Senate inquiry into Halal certification.

[daydream**believer]

Brilliant.

Whether people support halal certification or not, there are lots of people with lots of concerns so its time to investigate it all.

http://www.3aw.com.au/news/bernardis-inquiry-into-food-certification-schemes-20150514-gh1c32.html

Here are the reasons i am against halal certification and the questions i want answered.
1. Why are the fees paid by businesses for halal certification kept secret? Why do the businesss have to sign non disclosure agreements?

2. Why are there 20+ privately run halal certification companies in Australia, all charging whatever amounts they want, when Indonesia only has 1 Government run halal certifier? If foods need to be halal certified, then let the Government run it and let the money go back into the whole Australian community.

3. For meat to be halal, the animal needs to be slaughtered a certain way, throat slit while animal is conscious by a Muslim. Yes, there are some abattoirs that use a reverse stun but, from what i have researched, there are at least 15 abattoirs in Australia that slaughter animals using no stun. It is barbaric. This video is very graphic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAQJ-FZo1cA

4. Australia is a predominantly Christian country, so why are we being forced to eat meat that has been prayed over to a "god" that we dont even recognise?

5. If halal certification is supposed to help Muslims recognise what they can and cant eat, then why do so many companies that pay for the certification stamp choose not to display it on their products?

6. Why are abattoirs paying a certification fee and then packing all the meat in one truck and delivering it to butchers and supermarkets who then put it all in the one fridge and display it all in the one display fridge. Once pork products are shelved, stored or transported with other meats, the other meats immediately become non halal anyway. So Aussie Muslims cant eat it anyway.

7. We are told halal certification monies goes towards to building of more mosques and Islamic schools. We know that there are quite a few mosques where the hatred of Australia is preached. As for Islamic schools, the same schools where a principal has said that girls are forbidden to run in races because it will cause them to lose their virginity. Do we need schools like that here?

8. In Canada halal certification money was found to be used to fund organisations linked to extremist organisations. I have no doubt that would be happening here as well.

9. Halal is a part of sharia law and we DO NOT want any part of Sharia law in Australia.

So, what would i like to see? Id like halal certification to be a Government run organisation. Id like every business who pays for halal certification to have to display the stamp on their products. I want all Australian abattoirs to stun before killing. That would be a nice start

[opmania]

I wish everyone  had your state of mind and maybe I could sleep at night

Agree with absolutely everything you say and can't fathom why anyone would want anything different

Unless they happen to be a Muslim

Of course

[bluecat*dancing]

[raptor_rebooted]

why?

because i oppose unstunned slaughter.

we have these laws in australia for a reason.

What do you think is sold at farmers markets?

i dont shop there because there is no guarantee

the animals would be slaughtered humanely.

[azureline**]

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@daydream**believer wrote:

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

Not so odd, really, when you consider that the thread title only mentioned halal and point 9 in the OP stated: ." Halal is a part of sharia law and we DO NOT want any part of Sharia law in Australia.

Kosher is a part of Judaic  Law specific to Jews, and if, as the OP is keen to point out, we are a predominantly Christian country, so do we want any aspect of Jewish law in Australia?

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the difference is that Kosher certification is not on near all the products in our supermarkets.

There are two Kosher certifiers in Australia who clearly state what they charge for certification

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http://www.ka.org.au/index.php/FAQ_-_About_The_KA.html

Upon assessment of your application you will be contacted as to a plant visit. The usual charge for a plant visit is $250.00. If the visit leads to certification then this amount will be credited to your annual plant registration fee.

For a domestic certificate, plant registration can be between $550.00 and $2,200.00 per annum. For an international certificate, plant registration can be between $2,200.00 and $6,600.00 per annum. This will depend on many factors and will be assessed by the Rabbinic Administrator and his team. While many products require only an annual visit some require many more visits per year.

The Rabbinic Administrator will assess this at the time of his visit. These visits may cost between $250 and $1000 per visit depending on the nature of the visit required. Of course travelling costs will need to be borne by the company seeking certification.

[azureline**]

The service fees paid to Halal Australia for halal certification and accreditation are used to maintain the normal costs of running a registered business in Australia.

These include overhead costs such as utilities, rent, inventory and supplies, and employee salaries, as well as income taxes paid to the Australian government. Inspection fees also include auditing services, which are undertaken to maintain quality control of the premises and products and which cover standard expenses such as service, transportation and travel time.

It's a business, like any other......... do you also require the Kosher Certification to be taken over by the Government? If not, why not?

[raptor_rebooted]

lol havent we been through this

recently?

Dr Kahn said Halal Australia donates some of its profits to Islamic schools and mosques as part of its broader community engagement program, which includes donations to children's hospitals and the Cancer Council Australia.

"We are mindful of responsibility to the poor and destitute in the community... here as well as in overseas countries [and we donate] through the proper channels, for example Muslim Aid, Islamic Relief, they are all registered non-goverment organisations internationally," he said.

The Islamic Co-ordinating Council of Victoria (ICCV), a private company, claims to be "the major Islamic organisation responsible for the certification, monitoring, and supervision of Halal food exports from Australia".

Gaafar Mohammed says ICCV is a community-based organisation that is partnered with 11 Australian mosques.

"We don't fund the mosques, but we take care of their expenses, like electricity, water, things like that," he said.

"The Australian Muslim community are getting the benefit of the certifications. All money from halal services goes to the community."

[the_great_she_elephant]

"The Australian Muslim community are getting the benefit of the certifications. All money from halal services goes to the community."

Is that a problem?

[*pepe]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

"The Australian Muslim community are getting the benefit of the certifications. All money from halal services goes to the community."

Is that a problem?

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only the foolish or naive wouldn't have a problem with funding a group who have made no secret that their ultimate goal is to have their laws govern every society.

Good on you for standing up for what you believe in DDb, especially when you knew you would be ridiculed for having the temerity to go against the grain.

[raptor_rebooted]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

"The Australian Muslim community are getting the benefit of the certifications. All money from halal services goes to the community."

Is that a problem?

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if you read the rest of it - one of the main objections

is funding religion ie religious places of worship/schools etc.

(and as per the sbs article - there is no evidence where

the money is actually going - hence the inquiry)

no different to those who refuse to fund christian

churches.  if you objected to certain church's 

conduct - would you be happy buying products 

knowing that some of the profits go to funding the

church?  i know a lot wouldn't.

[janeababe]

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@*julia*2010 wrote:

why?

because i oppose unstunned slaughter.

we have these laws in australia for a reason.

What do you think is sold at farmers markets?

i dont shop there because there is no guarantee

the animals would be slaughtered humanely.

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I'm sorry ... but that is laughable!

animals slaughtered humanely???   what about the fact that the animals were bred for slaughter in the first place! How do you feel about chicken breeders... 8wks from egg to oven!
How about lamb chops? you know...LAMB.... B A B Y   S H E E P!!!
Have you ever seen a sausage being made? Given much thought to what the outer skin is??? (what it used to be used for???)

There isn't  much of your humanity in any meat/poultry/fish..... 
Just because you buy your meat from a butchers all neatly placed in a little stainless steel tray, you think that it has been treated *humanely* ... struth........!!

And might i add... if you believe that placing a little sticker on the wrapping stating *low fat* - *grain fed* - *free range* - *Halal Certified*  means that it is TRUE, then pfft.....  Its going to be a L O N G night....