A proposal to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer from Lakemba Mosque, Australia's largest mosque, has been rejected by the Canterbury-Bankstown Council. The decision came amid significant community backlash and concerns over potential noise pollution.
The mosque had requested permission to broadcast the call to prayer for 15 minutes once a week on Fridays, utilizing four loudspeakers. The application, submitted in May by the Lebanese Muslim Association (LMA), generated over 1,600 submissions in opposition.
Council staff determined that the proposed broadcast would likely be too loud and could disturb residents beyond the immediate vicinity of Halden Street, where the mosque is located. Despite the council's decision, the LMA also presented a petition supporting the proposal, which garnered thousands of signatures. The LMA argued that the broadcast was "about belonging" rather than noise.
One independent councilor, Saud Abu-Sameh, had backed the proposal, suggesting that residents concerned about the sound could "close your windows." However, other council members, like Barbara Coorey, were vocal opponents. Coorey stated that the proposal did not meet community standards and that the "honorable thing" would be to withdraw the application.
The LMA must now decide whether to abandon the application or pursue independent acoustic assessments to re-evaluate the potential noise impact. The council's decision aligns with staff findings regarding the broadcast's potential to disturb the surrounding neighborhood.