New, far-right, anti-Islam political party “AUSTRALIAN LIBERTY ALLIANCE”
August 5th, 2015 | Published in Power & Politics
New, far-right, anti-Islam political party “AUSTRALIAN LIBERTY ALLIANCE” (ALA) 
officially launches on 20 October, 2015, having been approved for registration by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on 29 July. It had well over the required 500 signed-up members and no objections were lodged (click here). Its core belief is that Islam is a totalitarian ideology with global aspirations, and will contaminate “the lucky country” with Islamic theocracy and sharia law.
• ALA is modeled on far-right anti-Islam movements in Europe.
• Its party manifesto says it stands for individual liberty, small government, Western Judaeo-Christian values, and integration over separation in terms of multiculturalism.
• It would remove Australia from the UN Charter of Refugees.
• It calls for a 10-year moratorium on resident visa applications from countries including Indonesia, Turkey, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Egypt, and many African and Middle Eastern countries.
• It would ban full-face covering in public spaces.
• Its anti-Islam push is supported by Coalition MPs including Cory Bernardi and George Christensen, Reclaim Australia, and the anti-Halal anti-mosque groups.
• Its directors are Debbie Robinson (also national president of the Q Society, and member of SION – Stop Islamisation of Nations), her husband Tony Robinson (a prominent Perth orthopedic surgeon), Andrew and Susan Horwood (Emmaline’s Country Kitchen, Adelaide) and Ralf Schumann (national secretary, based in Melbourne).
• Similar parties in the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Austria, France and Italy “are supported by millions [and] already poll in the 20 per cent bracket”.
Inflated fear of 2% of the population
An international Ipsos Mori poll in 2014 found that Australians (in general) dramatically overestimate the proportion of Muslims in the country, guessing them to make up 18% of the country’s population – far higher than their actual proportion of 
approximately 2%.
Could this over-estimate reflect over-inflation of the threat of invasion? Such lurking fear has a long history in Australia’s cultural consciousness (fear of communism, fear of invasion from the north), and I always wonder about it as a potential legacy of our collective memory of having invaded the country in the first place.
Such questions aside, I also wonder how approval from the AEC happened so quietly. Or, have I been asleep at my desk not to have previously been aware of this new party?
Resistance
There are groups standing against the movement, but one major concern of “Voices against Bigotry“, for example, is that current Abbott-government politics create an environment in which ideas like those of ALA can flourish. Its international connections may also give it more ballast than previous far-right parties such as Pauline Hanson’s “One Nation“.
We can only work to resist yet another wave of ‘othering’ in the name of preserving some fictional construction of ‘the Australian way of life’..Joan Beckwith.
Wilders advises Australia on multiculturalism – abandon it, he says, or end up like the EU!
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/oct/21/geert-wilders-tells-australia-to-abandon-multiculturalism-or-end-up-like-the-eu?CMP=ema_792
The ALA sounds pretty centralist to me with most of their policies. The only things getting airplay is the anti Islam part of their policy – which is pretty reasonable considering that all the polls around the world show that over 25% support ‘extremist’ ways of promoting the ‘religion’
Perhaps instead of assuming every culture is equal, some homework is done – finding out about the ISLAM ideology is VERY easy nowadays – plenty of intelligence discussions happening currently.
But to save you time, ISIS is acting out a pretty reasonable interpretation of Islamic scriptures and acting similarly to Mohammad’s life’s teaching.
As a side not, there is a specific passage in the Koran that encourages people to lie to unbelievers about their true ambitions
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taqiya
Why do you characterise ALA as “far right” is that the usual demonizing of any party to the right of the “far left”?
I find their policies quite moderate, far more moderate then your beloved Muslims anyway.
Where do you stand on the Jews?
This website is about social justice and human rights of all people.
