Tourist numbers from the Middle East are forecast to increase by 13 per cent by 2014, while Indian tourists are predicted to increase by 11 per cent and Indonesian by 9 per cent.

Japanese travellers, however, would drop by 5 per cent, according to Tourism Australia’s compound annual growth rate figures from June.

Online travel company Expedias’s managing director Daniel Lynn told the Tourism Futures conference in Brisbane that tourism operators would increasingly have to adapt their menus and provide other offerings to cater to the new markets.

Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast already offers a Muslim prayer room and halal restaurant, while the Marriott Hotel is introducing a Ramadan evening lounge three nights a week during the holy period in August and September.

A Gold Coast Muslim visitors’ guide will be available on site, and many hotels throughout the country have the Koran and prayer mats available on request.

In Melbourne there is a tourism lounge in the Harbour Town tourism precinct in the Docklands that offers dedicated prayer rooms and complimentary refreshments.

Hilton on the Park supplies prayer mats and halal food on request.

The South Australia Tourism Commission has added a link on its website for Muslim tourists with information about mosques, halal restaurants and bakeries.

Mr Lynn said there were a lot of transient workers in cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi who were encouraging others to travel, and there was an explosion of travel on carriers such as Etihad, Emirates and Qatar airways.

He said wealth was increasing in Indonesia, allowing more of its 230 million people to travel.

“Our arrivals are not just going to be classic tourists coming from the UK, France and the US,” Mr Lynn said.

“We’re going to see a wide diversity.”

heraldsun.com.au

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“We are using it in negotiations with the likes of Malaysia and Indonesia to counter some of their previous concerns, and also to try to tie down exactly what they require,” said Food Safety Authority deputy director for export standards, Bill Jolly.

“While the Government’s not particularly religiously competent, most of halal requirements are actually objectively measurable,” he said.

Islam has religious rules for halal food, including specific rules for how animals should be slaughtered, but certification in New Zealand has not previously been directly regulated by government officials.

“The actual bit which relies on something which is a little bit more spiritual is reasonably small – if you can write it down, we can actually help produce a standard associated with that,” said Mr Jolly.

New Zealand was asking Islamic countries to tell it what they wanted certified, and was working to ensure certifiers worked to those requirements, he told a briefing for journalists.

The Government is stepping into an arena it has previously tried to stay clear of – the certification of New Zealand exports as “halal”, or “clean” in terms of Islamic religious rules.

Previously Government regulators have kept halal certification at arms length, relying on two commercial agencies which have been handling most of the certification of meat and milk products.

But the problems in South East Asia – particularly with the world’s most populous Islamic country, Indonesia – last year led the Government to announced that organisations which certify halal meat for export will be subject to government oversight “to standardise halal certification and improve assurances to our trading partners”.

NZFSA has added halal export certification for Indonesia, Malaysia and the Middle East to the list of additional assurances it provides to importing countries – a burgeoning list with customer countries seeking assurances on issues as varied as animal welfare and – in the case of fish – the legality of the catch.

Mr Jolly said one driver was to try to avoid exporters having to have multiple certifications – with a different certifier for each individual country – and said it was expected the certification bodies would be able to certify for most markets.

“It’s a process thing – it’s going to take a while,” he said.

Related posts:

1. Food safety agency gets into halal-certification
2. Muslim move threat to NZ meat trade
3. Mindanao Bemoans govt Indecision on Halal Certification
4. $100m halal beef trade ban delayed
5. Indonesia Demands Halal Cert On NZ’s Meat Products

IN years to come, Australians will view the nation’s “inhumane” live animal exports with similar abhorrence to slave trading, animal welfare advocates say.

Some four million sheep leave Australian shores each year, embarking on a “long, cruel journey” to the Middle East, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) says.

During a public forum at NSW Parliament House on Wednesday, WSPA said sheep which survived the three-week trip often arrived injured before being callously slaughtered.

It claims only 20 per cent of Australian sheep exported live are used for religious purposes and is calling for a shift to a chilled meat trade.

However, sheep farmer Andrew Martel told the forum the Middle East market demanded live meat imports and if Australia did not meet that need, other countries would.

Freelance journalist Reuben Brand, commissioned by WSPA, showed footage of his recent visits to Middle Eastern livestock saleyards and abattoirs.

He said he witnessed shipments of live sheep arrive from Australia “suffering from a heightened state of stress” during the past seven months.

“I saw sheep being dragged by the back legs, trussed, bound and thrown into car boots … animals were being killed – skinned and gutted – in front of other animals.”

