Pass Resolutions On A Local Council Level #

Local government resolutions and declarations send important messages about the values of a community. Passing local resolutions alerts state and federal governments about community support for issues, pressures representatives to act, and can be an effective strategy to lay the foundations for future state and federal legislative efforts.

How Can You Propose A Resolution To Your Local Council? #

  1. Find your local council
    • ACT
      • Note: Community Councils in the ACT are not local government bodies. However, they engage with the ACT government, which performs local government functions.1
    • NSW
    • NT
    • QLD
    • SA
    • TAS
    • VIC
    • WA
  2. Go to your council’s website - find their processes and requirements for proposing a motion/resolution at the next council meeting.
    • If you cannot find information online, contact the council via their contact details and ask how you can propose a motion for consideration.
  3. Draft a resolution proposal.
    • See below for examples of demands successfully passed in other so-called australian councils.
  4. If accepted, this proposal will be put forward to your local councillors to vote on and action.

Examples Of Successfully-Passed Resolutions: #

Merri-bek Council on 8/11/23 #

  • The Merri-bek Council voted in favour of a motion to (among other points) fly the Palestinian flag at the Council’s Coburg Civic Centre, condemn the siege on Gaza and israel’s war crimes, and write to the prime minister to ask him to condemn israel’s attacks and call for an immediate ceasefire.
  • Read the full motion passed here.

Greater Dandenong City Council on 27/11/23 #

  • The Greater Dandenong City Council voted in favour of a motion to (among other points) urge the Victorian government to end relationships with any companies whose weapons are used in the Gaza conflict, condemn all war crimes committed, condemn Islamophobia and anti-seminitism, condemn racism in all its forms, and urge the federal government to call for an immediate ceasefire.
  • Read the full motion passed here, Item 5.

Canterbury Bankstown Council on 28/11/23 #

  • The Canterbury Bankstown Council voted in favour of a motion to (among other points) fly the Palestinian flag at a local park and administrative building until a ceasefire is declared, dedicate a community space for wreaths and flowers to be laid in memorial, and urge the government to call for an immediate ceasefire.
  • Read the full motion passed here, see pages 10 - 11.

Hold These Councillors Accountable #

These councillors actively did not support motions supporting Palestine and calls for ceasefire. Call and email them to demand that they stop supporting genocide, and vote in favour of a ceasefire and other resolutions supporting Palestine.

Inner-West Sydney (New South Wales) #

On November 21st, Greens councillors of the Inner West Council proposed a motion calling for a ceasefire, for the Council to work towards ending the genocide, and for the Council to write to the federal government to express this support. The councillors listed below voted against this motion.

Instead, they passed an alternative resolution that merely:

  • “Notes” that the federal government had “called for steps towards a ceasefire”
  • “Notes” that the “current conflict” cannot be viewed in isolation from the illegal occupation of Palestine and forced displacement of Palestinians
  • “Recognises the impact” on residents and implements non-specific “practical measures” to direct residents to support services

The alternative resolution that passed does not support a ceasefire, and the councillors below must be held accountable for voting against the original motions.

Read the full rejected motion and the second motion that was passed here, Item 22 (Page 5).

Baludarri Ward (Balmain)

Damun Ward (Stanmore)

Djarrawunang Ward (Ashfield)

Gulgadya Ward (Leichhardt)

Midjuburi Ward (Marrickville)

Bayside (New South Wales) #

On November 22nd, Bayside Council voted on a motion calling for a ceasefire, for the Council to work towards ending the genocide, and for the Council to write to the federal government to express this support. The councillors below abstained from voting, which is counted as a vote against the motion.

Read the full rejected motion here, Item 12.4 (Page 33).

Bayside

Maribyrnong (Victoria) #

The Maribyrnong councillors listed below have proposed a motion to rescind the decision they passed on November 21st to condemn israel, recognise the ongoing displacement war crimes against Palestinians, and call for ceasefire (among other points).

The rescission motion will be considered and councillors will vote on whether to retract their support for Gaza on December 12th at the next council meeting.

Read the full motion that is in danger of being rescinded here.

Maribyrnong

Wyndham (Victoria) #

Community members in Wyndham have drafted a petition asking the Wyndham Council to take meaningful action and pass a motion in solidarity with Palestine, following the motions of other city councils.

This petition was closed on 12/12/23, but you can contact wyndhamforpalestine@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list for updates and calls to action.

Notes #

  1. Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory. <https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/visit-and-learn/resources/factsheets/australian-levels-of-government> Accessed 27/12/23. ↩︎