Inner West Labor blocks motion calling for a ceasefire

by GRACE JOHNSON

During last night’s Inner West Council meeting, Labor councillors voted against a motion to call on the Australian Government to urge for a ceasefire and peace negotiations as the death toll steadily rises in Gaza. 

Greens councillor Dylan Griffiths had put forward the motion to support the local community in their calls for a ceasefire. 

The motion also requested that Council advertise Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA’s Gaza Emergency Appeal to provide immediate assistance to those suffering in Gaza. 

Labor unanimously voted down the motion. Councillor Mark Drury was against the motion and instead put his hand up to foreshadow an alternative motion.

Cr Griffiths tried to make amendments to the foreshadowed motion, but Labor again unanimously voted them down.

Addressing council on his motion, Cr Griffiths said, “I take this responsibility as Councillor as the opportunity for me to use every platform that I have available to call for peace and justice for Palestine. And so should all councillors.”

Independent Councillor Pauline Lockie spoke in support of the motion, saying that calling for a ceasefire is what the federal government should be doing, but that calls for a ceasefire have been left unanswered.

“So I think it falls to all of us to do whatever we can to add our voices to the call for peace,” she said.   

Drury’s counter motion

The foreshadowed motion requested that Council note that foreign affairs is the responsibility of the Commonwealth Government, and that Council note that Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong has condemned the Hamas attacks, recognised Israel’s right to defend itself, and “expressed deep concern for the loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives.” 

It also asked that Council recognise the impact of the conflict on local residents from affected communities, and implement practical measures to support them, including ensuring customer service staff have referrals to community and support services. 

The alternative motion retained only the request to advertise Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA’s Gaza Emergency Appeal from Cr Griffith’s original motion. 

Addressing Council, Cr Drury said, “The reality is that the Inner West cannot stop the conflict in the Middle East.”

“Foreign affairs is the responsibility of the Commonwealth, not of local government,” he continued.

“What council does have a role to do is support our communities including the residents affected. This motion seeks to do this through practical measures.” 

Members of the audience booed throughout his address, with some yelling out “all criminals” and “ceasefire”. 

Cr Griffiths responded by saying he agrees that the motion doesn’t go far enough: “I do think that we should actually be raising the flag in solidarity with Palestinian people.”

“I do think that we should be looking at things like our investments to make sure that they’re ethical and actually not funding the war abroad. I agree with what you said, Councillor Drury, which was that we can’t stop the conflict alone,” he said.

“But we can take a stand here tonight, and I was hopeful that Labor councillors would join us in doing so in this simple motion just calling for a ceasefire.” 

Cr Griffiths said, “I wrote this motion on Remembrance Day, which for me is a reflection on the horrors of war and also the opportunities to have peace, and I think it’s right that Inner West engages in remembrance.”

“But it strikes me as strange that Inner West Labor sees engaging with past wars okay, but are unable to oppose the wars of today and prevent the wars of the future.” 

All Labor councillors, who hold the majority in Inner West Council, voted against the original motion, much to the outrage of the audience, who booed and yelled “shame.” 

The meeting had to be adjourned due to the disorder that erupted in the gallery.

Following the five-minute break, Cr Griffiths brought forth amendments to Cr Drury’s foreshadowed motion, requesting that Council fly the Palestinian flag in locations across the Inner West until a ceasefire is declared.

The second amendment is that Council note that the current conflicts cannot be viewed in isolation to the occupation of Palestine and the forced displacement of millions of Palestinians from their homeland, and the ongoing illegal settlements in the West Bank.

Cr Drury accepted only the second amendment, meaning the amendment to fly the Palestinian flag was lost, also to the outrage of the audience.

Cr Drury’s motion was carried, despite all non-Labor councillors voting against.

Greens councillor Liz Atkins said, “I cannot vote for a motion that does not call for a ceasefire.”

Members of the public gallery became disruptive again, chanting “Free, free Palestine”, even after Council had moved on to the next item, forcing Council to adjourn for a second time.

At the moment of publication, City Hub is awaiting comment from Councillors Drury and Griffiths.

Council’s Labor majority

Independent councillor John Stamolis has long criticised the political control that Labor holds in the Inner West as a result of the merger. He put forward a further motion about the demerger of council during the meeting, but it was voted down by all Labor councillors.

Talking to City Hub, Cr Stamolis said Inner West has become a party-controlled council.

“Political party control of councils brings forward major concerns about whether local councillors are making local decisions or the decisions of their state and federal parties.”

“Their political control of council is why they’re making sure we don’t demerge.”