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Lakemba Nights during Ramadan is back and this month of celebration has a large range of delicious food stalls. This year it is slightly different. Find out what you need to know before you go, what new stalls are there and which stalls are worth the wait!
The name has changed from "Ramadan Nights" to "Lakemba Nights During Ramadan" as the festival's popularity has soared to such huge numbers that the locals that use the festival to break the fast. Ramadan is a sacred month of fasting, prayer, and reflection for Muslims. From dawn to sunset, they abstain from food and drink and focus on faith and charity.
The festival is also only open to visitors from Thursday to Sunday. When Laura and I arrive it's a Friday night and this is the first time we've been before daylight savings. We arrive just after 6pm and the air is filled with the smell of food.
Previously the night markets have stretched along both sides of Lakemba station but this time the stalls have concentrated on the Southern side of Haldon street near the railway station with around 60 stands in the centre of the street to allow for bigger queues. The other side of the station is still open til late at night but it's not so much about the food stalls, just busy local life.
The stands encompass everything from knafeh, kebabs, pani puri, coffee, sugarcane drinks, juices, fish and chips, crepes and gnocchi. This year seems to have a lot of meat and we saw only one solely vegetarian stall.
Our first stop is a great one and it's probably our favourite of the night. Skewiies stands alone, literally in the middle of the closed off The Boulevarde right outside Lakemba station.
If you want to be a bit strategic with the queueing because there are long queues at some stalls, go for knafeh a bit earlier in the night. Laura spots that the queue for Albasha Knafeh and coffee is relatively short as it's around 6:30pm. The guy there puts on a show with sprinkling pistachios and stretching the knafeh. Coffee and a Knafeh is $21.75.
The knafeh is stretchy and crispy with a hint of orange blossom. When comparing their knafeh to Yummy Yummy's knafeh (the most popular knafeh stand), Albasha’s has less syrup than Yummy Yummy so you can taste the cheese more.
Bakdash Ice Cream: Pistachio Ice Cream and Lemonade
If you’re looking for a bargain head to Bakdash Ice Cream stand where $7 will get you a freshly churned Dondurma fior di latte style ice cream with crushed pistachios on top. It is here that you can also get a five dollar lemonade which is a bargain amongst the stalls
Due to the success of Shahi Dastarkhwan’s chicken wraps every year many stores now sell haryali chicken (green chicken with coriander and mint). We tried a few places but the best of these is Deccan flavours right at the end of Haldon street. For $30 you get your choice of 2 skewers (we chose Chicken tikka and Haryali Chicken) with naan bread, onion salad and a flavoursome dipping sauce. The chicken is so juicy and moist that I have to check that it’s actually cooked.
At Le Wrap they sell LeTantuni beef or chicken wraps for $16 each. These U shaped wraps are tasty and the flatbread is filled with a chicken or beef with a tomato and onion salad. They finish this off with a generous sprinkle of sumac to give them a lemony freshness.
The beef is particularly good - they fill it with beef and then sit the wrap in the beef juices for a few seconds. The chicken doesn't quite get the same treatment, it's just wrapped up so the beef is our pick and the chef is nice enough to give us extra beef on top.
Fried Bar sells loaded fries, corndogs and camel bites The camel bites ($15) are balls of camel mince that have been breaded and deep fried bowls served with burger sauce. Bite into one and you'll get a delicious cheesey centre (although we didn't get the cheese in all of them oddly). These are full of flavour and another favourite.
The longest queue however is for Madura Satay. It is also the slowest queue and the smokiest queue. At this point Laura and I divide and conquer. She keeps lining up for satay and I go to Shahi Wraps for our favourite wraps. I manage to get the wraps and a Yummy Yummy Knafeh by the time she gets the satays and she ends up waiting in line for 1.5 hours for the satays!
We order 10 sticks for $25 with a mix of chicken and lamb. The satay sticks come with extra pot of sauce but the promised rice cakes aren’t there. The chicken and lamb satays are tasty and have a nice char from the grill. The big question though: is it worth a 1.5 hour wait in a very smokey and slow moving queue? Probably not.
We both love the wraps at Shahi Wraps and they're always consistently delicious and tonight is no exception. There are four types of chicken fillings: Malai (white), Majestic (yellow), Chicken 65 (red) and Haryali chicken (green). While I am queuing the clouds suddenly open and there's a 10 minute rain shower that sends many people running for cover. I am so close to the front of the queue and stubborn AF. Thankfully the lovely guy in front of me offers to shelter me with his umbrella.
Every year we order the Malai and Majestic chicken wraps and get one of each for $15.50 per wrap. These are incredible; the freshly made rumali tawa flatbread is so thin and supple. Honestly next year we will get one of each flavour per person and I wouldn’t even be mad. They also reheat really well, just saying….
It’s now past 11pm and we’ve been eating, queuing and talking for over 5 hours and this is the latest we’ve been here. The Yummy Yummy guy is always good for a bit of a show stretching the knafeh at this hour even his cries of Yummy Yummy take on a tired tone. I buy a Knafeh for $15.70.
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever been to Lakemba Nights during Ramadan? Which dishes appealed to you the most?
The Night Markets are located on Haldon Street, Lakemba during Ramadan from 6pm-2am, every Thursday to Sunday from 27 February-30 March 2025.
but there's still confusion over whether he's actually apologised for them.Opposition leader Peter Dutton says he has apologised to the Lebanese Muslim community for remarks made in 2016
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NSW Police are investigating and community leaders are calling for “stronger laws to criminalise anti-Muslim hate” after a TikTok user called for “Christchurch again please” on a video of Lakemba mosque during Ramadan
The official Lakemba Mosque account posted a time-lapse video of worshippers leaving during Ramadan
A TikTok user named wello commented on the video saying “Christchurch again please”
an apparent reference to Brenton Tarrant’s massacre of 51 Muslims at prayer in the New Zealand city in 2019
NSW Police have launched an investigation into the online threat
“The NSW Police Force takes hate crimes seriously and encourages anyone who is the victim of a hate crime or witnesses a hate crime to report the matter to police
It is important that the community and police continue to work together to make NSW a safer place for everyone.”
The incident comes a fortnight after a teenager from Western Australia, who cannot be identified because he is underage, was charged over alleged violent threats to another Sydney mosque. The 16-year-old allegedly posted on Instagram that he would “christ church 2.0” the newly opened Australian Islamic House Masjid in Edmondson Park
Lakemba Mosque called for “stronger laws to recognise and criminalise anti-Muslim hate”.Credit: Christopher Harris
Lakemba Mosque demanded “stronger laws to recognise and criminalise anti-Muslim hate” and for the community to take a stand against Islamaphobia
“Lakemba Mosque has been directly threatened
with vile references to the Christchurch attack
and Islamophobia are on the rise,” it said on Thursday
“Places of worship and education should be safe spaces
our community continues to face attacks simply for practicing our faith and educating our children.”
Premier Chris Minns labelled the threat “truly disgusting” in a statement on Thursday
“The NSW Police Force have launched an urgent investigation into this threat and those responsible will face the full force of the law
“Every single person in our state deserves to be able to practice their faith free from threats and this racism and Islamophobia has absolutely no place in NSW.”
