Blacktown Council ignites debate after revising policy to limit debate on international politics, events on public land

One of Sydney’s biggest councils is vowing to focus on rates, roads and rubbish as it moves to ban councillors from engaging in international politics and refuse political events on public land.

One of Sydney’s biggest councils is vowing to focus on rates, roads and rubbish as it moves to limit debate on international politics and overseas conflicts.

Global affairs will be strictly off Blacktown Council’s agenda as part of a newly adopted policy aimed at ensuring the council maintains a nonpartisan political stance.

It comes as other Sydney councils recently made headlines for entering the fray of international politics resulting in cases of police being called to council meetings to keep the peace between clashing groups of protesters.

As part of Blacktown’s policy, the council must “maintain a nonpartisan and neutral status on all international affairs” and “must not engage in debate on international affairs”.

The policy also extends to public council land such as Main St in Blacktown, Blacktown Showground and the Blacktown Civic Centre – meaning any public or private event deemed as touching on international politics will be refused.

The policy applies to council land including the Blacktown Civic Centre.

A majority of councillors have backed the policy including Peter Camilleri who said debate on international affairs risked driving divisions within the diverse community.

“We have 188 nationalities of residents living in Blacktown and anything that asks us to pick a side when you have 188 points of view will only ever divide, not unite,” he said.

Councillor Julie Griffiths said the policy would also ensure the council maintained its focus on its core responsibilities of “roads, rates, rubbish”.

Blacktown Council passed the policy at a meeting last week.

But the move has ignited backlash from Greens groups who say the policy could limit free speech.

Sukhjinder Pal Singh – who is running as the Greens candidate in the seat of Chifley at the upcoming federal election – argued the policy could also “silence” the voice of residents and councillors.

“We live in an interconnected world and events unfolding in one corner of the world inevitably have repercussions elsewhere,” he said.

The policy extends to public areas such as Blacktown Showgrounds.

Debates at other Sydney councils have seen recent meetings descend into chaos after matters relating to global affairs were tabled by councillors.

At Inner West Council, police had to be called to a council meeting last year when a Greens motion to cut ties with companies associated with Israel ended in a shouting match between protesters and forced the meeting to be called off due to safety concerns.

A similar motion was also debated at the City of Sydney Council which has a policy enshrining the public right to protest.

A photo of protesters gathered outside Inner West Council’s chambers last year ahead of a vote relating to Israel.

Woollahra Council also dedicated time and resources to a proposal to rename a street outside the Russian Consulate in Woollahra from Fullerton St to Ukraine St in solidarity with Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.

Cumberland Council has meanwhile grappled with how it deals with contentious motions after multiple “non-local” issues have been brought to council in recent months, ranging from supporting Palestine to flying the Lebanese flag outside its chambers.

Blacktown councillor Peter Camilleri

Blacktown Council says taking positions on international matters risks causing “unnecessary division” among sections of its diverse and growing community.

A council spokesman said the policy also aimed to concentrate resources on its core services and responsibilities, and to ensure council resources are dedicated to local community needs.

“Additionally, we do not wish to be perceived as politically or culturally partisan by any part of our community, as this may reduce the level of trust in council,” the policy states.

Blacktown Mayor Brad Bunting declined to comment.