Federal independent Senator Jacqui Lambie has raised concerns over halal and what it could be funding publicly, helping to fuel the debate. Credit:Daniel Munoz "We are not against anyone coming from any country or any religion," the Logan resident said. "But we do not want their traditions to be valued higher than ours. "Whatever country you go to, you respect the traditions and customs of that country. We would like the same. Halal is no longer a choice that is given. A lot of the products in Australia that are halal, people have no idea, are. Shouldn't people be given the choice to consume halal?" Halal, like kosher foods which relate to the Jewish faith, is a term for food Muslims are permitted to eat. It mostly relates to meat products and means the animal has been slaughtered in line with Islamic religious beliefs.

Halal food: "Realistically, at the end of the day from a commercial point of view, it is just a brand, like the heart tick." The anti-halal movement has gained traction in recent years, with claims it helps fund terrorism and is pushing Islamic beliefs by stealth. Federal independent Senator Jacqui Lambie and Nationals MP George Christensen have both raised concerns over halal and what it could be funding publicly, helping to fuel the debate. An image from the Reclaim Australia Rally Facebook page. Credit:Facebook Fahim Khondaker, who organised last year's Walk Together event in Brisbane which aimed to spread goodwill among different cultures and nationalities, said there were many misconceptions about halal certification.

"Realistically, at the end of the day from a commercial point of view, it is just a brand, like the heart tick," he said. An image from the Reclaim Australia Rally Facebook page. Credit:Facebook "It is no different to the kosher certification and I always talk about that in the same vein, because the two are quite similar. It seems like a veil of Islamophobia that people hide behind, but they are using this as an avenue to portray it. And I guess it is quite popular at the moment and it gets attention. "I think that stems from the wider issues at the moment – and people don't understand what it means. But I think there is a general fear of Muslim people, straight off the bat. I mean when you have our Prime Minister saying all ISIS people need is an iPhone and a knife and to walk down the street, everyone Muslim person becomes a scary person. "There is a wider systemic issue. And people don't understand it. There is also often an animal cruelty issue which gets brought up a fair bit as well.

"...The RSPCA is quite clear that pretty much almost all halal slaughtering done in Australia is done in the same way as any normal slaughtering in the sense that the animal is stunned and all that." But Cheryl said people had the right to express their views, which they planned on doing so next month, and hoped people could respect their right to hold a peaceful march. She said a code of conduct had been developed and "any slightest indication of trouble will be stamped out" during the event. Cheryl said claims of racism, xenophobia and bigotry were incorrect. "We are everyday people. We just want our voices heard," she said. "We love our country. We are very proud Australians and we are very welcoming to other people from other countries. We are a multicultural country and there are cultures who have come to our country and have adapted and fit in with society and we love having them here as much as they love being here.

"Islam is not getting the best press at the moment because of the terrorist association – we are not saying every Muslim is a terrorist. There is a small percentage that are radicals and that is a risk in every country. "We just want our voices heard. We want the right to be able to say no, we don't want this, just like they have the right to say that they do want it. I think it has to be equal bearing, don't you?" Don't miss important news stories. Like us on Facebook.