Since October 7 motions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza have been handed by eight Victorian councils – Merri-bek (previously Moreland), Maribyrnong, Dandenong, Yarra, Hume, Darebin, Wyndham and Brimbank.
This week the Metropolis of Melbourne, the place I’m a councillor, joined the fray debating a movement calling for a ceasefire within the Israel-Hamas struggle.
It’s laughable that the actions of a council in Victoria could have any affect over what is occurring on the bottom in Israel and Palestine.
However there may be loads that councils can do to de-escalate tensions right here in Melbourne.
After the Metropolis of Melbourne’s ceasefire movement was made public, I acquired nearly 1000 letters and emails.
One was from a Jewish father who visited the town together with his kids every weekend. Till not too long ago. After getting an ice cream, his 13-year-old son was recognized as Jewish by protesters within the pro-Palestinian march. He wrote that protesters proceeded to cowl his son’s physique in anti-Semitic stickers.
Each week I hear from Jewish enterprise house owners who arrive every morning to seek out their retailers lined in antisemitic materials, who’re threatened with boycotts and topic to slurs. And guests who’re so intimidated by the chants of the tons of of pro-Palestinian activists who march by means of our streets every weekend that they’ve stopped coming to the town.
Councillors can’t obtain peace within the Center East. That’s not what we have been elected to do. However we are able to work to make sure we create a metropolis that each Victorian feels secure in.
Many ratepayers rightly level out that councils ought to follow their core enterprise – roads, charges and garbage. If we try this we are able to make an actual distinction in our communities.
The movement was misplaced after greater than three hours of debate. I voted in opposition to the movement calling for a ceasefire as a result of I wasn’t elected to alter international coverage. However I used to be elected to maintain our metropolis clear.
So whereas I voted in opposition to the ceasefire movement, later that night time I voted to swiftly take away the vile racist graffiti and different materials plastered throughout our metropolis. As a result of metropolis cleanliness is core enterprise.
However it’s time to cease losing council assets and ratepayer {dollars} on having these debates.
Let’s get international coverage out of native authorities and get again to enterprise.
Roshena Campbell is a Metropolis of Melbourne councillor
Initially printed as Roshena Campbell: Councils must cease losing money and time debating Gaza ceasefire motions
