Marrickville Council to vote on Israeli boycott
Marrickville Council will vote on Tuesday on a motion to rescind its controversial Israel boycott.
Australian media has been awash with reports, most notably in The Australian, criticising the boycott, which the Greens-dominated council passed last December.
A paper prepared for the council and obtained by The Australian suggests the boycott would cost Marrickville ratepayers more than $3.5 million as it would have to forego Hewlett Packard computers, Holden and Volvo cars, telephones and other equipment from Motorola and concrete from Fulton Hogan.
The Australian suggests four Labor councillors and two independents are expected to support Tuesday’s motion to repeal the boycott; one independent is set to side with the five Greens in opposing the motion, although one Green is reportedly having second thoughts.
Cr Victor Macri
MOTION: THAT: 1. Marrickville Council immediately withdraw its support for the BDS Global Campaign and put out a press release stating this on the Council web site. 2. that Council remove the boycott of all goods in Israel and any sporting, academic, government or cultural exchanges. 3. Marrickville Council write to the local state and federal ministers (Carmel Tebbutt and Anthony Albanese) informing them of Councils position on this item. 4. that Council acknowledge that Australian Foreign Policy is the responsibility of the Commonwealth Government and not Local Government. 5. that Marrickville Council write to Randwick Council informing them of Council’s decision. 6. Marrickville Council write a letter detailing the wishes of the people Marrickville for a peaceful solution and an end to violence in the region to Israel and Palestine Governments. Officer’s CommentsGeneral ManagerAs part of the resolution of the Council on the GBDS adopted on the 14th December 2010 staff were required to prepare a report on the implications of the GBDS should Council decide to actively pursue the boycott and divestment provisions inherent in the global BDS campaign. A report has been completed and has been included in the Business Paper for the Council meeting to be held on 19th April. This report includes commentary on the potential financial implications of the GBDS decision of the Council. I urge the Council to seek a workable and equitable solution to this issue as a matter of urgency as the GBDS issue and the speculation surrounding it has become a distraction for staff at a time when we are working through a considerable program of organisational change and strategic planning aimed at maintaining Marrickville Council as a vibrant, sustainable and responsive Council into the future.
Sanity prevalis