Minns vows to keep racist preacher’s prayer hall shut
A place of worship where a controversial Islamist preacher gave “racist and anti-Semitic” lectures will remain closed, NSW Premier Chris Minns has vowed.
Wissam Haddad had delivered several harsh sermons to a large number of Muslim men at the Al Madina Dawah Center in south-west Sydney since April 2021.
The Federal Court ruled in July that three accusations Haddad wrote in late 2023 contained “devastatingly offensive” accusations based on the race or ethnicity of the Australian Jewish community.
Mr Minns said reopening Al Madina Dawah would be a “disaster”, adding that it was “long past time to confront this kind of division in our society”.
“A decision has been taken against this place of worship and other places of worship where preachers were found to be responsible for racism in our society,” he told reporters as he returned to the scene of the Bondi massacre on Sunday.
“The places of worship of anyone found to be preaching or instilling hatred into the hearts of anyone in our society should be closed as soon as possible.
“The government will take action to ensure that we are in a position to shut down utilities, water and electricity to anyone deemed to be using their property without the legal permission of the local council or the New South Wales government.”
It was more than Mr. Haddad’s words that led to the center’s undoing; Canterbury-Bankstown City Council said on Tuesday the center was operating in a decades-old building that was never allowed to be used as a religious centre.
The building on Kitchener Parade in Bankstown was recently approved for use as a medical centre.
Changing the use to a place of worship or place of worship requires planning permission, which was not sought, the council said.
“Our recent observations indicate that there is a strong suspicion that the facility is being used contrary to its intended purpose,” a spokesman said.
“We have issued cease-use notices, which are effective immediately. There is no compromise and we will take further action if they fail to comply.”
The closure is not permanent, the center said.
“This pause is purely to ensure full compliance with council requirements and obtain the necessary approvals,” it said in a statement on Tuesday. he said.
Born and raised in Australia, Haddad is also known in the Muslim community as Abu Ousayd, or “father of Ousayd”, in memory of his eldest son Ousayd.
