Cumberland Council at risk of Anti-Discrimination Act breach over same-sex book ban

The Cumberland City council decision to ban same-sex parenting books in its libraries has been branded “pathetic” by a neighbouring mayor.

The council, which resides over much of Western Sydney, is at risk of breaching the Anti-Discrimination Act after voting in the ban, which will affect eight libraries across the LGA.

The motion was put forward by city councillor and former Cumberland City mayor Steve Christou.

He alleged that parents were “distraught” upon seeing the book Same-Sex Parents by Holly Duhig in libraries.

Mr Christou spoke to Channel 9 on Wednesday, arguing that the parenting books were “sexualised” and that the ban was an effort to “let kids be kids”.

“You have to understand that at Cumberland City Council, about 60 per cent of the community was born overseas and they have deep conservative values, family values and religious values, it doesn’t matter whether they’re Christian, Catholic, Orthodox, Islamic or Hindu,” Mr Christou said.

“We’ve had consistent complaints on these kinds of books and similar issues infiltrating our libraries from local residents.

“Our community doesn’t want any form of sexualised books or our kids being opened up to any form of sexualisation in the libraries.

“Let kids be kids, they are innocent, let them enjoy reading a book.”

During the council debate over the ban, Mr Christou justified the decision by saying the Cumberland LGA “is not Marrickville or Newtown”, provoking a response from Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne.

“The accusation from a Cumberland City Councillor that the Inner West community is wrong to have books for rainbow families in our libraries is pathetic,” Mr Byrne said.

“If someone as deliberately divisive as Councillor Steve Christou thinks the Inner West is too inclusive and respectful, we wear that as a badge of honour.”

“Let’s be honest, if someone as small minded as Steve Christou is allowed to decide what books kids are able to read and borrow, we’ll end up with nothing but comic books in library collections.

“Banning books is something we would expect to see in Putin’s Russia, not modern, inclusive Sydney.”

The NSW government has warned that this vote may be in breach of the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act, with a potential funding pull at the relevant libraries threatened.

Auburn MP Lynda Voltz has reportedly passed on the matter to NSW Arts Minister John Graham for review.

“If the government wants to take away funding from one of the most socially disadvantaged communities in NSW because their democratically elected council stood up for the values which they believe represents their local community, well shame on them,” Mr Christou said.

‘I would urge them not to do that.”

In January, Mr Christou said he would ban Welcome to Country ceremonies in Western Sydney. A month later he called for a ban on drag story time sessions in the council area.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park condemned Mr Christou’s proposal.

“It’s a pretty sad state of affairs when a democratic arm of government, local government, decide to start banning books,” he said.

“If we’re going to have a council operate and start to become a censorship body, then we will have a look at the public funds that we provide them. I don’t think it’s a wise idea for a council to start censoring what their local residents and ratepayers choose to read or not.”