Hannah Hammoud
Brimbank councillor Maria Kerr has thrown her support behind a petition from residents objecting to council’s draft LGBTQIA+ action plan
At a council meeting on August 22, council accepted a petition with 97 signatories objecting to the action plan.
Cr Kerr said she believes it is not council’s role to involve itself in federal issues, but should rather stick to its duty of collecting waste, maintaining infrastructure and providing community services.
“I do not believe council is the right level of government to involve itself in state, federal and social issues. Subjects like religion, and sexuality should not be included in local council matters,” she said.
Cr Kerr said it was “vitally” important community voices are heard in the spirit of freedom of speech.
“There are times residents may not support a council initiative and it is OK to agree or disagree, respectfully. Regardless if the subject is sensitive in nature, and as long as the opposition is not hateful and is objective,” she said,
The action plan has been a hotbed of controversy following its initial endorsement in June, where the council meeting was adjourned for 15 minutes to allow security to escort disruptive residents, who were objecting the plan, out of the gallery.
On multiple occasions, Brimbank mayor Bruce Lancashire asked members seated in the gallery to remain quiet. Words of “grooming”, “evil” and “paedophiles” were shouted across the meeting room as upset members of the public contested the action plan.
In July, police were present at the council meeting in what council described as a “precautionary measure” given recent behaviour.
As the petition was presented to council on August 22, Cr Kerr said she agreed with the concerns raised by residents.
“This petition articulates that the signatories are concerned with protecting the safety of children, protecting the rights of families to raise their child with their own beliefs and protecting the rights of biological women,” she said.
The petition has been accepted to be referred to council’s chief executive Fiona Blair for consideration in conjunction with the community consultation process that was undertaken for the action plan.
