Just one man’s evil, says Barnaby

BARNABY Joyce says Australia is an “overwhelmingly” tolerant society and suggested the Christchuch massacre was not about Islamophobia but the “abhorrent and brutal” actions of the alleged perpetrator.

Speaking in Hobart on Friday, the former Nationals leader said he did not care what motivated the Australian accused of the attack in New Zealand in which 50 Muslims died and dozens were injured.

“I don’t care what he was driven by, I don’t care what demented reasons he put forward,” Mr Joyce said. “I look through the eyes of this needs to be prosecuted.”

Mr Joyce spoke out after Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Network Ten’s The Project he did not think the Liberals or Nationals had a problem with Islamophobia.

The former immigration minister told interviewer Waleed Aly an eight-year-old report that he had encouraged his party to capitalise on antiIslamic sentiment were false.

Instead, he said, he had wanted to quell fears about Muslims — “actually seek to try and address them”.

Mr Joyce said he could not answer whether the Nationals had a problem with Islamophobia as he no longer held the top job. “Speaking for myself I say of course [I am not Islamophobic],” he said. “I would not be part of [the Coalition] if it was legitimising the persecution of any religious group.”

Mr Joyce also said he did not think Australia had issues with other ethnicities or cultures.

“We do demand that people abide by the rules and customs of Australia, because that’s how we have a tolerant and compassionate society,” Mr Joyce said.

“Overwhelmingly, overwhelmingly, that is the case.

“Obviously we have exceptions and probably the most recent has nothing to do with Islamophobia but for Australia has a lot to do with the absolutely abhorrent and brutal actions of an individual who should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law for what he did in New Zealand.”

A MASS burial for 26 victims of the Christchurch massacre brought home the enormity of the atrocity that has shaken the world.

A stream of open caskets, initially in groups of five, were carried aloft to their graves, where they were placed head towards Mecca.

Among those laid to rest was three-year-old Mucaad Ibrahim, who was shot while visiting the Al Noor mosque with his father, Adan Ibrahim, a week ago.

Earlier in the day, an estimated 5000 Muslims from New Zealand and around the world were joined across from the mosque in Hagley Park by up to 15,000 non-Muslims at an open prayer session to honour the dead.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern kept it short and poignant. “New Zealand mourns with you,” she said. “We are one.”

The imam of the Al Noor mosque, Gamal Fouda, was present when the accused white supremacist Brenton Tarrant shot dead 42 people before crossing town to the Linwood Islamic Centre where he killed eight more.

Imam Fouda said he saw first-hand the “hatred and rage in the eyes of the terrorist”.

“The terrorist sought to tear us apart with his evil ideology,” the imam said. “But instead we have shown that New Zealand is unbreakable and that the world can see in us an example of love and unity.” People came from as far away as the Gulf nations, and from across town.

Among them was Mostafa Abdelmonem, 42, a local dairy farmer originally from Egypt. With his arm in a sling after being shot last Friday, he said the prayers had helped.

“It has helped us feel safe and comfortable,” he said. “We are going to stay here.”

Mr Abdelmonem said he did not even know he was shot until he clambered over a fence outside the mosque and saw he was bleeding.

“When the shooting stopped for five seconds and he was reloading, I took my chance and ran outside,” he said.

He was glad the ceremony was on open ground, Mr Abdelmonem said, because he was not ready to go back to the mosque.

“It’s not easy to put it behind you. Just seeing the mosque this morning, it’s not easy to be here.”

Outspoken Australian boxer and Muslim Anthony Mundine comforted community members at the open prayer session. Earlier, he visited some of the 50 wounded in hospital.

Yesterday’s mass burial was expected to be the last of the Christchurch funerals, with the other deceased being repatriated to their homelands.

New Zealand mourns with you. We are one. NEW ZEALAND PM JACINDA ARDERN