Gold Coast city councillors vote to retain sister city relationship with Netanya despite protest

Gold Coast councillors have made their decision about whether to maintain its ties with an Israeli city but Mayor Tom Tate’s language has again attracted attention. SEE THE VOTE

Mayor Tom Tate has dropped the “F-bomb” during a tense debate about a sister city relationship with the Israeli city of Netanya.

Mr Tate was talking about perceived conflicts after governance chair Brooke Patterson made a declaration.

“I don’t understandwhat the f**k they’re talking about,” he told councillors. He had received the same accusation by a protest group.

Stunned councillors agreed the mayor did not have a conflict and allowed him to continue debate.

Mr Tate told the Bulletin: “I thought I said it under my breath.”

Councillors said the mayor was shocked his comments were audible on the live stream of the meeting.

A super majority of Gold Coast City councillors have backed council maintaining its sister city relationship with Netanya.

The vote at a full council meeting on Tuesday morning occurred as about 30 people staged a protest outside the Evandale chambersat Bundall.

Some of the group approached police outside the chamber front door and on a megaphone shouted: “Shame, shame, shame on you.”

They continued to bang drums as the meeting continued. Councillors and staffers did not leave the building.

Only councillor Peter Young voted against the recommendation although he acknowledged the sister city ties were not a political matter.

“I have long standing friends who are Palestinian. I love them to pieces,” he said.

Mr Young said it made sense that the Coast had ties with Netanya, which had a similar economy and lifestyle. But he said he could not support the motion to retain the ties.

Councillor Glenn Tozer was unsuccessful when he attempted to add a change which would have led to the Coast to “express compassion” for all sides in the conflict.

The vote was split with a handful of the 14 councillors supporting Mr Tozer, who for a decade was the City’s designated ambassadorfor the World Kindness Movement and Charter for Compassion.

Mr Tate said he could not support it because the Mayor of Netanya had no control over the conflict.

Protesters gather outside Gold Coast City Council chambers on Tuesday 28 May 24 to demand Council sever sister city ties with Netanya, Israel. Picture: Paul Weston

Earlier, federal Gold Coast MP Angie Bell urged the council to maintain its sister city relationship with Netanya ahead ofthe vote.

Ms Bell, the Moncrieff MP, said the Gold Coast’s sister city relationships and international partnerships were a source ofeconomic growth and boosted our international profile.

“These relationships assist to open our door to the world and create real outcomes for Gold Coast residents and businesses.Weare a community that has been a safe and respectful place for all who come here, from all faiths and backgrounds,” she said.

“Sadly, the conflict in the Middle East has increased tensions within our local community, with a small group of extreme protesters demanding the Gold Coast sever sister city ties with Israeli city, Netanya – a relationship that has been in place since 1987.

“The Gold Coast is home to strong Israeli and Islamic communities. This call creates division which will negatively impact the Gold Coast’s reputation as a welcoming, multicultural city where we should instead be building cohesion.”

Moncrieff MP Angie Bell. Picture: Portia Large.

The Jewish community earlier this month thanked City councillors for not siding with a protest group and agreeing not to cut sister city ties with Netanya.

Temple Shalom Board Member and spokesman Ben Naday welcomed the decision.

“Our local Jewish community is thankful that our councillors have demonstrated that they are focused on delivering for Gold Coast residents, rather than giving in to the whims of activists,” he said.

Officers said the arrangement, signed in 1987, had seen the mayors of the cities engage in friendly dialogue, facilitate civic and business meetings and endeavour to progress community programs.

Pro-Palestine protesters have gathered outside the Gold Coast City Council Chambers on Tuesday 18.06.2024 in the lead up to a petition demanding the severing of sister city ties with Netanya being tabled at the full council meeting. Picture: Amaani Siddeek.

Councillors at a governance committee meeting had first backed the recommendation from officers to continue official ties, but did not debate it.

The report prepared by officers concluded that “the sister city agreement is a non-political, friendship, based agreement which does not give rise to the notion of complicity, nor is it an instrument that can be used to influence events outside the city’s control”.

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