He said his research found 40,000 sheep died in transit annually and animals often didn’t have adequate access to water and were in cramped conditions with about three sheep per square metre, standing on wire mesh flooring.

WSPA programs director Emily Reeves said it was “shameful” both sides of federal politics supported the trade, particularly when more Australian jobs could be supported by adopting a chilled meat trade.

“We have Halal-accredited meat processors here in Australia who could be doing that work,” she said.

WSPA research found a sheep processed in Australia was worth 20 per cent more to the economy than a sheep exported live.

Ms Reeves conceded the Australian government had worked in conjunction with foreign authorities to improve conditions for animals, but said “inhumane” treatment continued.

She said an end to live meat exports was a long-term goal, considering Australia was the world’s largest exporter of live sheep.

But Ms Reeves said it would happen one day and Australians would then “look back on these days in horror, as we do now of the slave trade”.

Mr Martel, from Wellington in central western NSW, accepted the trade wasn’t “squeaky clean”, but said it was improving and Australia needed to remain in the market.

“They want live sheep. That’s the market, and if we don’t offer that then they will get it from somewhere else,” he said.

“One of their other options is to source the stock from China, and then we will see how the humane treatment goes.”

Related posts:

1. Live export protest across Australia
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4. This cruelty to sheep is economically unsound
5. Sheep shipments will slaughter NZ’s overseas image

MLA regional manager (Middle East/North Africa) Lachlan Bowtell said the 22 exporters participating in the event from February 21-24 received enormous interest.

“The tradeshow allowed exporters to meet with current customers and set supply schedules for the coming 12 months,” Mr Bowtell said.

“As well as cementing relationships with existing customers, there were plenty of new inquiries, including from non-traditional markets and products, including goatmeat.

“The strong demand for Australia’s products was very encouraging to see. But the two overriding factors that will dictate the trade to the Middle East going forward are the Australian dollar and Australia’s ability to supply, particularly sheepmeat.”

Australia’s supply constraints have been causing the trade to re-think the way the carcass is utilised.

“At Gulfood there was a notable shift in focus, with some exporters working with customers to develop cuts-based supply programs rather than whole carcass, to assist in spreading around the available product,” Mr Bowtell said.

Australia’s food safety and Halal certification programs are highly regarded in the region, with an enormous amount of trust being placed in these systems by local governments and importers.

“Food security and integrity in the source of foods is the key to maintaining our market share and the communication of these programs to the trade and consumers is vital for the ongoing development of key markets,” Mr Bowtell said.

Aside from the record attendance of Australian red meat exporters at Gulfood, Australia’s commitment to the region was also demonstrated by MLA’s sponsorship of culinary and cutting competitions and food safety conferences and workshops in conjunction with the trade show.

“Gulfood confirmed that Australian red meat remains highly sought after in the region, where our products tick all the boxes in regards to quality, safety and Halal certification. This demand is underpinned by the quest in the region to secure adequate supplies of food for the ever – expanding population.” Mr Bowtell said.

Last year the Middle East attracted a record 115,775 tonnes of Australian beef, lamb, mutton, goatmeat and offal.

MLA’s latest forecasts, outlined in the Industry Projections 2010 (released last week), indicate that beef and lamb exports to the region will continue to rise in 2010, both up 8 per cent, while mutton exports are forecast to fall 6pc, due to supply constraints.

www.sj.farmonline.com.au

Related posts:

1. Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) supports Gulfood 2010
2. Gulfood 2010 sees record Australian meat industry participation
3. MEAT & Livestock Australia (MLA) appoints
4. Middle East re-opens markets to English meat
5. Aussie red meat sales in Mideast up 22pc

According to Mr. Lachlan Bowtell, the Regional Manager of Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), the international marketing arm of Australian meat and livestock producers, the UAE as a stand alone market ranks second globally only to the USA in terms of Australian lamb products consumption.

“That’s absolutely outstanding considering the vast difference in the population of the two countries and is a clear indication that Australian meat is a coveted commodity for the UAE and the entire Middle East region,” he said.

“The Middle East is the world’s third biggest region in Australian meat consumption with 2009 shipments in excess of 115,000 tonnes. Only Asia and North America import more Australian meat than this region. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Kuwait are the best performing markets in absolute figures and trends across the region show strong growth in all product segments.”

Bowtell also said: “MLA has consistently participated in Gulfood and supported the event’s various activities. In addition to our stand in the Australian Pavilion, we have sponsored several activities and taken part in the conferences held alongside the Show, through highly authoritative papers presented by our experts in the field of food safety.