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter
NSW Police are investigating and community leaders are calling for \\u201Cstronger laws to criminalise anti-Muslim hate\\u201D after a TikTok user called for \\u201CChristchurch again please\\u201D on a video of Lakemba mosque during Ramadan
A TikTok user named wello commented on the video saying \\u201CChristchurch again please\\u201D
an apparent reference to Brenton Tarrant\\u2019s massacre of 51 Muslims at prayer in the New Zealand city in 2019
\\u201CThe NSW Police Force takes hate crimes seriously and encourages anyone who is the victim of a hate crime or witnesses a hate crime to report the matter to police
It is important that the community and police continue to work together to make NSW a safer place for everyone.\\u201D
The 16-year-old allegedly posted on Instagram that he would \\u201Cchrist church 2.0\\u201D the newly opened Australian Islamic House Masjid in Edmondson Park
Lakemba Mosque demanded \\u201Cstronger laws to recognise and criminalise anti-Muslim hate\\u201D and for the community to take a stand against Islamaphobia
\\u201CLakemba Mosque has been directly threatened
and Islamophobia are on the rise,\\u201D it said on Thursday
\\u201CPlaces of worship and education should be safe spaces
our community continues to face attacks simply for practicing our faith and educating our children.\\u201D
Premier Chris Minns labelled the threat \\u201Ctruly disgusting\\u201D in a statement on Thursday
\\u201CThe NSW Police Force have launched an urgent investigation into this threat and those responsible will face the full force of the law
\\u201CEvery single person in our state deserves to be able to practice their faith free from threats and this racism and Islamophobia has absolutely no place in NSW.\\u201D
Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories
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and the sky is beautiful: soft baby blues shifting into golden hues with dusty pink
We’re walking towards Haldon Street in Lakemba
I see hundreds of people and dozens of tents
and I almost break into a jog – except that would look weird
One: is this how Charles Leclerc feels before a race
Time Out Sydney hit Haldon Street to bring you the five must-try dishes (plus one drink) at Lakemba Nights – and one I reckon you can skip
A post shared by avriltreasure (@avriltreasure)
My eyes were instantly drawn to a huge pot of bubble gum-pink chai – you can’t miss it
Originating from the Kashmiri region in the Indian subcontinent
Kashmiri chai (or pink tea) gets its striking colour from a reaction between baking soda and chlorophyll in the green tea leaves
then finished with chopped pistachios for a bit of crunch
aromatic chai in India more than a decade ago
I find it incredibly difficult to walk past this Nepalese street food favourite without ordering some – and the momos at Lakemba Nights were juicy, spiced and moreish. Similar to Chinese dumplings
they have a soft wrapper and a meat filling flavoured with onion
They’re served with a fruity chilli sauce with the right amount of heat
Get a serving each so you can double dip as you please
panfried flatbread popular throughout Southeast Asia
Inside is filled with a combination of meat
It’s kind of like a cross between an omelette and a gozleme
My chicken murtabak came cut up in segments
A dessert featuring sweet cheese doesn’t sound that appealing
but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this popular Middle Eastern treat
Shredded phyllo dough is layered on top of sweet melted cheese
and topped with a floral sugar syrup and crushed pistachios
The result is a super cheesy interior with a wispy
crisp exterior that looks similar to shredded coconut
which has become so popular it’s now set up with its own light stand to capture content
The stallholder serves the knafeh as if he’s a star on Broadway
raising his eyebrow while smiling and sprinkling crushed pistachios
Meat on skewers getting kissed by flames are everywhere you look at Lakemba Nights, and they do a damn fine job of turning on your hunger switch. I went to Island Dreams Cafe, a nominee in this year’s Time Out Sydney’s Food & Drink Awards for Best Cheap Eat
which serves food from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
the meat is threaded onto bamboo skewers and cooked over hot coals until charred
It’s served with a delicious nutty satay that has a great depth of flavour
as well as chopped cucumber and purple onion for freshness and crunch
and cubes of lontong (compressed rice) to make sure no sauce goes to waste
whose Indonesian satay skewers looked incredible
They say it’s good to live without regrets
If I have one regret from my visit to Lakemba Nights
it’s not heading straight to stall number one: Shahi Wraps
I was too full: my jeans were about to burst open
Here, soft, thin roti is quickly cooked on a dome-shaped iron griddle before being filled with your choice of succulent, spiced meat coated in a sauce – from a creamy, rich number to a vibrant green herb-packed one. Think: Indian Home Diner’s wraps – but better
Camel burgers are a classic Lakemba Nights order
and the line for Ramadan Camels – which has been selling them for nearly two decades – is one of the longest at the markets
and the creamy sauce made it taste like a Big Mac
If you’re craving Maccas and you’re hungry
But I reckon you can skip the long line and head elsewhere
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Today we are visiting the Sydney suburb of Lakemba. Lakemba is famous for their Ramadan Night Markets but outside of this time you'll find a range of Afghani, Pakistani and Moroccan food, some of which you may not have tried before along with super friendly service! Come and eat with us as we try some of the absolute best food that Lakemba has to offer! There was not one dud meal in this entire day!
Our first stop looks just like a pizza shop called Pizza Land. But when you look a bit further at it, there are two menus: one pizza menu and the second one with a range of "Arabian Bites" with dishes like Chicken Kabsah, Jordanian Mansaf and Wara Enab. I grab a retro style soda and take a seat. The front of Pizza Land is a Knafeh restaurant and the back is where you order at Pizza Land.
When they bring out the wara enab we are taken aback at how glorious it looks-in the picture it looks like vine leaves but here they wrap it in bread dough. Inside is bulghur, vine leaves and vegetables slow cooked so that they are creamy textured. This is a tangy dish that has the flavours of preserved lemon and pomegranate molasses and is tasty and best shared between four people.
Our next stops were supposed to be Mandi King and Yemen King but we found that both were closed although there was no indication online that they would be. But after a quick rejiggle of our map we headed to Royal Bait Al Mandi as we were determined to have mandi.
Mandi is a rice dish that originated in Yemen and is made with spiced rice and meat. The difference between Mandi and Biryani is that the meat is cooked separate to the rice. Mandi is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Turkey, Kerala and South East Asia. Lakemba has many Mandi places but a lot of them seem to be closed today but not Royal Bait Al Mandi.
Monica and I slide into a red booth and look at the menu. One page has kebabs, curries, biryanis and Indo Chinese dishes but we are interested in their Mandi - or actually their Madfoon dishes. They tell us that Mandi is mild in flavour while Madfoon is a spicy version. Each has a choice of mutton, chicken, fish, rib or quail and we go with their recommendation of chicken in a single sized serve.
A few doors down is Afghan Sufra. This restaurant is all about Afghan kebabs,curries and rice. I ask what is best to order and the gentleman behind the counter is super friendly and suggests the mixed platter with one each of the chicken, shami chalaw mince and lamb kebab and salad as well as bread. He also recommends the goat curry that is only available on weekends. We also order the Beef Nihari stew.
The food comes out quickly although it is freshly cooked. The kebabs are superb, fresh and juicy. The chicken is full of flavour and spice while the lamb is gorgeously tender. The Shami kebab is lamb mince mixed with chickpeas and the name comes from the word shaam, which means "dinner" and "night" in Persian. They're perfect on their own or wrapped up in the huge rounds of blistered flatbread provided.
We use the bread to scoop up the goat curry which is redolent in spices like cinnamon, all spice and curry powder. The Beef Nihari is more like a stew and flavoured with long pepper and thickened with atta flour. Both have large chunks of tender meat in them.
By this time it's just after 1:30pm and we head towards Shahi Dastarkhwan, a restaurant we first came across during the Ramandan Night Market. They sell one of the most popular items at the market, a chicken wrap with four types of chicken, so we wanted to come back to try more. Their menu is full of interesting things including a mutton biryani bucket or chicken biryani bucket as well as those four delicious chicken dishes.
We decide on a Shahi Rice Platter for one person and a romali roti. I grab a mango lassi which I really enjoy. It's probably one of the few mango lassis that I finish because I prefer the mango forward flavour compared to the more yogurty ones.
The Shahi rice platter has a bit of everything from zeera rice with cumin seeds, dal tadka, Chicken 65 and Tala Hua Gosht or mutton. The romali roti comes rolled up in a foil package and it unwraps to be a thin, large roti perfect for the rice and chicken or curries.
It's time to cross the railway tracks to the Sultano Cafe for Moroccan food. It's busy with people sitting at outdoor tables but this weekend's hot weather draws us inside in search of air conditioning. Sultano Cafe is gorgeous inside with mosaic tiled walls. The menu is a mix of Moroccan but mostly Italian dishes. Like all of the place we've visited, the service is friendly.
Our last stop is for dessert at Kanafandi, where we all started at Pizza Land. We wanted to try the Knafeh but only once we had finished eating all of the savouries. We take a seat at the front and dither between the choices. There's the original of course topped with chopped pistachios but there are other flavours including Nutella, Pistachio Cream, Biscoff and caramel.
We settle on an original Knafeh which is cooked to order. These knafeh are around 12cm in diamter so a good size for one person. The kataifi is crisp and there's a lot of stretchy cheese inside. There isn't as much syrup as there is in other knafehs but you can always ask for more if you want it to be sweeter.
After that we go to the shops to go shopping for some recipe ingredients and produce and head back to the car with all of our leftovers!
So tell me Dear Reader, do you enjoy visiting other suburbs to try different food?
