Halal certifier's defamation case against Kirralie Smith and Q Society settled out of court

The anti-Islam Q Society and the high-profile anti-halal campaigner Kirralie Smith have publicly apologised to a halal certifier to settle a defamation action in the supreme court.

On Monday, following a marathon meeting, the Q Society and Smith – who founded the website Halal Choices – along with the director of the Halal Certification Authority, Mohamed El-Mouelhy, issued a joint statement saying the defamation action would be withdrawn.

El-Mouelhy had sought to sue the Q Society and Smith over two YouTube videos she presented on halal certification in 2015.

El-Mouelhy alleged the videos – which starred Smith and named him and his position – cast him as “promoting a global push for Islamisation calculated to destroy Australian values of freedom and tolerance” and as “an unethical or dishonest businessman who makes a profit out of cheating his customers and the public”.

Smith has risen to public prominence as the face of Australia’s “anti-halal movement”, appearing at public events and fronting videos posted on YouTube that rail against Islam and Muslims.

Smith also stood as a Senate candidate for the Australian Liberty Alliance at the last federal election. She attracted 3,113 votes.

The settlement statement, signed by El-Mouelhy, Smith and Q Society board members Debbie Robinson, Peter Callaghan and Ralf Schumann, says: “Today the parties in these proceedings have settled their legal dispute and intend to move forward without engaging in further disputation. None of the parties, in expressing their views, had any intention to defame the other and each regrets that occurring.

“Mr El-Mouelhy has lived in Australia since 1975 and became an Australian citizen in 1981. He is a frequent and substantial contributor to Muslim and non-Muslim charities, including donations to specific projects for the protection of the poor and disadvantaged.

“The Q Society, its board members and Kirralie Smith did not intend to suggest that the profits of Mr El-Mouelhy’s halal certification business were in any way improperly used. The Q Society, its board members and Kirralie Smith apologise to Mr El-Mouelhy for the hurt caused to him as a result of the publications, the subject of the proceedings.

“In light of the above apology Mr El-Mouelhy withdraws the comments he made about the Q Society, its board members and Kirralie Smith in response to their publications.”

Smith remains active online. She posted a video online four days ago saying “Islam is dangerous to women” and a religion that promoted “barbaric misogynistic behaviours”.

And the Q-Society’s website is still calling for donations to fund its defence against the El-Mouelhy defamation action.

“We face defamation action in the supreme court of New South Wales and ask for donations towards the considerable legal expense associated with defending freedom of expression in Australia,” he said. “If you share our values and concerns about Islam, we encourage you to support our legal defence fund.”