Jenny Ellis (inset) put forward a motion for a banner policy after pride flags sparked debate. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Griffith Council has narrowly voted down a proposal for a transparent policy governing the display of banners on its main street, after some in the community criticised the unannounced erection of LGBTQ+ themed rainbow flags in June this year.
Councillor Jenny Ellis put forward a motion for council to prepare a draft policy governing the use of council-owned banner poles within the CBD, including an approval process and guidelines to consider community impact.
Councillors Mark Dal Bon, Anne Napoli and Tony Grady supported the motion, while councillors Doug Curran, Shari Blumer, Christine Stead and Scott Groat opposed it.
The vote was tied four-all, allowing Mayor Curran to vote again under the rules. He cast the deciding vote against the motion.
“I brought this motion forward because I believe council should have a fair, equitable and transparent policy to govern the use of our CBD banner poles,” Cr Ellis said.
“It was the community’s response to recent banners that brought this to my attention.
“It’s so we can make confident decisions when there is conflict on difficult issues.”
While her motion made no reference to pride flags or the LGBTQ+ community, Cr Blumer said she felt it was targeted at the group.
“I’d like to address the rainbow-striped elephant in the room. This motion has come about because of the recent display of banners on Banna Avenue with the words courage, pride, acceptance and hope on a rainbow-striped background,” she said.
“All of a sudden we need a banner policy because of those four simple words on a coloured banner.”
Cr Blumer claimed the motion sought to silence the LGBTQ+ community by creating a “bunch of tangled policies and procedures”.
She also said there had also been offensive posts on Facebook targeting the group.
The banners’ proponents Cai Holroyd, Cassandra Campbell-Smith and Hayley Jackson spoke at a public forum before the council meeting raising similar concerns and opposing the motion.
Cr Ellis said she was trying to prevent harm and improve transparency.
“Now that we have a precedent about a community group putting something up where there were a lot of people against it, it opens the door for other groups to say they want [to do the same],” she said.
Griffith Council put up the banners along Banna Avenue to celebrate Pride Month in June, which raises awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTQ+) communities.
The pride banners were up for the month of June. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
The flags were praised by many residents and criticised by others, with councillors receiving phone calls from those upset by the gesture.
“I think council is in place to further the commerce and infrastructure in the town, not for social engineering or to make social statements,” businessman Kevin Foster said.
Others said they did not mind the banners but objected to ratepayers’ funds being used to pay for them and criticised council for not explaining why they were put up.
Cr Ellis argued that guidelines were needed to determine whether banners should be displayed and who should pay for them.
Given her proposal was defeated, decisions on banners will continue to be made internally by council staff rather than by councillors.