All of the food in this post was independently paid for
Lakemba night markets began in 2012 with a humble street barbecue
it attracted crowds of more than 1.4 million
Why more than a million people are flocking to this one Sydney suburb
'Harmful': Liberal senator's 'fictitious Islamophobia' claim condemned
Immerse yourself in one of the biggest events on Sydney's cultural calendar with the return of Lakemba Nights
when people of the Muslim faith fast from dawn to dusk
this evening feast is your chance to gather around family
friends and the local community for delicious cuisine
1.6 million people from across Australia made their way to Sydney for the festival
Taking over Haldon Street in Lakemba between Thursday
over 60 food stalls and food trucks serve up a tantalising array of cuisine from countries like Lebanon
This is your chance to explore fascinating new flavours
from sweet pastry desserts like knafeh to a succulent camel burger if you're feeling a little more adventurous
so make the most of the free shuttle buses starting at 6.30pm from Campsie and Roselands
There's also the option of catching public transport to the festival
meaning you won't have to worry about missing the fun
Whether breaking your fast or just soaking up the local community
Lakemba Nights is a jam-packed culinary experience not to be missed
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Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year
iftar begins – a fast-breaking feast that runs late into the night
bringing family and friends together to enjoy an array of rich treats and moreish morsels
To coincide with this time of year, Sydney’s popular month-long celebration Lakemba Nights is back. This year’s event will be a little different
Lakemba Nights will be running every Thursday to Sunday from now to March 30
RELATED READ: The 5 must-try dishes at Sydney's Lakemba Nights Ramadan markets.
From 6pm until 2am, Thursday through to Sunday, more than 60 local businesses will transform Lakemba’s Haldon Street into a vibrant, global food bazaar with traditional cuisine from Indonesia
Time Out tip: We recommend getting there early
and making a beeline straight for the busiest stalls (they're the ones with fences up for lines!)
It’s not only Sydney’s Muslim communities that comes together during Lakemba Nights – people of all backgrounds are welcome to flock to sample the fare of pop-up kitchens and food trucks lining Haldon Street
What started as a single street barbeque back in 2012 has grown into what many consider one of Australia's best places to celebrate the ancient tradition
with last year's event drawing in more than one million people across the month
RELATED READ: Where to break fast this Ramadan, from iftar buffets to banquets.
Break fast with with roti and gentle lentil curries from the Cocos Islands; Malaysia's famously buttery grilled pastry parcels
the king of curries from Pakistan that features four kinds of slow-cooked pulses with tender beef topped with a fresh and fragrant sprinkling of coriander
jalebi (a chewy sweet treat) and knafeh (a traditional Middle Eastern cheese dessert)
The only limit is your own stomach capacity (and then some).
Time Out tip: Our fave things included murtabak topped with slices of raw onion
charred satay skewers with crunchy cucumber
Lakemba Nights during Ramadan comes to life on Haldon Street
While there’s an abundance of delicious food and a palpably festive atmosphere
Lakemba Nights is a significant cultural event where respect for others is key
so be prepared to stand for a couple of hours
If you’ve never explored this pocket of Sydney
try these delicious events and specials during Ramadan this year
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more than 800,000 Australians will celebrate the holy month of Ramadan
It’s an important time for Muslims and incorporates reflection
Many Muslims participate in sawm as an act of self-discipline and empathy during this time
which includes fasting from sunrise until sunset
is often shared with family and loved ones
several events and venues are serving food during Ramadan and celebrating the city’s diverse Muslim community
Here are some of the most popular across the city
Mohammad Ismail with the first batch of Palestinian nabulsi knafeh at his Lakemba Nights stall.Kate GeraghtyLakemba Nights
With more than 1.5 million visitors last year, Lakemba’s Ramadan night market is one of Sydney’s most popular annual events
visitors can feast on options from more than 60 stallholders lighting up Haldon Street
Don’t miss out on crisp and stretchy knafeh
The markets are officially open from Thursday to Sunday
but most food stalls also operate throughout the week
Haldon Street, Lakemba, whereinterestinghappens.com.au/event/lakemba-nights-during-ramadan
Auburn’s Ramadan Street Festival is the perfect option for those looking for an alternative to Lakemba Nights.SuppliedRamadan Street Festival
Auburn Road will be alive with food stalls and entertainment for Ramadan from 7pm until midnight
Try Nepalese street food from local business Deccan Flavours
and fresh knafeh and other treats such as atayef (a sweet dumpling filled with ashta cream) from popular Palestinian eatery Afandi
The Jimmy’s Ice Cream van will be serving special toppings for Ramadan
including a Dubai chocolate creation based on the social media-famous flavour combination of chocolate
Auburn Road, Auburn, cumberland.nsw.gov.au/ramadan-street-festival-2025
herbaceous falafel fried in front of you from Falafel Kaddour; and Ghanaian cuisine from Edem’s Eatery
Macquarie St, Liverpool, liverpool.nsw.gov.au/mostblessed
If you’re looking for the perfect family-friendly event during Ramadan
head down to Walz Street in Rockdale on March 22 for a night market that is perfect to bring to kids to
knafeh and kaak that will be available to feast on as you roam the street
Walz Street, Rockdale, bayside.nsw.gov.au/whats-on/ramadan-bayside
Cafe Levant’s iftar feast will be hosted by the Afiouny family
who run Sydney business Nut Roasters.Trent van der JagtCafe Levant
this popular cafe will be open with a menu including Lebanese kaak sandwiches and desserts such as its famous cheesy knafeh and ashta atayef pancakes
a special iftar set menu will also be on offer every Thursday to Sunday
For $75 per person (or $25 for kids aged four to 12)
guests can dine on dishes such as sambousek
hummus with slow-cooked lamb brisket and Dubai chocolate pancakes
The international chain has limited-edition iftar boxes are going at student-friendly prices
a small biryani box and your choice of chaat
and four people try its iftar family platter that has four dates
a half-litre box of dahi baray (lentil dumplings in a yoghurt sauce)
a half-litre box of channa chaat and a box of fruit
Various locations, studentbiryani.com.au
Al Aseel’s restaurants all over Sydney will be serving their Ramadan Iftar menu.SuppliedAl Aseel
The growth of the Al Aseel group from one humble Lebanese restaurant in Greenacre to venues throughout Sydney has been astronomical
Its Ramadan iftar menu is $70 per person and meanders through medjool dates and lentil to soup to start
into a range of meze and salad dishes to mains of kafta mishwe and shish tawook
Ask your waiter for the dish of the day which is also included
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Australia's largest mosque could begin broadcasting the Muslim call to prayer from loudspeakers every week under a proposal lodged with a Sydney council.
Lakemba Mosque, also known as the Masjid Ali Bin Abi Talib, has proposed to affix four loudspeakers to its minaret in a new bid to the Canterbury-Bankstown Council in Sydney's west.
It would be the first mosque in Sydney to broadcast the call to prayer - known in Arabic as the adhan - regularly throughout the year.
According to planning documents, nearly two thirds of the Lakemba population identified as Islamic in 2021 while nearly one quarter spoke Arabic at home.
The proposed development would be permissible under zoning restrictions with council's consent, according to the application.
The mosque is owned and operated by the Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA), a community-based non-profit organisation established in 1962.
A spokesperson for the LMA told Daily Mail Australia the proposal was 'modest in nature but deeply meaningful to our community.'
'If approved, it reflects the growing recognition of Australia's multicultural identity and religious diversity,' the spokesperson said.
Lakemba Mosque is a Sunni place of worship. It's opening in 1977 was attended by former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and is widely considered to be Australia's most significant mosque.
The mosque is situated on Wangee Road among mostly single-storey residential dwellings and low-rise commercial buildings.
The five-minute call to prayer would be broadcast once a week prior to the Friday prayer, referred to as the Jummah.
'The adhan would be broadcast around midday on Friday, a time when most people are at work, school, or otherwise active, minimising any potential disruption,' the LMA spokesperson said.
'Importantly, local residents and community members have been overwhelmingly supportive of the proposal. For many, it represents cultural inclusion and the freedom to express one's faith peacefully in public life.'
The LMA spokesperson said they had not received any 'formal objections' through the council application process.
'Informal feedback from the surrounding neighbourhood has been respectful and positive. We understand the importance of balance, and this proposal has been designed to uphold religious expression while maintaining harmony with local residents.'
The mosque broadcasted the call-to-prayer during Ramadan - the holiest month in the Islamic calendar - during the Covid-19 lockdowns in May 2020.
'The adhan is a traditional and peaceful call to prayer—a reminder for worshippers to attend the mosque,' the LMA spokesperson said.
'It is not a sermon, speech, or call to action, but a spiritual moment marking the significance of prayer time, especially on Fridays. The adhan is already publicly broadcast in cities around the world, including London, Birmingham, Auckland, Toronto, Stockholm, New York City, and parts of the Netherlands.'
