Coronavirus: Wagga councillors fight to overturn move to cut ties with China
Councillors have launched a bid to overturn a motion that called on Wagga to severe ties with China. The motion had been voted through with one councillor stating the “communist regime” had caused “death and destruction” across the globe.
The Wagga News
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Three councillors have lodged a rescission motion against a bid to “repeal and sever” all relationships and agreements with China due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A motion by councillor Paul Funnell to revoke all of those arrangements with the council’s Chinese counterparts after the coronavirus began in Wuhan secured support via a narrow 4-3 vote at Tuesday’s meeting.
With Mayor Greg Conkey away and Deputy Mayor Dallas Tout and Cr Kerry Pascoe declaring conflicts of interest, Cr Tim Koschel, who voted for the motion, was randomly drawn as acting chairperson and used his casting vote to support the motion to break the 3-3 deadlock.
Crs Paul Funnell and Yvonne Braid voted in favour while Crs Dan Hayes, Rod Kendall and Vanessa Keenan voted against.
Wagga has one sister city relationship with Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, and two friendship relationships with Tieling city and Jiangsu province.
There is also a memorandum of understanding with the Kunming International Friendship Cities Education Cooperation Declaration.
Wuhan, the epicentre of COVID-19, is more than 1500km east and southwest of Kunming and Tieling, respectively.
In his report, Cr Funnell said these arrangements meant the council had a relationship with the “totalitarian communist regime” of the Chinese government that “has caused such death, destruction and turmoil across the world”.
My statement on the disgraceful vote by the @WaggaCouncil, to rescind our Sister City relationship with #Kunming in China tonight.https://t.co/G0atdGg0LT pic.twitter.com/LGMjDTWOXS
— Wes Fang (@WesFangNats) April 14, 2020
However, on Wednesday Mayor Greg Conkey and fellow Crs Kendall and Hayes lodged a rescission motion set for debate at the next meeting on April 27.
Cr Hayes said the decision on Tuesday “makes life harder as there are already anti-Asian sentiments, including against kids”.
“It’s particularly disgraceful to have Crs Koschel and Braid not even talk to the motion and not explain their decisions. They’ve embarrassed themselves here.”
Cr Hayes said he hoped those councillors “see their errors and re-do their votes”.
Speaking on Tuesday night, he said the move to cut ties was “rubbish” and would “inflame anti-Chinese sentiments”.
“I’ve had to call out racism before in council workshops where people think they can say it behind closed doors, but now we have this front and centre and deserves to be called out for what it is,” he said.
“Wagga has a rich history with the Chinese. There are many in our community with connections to China. They need to know they are supported as well.”
Similarly, Cr Keenan said it was a “huge shame” that Cr Funnell was promoting “fear and hatred across our city”.
“Particularly at a time like this when so many people are suffering,” she said.
“At best it’s xenophobic, at worst it’s racist. To be frank, I think it’s the latter.”
Speaking last night, Cr Funnell said the Kunming authorities were not democratically elected and were an extension of the totalitarian communist regime of China that lied and covered up the coronavirus when it began.
He said the Chinese government’s actions during the outbreak of the virus was not acceptable and that “we must not condone such behaviour”.
“We will not tolerate lies and subterfuge by anyone. We will stand up for our principles and do what is right,” he said.
“This action in no way stops international trade, communication or the opportunity to deal with China in the future in a fair, transparent, mutual, respectful and beneficial manner.”
Cr Funnell also said the sister city relationship with Kunming was “farcical” and that some had tried to turn his report into racism.
“Communism is not a race. This is an attempt by those not wishing to have this discussion to shut it down by name calling,” he said.
Crs Koschel and Braid did not speak in relation to the matter during the voting.
On Wednesday, Cr Koschel told The Wagga News he seconded and voted for the motion because there needed to be a message of disappointment to the Chinese government.
“It’s a very divisive issue. I wasn’t favouring Funnell at all regarding his arguments about communism, but my main reason was that as a sister city, they should’ve given us a lot more advice about the coronavirus situation,” Cr Koschel said.
“It’s to send a general message of disappointment. They could’ve handled it (at the start) a lot better. It’s the worst economic times in my lifetime.”
When asked about amendments to find a middle ground, Cr Koschel said he would have supported them if they were made but believed other councillors would not have supported them.
“After COVID-19, we can revisit the programs. I think there’d be no dramas to rejoining them afterwards.”
Similarly, Cr Braid said a message that “enough is enough” needed to be sent to the Chinese authorities for their handling of the virus’s outbreak.
“The city needs to deal with the coronavirus locally first before revisiting its Chinese partnerships,” she said.
“In the end, we’ve got to look after the local area first.”
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Conkey said the majority of Councillors “are reeling that three councillors from a total of nine have successfully passed a resolution” to sever ties to China.
“A rescission motion has immediately been put forward and will be considered at the next meeting and is expected to be passed,” Cr Conkey said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Wagga Multicultural Council CEO Belinda Crain described Cr Funnell’s report as “appalling”.