This year too, MLA is sponsoring two Gulfood activities, namely, the Salon Culinaire held by Emirates Culinary Guild, and the Dubai 5th International Food Safety Conference. Rodney Sims, Technical Manager, MLA – MEA, will head the jury to decide on the Salon Culinaire Beef Class competition. Also, to maintain a long tradition of sharing updated food safety knowledge and expertise with various stakeholders in the region, MLA’s prominent food safety and technical expert, Mr. Ian Jensen, will be a keynote speaker at the 5th Food Safety Conference. Ian Jensen will share the latest findings of scientific research conducted by MLA on meat safety with more focus on meat shelf-life.  Immediately after Gulfood, Ian Jensen will take part in a series of workshops to be held by MLA and food safety authorities in the Gulf countries about the latest trends in meat safety.

“Our strong involvement in Gulfood 2010 is yet another indication of our firm commitment towards Middle East where our products enjoy unsurpassed reputation among various segments of consumers who trust our quality assurance and safety systems and favour the highly nutritional and gourmet attributes of our halal products”, added Mr. Bowtell.

MLA, which has overseen the leadership of Australian meat products and livestock in the region for over 25 years  has also consistently worked with food safety government authorities in the region to share knowledge of Australia’s most rigorous safety rules and procedures for meat production and ensure the efficiency of local systems. As an instance, MLA has taken initiative to foster the training of would-be food inspectors from the region in Australia, a training program that has been running for 10 years now.

© 2010 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)

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5. Gulfood 2010 Exhibitors Achieve Record Sales

THE expansion of halal products on the market has not pleased all Muslims – some are calling the certification of products a marketing ploy.

Wiley Park’s Aziza Rifai said she was horrified to see the Rosken hand cream she purchased two weeks ago carry the label halal.

“Halal isn’t a word you use for hand cream or any other medical treatment. It’s for food or drink that you consume in your mouth,” she said.

“I think these companies just use the word halal as a marketing tool to get more people to buy their products.

“To promote things, especially hand cream by putting halal on it, it’s just not right. It’s ridiculous. We don’t want it to be a promotional tool.”

But a Rosken spokeswoman said the moisturising range was halal-certified because a lot of its products were sold in Malaysia where most people are Muslim.

The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils states that halal is an Arabic word meaning lawful or permitted.

Muslims are prohibited from consuming animal blood.

Mrs Rifai said businesses had exploited the Muslim religious beliefs before by using “halal” to sell its products.

“A few years ago there was a butcher in the area who wasn’t making much money so he put halal at the front of his shop to attract business,” she said.

“He didn’t even know the meaning of halal.”

Islamic Council of NSW vice president Ali Roude said companies must submit a full report to an Islamic organisation if a product is to be halal certified.

Products such as gelatin, which contain animal collagen, are forbidden.

Mr Roude said many products were certified halal so they could be sold overseas in Muslim nations such as Indonesia.

When assessed, it must be referred to a religous adviser before a certificate is issued.

“When we get approached, we do make sure the material is looked at closely,” Mr Roude said.

“We don’t look at it from a commercial point of view. Our main concern is that the product is halal. We have a moral and religious objection to tell that company ‘yes, go ahead, you have nothing to worry about’.”

Canterbury-Bankstown Express

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Australia is one of the largest meat exporters in the world and is a world
leader in halal production.  One of its largest export markets is the United
States of America, and Australian meat is widely sold all over America in
numerous butchers, restaurants, and retailers.  The majority of this meat is
labeled as ‘halal’ and certified by a Halal organization in Australia.  The
halal meat industry in America is largely unregulated and there is
widespread abuse in the usage of ‘halal’ labels and ‘halal’ certificates.
For this reason, it is extremely important for the Muslim community in
America to verify the halal status of Australian meat and obtain first-hand
information on the halal process in Australia.

A group of concerned American halal advocates decided to conduct research on
Australian Halal meat and personally visit the major halal slaughterhouses
in Australia which export to America.  Mufti Abdullah Nana of California and
Mufti Ikramul Haq of Rhode Island visited over ten slaughterhouses in
Australia from Oct. 25, 2009 until Nov. 11, 2009.  These two scholars
traveled over 20,000 miles each by air and 3,000 miles by car during their
halal research trip in Australia.  They visited numerous states and cities
including Sydney, Golburn, Brisbane, Rockhampton, Kilcoy, Bordertown,
Dandedong, Katanning, Wodonga, Tamworth, and Sunshine.  They have compiled
the findings of their research and now wish to share this information with
the Muslim community in America.  This report is based on the independent
research of these two scholars who have no financial stake in the meat
industry and who paid for the expenses of the trip from their own pocket.

