Fury at 'Muslim nation' remark by Australian politician

Danna Vale

CANBERRA - Australian politicians and a Muslim leader have condemned a politician who suggested the use of an abortion drug could lead to a disproportionate growth of the Muslim population.

The main Opposition party, Labor, described the comments by former Veterans Affairs minister Danna Vale as "dopey", ignorant, offensive and "seriously weird".

Vale was accused of fuelling racist, anti-Muslim sentiment after she said she was concerned about the ramifications abortion would have for the future makeup of Australia, where Muslims currently comprise 1.5 per cent of the population of 20 million.

Vale said she had read in a Sydney newspaper a comment by an Muslim imam that Australia would be a Muslim nation in 50 years.

"I didn't believe him at the time, but when you actually look at the birth rates ... we [non-Muslims] are aborting ourselves almost out of existence by 100,000 abortions every year," Vale said.

"You multiply that by 50 years, that's five million potential Australians we won't have here."

Vale's remarks came ahead of a vote by the lower house of Parliament this week on whether to scrap a Government veto on abortion drug RU-486.

The upper-house Senate voted last week to remove the power of the Health Minister - anti-abortionist Tony Abbott - to veto applications to import and prescribe RU-486.

Vale's remarks came two months after racial violence rocked the beaches of Sydney. Her seat borders some of the areas hit.

Labor MP Kelvin Thomson said Vale's comments would "foster religious intolerance and misunderstanding, and what we need in this country - and what we badly need throughout the world - is better understanding and tolerance".

Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Ameer Ali said Vale had gone overboard. "How low can this person get to in terms of racism? This is the most racist comment I have ever seen."

Lyn Allison, leader of the minority Australian Democrats, said Vale should be reprimanded by Prime Minister John Howard.

- REUTERS