Decision details

Moved by Councillor Scully, seconded by Councillor Scott -

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council note:

(i)          the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), originally established in Australia in 2007, were awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for their ground-breaking efforts to achieve a global treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons;

(ii)         on 7 July 2017, 122 nations voted to adopt the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons ("the Treaty");

(iii)        at this time the Treaty has been signed by 69 nations and ratified by 19 nations. Once ratified by 50 nations, it will enter into force;

(iv)       while the Australian Government supports the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons, it has not yet signed or ratified the Treaty;

(v)         cities in the United States independently began to add their support to this cause, and inspired by them, ICAN will soon launch the Cities Appeal, a campaign for towns and cities to voice their concern for the consequences of nuclear weapons and endorse the Treaty; and

(vi)       the City of Sydney is a member of Mayors for Peace, an international organisation which calls for nuclear disarmament;

(B)        Council congratulate ICAN on their historic achievement and contribution toward global nuclear disarmament;

(C)       the City of Sydney endorse the ICAN Cities Appeal which states that:

"Our city is deeply concerned about the grave threat that nuclear weapons pose to communities throughout the world. We firmly believe that our residents have the right to live in a world free from this threat. Any use of nuclear weapons, whether deliberate or accidental, would have catastrophic, far-reaching and long-lasting consequences for people and the environment. Therefore, we warmly welcome the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons by the United Nations in 2018, and we call on our national government to sign and ratify it without delay"; and

(D)       the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Foreign Affairs Minister calling for the government to sign and ratify the Treaty on behalf of the Australian people.

Variation. At the request of Councillor Scott, and by consent, the motion was varied, such that clause (D) read as follows:

(D)       the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Scott Morrison MP, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Marise Payne, the Federal Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Bill Shorten MP, and the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, calling for the government to sign and ratify the Treaty on behalf of the Australian people.

Variation. At the request of Councillor Phelps, and by consent, the motion was varied by the addition of words to clause (D) as follows –

(D)       the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Scott Morrison MP, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Marise Payne, the Federal Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Bill Shorten MP, the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, and the Hon. Doctor Richard di Natale, calling for the government to sign and ratify the Treaty on behalf of the Australian people.

Carried unanimously.

Time Extension

During discussion on this matter, pursuant to the provisions of Clause 250(3) of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005, it was –

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

That Councillor Scott, be granted an extension of time to speak on this matter.

Carried unanimously.

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