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School protesters plan to hold rally

02 Apr, 2008 11:24 AM
A PROTEST group is asking people to write to Camden Council opposing the proposed Islamic school, even though new submissions can not be considered.

The Camden/Macarthur Residents' Group has sent out a leaflet to Camden households urging residents to "join the fight to keep Camden rural" and write to the council, Camden MP Geoff Corrigan and the media.

But the council's call for submissions closed in November after an extended public exhibition period.

"Any new submissions can't be looked at," Camden mayor Chris Patterson said.

"It's nearly five months after that cut-off period, which is a little bit too late.

"They can write to their elected members if they want."

The residents group intends to hold a public rally after councillors vote on the school application, whether it is approved or not.

Asked whether more submissions and rallies could achieve anything, considering the council's public exhibition period was over, group president Emil Sremchevich said: "Until a decision is made, nothing is settled".

Camden police crime manager Paul Albury said there had been no application from the residents' group for a public rally.

"To hold any public forum they need to lodge a formal application," he said.

The police would prefer that the normal process of allowing council to make a decision be followed, "but if people want to hold a public rally we would have to consider that application and consider previous public rallies on the issue and take all circumstances into account before deciding," he said.

At the last public "information" forum in December, about 50 young adults were moved on by police and another 100 people turned away from the Camden Civic Centre.

Police said a group of about 50 people, aged 18-24 and wearing what they described as "Australia gear", bashed on windows to try to get in, but when police asked them to leave they did so without incident.

The Camden/Macarthur Residents Group leaflet also asks residents to make donations to the group.

The group is registered as an "other unincorporated entity" and, as such, gifts or contributions to it are not tax deductible.

Mr Sremchevich said donated funds would go towards environmental and heritage reports commissioned by the group, pamphlet distribution, advertising and the rally.

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Emil Sremchevich. ``If the council passes the proposal, we'll have a rally. If the council rejects the proposal, we'll have a rally,'' he said. Picture: Luke Fuda
Emil Sremchevich. ``If the council passes the proposal, we'll have a rally. If the council rejects the proposal, we'll have a rally,'' he said. Picture: Luke Fuda

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