GOLD Coast mayoral candidate John Abbott had dropped an election policy bombshell — he doesn’t want Muslims visiting the tourist strip.

A former leader of the men’s rights group Blackshirts, Mr Abbott caused gasps from the audience when, during a mayoral debate when he announced that Muslims and Christians could not mix on the Gold Coast.

In a policy address to the 150-strong crowd at the Nerang Bicentennial Centre on Tuesday night, Mr Abbott stunned rivals by turning the local government debate to religion.

He said he had received an email from a Gold Coast resident who had written “Mr Tom Tate has suggested that we make the Gold Coast more Muslim-friendly with prayer rooms in Surfers Paradise”.

Cr Tate, during a trip to the Middle East in October 2013, announced he wanted more prayer rooms and halal restaurants in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach to cater for Muslim groups as the tourists generated spending of up to $75 million a year.

The announcement later sparked a protest meeting of more than 100 people at Nerang who launched the petition, No Concessions to Islam on the Gold Coast.

media_camera Picture at the final Mayoral Community Debate of the Gold Coast Council election at Nerang Bicentenial Hall. Photo of the candidates (L-R) Brett Lambert, Jim Wilson, Penny Toland, Andrew Middleton Tom Tate, John Abbott. Pic by Richard Gosling

Mr Abbott at Tuesday night’s mayoral meeting organised by the Nerang Community Association told residents: “I don’t agree. We are (sic) Christian nation, and Islam and Christianity do not mix. We will never live in harmony.

“It is time that our politicians who are supposed to be looking after our interests woke up to this fact and stopped worried about being called racists.

“In that vein, I would say to you — I would do everything I can to make sure there are no more mosques on the Gold Coast.”

Mr Abbott received some applause for no-mosque policy but he faced an immediate protest on Twitter.

Helensvale-based city councillor William Owen-Jones who was watching from one of the front seats in the hall tweeted: “Abbott — best placed for sixth position on every ballot. Dreadful.”

media_camera Current councilor William Owen-Jones at the Division 7 election debate at the Southport Yacht Club on Monday night. Picture: Jerad Williams

Cr Tate during a question from the audience about the City Plan later defended the council and explained its decision to oppose the Currumbin mosque was based on planning grounds.

City councillors in September last year voted 9-6 on Tuesday to reject an application from the Salsabil Charity Organisation for “material change of use” which would enable a warehouse in Coghill and Villiers Drive at Currumbin to be converted into a ‘place of worship”.

The group later filed documents with the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane to overturn the council’s rejection of the development, which attracted a record 5000 objections.

Council sources estimated the appeal which is ongoing might cost between $250,000 and $600,000.

“I take an example, as far as the mosque is concerned on planning issue and community issue they didn’t want the mosque there. That’s why council voted against it,” Cr Tate told the meeting.

“Now, once that happened it goes to court. And we will fight it in court.

“So that’s an example of how councillors and the whole dialogue — we have to listen to the community to get the balance right.”