Cr Abdullah’s motion related to the devastation that has occurred since Hamas’ deadly attack on locations in Israel on October 7 and Israel’s violent response since.
The loss of life and destruction has prompted multiple protest rallies in Shepparton by supporters of the Palestinian people.
Cr Abdullah took the following motion to the council’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 21.
That the council:
- Acknowledge that sections of the Greater Shepparton community are deeply impacted and grieving due to the events unfolding in Gaza. These communities have strong family, social and above all, human connections with the victims of the war in Gaza.
- Write a letter to the Federal Government to take the following actions:
- Condemn the initial attacks on civilians and subsequent attacks on hospitals, schools and refugee shelters that have resulted in the killing of thousands of civilians, including women and children in the current conflict.
- Call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza-Palestine.
- Support the UN resolutions for an honourable peace and truce in Palestine.
Four councillors — Sam Spinks, Dinny Adem, Fern Summer and Cr Abdullah herself — voted in favour of the motion. The remaining councillors — Geoff Dobson, Anthony Brophy, Greg James, Ben Ladson and Mayor Shane Sali — all abstained from voting.
The five abstentions meant a majority of councillors did not vote for the motion. Therefore, it lost.
Cr Abdullah, who migrated to Australia in 2004 after growing up in Pakistan, told the meeting the council had a moral responsibility to support members of the Greater Shepparton community.
“I strongly believe that the council has a moral obligation to support sections of our community that have a strong family, social, and above all, human connection with the victims of the catastrophe in Gaza,” Cr Abdullah said.
“This motion acknowledges that the impact of this international conflict is felt right here in our local community in Greater Shepparton.
“This motion asks the council to acknowledge the deep hurt, distress and agony that sections of our local community are experiencing.
“This motion calls for the council to be the local community’s voice.”
The motion was supported by Cr Spinks, who said it was not a difficult decision.
“This notice of motion, for me, is quite simple to support. I don’t know how anybody who has been watching what is occurring could not want to advocate for peace,” she told the meeting.
“We pride ourselves on our multiculturalism. We talk about it all the time. It comes up in every way how multicultural Greater Shepparton is and how much pride we take in that and it comes down to so much more than just food and dance and holidays.
“There is a part of our community that is asking us to care about this and asking us to advocate on their behalf and be their voice and that is what this motion is responding to.”
Another to back the motion was Cr Summer, who said the motion was a call for peace.
“What we do have in front of us here is not a call to arms for the Australian Government, it’s simply a letter requesting peace,” she said.
“We do have this notice of motion before us, it’s valid and we do have to take it on its merits.
“The attacks were beyond reproach but they do not justify outright genocide against innocent civilians and that’s the narrative coming through from my perspective.”
Cr Dinny Adem seconded the motion.
He said no deaths are acceptable.
“As thinking, feeling human beings, we cannot ignore the inhumanity that took place on October 7th and the subsequent inhuman response taking place as we speak,” he said.
“Any issue that affects our community or part thereof must be of concern to council. Any issue that our community specifically raises with us is absolutely our concern.
“This motion is about standing with our community and with every other compassionate, caring human being in calling for a stop to the carnage.”
Several members of the public gallery applauded after each of the four councillors spoke in favour of the resolution.
Mayor Shane Sali was the only other councillor to speak to the motion, explaining to the meeting why he would abstain.
“I personally pray for peace in any conflict taking place around the world that may be connected to people of our region and some of you are in the room tonight as well,” he said.
“But as a councillor of Greater Shepparton, I do not see it as my formal role to take a formal position on an international conflict, which is highly sensitive for many people in our community and beyond, so for that reason I will be abstaining from the vote.”
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