City of Ballarat petitioned to restore BREAZE grant scrapped over antisemitism claims

Hundreds have signed a petition to have the City of Ballarat restore funding to an organisation whose grant was scrapped over antisemitism claims.

Ballarat’s council will this week determine whether to receive a petition about a cancelled $285,000 environmental grant.

More than 200 people have petitioned a Victorian council to restore funding to an environmental group that had a $285,000 grant terminated because of a senior board member’s allegedly antisemitic comments.

The City of Ballarat in February ended a three-year agreement and grant with Ballarat Renewable Energy And Zero Emissions after senior board member Dr Mary Debret shared online posts on a private social media account blaming Jews for a rise in antisemitism and calling Israel a “stain” on the planet.

Dr Debrett resigned from BREAZE’s board and told the Herald Sun she had been taken “completely taken out of context” and denied that the comments were antisemitic.

“I’m not antisemitic, I’m anti-genocide,” she said at the time.

“Regarding my retweets, this action is not an endorsement.”

Dr Mary Debrett. Picture: LinkedIn

City of Ballarat infrastructure and environment director Bridget Wetherall said the organisation was told to hand back what was left of its first round of funding.

“We are exercising our right under a clause in the partnership to terminate the agreement immediately and with immediate effect following what the City of Ballarat considered to be offensive and discriminatory online posts by a board member of BREAZE,” she said.

At Ballarat council’s meeting that month, councillor Ted Lapkin – formerly an Israeli Defence Force intelligence officer – said the council had recently saved some money, referring obliquely to the BREAZE grant’s termination.

When Mr Lapkin mentioned an individual “peddling a certain form of noxious bigotry”, a cry of “Bullshit” came from the public gallery.

Ballarat councillor Ted Lapkin.

At its meeting this Wednesday night, the council will consider receiving a petition with 238 signatures urging the restoration of funding to BREAZE.

“BREAZE, founded in 2006, is a volunteer led community organisation with a mission to advocate, facilitate, and enable the wider Ballarat community to reach zero emissions by 2030,” the petition reads.

“BREAZE entered a Community Partnership Program with the City of Ballarat to establish the Electrify Your Home project.

“This funding was rescinded in February, and BREAZE have appealed this decision.

“For legal reasons neither the City nor BREAZE can make any statement.

“We, the undersigned, request the City of Ballarat resolve the BREAZE funding issue with transparency and urgency, by restoring funding to, and partnership with, BREAZE.”

If, as officers recommend, the council receives the petition, CEO Evan King will consider it and organise a reply.