Geert Wilders’ visa granted, to enter Australia to launch ALA: http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/oct/09/dutch-far-right-politician-geert-wilders-granted-a-visa-for-australia?CMP=ema_632
The theatre heads to Perth:
http://www.theage.com.au/comment/selfpromotion-the-real-purpose-of-geert-wilders-antiislam-campaign-20151011-gk6l33.html
Geert Wilders won’t find a big audience in Australia, according to Gary D Bouma in “The Conversation”: https://theconversation.com/geert-wilders-brand-of-islamophobia-wont-find-an-audience-in-australia-48903?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+October+19+2015+-+3661&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+October+19+2015+-+3661+CID_d2f463b127683575f0b1314bcdb30ea2&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Geert%20Wilders%20brand%20of%20Islamophobia%20wont%20find%20an%20audience%20in%20Australia
Secret launch to protect Wilders’ safety:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/20/geert-wilders-to-launch-australian-anti-islamic-party-at-secret-location?CMP=ema_632
the ALA has my vote
One cannot be both a good Muslim and a good citizen in a western democracy. The terms are mutually exclusive. Islam poses a very real threat to our way of life and to believe otherwise is simply naive.
The Rule of Law applies to all citizens
http://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/principles/
Due to my concerns on the negative impact that Islamic religion is causing globally and what their true intent is and more seriously the treatment that is taking place around the world to women and western women, I would be interested in how your approach would be and the solution to minimise this happening here in Australia. How does one become a member in support. Thanking you
Questions of membership of ALA need to be addressed to ALA.
Why is it that when people voice their opinions about the militant Muslims that are causing so much havoc in the World they are straight away accused of attacking the law abiding Muslims. This is a red herring and people should just concentrate on the trouble makers and deal with them in a firm manner.
Dear 2020socialjustice.
Do you treat every person/ group the same?
Every person/group has human rights and the aim of working for social justice is to achieve social equity.
Thank you Joan,like they say any publicity is good publicity,thanking you again.
A question for those opposing the Australian Liberty Alliance. What in the manifesto of this nascent party are you opposing, assuming you read it?
There are a number of issues, including positions on marriage equality, defence spending, and constitutional changes that are problematic from a social justice perspective, but the key one is the anti-Islam position, which is also quite clear from the summary in the post.
Just to note also that your comment appears to have been repeated (by “fairandreasonable”) so this response covers both…Joan Beckwith.
A couple of points Joan. First, why do you feel duty bound to respond to every comment? Why not let your readers debate between themselves about the article you presented without constantly butting in? You have made your point in what you first wrote, just leave it at that. Second, the objections you raise are precisely the issues that are attractive to mainstream Australia. Or do you prefer the Islamic variety of “social justice”? Particularly concerning gay marriage?!
A question to those opposing the Australian Liberty Alliance. Assuming you have read the manifesto of this nascent party, what exactly are you opposing in it?
See response to Bill Martin’s identical comment…Joan Beckwith.
Sounds good to me. Out of 1951 Refugee Convention gone ! Add Rights of the Child too. Plus Agenda 21 and upcoming Agenda 2030.
We must preserve democracy and we are losing the battle for our sovereignty as more and more UN treaties and organization intent on destroying the western values and way of life. Undermining our law and order by no death penalty which has made all other sentencing out of kilter. Life has become too cheap. Easy today life for those where only circumstantial evidence stops innocents hanging. Excuse given by left also using words like “state murdering” as weapons.
We must also choose who comes to live here because many have who are NOT Muslim. Islam does not tolerate any other ideology and demands any Muslim obey Sharia Law over and above any law of any non Muslim land. Therefore cannot obey our criteria for citizenship. That they obey our Law above all others. Reason why never assimilate anywhere and trouble wherever they are numerous. Not racist, factual.
It seems you support the idea of this new political party, Warrior, but in case it is not completely clear, I do not.
Noone really cares what you think Joan, you’re obviously a communist.
best of luck with the new party, how do i become a member? please email me to join up. yours sincerely RPSUMNER.
I am opposed to the formation of this political party, RPSUMNER, and have no information about membership.
“Explainer” in “The Conversation” on far right parties in Australia: https://theconversation.com/explainer-australias-tangled-web-of-far-right-political-parties-45619?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+August+13+2015+-+3242&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+August+13+2015+-+3242+CID_a89b359b6c12d676d62d021cbfdf520f&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Explainer%20Australias%20tangled%20web%20of%20far-right%20political%20parties