And many contain vicious attacks on Muslims and the Islamic faith. The inquiry is supposed to look at all kinds of food certification but the overwhelming majority of submissions focus squarely on halal. Credit:Justin McManus, The Age One contributor calls Islam a "vile medieval cult", while another labels the Prophet Muhammad a "false god" and "paedophile". One says halal certification should be made illegal "along with anything else that has to do with Islamic beliefs in this country". Another says Islam is an ideology based on jihad, sexual slavery and intolerance that has brought "havoc" to the world.

Many seem to believe Australia is being overtaken by Islam, even though Muslims make up only 2 per cent of the population. They see halal food as a step towards oblivion. "Before we know it sharia law will have been introduced into our country and all our fundamental rights as Australian citizens will cease as we know them now," one writes. Others complain about how halal food robs them of their freedom to choose to eat what they want. Some seem to be under the misapprehension that non-Muslims are not allowed to eat halal food. "I have been raped and violated and stripped naked of my faith and my freedom of consumer choice," writes one woman who says she feels like a criminal. "I scream NO NO NO but no one cares to hear me. I am ignored and regarded as a bigot."

A number of contributors identify Islam as a "death cult", showing Prime Minister Tony Abbott's colourful language about Islamic State is being adopted by people with a more general antipathy to the religion. Indeed, many seem to think there is a link between halal food certification and terrorism, even though Australian authorities say there is no evidence to support such claims. One person says it's clear "most or all" of the money raised through halal certification goes to groups like IS or home-grown terrorists. Others complain that halal certification forces up the price of food, labelling it a "Muslim tax". That's despite food retailers saying halal brings down the price of many foods because it increases the market and opens up new export destinations. The actual cost of certification to food suppliers is typically modest and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has warned of huge financial harm if Australia's meat industry dropped halal certification.

Some submitters raise more measured concerns about certification transparency and animal cruelty, while a couple defend halal food. "The opposition to halal certification is merely a moral panic, a flavour of the day opposition to an easily targeted ethno-religious group," says one. But some submissions are truly out there. "Blond virgins are also in great demand and very valuable but we do not round them up and sell them," says one contributor in an effort to make a point that's not clear.

A submission titled "Islamic HALAL-Lucifer Satan" embarks on a lengthy screed about – well, it's sort of hard to tell. And then there is the Goddess-worshipping witch who says she was "devastated" to learn she'd been sold meat slaughtered according to "the rituals of Abrahamic religion". "Thinking it was secular, I had been dedicating and offering it to my Goddess, which is important to my magic and my spiritual path. To dedicate and offer food to her that has been previously used in a religious ritual for another deity is an insult to my Goddess," she writes "It diminishes her energy, weakens my connection to her and thus my magic."

More than 8000 Australians identified as witches in the last census.