Activists and local councillors are relieved that 12 anti-racism street signs in Sydney’s Woollahra council area will remain after a motion to remove them failed on Monday night.
Councillors Toni Zeltzer, Peter Cavanagh and Mary-Lou Jarvis put forward the motion, arguing the signs “were not justified by reports of racist incidents, name-calling or violence of any kind.”
“On streets where these signs have been erected, locals have been made to feel like racists,” the notice of the motion said.
“The signs do not properly represent our community and are simply an appropriation from some other community or other Local Government Area where racism may be rife.”
The motion was defeated after the Woollahra Municipal Council voted 8-7 to keep the “racism not welcome” signs.
Councillor Luise Elsing, who moved the first motion to introduce the street signs, told SBS News that “racism exists in Woollahra.”
“That’s why so many of its institutions receive Federal Government Safer Community grants,” she said.
“All of us need to stand up against racism and the Racism Not Welcome signage is one way Woollahra Council can support their residents”.
Former Socceroo and SBS football commentator Craig Foster is a supporter of the #RacismNOTWelcome street sign campaign.
Councillor Luise Elsing and Mayor Susan Wynne with #RacismNotWelcome signs. Source: Woollahra Council website
In June 2021, national support for the campaign was won at the Australian Local Government Association conference in Canberra – an organisation representing 537 local councils across the country.
But despite the campaign's success, Mr Foster said several small councils across the country have pushed back against the signs.
“Who could possibly want to push back against anti-racism that is about normalising discussions, conversations about the racism that I think is evident to all of us that exists in Australia in many different capacities?” he told SBS News.
“When we see pushback against anti-racism movements… we get an insight into the pressures that stop people coming forward and giving their testimony.”
He said much of the racism in Australia is hidden as a result of institutional and social pressures “for people not to make a noise” and “not to tell the truth” about how they are treated.
“If we genuinely believe that racism is not around us… then we're not looking hard enough. We don't understand what racism is, and we need to look at ourselves. Not at an anti-racism campaign.”
Addressing the Council on Monday, Councillor Mary-Lou Jarvis said she has been consistently opposed to putting up the signs.
“I put my name to the recommendation to remove the signs tonight,” she said.
“Why? ‘Because if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything’.”
Ms Jarvis said the motion to introduce the signs was “another example of wokeism which I understand was copied from a Sydney inner-city council.”
“Rather than make everyone feel good about themselves it has created angst in our community,” she said.
“I believe the decision to put the signs up was flawed.
“Where does it end? Shall we put up signs next that chauvinism is not welcome here? In my view, this is not going to do one bit of good to reduce racism.”
In an exclusive report, The Feed covered a case in Sydney’s eastern suburbs last year of a 64-year-old man of Asian appearance being verbally harassed by a white couple.
While Federal Member for Wentworth, Dave Sharma has addressed anti-semitic attacks in the electorate - which includes suburbs of the Woollahra LGA.
“Unfortunately, the Jewish community in Wentworth has been the target of a number of attacks in recent years,” he said in February.
“There is a demonstrated need for strengthened security measures to ensure the community can practise their faith in freedom and without fear.
"It is important we do all we can to protect vulnerable communities from this and other forms of intolerance and bigotry.”
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