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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Australia row over fake leaflet | Australia row over fake leaflet |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Australia's ruling Liberal Party is facing accusations of race hate and dirty tricks by two of its members just days before the general election. | Australia's ruling Liberal Party is facing accusations of race hate and dirty tricks by two of its members just days before the general election. |
| The party members were caught distributing bogus leaflets purporting to be from an Islamist group. | The party members were caught distributing bogus leaflets purporting to be from an Islamist group. |
| In the leaflets, the fake organisation applauds the opposition Labor Party for supporting Islamic extremists. | In the leaflets, the fake organisation applauds the opposition Labor Party for supporting Islamic extremists. |
| The Liberal party has expelled the members and said it condemns their "offensive" and "unauthorised" actions. | The Liberal party has expelled the members and said it condemns their "offensive" and "unauthorised" actions. |
| Several people were seen by supporters of Kevin Rudd's opposition Labor Party handing out the mock pamphlets in the Lindsay area of west Sydney. | Several people were seen by supporters of Kevin Rudd's opposition Labor Party handing out the mock pamphlets in the Lindsay area of west Sydney. |
| The incident is expected to be a serious blow for Prime Minister John Howard, who is already behind in the polls for the general election on Saturday. | The incident is expected to be a serious blow for Prime Minister John Howard, who is already behind in the polls for the general election on Saturday. |
| Bali references | Bali references |
| Reports say the leaflets, which carried the Australian Labor Party logo, claimed to be from an organisation called the Islamic Australia Federation, which does not exist. | Reports say the leaflets, which carried the Australian Labor Party logo, claimed to be from an organisation called the Islamic Australia Federation, which does not exist. |
| These actions, if proved true, have been directed at nothing other than destroying our chances here in Lindsay David Bradbury, Labor candidate | These actions, if proved true, have been directed at nothing other than destroying our chances here in Lindsay David Bradbury, Labor candidate |
| In the leaflets, the bogus organisation thanked Labor for supporting Islamic terrorists and refers to the men imprisoned for the 2002 bomb attacks in Bali. | In the leaflets, the bogus organisation thanked Labor for supporting Islamic terrorists and refers to the men imprisoned for the 2002 bomb attacks in Bali. |
| "We gratefully acknowledge Labor's support to forgive our Muslim brothers who have been unjustly sentenced to death for the Bali bombings," it said. | "We gratefully acknowledge Labor's support to forgive our Muslim brothers who have been unjustly sentenced to death for the Bali bombings," it said. |
| The leaflet went on to say that Labor supports the building of new mosques in the area and to thank the party for supporting the entry of controversial cleric Sheikh Taj el-Din al-Hilali into Australia. | The leaflet went on to say that Labor supports the building of new mosques in the area and to thank the party for supporting the entry of controversial cleric Sheikh Taj el-Din al-Hilali into Australia. |
| The Liberal Party director for New South Wales, Graham Jaeschke, said neither he nor the party authorised the leaflets and he condemned the action of the former members. | The Liberal Party director for New South Wales, Graham Jaeschke, said neither he nor the party authorised the leaflets and he condemned the action of the former members. |
| "This is unacceptable behaviour. We've acted very quickly to fix this issue," he said. | "This is unacceptable behaviour. We've acted very quickly to fix this issue," he said. |
| Investigation | Investigation |
| The Labor Party's candidate for Lindsay, David Bradbury, was reported to be "outraged". | The Labor Party's candidate for Lindsay, David Bradbury, was reported to be "outraged". |
| "If what is alleged did occur, it is a very serious personal attack on me and a serious attack on the Labor Party here in Lindsay," he told ABC News. | "If what is alleged did occur, it is a very serious personal attack on me and a serious attack on the Labor Party here in Lindsay," he told ABC News. |
| "These actions, if proved true, have been directed at nothing other than destroying our chances here in Lindsay." | "These actions, if proved true, have been directed at nothing other than destroying our chances here in Lindsay." |
| The issue has been referred to the Australian Electoral Commission and Labor has asked them to investigate whether the group acted illegally by appealing to anti-Muslim sentiment. | |
| Both members have been expelled from the Liberal Party and the volunteers involved have been removed from the election campaign teams. | Both members have been expelled from the Liberal Party and the volunteers involved have been removed from the election campaign teams. |