Canberra Muslim groups are at risk of being denied a say in the continuing legal battle over the proposed Gungahlin mosque, a court has heard.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 500-capacity mosque on The Valley Avenue was given the green light by city planners in August last year, a decision described as ''a victory for community harmony and common sense'' by the Canberra Muslim Community Inc president Borhan Ahmed.
The approval was given in the face of heated opposition by a vocal group named the Concerned Citizens of Canberra, who delivered thousands of flyers to Gungahlin homes protesting at the mosque. The same group took legal action in August, protesting what they described as an ''improper exercise'' of the ACT Planning and Land Authority's power. They initially challenged a refusal to extend a public comment period, and have now spent nearly six months fighting lawyers for the territory's Chief Planning Executive.
But the Supreme Court heard on Thursday concerns that members of the Canberra Muslim group had not taken any part in the proceedings so far.
Acting Justice Margaret Sidis said the legal determination could have a significant impact on the group's rights.
Acting Justice Sidis said she must hear from them before the proceedings were finalised and said previous attempts to contact them were unlikely to have been effective.
She said the group must be written to, and said if they did not appear next week the court would assume that they did not wish to be heard.
The matter returns to court next Thursday.