'These examples show how cities around the world accommodate faith and culture respectfully and harmoniously.'
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and sharing the Islam religion with the rest of Sydney
Canterbury-Bankstown Council and Muslim leaders have some concerns with how big the event has grown.
Their concerns boil down to: the sheer size of the event causing congestion
the event commercialising a holy tradition
and the costliness of the event (it cost the council $3 million dollars this year).
there was a unanimous vote by councillors to implement four changes to the markets from 2025 onwards. These changes are:
At the moment, the changes are only proposed, and the community can still have their say by heading to this council page
You can find out more about Lakemba's Ramadan Nights markets (and last year's edition) here
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It brings together people from different backgrounds
offering a unique blend of cultural flavors
and a communal spirit that makes Ramadan nights even more special.LISTEN TOLakemba night in Ramadan: A Lively fusion of culture and festivitySBS Urdu28/03/202506:57PlayNearly a decade ago
a small barbecue stall transformed into a prime destination for enjoying Iftar and post-Iftar feasting with friends during Ramadan
which adds vibrancy to the nights of Ramadan
serves as a focal point of interest for both customers and vendors alike.READ MOREWhat to eat at Lakemba Nights
Multicultural Eid Festival & Fair is for everyone
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It was another busy year at Lakemba Nights during Ramadan
with a record number of people converging on Haldon Street each night to participate in one of Australia’s biggest events
The event held over 20 nights attracted an average of 51,000 visitors a day from across Sydney
More than 60 marquees offering traditional foods and exotic dishes including camel burgers
warm knafeh and more from continents around the globe
Bilal El-Hayek said he was honoured to host such a peaceful and popular event which brought people together to experience different cultures and traditions
“Our strong multicultural community is the backbone of our City and every year I am proud to put those cultures on display,” Mayor El-Hayek said
“The colourful marquees and the buzz surrounding the event were appreciated by the huge crowds which had turned out to experience this special occasion.”
This year’s Tarawih Prayers were also a huge success drawing in more than 1,000 Muslims to express their faith and participate in the evening devotions
Mayor Bilal El-Hayek said the reduced trading days was a huge success and well received by visitors and the local community
and a perfect display of what Ramadan is all about,” Mayor El-Hayek said
The event is also sponsored by Western Union and SBS and Sydney Water
Information and Events for Local Councils throughout Australia
Contact us: newsdesk@insidelocalgovernment.com.au
Listen for a fresh portrait of Italian food.Get the latest with our exclusive in-language podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.SBSSBS Italian News
Lakemba’s popular Ramadan Night Markets will undergo significant changes next year
as the local council has announced plans to scale back the event
raise stall rental fees — and even drop the word ‘Ramadan’ from the title
Instead of operating until 3am daily for a month
the markets will now run Thursday to Sunday
closing at midnight on weekdays and 2am on weekends
The night markets in Lakemba attract over a million visitors each year during Ramadan
where people come together to break their fasts
This year’s Ramadan Nights event was particularly successful
drawing a record-breaking 1.57 million attendees who explored the rich food
visitors indulged in a mix of traditional Islamic dishes and popular global street food
with tens of thousands attending each night
residents have raised concerns about traffic congestion
Since the Canterbury-Bankstown Council took control of the event three years ago due to safety concerns
some Muslim leaders have expressed disappointment over its commercialisation
feeling it has strayed from its Islamic roots
voiced his disappointment over the changes to the Ramadan night markets following the local council’s involvement in organising the event
“It went from a few hundred people on the road to tens of thousands of people, and the sheer number of people is great, but it isn’t a Muslim event anymore”, he told The Guardian
Ahmad expressed that the event has lost its connection to the community
emphasising that Ramadan is a deeply spiritual month
and the current atmosphere failed to reflect rituals or fasting
“There just isn’t an Islamic ethos that frames the festival anymore
Now the council sets the time and the streets are full
regardless of what the prayer times are,” he said
the markets also incurred a $3 million cost on the funding-challenged Canterbury-Bankstown Council
The event required 120 staff and contractors to work each night of the festival
councillors unanimously approved four recommendations from council staff to scale back the event
Stalls will be relocated from footpaths to the centre of the road
ending an informal leasing arrangement where stall owners paid local businesses for space
rental fees will increase from a flat $6,000 to $600 per night
totalling $9,600 for stallholders operating four days a week for a month
a stall at the Parramatta Lanes festival can cost as much as $3,000 per night
while stalls at the Darling Harbour Winter Festival are priced at $1,320 or 15% of gross sales
The announced changes have received mixed reviews from local business owners
stated that while her family’s shop often experiences a decline in sales during the festival
she appreciated the positive impact the event has on the community
“I know there’s been issues with noise and things like that
I do respect that it could be a bit of a hassle for the people in the area living there,” she told The Sydney Morning Herald
“But I do also enjoy that other people outside Lakemba can see how we are very hospitable and open to everyone coming in…The diversity that Lakemba Night Markets bring in is amazing
That’s something we strongly believe in,” she added
as many worry they will undermine the event’s significance and push stallholders away
stating that the Ramadan Markets are a community-driven event
and increasing stall rents along with the rebranding feels like a commercialisation of something that isn’t owned by the council
— Knight Rai Raiosaurus (@dekrazee1) October 24, 2024
“If you insist on calling it Lakemba Nights
run that event on any of the other 11 non-fasting months of the year
The council is inviting public feedback to the changes over the next 28 days
while the state government has funded the markets in the past
it has not confirmed support for next year’s event
The council is awaiting an update on a grant application for March 2025
The devastated family of a nine-year-old boy gathered at Lakemba Mosque to farewell their “very cheeky
happy boy” after he was tragically killed in an accidental shooting in regional New South Wales
The heartbroken family of a nine-year-old boy came together to farewell their beloved son after he was accidentally shot dead during a weekend getaway in regional New South Wales.
Mohamed Fattah also known as "Moey" and "Hamad"
suffered serious neck injuries after a gun was accidentally fired at him while on a farm near Goulburn
hundreds of the young boy's loved ones attended Lakemba Mosque in Sydney's south-west
to farewell him for the last time in a touching service
Images from the heartbreaking scene showed a small green casket being held up high by family members before it was lowered into a waiting hearse
Mohamed's heartbroken mother spoke on the loss of her child on Monday and remembered him as a "very cheeky son"
she urged people to "hold their loved ones close" as the accident that rocked her world could "happen to anyone"
''It was a tragic accident… he was loved by everyone
A 14-year-old boy and 33-year-old man have since been charged over the tragedy
They were both arrested late on Sunday night and taken to Goulburn Police Station
Police have alleged the teen was holding the gun at the time it was fired.
Council-designed Transport Oriented Development State Environmental Planning Policy (TOD SEPP) site plans are currently being reviewed by the State Government
Housing affordability is the single largest cost of living concern for people of New South Wales with the impacts being felt across the state
young families or people looking to downsize later in life
These reforms are part of the State Government’s efforts to confront the housing crisis by speeding up the planning system
investing in social and affordable housing
Belmore and Lakemba TOD SEPP sites will be finalised in mid-January delivering more homes than the TOD SEPP planning provisions
Detailed planning to guide future development around Belmore and Lakemba train stations has been submitted to the government to enable new residential flat-buildings and shop top housing within walking distance of public transport
The City of Canterbury-Bankstown has confirmed its masterplans for Belmore and Lakemba to create capacity for more than 18,000 new homes across the two TOD SEPP sites
The final dwelling capacity will be analysed through the Department of Planning
Housing and Infrastructure’s (DPHI) review and validation of the masterplan
The City of Canterbury-Bankstown has planned for this growth by taking up the Minister of Planning and Public Spaces’ challenge of completing its own masterplanning to go above and beyond the TOD SEPP provisions
These are the second and third sites that Council has completed within the required timeframes
the first being Canterbury station in October 2024
Belmore and Lakemba will be transformed with capacity for new homes
strategic site linkages and increased affordable housing to be kept in perpetuity
A new place-based approach will be applied to each precinct to preserve important aspects of each suburb’s unique character while embracing change
Tailored height and density limits will apply to key strategic areas chosen by Council so that there is an adequate transition for the CBD’s building height and scale
This planning approach led by City of Canterbury-Bankstown will allow each precinct to leverage new employment
community infrastructure and transport opportunities
The Department is now assessing Council’s plans with new SEPP planning controls to come into effect once amendments are made to the Canterbury-Bankstown Local Environmental Plan (LEP)
The Department will now review and validate Council’s plans to ensure they meet the Government’s expectations
It is expected that the planning controls for Belmore and Lakemba will be completed in early 2025
Inner West Council are in the process of undertaking a comprehensive LEP review
Once those plans are submitted to the State Government
if they go above and beyond the TOD SEPP controls
Council’s plans will supersede the TOD SEPP
The government is awaiting Council’s submission of masterplanning for the Ashfield
Dulwich Hill and Marrickville TOD SEPP sites
If council does not complete the strategic planning within the agreed timeframe
the TOD provisions will be applied in mid-January allowing Development Applications to be lodged under the government’s policy
The TOD SEPP controls will remain in place until Council submit its own plans
New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces
said that the State Government has always acknowledged that local councils should do strategic planning for their area if they are willing to
“Belmore and Lakemba stations have both been selected as TOD SEPP sites due to their location on the soon to be upgraded Sydney Metro Southwest line and they have infrastructure that would support additional housing growth,” Minister Scully said
“These precincts were identified as great locations to deliver new housing alongside significant transport upgrades
“Future residents in these precincts will be well connected with rapid new transport connections to the city and existing heavy rail links to Lidcombe and western Sydney
“New South Wales needs more homes and a broader range of housing types to make sure every individual from young people to retirees can find a home to suit their evolving needs.”
