Revealed: The huge bill for Randwick ratepayers for council to debate Gaza

The huge cost can be revealed as a new political campaign urges voters to put the Greens last in the upcoming election.

A Sydney council has wasted almost $13,000 of ratepayers’ money debating the war in Gaza, while “threatening and discriminatory” Facebook posts from the Greens Mayor have cost even more.

The money Randwick Council has spent on security and catering for special meetings to debate the Israel/Gaza conflict can be revealed as a new lobby group vowed to expose “radical” Greens candidates who care more about geopolitics than roads, rates, and rubbish.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that the council has spent $3,232 to hire security guards to protect people during special debates on the overseas conflict since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.

The security was hired after a Jewish councillor raised concerns about safety at meetings where the war was being debated.

Local government debates on the Israel/Gaza war have recently become a flashpoint for violence, including in the Inner West Council where a meeting last month descended into chaos after protesters stormed the room.

Randwick Council spent a further $9,627 on extra catering, broadcasting, or other incidental expenses incurred due to the council holding special debates about a war on the other side of the world.

In addition to almost $13,000 spent specifically on facilitating debates on the Gaza conflict, Randwick ratepayers have been slugged a whopping $34,517 to investigate potential breaches of the council’s Code of Conduct.

At least one of those investigations was into whether Greens Mayor Philipa Veitch broke the rules by posting photos of an anti-Zionist rally at Port Botany.

A Randwick resident lodged a formal complaint against a Facebook post from Mayor Philipa Veitch relating to the war in Gaza. Photo: Mark Bond

A Randwick local, who asked not to be named, made a formal complaint about the May 25 post.

The complainant alleged Ms Veitch broke council rules by posting offensive and “divisive” material.

“The posting of these images may be construed as intimidation, harassment, defamatory, threatening and discriminatory to our community, which includes two Jewish day schools and two synagogues.”

Campaign material from the "Better Council" campaign group calling for voters to put Greens last at upcoming council elections. Supplied.

The complainant told the Telegraph that the complaint went to mediation, where the Mayor was asked to add a disclaimer that any similar posts in the future.

Ms Veitch’s post has now been edited to say it is a “personal post and does not represent the views of Randwick Council”.

Meanwhile, a new campaign group has been leafleting Randwick and other council areas calling on voters to “keep the Greens’ garbage out of council”.

Campaign material from the "Better Council" campaign group calling for voters to put Greens last at upcoming council elections. Supplied.

The multi partisan “Better Council” group is urging voters to steer clear of “extreme” Greens who are “focusing too much on international issues”.

“It suits the Greens agenda to continuously distract voters when presented with the facts of their performance in these roles,” campaigner Sophie Calland said.

Sophie Calland is the authorised officer of the newly formed Better Council group and is spearheading a campaign urging people to put The Greens last. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Ms Calland said she was a Labor member, and that Better Council involves people from across the political aisle – even some former Greens.

Ms Veitch blamed Liberal councillors for extra debates on the Gaza war, and said she had brought motions to council “about an extremely diverse range of issues”.

“In Randwick and the eastern suburbs it has been the Liberal Party that has repeatedly called for extraordinary meetings and brought motions and complaints regarding the appalling conflict in Gaza, and as Greens we will always respond to these from a position of principle and human rights,” she said.