Yadda wrote on Jan 11
th, 2013 at 12:39pm:
Big Dave wrote on Jan 11
th, 2013 at 12:24pm:
Karnal wrote on Jan 11
th, 2013 at 11:26am:
Big Dave wrote on Jan 11
th, 2013 at 11:09am:
I've never heard in my whole life an Australian suburb sold to people of a certain religion. I live near Riverstone and it's a working class area that hasn't ever adapted any sort of enclave. The dude selling the land has tried to make it exclusive by only offering sharia loans (no interest). So basically you have to be a muslim to get a sharia loan from him. I don't want this crap in my area and I'm sure many people out my why don't want it either.
I wouldn't want an exclusively religious housing estate in my area either (even though we have more Muslims where I live than anywhere else in Sydney).
Did you read the article? The development is about finance. Paying interest on loans is against Muslims' religion. It used to be against Christians' religion once too, but we gave up on that one.
Since we did, financial services have grown to become the biggest business in the world, but I digress.
The land is sold to be financed without interest - that's the marketing angle. It's got nothing to do with keeping the infidels out.
You are the one that doesn't read karnal. This is the first line- AN interest-free housing project aimed at the Muslim community . The whole crux of the story isn't about bank, economics, money, mana , the world bank etc etc etc.
It's about a company selling land to only muslims. How can Joe Blow apply for a sharia loan? They won't get it because they aren't muslims.
If this is true, would it even be legal in Australia ?
Wouldn't that be an instance of
active discrimination [against non-moslem Australians], on the basis of a persons religious beliefs ?
Ah, you're onto it, Y. It certainly would. A financial institution in this country can't legally discriminate on the basis of religion. If they did, they'd go out of business from the resulting civil action and fines from the EEO tribunal.
Muslim financial products are open to everyone else - I heard a story on this on Radio National's the Law Report.
There are, however, technicalities. Freediver's right. The loans aren't exactly free.
So feel free to move in with all the non-Muslims, Big Dave. The Muslims haven't embraced the project, so I'm sure there's plenty of blocks left.
And when everybody moves in to live together in religious harmony, the MP for Hawkesbury can ramp up his campaign against divisiveness with press releases to the Sunday papers.
Aussie Aussie Aussie!