Decision details

Moved by Councillor Gannon –

It is resolved that:

(A)       Council note:

(i)         an event called ‘Why it’s right to say: Globalise the Intifada’ was scheduled to be held on 4 May 2026 at Darlington Activity Centre;

(ii)        the event has since been rescheduled to take place on 5 May 2026 at the East Sydney Community and Arts Centre;

(iii)       both venues are Council-owned and managed by the City of Sydney;

(iv)       the Premier of NSW has publicly indicated to prohibit the phrase “globalise the intifada” as part of proposed reforms to strengthen hate-speech laws in New South Wales;

(v)        at present, the phrase has not been formally prohibited in legislation, despite the Premier describing it as hateful and violent rhetoric;

(vi)       members of the Jewish community, including representative organisations such as the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, have expressed serious concern regarding the event and its potential impact; and

(vii)      legislation enacted by the Queensland Parliament in March 2026 criminalises the public use of this phrase where it is likely to cause menace, harassment or offence;

(B)       Council further note:

(i)         the City of Sydney has an established commitment to facilitating lawful freedom of expression and peaceful assembly within Council-owned facilities;

(ii)        Council is also committed to ensuring all facilities remain safe, inclusive and welcoming to all members of the community; and

(iii)       in the absence of a statutory prohibition, Council has no legal grounds to prevent the event from proceeding;

(C)       Council note that the hosting of the event within a Council-owned facility has had an adverse impact on community cohesion by contributing to division within the local community and causing distress and apprehension among Jewish residents, as well as many other residents who feel affected by the resulting tensions across the City of Sydney local government area; and

(D)       the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Premier to seek an update on the NSW Government’s proposed reforms to hate speech-laws as they relate to the phrase “globalise the intifada” and how this relates to the implied constitutional right to freedom of expression.

The motion lapsed for want of a seconder.

X113764