The Halal advocates noticed some general trends regarding the halal
slaughter process in Australia.  Australia has a halal program in place for
the slaughter of meat which is enforced by the government.   A
slaughterhouse must have 100% halal slaughter in order to qualify for halal
export and it must be approved by a halal certifying body in Australia.
Slaughterers are authorized to remove animals from the line which did not
bleed properly, were not stunned properly, or were not cut properly.  They
will mark them with a special tag and inform the plant manager to process
the animal separately.  There are strict measures in place to keep these
animals completely separate from the regular halal animals.  These carcasses
are not labeled as halal and not exported to halal markets.  The halal
advocates also confirmed that no other meat products are processed in the
same slaughterhouse or processing facility which they visited.

The lamb and beef plants in Australia employ stunning methods to subdue the
animals prior to the slaughter.  A head-only electric stunner is used for
sheep and the stunning parameters should be between .5 and .9 amps.  The
main concern is whether the animal remains alive after this method of
stunning.  The two scholars have conducted research on electric stunning for
sheep and have spoken to numerous experts in the field including
veterinarians and doctors.  They even requested that a sheep be stunned with
the electric stunner and removed from the line in order to give it time to
regain consciousness.  The animal did regain consciousness within a few
seconds.  For both lamb and cattle, the animal is slaughtered within a few
seconds of the application of the stunning apparatus.  The findings of their
research conclude that this voltage when applied to the head cannot cause
the death of the animal and will not affect the halal status of the meat.

A pneumatic stunner or mushroom stunner is used for beef.  This is also a
non-lethal type of stunning in which the device does not penetrate the brain
of the animal.  The beef plants have measures in place to reject those
animals whose skulls are damaged or cracked from the stunner.  This type of
stunning also will not cause the death of the animal and will not affect the
halal status of the meat.  Yes, the act of stunning is reprehensible and
should be avoided as much as possible.  One should refer to the fatwas and
articles on stunning for more information.

There are over 20 halal certifying bodies in Australia, and they vary in
their degree of reliability and trustworthiness.  Some certifying bodies
have a full-time staff and carry out regular inspections because of their
close proximity to the plant, whereas other certifying bodies are run only
by one person who is sometimes thousands of miles from the slaughterhouse he
is certifying.  Therefore, the two scholars felt that it was important to
obtain first-hand information regarding the Halal certifying body and
determine their level of halal integrity along with visiting the halal
slaughterhouse which they certify.  Mufti Abdullah and Mufti Ikram visited
two of the largest and most reputable halal certifying bodies in Australia;
the Islamic Coordinating Council of Victoria (ICCV) and the Supreme Islamic
Council of Halal Meat in Australia (SICHMA).   They met with the members of
these two halal organizations in person and learnt about their halal
slaughter program in detail.   Both organizations displayed a commitment to
meeting the halal requirements and doing the right thing irrespective of the
circumstances.   The halal advocates were satisfied with the certification
process at these two halal organizations and felt that there was great
potential in working with these two organizations in the future.

The slaughterers must carry a special slaughter card and receive special
approval for slaughter after undergoing training on halal slaughter.   ICCV
required that a full-time supervisor be present at all times in the plants
they certified.  The two scholars questioned ICCV and SICHMA whether they
currently employed any slaughterers with deviated beliefs or belonged to one
of the deviated sects.  The two organizations confirmed that no such
individuals are currently employed as slaughterers. The halal certifying
bodies were also selective when choosing a slaughterer and made attempts to
ensure that he is a practicing Muslim.

Australian Lamb is packed in Australia either in whole boxes or individual
packages which are vacuum packed.  The whole boxes will have a MS symbol
which stands for ‘Muslim Kill.’  The individual packages for Kirkland
Signature, Opal Valley, and Diamond Valley currently have a halal logo as
well.  Each box or individual package will have a small oval shaped logo
stating ‘Australia Inspected.’  In the middle of this oval, the
establishment number of the plant in Australia where this meat was processed
will be written.  This establishment number is the code through which the
source of the meat can be traced.  Many individual packages will not have
the name and contact information of the supplier, but instead will only have
the establishment number.  A link of all Establishment numbers of the
Australian plants is given below:

