They’re not rugby-playing superstars like Israel Folau, but Melbourne’s witches and warlocks may be the latest wart in Australia’s culture wars.

Drew Sinton, the owner of Haunted Bookshop which sells literature on the paranormal, ghosts, tarot, vampires, UFOs, fairies, demons, paganism, witchcraft and ancient wisdom, has lodged a religious discrimination complaint with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission claiming he was refused a lease on a new shop because of the landlord’s spiritual beliefs.

Haunted Bookshop owner Drew Sinton is in a dispute with his Buddhist landlord. Credit:Eddie Jim

Mr Sinton has traded on the paranormal and mystical for 22 years out of his popular bookshop in McKillop Street in the city's CBD.

The shop is also the launching place for weekly, spine-tingling, walking ‘ghost’ tours of Melbourne’s haunted past that, along with the bookshop, at one stage won Mr Sinton the Lord Mayor’s small business award.