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Lakemba’s popular Ramadan night markets will be drastically scaled back next year and the cost of renting a stall will be significantly increased
The word “Ramadan” will be dropped from its name
and instead of operating until 3am seven days a week for a month
the event will run from Thursday to Sunday
until midnight on weekdays and 2am on weekends
The Lakemba Nights event in 2024.Credit: Wolter Peeters
More than a million people visit Haldon Street in Lakemba during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan each year to join the Muslim community in breaking their fasts after dusk
Dozens of street stalls serve camel burgers
Councillors voted unanimously to approve four recommendations made by council staff to scale back the event at a meeting on Tuesday night
Stalls will be moved from footpaths to the middle of the road
ending an ad-hoc leasing program in which stall owners paid businesses for use of the space
Rent will increase from a blanket $6000 to $600 per night
which if run for four days a week for a month would total $9600 per stallholder
A stall at the Parramatta Lanes festival costs up to $3000 a night
Murtaba is made at Desi Paikari Bazar at the event in March 2024.Credit: Wolter Peeters
The event will be officially rebranded from Ramadan Nights
to “uncouple” the commercial nature of the event from the religious experience
according to the report endorsed by councillors
the council voted to investigate the feasibility of handing over one night of the festival to public prayers and a street-based iftar dinner
The event has also hit the cash-strapped council: in March this year
the markets cost Canterbury-Bankstown Council $3 million
with 120 staff and contractors required to work each night of the festival
said the changes would significantly reduce cost to the council
People line up to eat at the Ramadan night markets in Lakemba.Credit: Wolter Peeters
“When I initiated this festival about … in 2009
“And this actually gives the community [the] opportunity to come and join the night ..
and not put more pressure on the residents.”
from the Al Fayhaa Bakery on Haldon Street
said despite the family shop losing money during the festival because of people going to the stallholders
I do respect that it could be a bit of a hassle for the people in the area living there,” she said
“But I do also enjoy that other people outside Lakemba can see how we are very hospitable and open to everyone coming in
“The diversity that Lakemba Night Markets bring in is amazing
That’s something we strongly believe in ..
It’s opening up Lakemba to a diverse atmosphere and people come in and see what Lakemba has to offer.”
The council is inviting public responses to the changes for the next 28 days
The state government has previously partially funded the markets but the council said it was waiting on an update on a grant application for the March 2025 event
A spokesperson for the state government said the grants under which the council had previously received state government money would reopen for the coming year soon
The spokesperson said the markets were an “incredible event” that demonstrated the state’s diversity
and it was proud to support the council in making the markets more cost-effective
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter
Lakemba\\u2019s popular Ramadan night markets will be drastically scaled back next year and the cost of renting a stall will be significantly increased
The word \\u201CRamadan\\u201D will be dropped from its name
But the festival\\u2019s success has dramatically changed its vibe
With tens of thousands of people in attendance nightly
residents have complained of traffic congestion
some Muslim leaders have lamented its commercialisation
to \\u201Cuncouple\\u201D the commercial nature of the event from the religious experience
\\u201CWhen I initiated this festival about \\u2026 in 2009
\\u201CAnd this actually gives the community [the] opportunity to come and join the night ..
and not put more pressure on the residents.\\u201D
\\u201CI know there\\u2019s been issues with noise and things like that
I do respect that it could be a bit of a hassle for the people in the area living there,\\u201D she said
\\u201CBut I do also enjoy that other people outside Lakemba can see how we are very hospitable and open to everyone coming in
\\u201CThe diversity that Lakemba Night Markets bring in is amazing
That\\u2019s something we strongly believe in ..
It\\u2019s opening up Lakemba to a diverse atmosphere and people come in and see what Lakemba has to offer.\\u201D
The spokesperson said the markets were an \\u201Cincredible event\\u201D that demonstrated the state\\u2019s diversity
The NSW police force have launched an urgent investigation into this threat and those responsible will face the full force of the law.
Every single person in our state deserves to be able to practise their faith free from threats and this racism and Islamophobia has absolutely no place in NSW.
A re-elected Labor government would reduce the price of PBS-listed medicines to no more than $25 a script in a major election pledge to be included in next week’s budget
The proposal was quickly matched by the Coalition
The government said it would not negotiate over the PBS
in response to US drug companies writing to the Trump administration complaining about the Australian scheme
In a wide-ranging foreign policy speech, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, said the Coalition would pursue free trade agreements with the EU and Israel if they win the election
Australia’s population grew by 1.8% in the year leading up to last September
according to new statistics from the Bureau of Statistics
The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1% in February
despite a surprise 53,000 drop in the number of employed Australians in the month
The Victorian and federal governments and the operators of Melbourne airport signed an agreement to push ahead with the construction of a long-awaited train line
Victoria’s number of recorded criminal offences increased by more than 13% in 2024
amid a proposed bail crackdown by the state government
Walter Sofronoff will launch a legal challenge against yesterday’s finding of serious corrupt conduct by the ACT integrity commission.
20 Mar 202507.30 CETNSW government considers lithium battery regulation
Common lithium batteries with the potential to spark toxic fires could be regulated in NSW in a national first, AAP reports.
The batteries are the first target of a NSW plan to requiring makers and sellers of products deemed to pose a risk of environmental harm to follow requirements in design, safe disposal, recycling and other aspects.
The state’s environment minister, Penny Sharpe, says consumer batteries, solar power system batteries and electric bikes and scooters must be made as safe as possible.
We want batteries out of bins, we want them out of trucks and we want them out of waste facilities.
The state will be the first to implement such laws, if they pass, creating a framework for suppliers to participate in mandatory stewardship schemes.
There are between 10,000 and 12,000 fires each year in trucks and at waste facilities caused by the improper disposal, use and poor design of lithium batteries, according to estimates by the waste and recycling industry.
Fire and Rescue NSW have dealt with hundreds lithium-ion battery incidents in recent times, that have led to multiple fatalities and at least 33 injuries.
Under the planned laws, battery suppliers will have to register battery products and facilitate safe disposal or recycling through dedicated collection points.
They will be charged with running public education campaigns and required to enhance their battery products in areas ranging from packaging and importation to safety and recycling potential.
The laws and regulations will apply to smaller embedded batteries found in everyday devices such as cordless vacuums, electric toothbrushes, children’s toys, bikes and scooters.
the government plans to rush through contentious legislation next week to protect Tasmania’s salmon industry from a legal challenge over the industry’s impact on an endangered fish species
The Greens say the move will weaken environmental laws
There’s 1 week of Parl left.I’ve written to PM offering support to pass laws to cut student debt, see GP for free & get dental into Medicare, Dutton-proofing these measures.But Lab & Lib want to gut enviro laws instead, with a bill Gov’s keeping secret.Show us the bill, PM. pic.twitter.com/QdzxCLwMwK
20 Mar 202506.58 CETChalmers prompts Taylor on debates offer
He said there has been interest to host the debate from the National Press Club, ABC 7.30, ABC’s Q+A, Sky News, News Corp, ANU, and others. Chalmers said:
I’m prepared to schedule a debate with you weekly in any or all of these forums ahead of the election, provided that includes the traditional National Press Club debate and ensuring that other venues are also appropriately neutral.