Australian Lamb is sold in many major supermarkets and retail stores across
America including Costco, Kroger, Safeway, Von’s, Meijers, Jetro Cash and
Carry (Restaurant Depot), Stop and Shop, and others.  It is important to
note that there are two types of packaged Australian meat products.  Some of
the individual packages sold in these stores are packaged directly in
Australia and do not go through further processing in America.  These
products carry a ‘Australia Halal’ logo and are safe to consume since there
is no possibility of cross contamination.  However, there are some products
which are repackaged and/or reprocessed in a American facility and have a
USDA number on it.  There is no guarantee that such a product is halal and
free from cross-contamination with other meat products.  Muslims should
avoid the products which are not packed in Australia and should look for
individual packages which contain one of the establishment numbers given
below and are packaged in Australia.

The Halal advocates have contacted Costco and verified that they use seven
plants in Australia for the supply of their Kirkland Signature Australian
Lamb.   These two scholars visited four of the seven plants personally and
approved of the slaughter process.  These four plants are listed below in
the approved list.  They spoke to the halal supervisors at two other plants
which they were not able to visit and they interviewed these Muslims
regarding the slaughter process.  The halal advocates contacted the Muslim
inspector for the Halal certifying body at the seventh plant and also
interviewed him in detail regarding the slaughter process.  These two halal
advocates have independently confirmed the halal status of all seven
suppliers of the Kirkland Signature Australian lamb and are satisfied that
this meat is slaughtered in accordance to the Islamic requirements.  Costco
also sells Australian lamb which is repackaged and placed in trays which do
not carry a halal label.  A Muslim should look for the Australia Halal label
and the Kirkland Signature brand label on the product.  Sample pictures of
the Kirkland Signature packages are given below.

Similarly, the two scholars also were able to verify the halal status of the
Opal Valley Australian Lamb sold in many stores in the Midwest and East
Coast.  This lamb is sold in individually wrapped Opal Valley packages and
large 40 pound Opal Valley boxes.  The individually-wrapped Opal Valley meat
products also bear a Australian Halal logo.  The halal advocates visited all
four plants which supply Opal Valley Lamb products to the United States and
approved of the halal slaughter method.  These four plants only do halal
meat production and nothing else.   One can be confident that the Opal
Valley Lamb meets the Islamic requirements.  Sample packages of Opal Valley
are attached below.

Another popular brand sold in Safeway and Von’s in the West Coast is Diamond
Valley.  This brand is supplied by three plants; two in Australia and one in
New Zealand.  The Halal advocates visited both the plants in Australia which
supply Diamond Valley and approved of their halal slaughter process.  They
have not yet been able to visit the plant in New Zealand.  The Diamond
Valley Lamb package does have a label which states if the lamb is a product
of Australia or New Zealand.  The halal advocates will inform the Muslim
community of any updates with regards to the New Zealand supplier of Diamond
Valley.   Sample packages of the Diamond Valley product are attached below.

Muslim consumers in America should ask their local supermarkets or retail
stores who sell Australian meat to provide current Halal certificates for
each meat shipment they receive and to place these certificates for display.
This will assist the Halal Organizations in Australia as well as the
Australian Muslim community.

Here is a current list of approved slaughterhouses from Australia.  This may
be updated in the near future:

1.       Mcphee Bros (Norvic)/ Certified by ICCV  – Beef and Lamb
Establishment number 612
2.       Castricum Bros/ Certified by ICCV  – Lamb
Establishment number 3085
3.       Tatiara Meat company / Certified by ICCV  – Lamb
Establishment number 389
4.       Swift Australia (Southern) / Certified by ICCV – Lamb, beef
Establishment number 688 (Did not visit but spoke in person to Halal
supervisor)
5.       Tasman Group Services (Swift)  / Certified by ICCV – Lamb, beef
Establishment number 397 (Did not visit but spoke to Halal supervisor)

6.       Kilcoy Pastural / Certified by SICHMA – Beef
Establishment number 640
7.       Teys Bros  Certified by SICHMA / – Beef
Establishment number 399
8.       Country Fresh/ Peel Valley Exporters / Certified by SICHMA – Lamb
Establishment number 394
9.       Southern Meats / Certified by SICHMA  – Lamb
Establishment number 217

10.    Wammco / Certified by the Perth Mosque and Mosque of Katanning – Lamb
Establishment number 572
11.    T & R Pastoral / Certified by the Halal Supervisory Board of South
Australia for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Establishment number 533 (Did not visit, but spoke to Halal Certifier)

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5. Australia – New report on Halal and Kosher slaughter

New Zealand is one of the most important producers of meat and dairy
productions to the different parts of the world among them Islamic
countries. For this reason this country is a familiar name for the
Muslims. This trade interaction has been caused that since 3 past
decades, most of slaughter house engaged slaughtering according to
Islamic laws regulations. For the permanent assessment of this processes
and also dairy productions according to Halal World Standards and the
necessity of unification of halal brands certifying bodies which are
active in this country, travelling to New Zealand and discussing with
authorities and industrial actives was planed and came in to
implementation.

