A new fast food in Australia is helping to bring Australian people together. It was named as the People's Choice Word of the Year by an Australian dictionary. It is the "halal snack pack", also known as an "HSP". It is a mixture of kebab meat, potato fries and a special spicy sauce. The snack started in Australia, but it has its roots in the Middle East. It is now a symbol of multiculturalism in Australia. It is making people more aware of halal food. There is even an HSP group on Facebook with 180,000 members. People share HSP stories and discuss, "possibly the best snack pack in the world".
The halal snack pack has got people talking in Australia, especially after a far-right politician refused to eat one. She said halal meat was unacceptable in Australia and that "98% of Australians" were against it, but gave no proof to support this. Her words and actions have made the HSP more popular. The president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils said HSP winning word of the year was fantastic. He said: "If you're able to find it in the dictionary, it takes away the mystery. It brings people comfort and satisfaction…about the word 'halal'. It's all about what's positive."