A federal Labor MP has been criticised by fed-up Aussies after announcing an update on a $500,000 election promise to help extend a mosque in Werribee, Melbourne.
Joanne Ryan, Member for Lalor in the city’s west, shared an image on social media on Friday which said: “Election Commitment update! $350,000 of our $500,000 commitment for Stage 2 at the Werribee Islamic Centre has been delivered.”
The grant, handed out as part of the Supporting Multicultural Communities Infrastructure program, was approved on March 27 following a closed non-competitive invitation-only selection process which commenced late last year.
The funding went to registered charity Werribee Islamic Centre Limited, which runs the Melbourne Grand Mosque in Tarneit, which is Victoria’s largest. Then-prime minister Julia Gillard attended the foundation-laying ceremony in 2012, and the mosque officially opened in 2022.
In making the funding pledge in April 2025, Ms Ryan said the funding would “support the development of a shared community space, library and gym facilities in addition to a recently completed mosque and childcare centre on-site”.
“This will deliver vital services to vulnerable community members, including women, children and new migrants to the community who are looking to establish and immerse themselves in Wyndham’s community,” she said at the time.
Ms Ryan’s update generated more than 2,000 comments on social media, before they were removed and new ones prevented, but most of those seen by Noticer News were critical of the taxpayer-funded handout, and many simply said “vote One Nation”.
“Do Christian churches and centres get the same funding? Just asking,” read one of the most popular responses.
“A vote for Labor is a vote for Sharia law,” read another top comment.
“People are entitled to their religion, just as they are entitled to a millionaire lifestyle. As long as they pay for both out of their own pocket,” said a third, while another asked: “Is this Australia?”
A Muslim man also commented to thank Ms Ryan for the half a million dollars, but then insulted critics of the grant.
“We appreciate the support you have done for the Muslim community, Joanna Ryan MP. It’s people like you who keep us united and protected,” he wrote.
“As for the uneducated people in the comments section, you’re all welcome to visit any of our centres at any time and ask any questions you have. While you’re there, we’ll even cook you a halal bbq.”
The furore comes just days after the South Australian Labor government faced similar criticism for giving $2 million to an Adelaide mosque to extend its community centre.
Header image: Left, Joanne Ryan in an Islamic headscarf. Right, the controversial post (Facebook).
The post Aussies slam Labor MP for celebrating $500K mosque funding first appeared on The Noticer.
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