I hope you agree the economy should be front and centre in this year’s election campaign and that multiple debates would help ensure that’s the case.
I look forward to your response, so that we can schedule a series of well-informed public debates between now and an election in May.
Updated at 07.03 CET20 Mar 202506.42 CETJordyn BeazleyNSW Law Centre says Human Rights Act would bolster ‘social cohesion’
The NSW Law Centre has welcomed the state government’s indication it would “engage in good faith” on calls to enact a Human Rights Act
The centre is among a number of human rights and civil liberty groups that have long been calling for such an act
which is already in place in Queensland and Victoria
gave notice of a private member’s bill to establish the act yesterday
arguing it would protect rights like housing
Michael Daley indicated the government would engage in good faith
The Human Rights Law Centre has also repeatedly called for such an act amid a crackdown on the right to protest.
Our communities deserve better than ad hoc, reactive reform that offers nothing beyond more criminalisation, more policing and more political spin: we need a NSW Human Rights Act that clearly sets out and protects equality and dignity for everyone – including rights to essentials like housing and education.
President of the Law Society Jennifer Ball, said such laws can lead to better decision-making across all branches of government. She added:
The fragility of structures supporting human rights in NSW and Australia were placed in sharp focus by government responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, when decisions on curfews and closed borders could not be properly tested in our courts. The time is now ripe to advance coherent and consolidated human rights legislation in NSW.
Updated at 06.55 CET20 Mar 202506.31 CETThreats against mosque ‘truly disgusting’, NSW premier saysJordyn BeazleyChris Minns, has responded to reports of a threat against a mosque in Western Sydney, saying it was “truly disgusting”.
Well, this is a bloke who opposed marriage equality. So I think people can draw their own conclusions about the term he used.
Dutton opposed marriage equality, but as the architect of the same-sex marriage postal survey, he vowed and ultimately did vote to pass the legislation in line with his electorate’s endorsement.
20 Mar 202506.17 CETWong said in response to American pharmaceutical companies complaining to the US Trump administration about the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in Australia, that the Australian government will continue to stand up for, and advocate for Australia’s interests.
Including making it clear to American pharmaceutical companies and that lobby group, that Australia’s PBS is not up for grabs. Which is not up for negotiation, what Labor had to do when the Liberals put in place, or negotiated the US free trade agreement. It was the Labor Party in opposition that had to protect the PBS.
I would say this about Mr Dutton. You know, he says ‘I would have got it, he would have got a deal, no question.’ Australians need to ask, what would he be prepared to give away to get that deal? Would he be prepared to give away’s PBS funding? Would he be prepared to give away things core to who we are, we know how much of the Americanisation of health has appealed previously to Peter Dutton.
20 Mar 202506.15 CETWong says she has asked her department to do an assessment of where a reduction in US aid as a result of Trump cuts may be most problematic.
Wong suggests the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, cannot be taken “too seriously” because “he’s part of a government that cut aid”.
Wong said the government will continue to engage with the US in our region.
Part what if we do with the United States is - in relation to the Pacific. Because obviously we have been an ally who is most closely engaged with the Pacific because of who we are, part of the Pacific family, part of the Pacific Islands Forum, of course we’ll continue to do that.
But I’m making the point the opposition leader has absolutely no credibility when it comes to the Pacific. This is a bloke who made a joke about climate change, remember, joked about water lapping at the door, something I still hear when I visit the Pacific. He hasn’t visited. He continues to leave on the table, leave on the chopping block, aid cuts. He’s not serious, demonstrates yet again reckless, not up to the job. Just not up to the job.
20 Mar 202506.12 CETIn response to the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, saying today that one of his first acts would be to call Benjamin Netanyahu and affirm Australia’s traditional support for Israel, Wong says Dutton is “the man who made fun of the Pacific, talked about the drums of war, who left a vacuum in the Pacific for others to fill”.
He remains lost in our region, where Australia’s interests lie. Most of our - so many of our interests lie in our region. And again, Mr Dutton, just like Scott Morrison, is lost in our region. This a man as opposition leader - I don’t think he has visited one Pacific Island country or South-East Asian country.
20 Mar 202506.09 CETAustralians ‘rightly distressed’ by collapse of ceasefire
Turning to the Gaza conflict, Wong says Australians are “rightly distressed” by the ceasefire in Gaza not holding, and horrified by the loss of life, including children.
We continue to urge the ceasefire to be observed. We continue to say that Hamas should release hostages, we continue to say international humanitarian assistance should flow. And of course, I have consistently - the government has consistently - urged all parties, including Israel, as a democracy, to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law.
She said it is “regrettable that we’ve never seen Mr Dutton talk about those obligations or the importance of international humanitarian law”.
Updated at 06.21 CET20 Mar 202506.07 CETPM would consider Australian peacekeepers in Ukraine: Wong
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, tells ABC’s Afternoon Briefing if there was a request for a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, the prime minister has said Australia would consider it.
That’s a very sensible position and it’s a position I find interesting, Peter Dutton, where he has a choice, back Australia or public a political fight, he always chooses picking the political fight.
Updated at 06.20 CET20 Mar 202505.57 CETNatasha MayPsychiatrists hearing adjourned until April
On day four of arbitration over psychiatrist’s pay in Sydney’s industrial relations commission (IRC) court, we were meant to hear evidence from expert witnesses called by either side – NSW Health and the doctors’ union
The Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (Asmof) is seeking a special levy to increase its psychiatrist members’ pay by 25% to stem the flow of specialist doctors leaving the public system
after counsels on both sides raised objections with each other’s expert evidence
the bench has given directions to postpone the hearing until 4 April and the closing submissions to take place on 10 April
The counsel for NSW Health raised four objections with the evidence of Asmof’s expert witness Prof John Buchanan, including that in the rush to file statements for the expedited hearing he had not provided references for all sources.
Thomas Dixon, the counsel for Asmof, raised the issue that NSW Health’s evidence only dealt with costings if the 25% award was made, but didn’t “deal with the counterfactual.”
The IRC bench proceeded to give directions that both parties would respond to extra evidence requested by each other before the hearing resumes in April.
the association alleged a comment on its social media page contained “a deeply offensive reference to the Christchurch terrorist attack”
Earlier this month the Australian Islamic House – Masjid Al-Bayt Al-Islami in Edmondson Park - reported an online threat made against it on Instagram. Police confirmed they were investigating that threat.
Here’s part of the association’s statement:
The thousands of Australian Muslims who gather at Lakemba mosque and across the country do so with love and commitment to this nation. They are citizens who contribute to its prosperity and diversity. Yet they continue to feel unsafe in their own country due to the lack of legal protections and the unchecked rise of anti-Muslim rhetoric.
A spokesperson for the NSW police said an investigation had been commenced following the report.
As investigations continue, anyone with information is asked to call Campsie Police Area Command or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The NSW Police Force takes hate crimes seriously and encourages anyone who is the victim of a hate crime or witnesses a hate crime to report the matter to police through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.
It is important that the community and police continue to work together to make NSW a safer place for everyone.
Updated at 07.38 CET20 Mar 202505.31 CETThree charged in NSW over alleged NDIS fraud
Three people have been charged over alleged National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) fraud incidents in Kempsey and the surrounding areas.
Three search warrants were executed at properties in South West Rocks and Arakoon on Wednesday morning by NSW police with assistance from NDIA investigations, the Australian federal police, and Services Australia.
A fourth search warrant was executed at a Sydney property at the same time.
As a result of the search warrants, police allegedly located and seized several documents, records, and electronic storage devices.
Two men – 32 and 36 – and a 31-year-old woman, were arrested and taken to Kempsey police station where they were charged with alleged fraud offences.
The 36-year-old was charged with three counts of dishonestly intend to obtain a gain, attempt to dishonestly intend to obtain a gain, and deal in indictable crime proceeds: money/property equal to or greater than $1m.
The 32-year-old was charged with four counts of dishonestly intend to obtain a gain, and two counts of attempt to dishonestly intend to obtain a gain.
They were refused bail to appear before Kempsey local court on Thursday
The woman was charged with attempt to dishonestly intend to obtain a gain.
She was granted strict conditional bail to appear before Kempsey local court on 10 April.
Police will allege in court that fraudulent invoices were submitted for services not provided to vulnerable NDIS participants, in order to obtain a financial gain.
Updated at 05.41 CET20 Mar 202505.17 CETCaitlin CassidyUS government in ‘temporary pause’ of funding to some Australian university research
The Trump administration told Australian university researchers a push to promote administration priorities and avoid “DEI, woke gender ideology and the green new deal” was behind a “temporary pause” of funding, according to a memo seen by Guardian Australia.
