Decision details

Moved by Councillor Ellsmore, seconded by the Chair (the Lord Mayor) –

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         the 2023 National General Assembly of Local Government will be held from 13 to 16 June in Canberra;

(ii)        the theme for the 2023 National General Assembly is ‘Our Communities, Our Futures’. This year’s call for motions focuses on eight priority areas, one of which is ‘Climate Change and Renewable Energy’. Motions are requested which identify programs and initiatives that the Commonwealth Government could develop, to assist Councils in their work to address climate change and reduce emissions;

(iii)      on 20 August 2022, Council passed a motion in support of banning fossil fuel advertising. Council: 

(a)       acknowledged that we are in a climate emergency; 

(b)       noted that air pollution from burning fossil fuels takes 8.7 million lives prematurely each year, which is more than tobacco;

(c)       noted that several countries around the world have restricted or banned fossil fuel advertising, including France and the United Kingdom;

(d)       noted that the Federal Government has a responsibility to implement restrictions on fossil fuel advertising through national laws, as was done for tobacco advertising, and which saw a proven reduction in tobacco consumption per capita;

(e)       committed to investigate ways to restrict fossil fuel advertising in the City of Sydney Local Government Area, and advocate for restrictions on fossil fuel advertising at the State and Federal level; and

(f)        agreed not to accept sponsorships from companies whose main business is the extraction or sale of coal, oil and gas;

(iv)      the Lord Mayor has since written to the Federal Minister for Communications, asking the Federal Government to pass national laws that restrict fossil fuel advertising, and to the NSW Minister for Digital Government and Minister for Customer Service, requesting the NSW Government impose restrictions on fossil fuel advertising; and

(v)       the Chief Executive Officer was requested to take a number of actions, including to work with other councils, Local Government NSW and the Australian Local Government Association to encourage a consistent approach across local government to fossil fuel advertising;

(B)      Council endorse a motion to be submitting to the 2023 National General Assembly of Local Government, which reads as follows:

This National General Assembly calls on the Australian Government to:

1.       Recognise local governments are on the front line of the climate transition and that climate related floods and bushfires have left many councils with huge damage to roads and other infrastructure.

2.       Recognise that thriving in the new economy requires communities to adapt to a changing climate, rapidly cut emissions, as well as educating local communities about the impacts and causes of climate change.

3.       Encourage low emissions consumption nationally through public information campaigns, Australian Consumer Law, the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 (Cth) (GEMS Act) or other relevant Commonwealth powers.

4.       Open a fund to allow councils to sponsor community, education, sporting and cultural groups that currently take funding from the coal, petroleum or gas industry.

(C)      the Chief Executive Officer be requested to submit the motion on behalf of Council by the 24 March 2023 deadline, in the required format.

The motion was carried on the following show of hands:

Ayes (8)               The Lord Mayor, Councillors Chan, Davis, Ellsmore, Kok, Scott, Scully and Weldon.

Noes (2)              Councillors Gannon and Jarrett.

Motion carried.

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