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| Australia Muslim school rejected | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Authorities in an Australian town have rejected proposals to allow an Islamic school to be built there. | |
| Councillors for Camden, a small town on the outskirts of Sydney, unanimously voted against the proposed school for 1200 pupils. | |
| The councillors said they based their decision solely on planning grounds, citing an internal report about its environmental impact. | |
| The proposed development had met with fierce local opposition. | |
| Camden's authorities received some 3,200 submissions from the public about the school and only 100 in favour. | |
| The BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney says Camden does not have a large Muslim population so most of the pupils for the proposed school would have had to be bussed in from Sydney, an hour's drive away. | |
| Town moves against school | Town moves against school |
| That has prompted a strong response from Camden locals. | That has prompted a strong response from Camden locals. |
| "They've got terrorists amongst them, OK? We can't say they haven't - they have," said one resident. | "They've got terrorists amongst them, OK? We can't say they haven't - they have," said one resident. |
| "We're quite happy to integrate, we happily integrate with Italians, Greeks, English, Scottish - this town has every nationality. Muslims do not fit in this town - we are Aussies, OK?" | "We're quite happy to integrate, we happily integrate with Italians, Greeks, English, Scottish - this town has every nationality. Muslims do not fit in this town - we are Aussies, OK?" |
| The Quranic Society, the organisation behind the proposal, has kept a low public profile throughout the process. | The Quranic Society, the organisation behind the proposal, has kept a low public profile throughout the process. |
| Its position has been that Australian parents have the right to educate Australian children wherever they wish, regardless of race or religion. | Its position has been that Australian parents have the right to educate Australian children wherever they wish, regardless of race or religion. |
| An internal Camden council report has already recommended against construction, mainly citing traffic concerns. | An internal Camden council report has already recommended against construction, mainly citing traffic concerns. |
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