Activist campaign ranks local gov candidates on Gaza in email survey
‘We Vote for Palestine’ emailed all NSW candidates urging them to ‘take the ... pledge’ and vote on whether they would support a council motions for a ceasefire, divestment of financial ties, and ‘sister city relationships’ with Gaza.
A new campaign led by pro-Palestine activists will rank local government candidates on their support of Palestine ahead of the September council elections to “inform voters across New South Wales ... where their representatives stand on Palestinian rights”.
But some councillors say The Muslim Vote-style effort to sway local government elections is stoking division in the community at a time when ratepayers want representatives to return to ‘roads and rubbish’.
The group ‘We Vote for Palestine’, led by pro-Palestine protestor Subhi Awad, is not affiliated with The Muslim Vote or the Muslim Votes Matters.
‘We Vote for Palestine’, which describes itself as a “very broad coalition of at least 30 advocacy groups”, emailed all NSW candidates with addresses available on the electoral commission urging them to “take the ... pledge” and vote “I do” or “I do not” on six key issues related to Gaza.
Pledges to back a council motion for an immediate ceasefire, support divestment of Council’s financial ties to Israel, and create “sister city relationships with Gaza”, will contribute to an overall star-rating from one to six stars. A non-reply would result in a zero-star rating.
“A higher rating will reflect your alignment with the ongoing fight for Palestinian rights and self-determination” and the scorecard will be made available on their website when it goes live on August 28, the group said.
The campaign “aims to hold all levels of government accountable for Australia’s ongoing role during this genocide,” said the email, signed by Mr Awad.
“With Palestinian rights becoming an increasingly important issue to voters across Australia, your stance will be closely scrutinised.”
Mr Awad previously made headlines when he scaled a building during a pro-Palestine protest at the University of Queensland. He was sentenced to a good behaviour bond in court for engaging in an unregulated high-risk activity.
Last week, police were called to Sydney’s Inner West Council chambers after a Greens-led pro-Palestine protest related to a Boycott, Divest, Sanction motion turned ugly, forcing the abandonment of the meeting.
Independent Randwick councillor Noel D’Souza, who received the email, said it “fuels the fire” of division.
“I was very disappointed,” Mr D’Souza said. “I’m not happy with what it advocates ... It’s all about division, and I like bringing people together.”
He said ratepayers were “very frustrated” and “upset” at the diversion from “road, rates and rubbish” to “international issues which are far beyond our scope to make a difference”.
Liberal councillor for Randwick Christie Hamilton did not receive the email but said it was “just perpetuating a cultural war”, calling it “seriously concerning”.
“We’re fighting really hard to refocus but it’s difficult,” she said.
The Australian previously reported the Greens had “become more extreme” at some councils and those where it has exercised power have been described as “failed experiments”.
Mr Awad told The Australian that while it was legitimate for constituents to want their council to focus on roads, rates and rubbish, voting on motions about the Gaza only took up a small amount of council time, and the public needed “transparency”.
“We would love for people to engage (with the pledge) and say we’re up for a ceasefire, that tells the community that these people are wanting a peaceful resolution ... that's a great thing to say to the community and perhaps that gives them an opportunity for people in the community to view them as more trustworthy,” he said.
Asked about councillors saying the campaign stifled community cohesion, Mr Awad said: “I don’t think wanting war to end is divisive, people wanting war to continue is ... more divisive”.
NSW Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig did not respond to request for comment.
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