Wyndham council will call on the federal government to sign and ratify a United Nations treaty which would prohibit the use, production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons.
Councillor Robert Szatkowski raised a notice of motion on the issue during a council meeting on Tuesday, March 22, which became a topic of division amongst councillors.
Cr Szatkowski said the threat of a nuclear conflict remains “ever present” and would affect all levels of government.
“As leaders of our local community, we have a duty to take whatever action we can to prevent destruction of this magnitude,” Cr Szatkowski said in a written rationale.
“Nothing else we do now will mean a thing if we face a nuclear war.”
Cr Szatkowski’s motion was supported by Crs Marcel Mahfoud, Sahana Ramesh, Jasmine Hill, Peter Maynard and Jennie Barrera, who said the issue was a humanitarian one, not a political decision.
“I hope to vote with my conscience tonight and I think it’s time for us to call on the Australian government to sign and ratify the treaty.
“It would be the local government who would be picking up the pieces, so we do have a role and we do have a responsibility.”
Cr Susan McIntyre said whilst war is “horrific”, she would vote against the motion.
“The feedback that I have got from the community … is that we need to focus on the local issues and what’s happening in our community.”
Crs Josh Gilligan, Mia Shaw and Heather Marcus also chose to vote against the motion.
Abstaining from the vote was Cr Adele Hegedich who explained that she was not elected to make decisions on matters of international law or national security.
“I am not a federal government politician, I’m a councillor at a local government. I was elected to make decisions on rates, roads and rubbish.”
The motion was carried and Wyndham will join Brimbank, Maribrynong and Macedon Ranges council in endorsing the campaign to abolish nuclear weapons.