University sector sources say the US has severed research funding at six universities – Monash University, Australian National University and the University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, University of New South Wales and University of Western Australia – since Donald Trump came to power, including some as early as January. ANU is the first university to publicly acknowledged it.
The projects, which spanned a range of topics from agriculture to foreign aid, social science and geology, were cancelled pending a review as part of US higher education cuts. Some notifications came directly from US government agencies to researchers.
20 Mar 202504.50 CETGas shortfall delayed as homes electrify
The Australian Energy Market Operator has long predicted gas shortfalls for southern states
yet lower projected demand has helped it push out that timeline until 2028 – three years later than forecast
The Eraring coal station staying open longer than expected following its delayed retirement should further lower demand for gas power generation, the market operator said in its report today
The latest assessment landed the same day as a newly-inked deal between the federal government and Australia Pacific LNG to secure more gas for the domestic market
AEMO chief executive officer Daniel Westerman said investment in new supply was necessary as gas fields in the Bass Strait were depleting
He flagged several options to address shortfall risks for southern states:
and liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminals
Gas-fired power stations can be turned on quickly to produce electricity and are viewed as the “ultimate backstop” as renewables replace coal in the grid to cut emissions from the energy system
Under the Labor government’s deal with APLNG
commercial and industrial gas consumers would have first preference for the new supply of up to 40PJ of gas
That gas would be covered by the government’s code of conduct that dictates new supply will be offered at $12 a GJ
A major city’s largest mosque has proposed a plan to make its weekly calls to prayer permanently broadcast to the community
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Sydney’s largest mosque has proposed plans to broadcast its call to prayer from speakers once a week in Sydney’s west
has submitted a formal proposal to the Canterbury-Bankstown Council to install four external loudspeakers to its minaret
a tower built into or adjacent to the mosque
the speakers would broadcast the call to prayer
to the public for about five to 15 minutes every Friday
According to documentation obtained by The Daily Telegraph
the majority of the Lakemba community practice the Islamic faith
with approximately 61.2 per cent identifying as Muslim
While a broadcasted call to prayer is a common occurrence in Muslim-majority countries
it would make the broadcast the first permanent adhan in the state
the adhan is a familiar and comforting sound for many residents
marking the rhythms of daily life and fostering a sense of unity and shared faith,” the planning document read
“The loudspeakers proposed are a simple addition to the existing Mosque that will meet the religious needs of the Muslim community in the Lakemba region.”
This is not the first time the call to prayer has been broadcast to the public
Thew adhan was broadcast for the Lakemba community during Ramadan during Covid-19 pandemic
and was compared to “those of church bells on Sunday morning for mass”
there are at least five churches in the Sydney CBD that ring bells every Sunday
The historic St Mary’s Cathedral holds bell ringing practice every Tursay evening
and uses its 14 bells to ring for 40 minutes every Sunday
The cathedral also rings its bells for an hour in the first
the calls to prayer must not exceed 81dB in commercial areas
The broadcast must not be excessively disruptive
While the documentation suggests the adhan will be loud
the calls to prayer will last for short periods of time and aims to fall within the guidelines
NewsWire has contacted the Lebanese Muslim Association and Canterbury-Bankstown Council for comment
Originally published as City’s largest mosque’s proposal to broadcast calls to prayer
Catholic Church's direction in the balance as conclave looms
An online threat referencing the 2019 Christchurch massacre has been directed at Sydney’s Lakemba Mosque
with community leaders warning of rising Islamophobia and calling for stronger protections for places of worship
The incident comes amid growing concerns over anti-Muslim sentiment in Sydney
where religious communities have faced increasing threats and discrimination
The Islamophobia Register Australia’s fifth report
highlights a significant increase in anti-Muslim incidents
Between January 2023 and November 2024 there were 309 confirmed in-person cases and 366 online cases
This surge in numbers emphasizes the urgent need for decisive action against these hate crimes
Lakemba Mosque officials condemned the threat
warning that such rhetoric fosters fear and division
they urged authorities to take decisive action
stating they would not wait for another tragedy before their concerns were addressed
Lakemba Mosque posted on Facebook exclaiming the need for more protection against Islamophobia
“We will not wait for another tragedy before action is taken
and the right to live without fear in our own country.”
“Places of worship and education should be safe spaces
our community continues to face attacks simply for (sic) practicing our faith and educating our children.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns strongly condemned the attack
reaffirming that Islamophobia has no place in the state
He assured that police are taking the matter seriously and that those responsible will face the full force of the law
“Every single person in our state deserves to be able to practice their faith free from threats
and this racism and Islamophobia has absolutely no place in NSW,” said NSW Premier Chris Minns
NSW Police confirmed on Thursday that an investigation had been launched into the threat
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also denounced the incident
emphasising that there is no room for racism or religious hatred in Australia
“I fully support the authorities as they investigate this incident and expect those responsible to face the full force of the law,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek described the comment as “reprehensible” and “vile,” warning that hate speech against the Muslim community is escalating. His concerns follow a similar case less than three weeks ago when a 16-year-old from Western Australia was arrested for making a comparable threat against a mosque in Sydney’s south-west
Federal envoy Aftab Malik called the incident “deeply disturbing” and urged authorities to increase mosque security
especially during the last 10 days of Ramadan when more people gather to pray
Exclusive: Dr Ziad Basyouny is the first of several independents expected to challenge federal Labor seats amid the Israel-Gaza war
While there are many things driving the independent candidate Dr Ziad Basyouny to challenge Tony Burke for the seat of Watson in Sydney, there is one word that wraps them all together.
“Injustice,” Basyouny declared, speaking from his medical practice in Lakemba.
“It is sad to see the areas in Watson so neglected, it’s pure injustice. If you speak to people here, they will tell you that they’re struggling with access to health services, education, transport, housing, you name it.”
Read moreThe 44-year-old Basyouny, who will formally announce his candidacy on Tuesday, is the first of a series of independents expected to challenge Labor’s grip on federal seats in western Sydney
which covers areas with large migrant communities such as Lakemba
“The people are frustrated. The wall of western Sydney safe Labor seats was built on the legacy of a perception that their policies favoured new immigrants,” he told Guardian Australia
“So everyone kind of felt obliged to vote for them
And that is because Tony Burke represents Labor
and if you stand against the wind you’ll be punished.”
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Basyouny migrated to Australia in 2004 after finishing medical school in Cairo
He worked as a cleaner and in retail in Brisbane
before having his credentials recognised and returning to work as a doctor
He first arrived in Sydney the day the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs won the 2004 NRL grand final
and was caught in the standstill traffic on Punchbowl Road amid the celebrations
working in the emergency department at Bankstown hospital before getting into private practice so he could spend more time with his four children
Basyouny said he would campaign on five key issues: the cost-of-living crisis
He pointed to Watson’s high rate of teacher-to-student ratios
long wait times at hospitals and lack of transport options as indications of an area “taken for granted”
“I intend to speak to everyone in this seat about the issues that affect them
and I want people to know that we cannot be taken for granted by a member who’s beholden to the machinery of his party
“I’m not going to be trying to sugarcoat it
I’m not going to be able to fix everything
but at least I’ll take their voices and put as much pressure on the current establishment to make sure that they listen to our communities.”
3:23Albanese announces changes to home affairs ministry in election-ready cabinet reshuffle – videoWatson has been represented by Burke
He maintained his grip on the seat in 2022
winning comfortably and increasing his two-party preferred margin
But Basyouny isn’t rattled by the size of the task
do not have a legacy of independent representation
I have lived and worked in Watson for 18 of my 20 years in Australia
“I have a lot of confidence that the people of Watson will hear my message and believe in voting for an independent
that they are sick of Labor and sick of major parties betraying them
“I am confident they want someone who speaks their language
eats their food and walks their streets to represent them in Canberra.”
He insisted that he is not a “Muslim candidate”
and does not represent any potential Muslim political party
but is an independent who can engage the various communities that make up Watson
and I am not running just to represent the Muslim community
I am just an independent running for Watson
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telling you what’s happening and why it matters
“I would love all communities to endorse me
from the Vietnamese and Chinese communities here to the Bengali
Basyouny’s medical centre is located in the heart of Lakemba
View image in fullscreenBasyouny says he will campaign on five key issues: cost of living
Photograph: Carly Earl/The GuardianHe said he believed Labor’s reaction to the war in Gaza
where Israel had killed more than 40,000 people and injured over 90,000 in response to the 7 October attack
was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” for many in the community
Israel denies committing genocide in its military response to the 7 October attack by Hamas
“Their response to the war in Gaza showed the people of Watson and western Sydney that Labor doesn’t care what we think
they only care about preserving their seats
“What I will campaign for is an end to military exports to Israel – we are enabling a plausible genocide
And I will call for higher intake of refugees from Palestine
for Australia to show greater support for those facing this slaughter.”
