Greater Dandenong Council votes to pass pro-Palestinian motion
A council in Melbourne’s southeast has voted on a controversial motion to call state and federal governments to push for an end “illegal occupation of all Palestinian territories”.
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Hundreds of people have rallied at suburban council meeting in support of a controversial motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Greater Dandenong Council in Melbourne’s southeast voted to support a lengthy pro-Palestine motion that includes calling for an end to the “illegal occupation of all Palestinian territories” and to “condemns anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and racism in all forms, both in Australia and everywhere”.
Councillors Jim Memeti and Rhonda Garad both received standing ovations and thunderous applause from the public gallery when they moved the motion.
“I love humanity, and that’s what this notice of motion is about,” Cr Memeti said.
“The motion is an extension of the council’s commitment to representing our community’s needs.”
Dandenong Councillor Jim Memeti has just addressed the packed out forecourt of #dandenong library as the council voted to support calls for the governments to support a ceasefire in #Gaza 🇵🇸 #CeasefireForGaza#CeasefireNOW READ MORE: https://t.co/MkzFTdO1K8pic.twitter.com/QAnrLleP9g
— gemma ☥ (@gemmascerri) November 27, 2023
Cr Tim Dark was the only councillor to oppose the motion, saying its wording “pandered to one group of the community”.
This sentiment was strongly rebutted by Cr Garad, who said she had “never received so much support for a motion” in her three years in council.
“This issue is affecting the whole community, our Middle Eastern community, our Palestinian community and the wider community including the Jewish community,” she said.
The chanting of the crowd could be heard inside the packed council chambers on Monday night, as a peaceful rally chanted “free, free Palestine” and “ceasefire now” in the forecourt of the Dandenong Library.
Members of the Dandenong Community filled the public gallery, holding Palestinian flags and banners in support of the calls for a ceasefire.
Public question time was filled with questions regarding the motion, with one community member stating “asking the government to demand the killing stop is not political, it’s human,” and others asking the council why it released a statement in solidarity with Ukrainian members of the community last year, but has failed to do so for the Palestinian community now.
The high turnout comes after Cr Dark told the Herald Sun he had received threatening phone calls from unknown sources containing “violent and aggressive” messaging, including anonymous death threats.
He believes the phone calls have come as a result of a private email being leaked of his dissent to the motion.
“I haven’t mentioned the motion or my thoughts about it in any other forum,” he said.
Mr Dark has reported the threats to police.
The Herald Sun is not suggesting the email was leaked by the chief executive or a councillor.
The threats come after a councillor from Merri-bek Council in Melbourne’s inner north had his life threatened following his vote against a similar motion.
Mr Dark said while he was not afraid of taking a stand, the pressure to vote in favour of the motion was “extreme”.
“I’ve not experienced anything like this before,” he said.
“But I can’t support this because global politics are not in the remit of local government”.
“But I can’t support this because global politics are not in the remit of local government”.
However, Cr Garad said Greater Dandenong was a “lightning rod” for global issues because of its “rich diversity”.
“When there is pain in the world we feel it here in Dandenong,” she said.
The Greens councillor, who originally proposed the motion, said it was about “peace and justice” and “standing in solidarity with all victims” of the conflict.
“It’s not anti-Semitic … all we’re asking is for the federal government to support an immediate ceasefire, she said.
“It’s about achieving peace and that can’t be done while there is illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
Ms Garad said a prayer vigil held in Dandenong’s Harmony Square on Thursday was attended by 3000 people and there were no security concerns.
According to a council report to be tabled on Monday night 30 per cent of Greater Dandenong residents are Muslim and the figure rises to as high as 60 per cent in central Dandenong.
The motion to be considered includes calling on the state and federal governments to demand an immediate ceasefire among all parties in the Gaza conflict, the unconditional release of all hostages, and an end to the siege of Gaza.
It wants both levels of government to acknowledge that “peace necessitates an end to illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories”.
The motion also condemns anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and racism in all forms, both in Australia and internationally.
