Australian Government Official Says Muslims Who Want to Live by Sharia Law Not Welcome There – Truth!

Australian Government Official Says Muslims Who Want to Live by Sharia Law Not Welcome There.-Truth!
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Said No to Sharia-Unproven!

Summary of eRumor:
 
The eRumor appears to be an article that quotes the Australian Finance Minister as saying that immigrants who want to live in Australia need to live by Australian law, not the Sharia law of Islam.  He is quoted as saying that Muslims to want to live by Sharia law are not welcome in Australia.
The Truth:
The remarks by the Australian Finance Minister Peter Costello were made in a speech on February 23, 2006 to the Sydney Institute.

The article quoted in the eRumor was written by Phil Mercer of the BBC and published in February, 2006, when this eRumor began circulating.

In late 2010 versions of this eRumor began circulating attributing these comments to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.   We have found no evidence of this being true.

In 2009, another altered version began circulating saying that this was said by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, which is also fiction.

His speech was titled Worth Promoting, Worth Defending, Australian Citizenship, What it Means and How to Nurture it.  In his speech he extolled the virtues of Australia and the necessity of adhering to Australian law.  Then he added, ““But don’t you think Australian Muslims – Muslims living in Australia – also have a responsibility to adhere to Australian law?”  He went on to say “There is one law we are all expected to abide by. It is the law enacted by the Parliament under the Australian Constitution. If you can’t accept that then you don’t accept the fundamentals of what Australia is and what it stands for.”  He suggested that if someone wanted to live under Sharia law [law derived from the Koran], Saudia Arabia and Iran should be considered.  Then he added, “Before becoming an Australian you will be asked to subscribe to certain values. If you have strong objections to those values don’t come to Australia.”

Updated 1/13/11