The Muslim Vote, a new grassroots organisation aiming to topple Labor ministers in key seats, had previously outlined that it would be supporting independent candidates in seats such as Watson.
“The Muslim Vote believes that participation in the electoral process is a positive thing that should be embraced,” a spokesperson for the organisation said.
“The Muslim Vote is committed to encouraging and supporting independent candidates to make a difference.”
The electoral analyst Ben Raue said the challenge of independents such as Basyouny should be taken seriously by Labor.
“I think Labor needs to respond to make sure that those voters in these areas think Labor is taking them seriously. I think it will be a mistake to treat it like it’s a safe seat,” he said.
“Voters have become a lot more volatile. There’s a lot of seats that used to be safe Labor seats they can’t take for granted any more.”
Read moreRaue said the proposed redistribution of seats in New South Wales would change Watson
And he said that while it was “unlikely” the seat would be lost
“Voters would need to be able to trust the independent
to feel as though they are a credible voice
They need to feel as though what they are campaigning for is feasible
could carve a chunk of Labor’s vote away.”
the executive director of the Centre for Western Sydney
echoed a doubt that the seat would fall to an independent
but added that elections were now fought on “intensely local issues”
“It’s not surprising to see independents pop up in western Sydney, particularly in the context of the last federal election, and with the success of Dai Le in Fowler. That was a case of Labor underestimating the highly localised nature of modern politics.
“Increasingly, elections at all three levels in this country of politics are fought on very intensely local issues.”
Burke’s office was approached for comment.
Play Duration: 4 minutes 5 seconds4m 5sPresented by
Police are urgently investigating violent threats made online against two Western Sydney mosques.
Both threats against Lakemba and Padstow Mosques reference the 2019 Christchurch massacre, a terrorist attack in New Zealand that killed 51 people.
Some Muslim groups are worried that new hate speech laws in New South Wales fail to protect their community from online threats.
Featured:Bilal El-Hayek, Canterbury-Bankstown MayorBrett McFadden, New South Wales Assistant Police CommissionerAftab Malik, Special Envoy to Combat IslamophobiaPenny Sharpe, New South Wales Environment Minister
Police are urgently investigating violent threats made online against two Western Sydney mosques.(ABC News: Amal Wehbe)
TranscriptAndy Park: Police are urgently investigating violent online threats made against two Western Sydney mosques. Both threats against Lakemba and Padstow mosques reference the 2019 Christchurch massacre, a terrorist attack in New Zealand that killed 51 people. Some Muslim groups are worried that new hate speech laws in New South Wales fail to protect the Islamic community from online threats. Rachel Hayter has more.
Rachel Hayter: Ramadan is the holiest month on the Islamic calendar, a time when the community comes together to pray and reflect. But in parts of Western Sydney, many Muslims are fearing for their safety.
Bilal El-Hayek: Our community is very worried, they're frightened. It only takes one idiot to say something stupid in action.
Rachel Hayter: Canterbury Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek is calling out one of the latest online threats as vile and reprehensible. A comment on a post about Ramadan by the Lakemba mosque, which calls for a repeat of the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack.
Bilal El-Hayek: It is not acceptable, it's not on. We will support our communities as much as we can.
Rachel Hayter: Mayor El-Hayek says instances of Islamophobia are up 500% since October 7, but suspects there are many more not being reported.
Bilal El-Hayek: I myself was a victim of not reporting on my social media with someone commenting kaboom with three bomb emojis.
Rachel Hayter: New South Wales Assistant Police Commissioner Brett McFadden says police are urgently investigating.
Brett McFadden: During the course of the investigation into the Lakemba mosque, we've actually identified a second threat that's come into a neighbouring Padstow mosque. So our team out at the Camp C Police Area Command are working with our engagement hate crime unit, the Counter-Terrorism Command.
Rachel Hayter: Police believe the posts are linked.
Brett McFadden: They both reference the tragedies and the terrorist incident in Christchurch in 2019 where 51 lives were lost and 40 were injured.
Rachel Hayter: These threats come less than a month after a 16-year-old from Western Australia was arrested for allegedly threatening a mosque in Edmondson Park in south-west Sydney, also referencing the New Zealand attack. Aftab Malik is the special envoy to combat Islamophobia.
Aftab Malik: Not again. I think there's a trend that is occurring. We've created an environment in which it seems it's okay to make reference to the Christchurch massacre, which was sickening and horrifying, which was carried out by an Australian.
Rachel Hayter: He says the community is now questioning whether mosques need more security.
Aftab Malik: A few weeks ago I was at the Australian Islamic House and that was a really sombre mood. It was the first time in my life I went to a mosque in which I was patted down.
Rachel Hayter: In a statement, the New South Wales Premier Chris Minns says the threats are truly disgusting. Every single person in the state deserves to be able to practice their faith free from threats, he says, and racism and Islamophobia have no place in New South Wales. The state's Environment Minister Penny Sharpe has echoed the Premier's condemnation.
Penny Sharpe: Any threat to any place of worship is a serious matter and we absolutely condemn anyone who is frightening anyone to be able to practice their faith.
Rachel Hayter: Last month the New South Wales Government passed hate speech laws that introduced a maximum penalty of two years in prison or fines of up to $11,000 for intentionally inciting racial hatred. The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils is concerned the laws fail to explicitly protect Muslims. But Minister Sharpe says the laws don't prioritise any group.
Penny Sharpe: There is some coverage but we need to make sure that it's dealt with properly. The Premier has always said that the other sort of protected attributes in relation to hate speech rather than the hate crime slight difference there, but the hate speech arrangements, we'll look at the other attributes as we see how this goes.
Rachel Hayter: In a statement, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says there's no place for racism and Islamophobia in Australia.
Andy Park: Rachel Hayter and Elizabeth Cramsie reporting.
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A grand fundraising event was held on Sunday 10 November 2024 at the Diamond Venue Group Hall in Punchbowl by the Indian Muslim Association of Australia (IMAA) to support the purchase of an Islamic Centre at 220 Lakemba Street
Lakemba bringing together community leaders and supporters to contribute towards a shared vision of a new centre that will serve the Muslim community in the area
The event commenced with a soulful recitation from Surah Al-Ahzab by Hafiz Mohammed Affan Pasha
who kept the audience engaged throughout with his thoughtful insights and smooth transitions between segments
founding and executive member of IMAA spoke about the history and formation of IMAA in 2007 highlighting the struggles faced by the Indian Muslim community and the persistence that led to the establishment of this respected organisation
Guest speaker Sheikh Ahmed Hussain Mujaddidi
praised IMAA’s efforts in fostering unity and commended the organisation’s engagement with other Muslim communities
Maghreb Salah Was Offered during a break from the formal program
President of the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC)
addressed the significance of unity among Muslims
especially in the current climate of Islamophobia
and urged all Muslim organisations to actively work together in overcoming these challenges
emphasised the importance of the new Islamic Centre in Lakemba
noting that it was a historic moment as it will be the first Islamic Centre and Mosque established in Australia by the Indian Muslim community
He also called for breaking down walls of distrust and building bridges with both Muslim and non-Muslim communities to promote love
Imam of Masjid Al Noor and motivational speaker
inspired attendees with his reflections on the importance of staying connected to Islamic values
and actively participating in community service
conducted an auction to raise further funds
the current President and founding member of IMAA
warmly welcomed the guests and audience members
creating an atmosphere of warmth and community spirit
A delicious dinner was served during the event
All speakers passionately appealed to attendees for generous donations towards this significant cause resulting in a total of $1.1 million being raised so far
leaving $1.2 million still needed by Friday 13 December 2024 in order to fully realise the vision for thec establishment of the Islamic Centre
Your support will help achieve this milestone for the community and ensure the establishment of an Islamic Centre that will serve generations to come
Syed Siraj Patel is one of the founding members of the Indian Muslim Association of Australia (IMAA) established in 2007 and is based in Sydney
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Australasian Muslim Times, AMUST is a community newspaper for all presenting news and views using multimedia technologies. Read more
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