Two Cumberland councillors have accused a ‘Racism Not Welcome’ sign of being disrespectful towards ANZACs and fallen Australian soldiers.
A recent Cumberland Council meeting has seen a notice of motion be raised to relocate the ‘Racism Not Welcome’ signage that currently sits in “close proximity” to the cenotaph in Lidcombe Remembrance Park.
The ‘Racism Not Welcome’ campaign is an initiative that intends to acknowledge the existence of racism, validate people’s lived experiences with it and normalise conversations about racism whilst igniting change.
The signs are designed to be a “physical manifestation of the underlying principle that racism exists” and that people have a “responsibility to confront it”.
Cr Helen Hughes, who moved the motion to relocate the sign, said its current location is “callous and insensitive” to the people who fought for the country, which the cenotaph memorialises.
“To have this signage along Remembrance Park, specifically within very close proximity to the cenotaph, is reprehensible,” Cr Hughes said.
“It needs to be removed and relocated elsewhere, not aligned with Remembrance Park, specifically the cenotaph itself.”
Cr Steve Christou agreed with Cr Hughes and said the council should go on “bended knee” and offer an apology to the relevant RSL over the placement of the sign.
“What an absolute embarrassment and a disgrace to our ANZACs that this has actually gone up in front of the cenotaph,” he said.
“These ANZACs would be turning in their graves, they don’t deserve this disrespect and our council should know better.”
Cr Christou then called for removing the signs and said they are “un-Australian.”
Speaking against the motion, Deputy Mayor Kun Huang voiced his frustration at the push to relocate the sign.
“The OLC political party has stooped to a new low by dragging ANZACs into a political debate, [it’s] nothing but disgusting,” he said.
Cr Huang said the signs are “welcome” by the local community, and that locals should stand behind the messaging the signs aim to deliver.
Cr Christou, Cr Garrard, Cr Hughes, Cr Michael Zaiter and Cr Greg Cummings voted in favour of the motion.
Those who opposed were Cr Sabrin Farooqui, Cr Glenn Elmore, Cr Mohamad Hussein, Cr Ola Hamed, Cr Diane Colman, Cr Suman Saha, Cr Huang and Mayor Lisa Lake.
Although the motion to move the sign was lost, Cr Christou has lodged a recission motion and the item will be re-heard at the next council meeting.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.