Dr. Fakhari, Executive manager of ICRIC has travelled to New Zealand and
he had the meetings with the Manager of NZFSA ( New Zealand Food Safety
Authority ) and economic authorities of New Zealand Foreign Affairs
Ministry. He has been succeeded to explain them about the importance and
the observance of Halalworld standard. He added that this standard was
approved recently by Islamic countries and ICRIC is designed of
pursuiting of implementing Halalworld certification in different
countries. This subject was welcomed by them not only from the structure
of hygiene controls but also from the trade development and they
demanded expanding relation with ICRIC.

Separate visits have done in Wellington and Auckland (political and
commercial capital of New Zealand), Chamber of Commerce of Auckland,
Responsible of Meat Industry Association (MIA) and Fish Industry Council
of New Zealand, New Zealand and Middle East Trade Council,
representative of investors group of New Zealand (who are interested in
investment in Halal projects in Islamic countries). After each meeting
they declared their interests to be present in Halal market by ICRIC’s
consulting of its experts. It was agreed that Al-Rasoul Company (ICRICs’
Halal delegation in Oceanic Area) to be the liaison between two parts.
Al-Rasoul Company is a non-governmental non-profit organization in New
Zealand, as ICRIC’s representative in Halal issues that, present
consultation services to industrial organizations and enterprises in the
region.

A visiting was done of the well equipped and industrial abattoir, Green
Lee, in the industrial city of Hamilton (120 KM from Auckland) that
slaughters animals by Islamic religious laws. In this meeting, they
assigned that proposed changes for completion of Halal process will be
presented to them. It is clear that ICRIC took an effective step with
this journey towards the Halal development in Oceanic Region.

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5. Cooperation of ECO Members on "Halal"

The label on Australia’s most famous spread has changed in recent
months to include halal certification in a move some have described as
“ridiculous” political correctness.

“Islamic communities are proud
Australians and they want to be able to eat our national icon as well,”
Kraft spokesman Simon Talbot said.

“We don’t own Vegemite. The
people of Australia own Vegemite. We’re just the custodians and we want
to make sure Vegemite is available for everyone.”

Muslim leaders
have congratulated Kraft for introducing the labels, but Family Council
of Victoria secretary Bill Muehlenberg questioned the company’s motives.

“This
is a private company trying to make money,” Mr Muehlenberg said. “I
don’t think they care a rip about offending the tastebuds of Muslims.

“Why do we have to keep bending over backwards to please minority
groups? There are only 300,000 Muslims in Australia out of 22 million
people, which is a very small percentage.

“Of course, there’s a
case for making allowances for different cultures, but aren’t we getting
a bit carried away with political correctness here? It’s ridiculous.”

Mr
Muehlenberg feared the halal labelling was also a sign of
“Islamisation” of western countries.

“We’re already seeing sharia
law courts operating in Britain,” he said. “Where does it end?”

Since
the labels were changed in August, Kraft’s head office has received
regular phone calls from people complaining about the halal labelling on
Vegemite.

“People have called us with some fairly strong views
about Australian society and culture,” Mr Talbot said. “These are views
that we at Kraft don’t agree with. We don’t engage in racist or bigoted
commentary.

“But for every call we receive asking about it, there
is a call to say how proud they are to see it’s halal. We are also proud
of our kosher, halal and vegetarian products.”

Vegemite has been
certified kosher for more than a decade. When Kraft decided to scrap
kosher Vegemite production in 2004, the backlash from Jewish consumers
forced the company to do a backflip.

Yasser Soliman, Islamic
Council of Victoria past-president and executive director of Diversity
Connect International, said the halal certification on Vegemite was a
sign Muslims were “becoming more Aussie”.

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2. Ban On ‘Privatised’ Halal Logos A Correct Decision – Jamil
3. Growing number of Australian manufacturers embracing Halal and Kosher certification
4. Australia – Roger Fletcher on Halal pre-stunning
5. Kraft CEO Talk Crisis, Food Industry