Last week, there was much public and media comment to the effect that the Council has taken sides in the Gaza conflict and has acted in an inconsistent and even discriminatory way.
The various comments relate to the Council organisation’s actions in removing posters from its public infrastructure within the city.
At the outset, I acknowledge the concern and distress felt by many people in Stonnington resulting from the media reporting of the Council’s actions.
The various reports have not necessarily been complete or accurate. The following brief background is therefore provided.
The Council has a local law which prescribes that its public infrastructure is kept free of any posters or material, irrespective of its content, unless its prior approval is granted.
In practical terms, the Council will remove non permitted material when this is sighted by our outdoor workforce, or when we act on complaints received from people in the community.
Given this reality, it is quite possible that inconsistencies will be evident from time to time – it is simply impossible to conduct a visual inspection of all Council infrastructure every day, such that all material is identified and removed daily.
In this particular case, the Council acted in accordance with its local law, and without regard to the content of the posters in question.
Separate to its local law enforcement actions earlier this week, the elected Council recently resolved to illuminate the Malvern Town Hall in the colours of the Israel flag for three days.
This decision was taken in response to the tragic events unfolding in the Middle East and the distress many people in the Stonnington community are experiencing as a result.
