New South Wales (NSW) Premier Chris Minns has finally spoken out regarding a western Sydney council’s decision to remove a book on same-sex parenting from its library services.
Mr. Minns took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on May 9 to call for councillors to repeal their decision, accusing them of using the LGBTQ+ community for political gain.
He stated, “Cumberland councillors need to repeal their decision to ban same-sex parenting books now. We should have faith in our community to choose what they read. It’s clear the LGBTQ+ community is being used as a political football here—leaders in our community should know better.”
Furthermore, Mr. Minns addressed threats by NSW Arts Minister John Graham to withdraw library funding in response to the council’s decision, labeling the situation as “ridiculous.” He emphasized the freedom to choose whether to read a book and insinuated that the controversy may have been orchestrated due to an upcoming election.
Region’s History of Defiance Against Same-Sex Topics
This is not the first time the Cumberland region has been embroiled in controversy over same-sex issues. Blaxland, a division within Cumberland, had the highest number of ‘No’ votes in the 2017 gay marriage referendum. Despite this, the national majority ultimately approved same-sex marriage.
Cumberland is a diverse community, with significant Chinese and Lebanese populations. The region also has a high percentage of residents born overseas, reflecting its multicultural background.
Mayor-turned-councillor Steve Christou, who initiated the book-banning motion, cited the community’s wishes and cultural differences as reasons for the decision. Supporters of the ban have praised it as a victory for conservative values, while critics have condemned it as discriminatory and censorious.
The councillors who supported the motion were Steve Christou, Greg Cummings, Paul Garrard, Helen Hughes, Mohamad Hussein, and Michael Zaiter. Those against the motion were councillors Diane Colman, Glenn Elmore, Kun Huang, Lisa Lake, and Suman Saha.
