Extra security expected at Randwick Council meeting after mayor’s ‘divisive’ anti-Israel comments

Randwick Councillors have slammed their Greens colleagues for ‘divisive’ anti-Israel messages and the Greens have returned fire, describing the council’s $525K Christmas celebrations bill as “an astronomical”.

Randwick Councillors have slammed their Greens colleagues, including Mayor Philipa Veitch, for spruiking anti-Israel messages, a move which has now resulted in extra security at their next meeting.

Additional guards and rangers will be present at Tuesday’s meeting, which follow Ms Veitch’s recent speech at a University of NSW rally, where she accused Israel of “murdering babies.”

The request came from Randwick Councillor Daniel Rosenfeld, who is Jewish. Mr Rosenfeld confirmed his request for stronger security measures was prompted by “inappropriate comments from the Mayor.”

Ms Veitch and two other Greens’ Councillors, Kym Chapple and Rafaela Pandolfini, have made a range of anti-Israel remarks in recent months.

Ms Chapple is a regular attendee at pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Last month at one event she wrote on Facebook “9 months of genocide and 9 months of protest - until Palestine is free”.

In April Ms Pandolfini came under fire for wearing a traditional Palestinian headscarf to the Anzac Day service in Coogee.

It’s understood the Council has recently been flooded by a number of written complaints from concerned ratepayers.

One complaint seen by The Daily Telegraph called for Ms Veitch’s resignation, telling the Mayor “members of your community feel unsafe and you not only fail to protect them, but you incite violence against them.”

“There is no room in the world for Neo Nazis and anti-Semitism,” Mr D’Souza said.

An inquiry was launched and the result was Ms Veitch being told to include a disclaimer on previous and future Facebook posts, stating “this is a personal post and does not represent the views of Randwick Council”.

Randwick independent Councillor Noel D'Souza has made complaints against Ms Veitch’s comments.

Noel D’Souza, an Independent Randwick Councillor described the Greens as “masterminds of misery and division.”

“Their divisive policies cannot enhance social cohesion in our communities” Mr D’Souza said.

Liberal Councillor Christie Hamilton added: “the Randwick Mayor is inciting racial hatred on a local university campus. What is Philipa Veitch even doing speaking at a rally? She obviously doesn’t want to do her actual job.”

Ms Veitch is standing by her comments, telling The Daily Telegraph last week “the views expressed are my own, but I believe that everyone has a duty to speak out and call for an end to the genocide that is happening in Gaza.”

Waverley Liberal councillor Leon Goltsman has called the mayor’s speech “divisive” and “irresponsible from a community leader”.

“Irrespective of what she puts on the bottom of her disclaimer, she’s still a mayor and an elected representative, and that does not excuse that sort of conduct and behaviour,” Mr Goltsman said.

Randwick City Council's Mayor Philipa Veitch who spoke at a Students for Palestine rally at the University of NSW on July 17. Picture: Facebook

On a separate issue, Greens Councillor Ms Pandolfini has slammed the cost of this year’s Christmas celebrations in Randwick, which has been budgeted at $525,000.

Ms Pandolfini described the funding as “an astronomical amount of money to be spending on decorations and wreaths when not everyone recognises or celebrates Christmas.”

“Having a multicultural festival would not be as heavy on the environment and it would be something for everyone in the community to enjoy” Councillor Pandolfini claimed.

According to data from the 2021 Census, more than 45 per cent of people in the Randwick LGA identify as either Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox or Jewish.

“The Greens should be focusing on fixing potholes and the housing crisis, not the situation in the Middle East” said another Councillor, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

In February, Randwick City Council “strongly rejected” the State Government’s plan to build 20,000 new homes in their LGA over the next 20 years.

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