

Parliamentary Service

Peter Costello was first elected a Member of the House of Representatives for the seat of Higgins in 1990.

He was elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia in May 1994.

Peter has been the Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia since March 1996.

Peter Costello has brought down ten consecutive Federal Budgets, including eight surpluses, reducing Commonwealth net debt by $90 billion. Net debt is forecast to be eliminated altogether in 2007.

Peter Costello introduced the largest tax reform in Australian history, under the policy, endorsed at the 1998 election, A New Tax System.

During his period as Treasurer, financial supervision has been redesigned arising out of the Financial System Inquiry. Australia’s corporations law has been modernised under the Corporate Law Economic Reform Program. Australia has become a member of the international group of 20 countries (G-20) considered systemically important to the international financial system. Peter Costello has been a member of the IMF Executive, a Governor of the World Bank, and Chairman of the Council of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Other

Peter is married to Tanya and they live in Melbourne. They have three children.

Peter holds degrees from Monash University where he was, for a time, a part-time teacher in law and economics/politics, as well as a member of the University Council. Prior to entering Parliament, he was a barrister. He was counsel in some of Australia’s best-known industrial disputes and was a regular advocate in National Wage cases.

Peter Costello describes his favourite activity as cooking in his garden at home (badly) and following his beloved football team (passionately).

[beaver fever]

I think Australian Muslims are going to have to learn to "Tie Their Kangaroo Down Sport."

[ChristianDefender]

I just hope that there will be more Australians of his type...

[Fair Go]

In a recent survey, 95% of Australians want desecrating the national flag made a criminal offence. I don't think sharia law would go down too well.

[Fair Go]

Or have their hides tanned.

[son of caesar]

You will find that if you do a fair study of peoples on earth that Austrailians are a breed apart. That is my opinion having known a few. Dont wait for other so called statesmen to say such a thing, as they have already prepared their surrender speeches instead.

[beaver fever]

"Or have their hides tanned."

Yeah tanning their hides Clyde and hanging them on the shed.

Why didn't I think of that?

[Racehorse]

Mr Costello was giving a speech on the meaning of Australian citizenship to the Sydney Institute.

"There is one law we are all expected to abide by," Mr Costello said.

"It is the law enacted by the Parliament under the Australian Constitution.

"If you can't accept that, then you don't accept the fundamentals of what Australia is and what it stands for."

Something to keep very seriously in mind:

To understand Islamic Law one must first understand the assumptions of Islam and the basic tenets of the religion. The meaning of the word Islam is "submission or surrender to Allah's (God's) will." Therefore, Muslims must first and foremost obey and submit to Allah's will. Mohammed the Prophet was called by God to translate verses from the Angel Gabriel to form the most important book in Islam, the Quran, Muslims believe.

There are over 1.2 billion Muslims today worldwide, over 20% of the world's population. "By the year 2000, one out of every four persons on the planet will be a Muslim," Rittat Hassan estimated in 1990. There are 35 nations with population over 50% Muslim, and there are another 21 nations that have significant Muslim populations. There are 19 nations which have declared Islam in their respective constitutions. The Muslim religion is a global one and is rapidly expanding. The sheer number of Muslims living today makes the idea of putting Islamic Law into a footnote in contemporary writings inappropriate.

The most difficult part of Islamic Law for most westerners to grasp is that there is no separation of church and state. The religion of Islam and the government are one. Islamic Law is controlled, ruled and regulated by the Islamic religion. The theocracy controls all public and private matters. Government, law and religion are one. There are varying degrees of this concept in many nations, but all law, government and civil authority rests upon it and it is a part of Islamic religion. There are civil laws in Muslim nations for Muslim and non-Muslim people. Sharia is only applicable to Muslims. Most Americans and others schooled in Common Law have great difficulty with that concept. The U.S. Constitution (Bill of Rights) prohibits the government from "establishing a religion." The U.S. Supreme Court has concluded in numerous cases that the U.S. Government can't favor one religion over another. That concept is implicit for most U.S. legal scholars and many U.S. academicians believe that any mixture of "church and state" is inherently evil and filled with many problems. They reject all notions of a mixture of religion and government.

To start with such preconceived notions limits the knowledge base and information available to try and solve many social and criminal problems. To use an analogy from Christianity may be helpful. To ignore what all Christian religions except your own say about God would limit your knowledge base and you would not be informed or have the ability to appreciate your own religion. The same is true for Islamic Law and Islamic religion. You must open your mind to further expand your knowledge base. Islamic Law has many ideas, concepts, and information that can solve contemporary crime problems in many areas of the world. To do this you must first put on hold the preconceived notion of "separation of church and state."

Islamic Law: Myths and Realities By Dennis J. Wiechman, Jerry D. Kendall, and Mohammad K. Azarian

How prevalent are religious courts in the United States?  What is the framework within which Catholic, Jewish, Islamic courts mediate issues within their communities?

[melsec]

I know Costello believes what he says but this is also part of his play to be seen as leadership material. He definaely sees himself as Howard's replacement.

Mel

[tcostell]

As are Costello's the world over.... long on courage, (occasionally) short on wits.

[Nathan Zachary]

"Aussies are something special"

If they ever get gun ownership rights back, I'd consider moving there. Then again, I don't think I could ever get used to hunting 'roo instead of deer. It would be like eating a giant rat.

[Leisler]

The Awsome Assies don't have Harvard, Yale, Berzerkly and 50 universities educating people into stupidity.

[MarxSux]

They have Monash which is where Peter Singer came from. Costello too.

[Rummyfan]

"There are countries that apply religious or sharia law – Saudi Arabia and Iran come to mind.

"If a person wants to live under sharia law these are countries where they might feel at ease.

"But not Australia."

Between PM Howard and this gentleman, I think the Aussies get it. Hopefully some of our elected 'leaders' will voice the same opinions eventually.

[jim_trent]

> How prevalent are religious courts in the United States?

I am not aware of ANY religious courts in the United States. I do know of "counseling" that is provided by other religions, however, this is not the same thing as what Muslims want. The counseling takes place when civil laws are not broken (or are in addition to whatever happens in civil court). It does not take the place of civil court. That is what the Muslims seem to want. I also believe that should not be allowed.

[Racehorse]

I am not aware of ANY religious courts in the United States.

They exist, though I am only vaguely aware of what they do.

Annulments come easily to mind.  Less easy to remember is an ongoing case in South Texas where the Diocese fired church workers after they formed a union.  The workers first appealed through the Church courts.  Now, while the case is on further appeal in Rome, I believe they have also filed a lawsuit in Federal Court.

My vague memory tells me these church courts operate in grey areas where civil and criminal law allows them to mediate issues between church members.

It does not take the place of civil court. That is what the Muslims seem to want. I also believe that should not be allowed.

I agree, completely.

[jim_trent]

> Annulments come easily to mind.

This is really no different from what I said. This is totally independent of what the civil courts do or don't do. It has no effect on what the civil courts do or don't do. I have no problem with that. I also don't have a problem if you call that "counseling" or a "court". You can call it anything as long as it does not replace civil courts. The problem I have is when they want to replace civil courts with their own religious courts.