Wollongong councillors knocked back an idea to install a sign or banner welcoming refugees to the city, amid concerns it could be “divisive” and lead to racist violence.
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The proposal to install a sign in a prominent location proclaiming “The City of Wollongong Welcomes Refugees” was put forward by councillor George Takacs on Monday night.
Arguing the case for the “inexpensive” measure, the Greens representative spoke of his own experience as a child of Hungarian refugees, who were treated as outcasts when they moved to Orange, in Western NSW.
“I can remember seeing scowls on people’s faces as they walked past my parents speaking Hungarian, and saying ‘speak English wog’, and that did not make me feel very welcome in the new town we had moved to,” he said.
“I am not suggesting for a moment that Wollongong is missing in action in being a welcoming community for refugees, but sometimes they need that extra visible message that they are welcome in our community.
“Undoubtedly there will be refugees and asylum seekers who are being made to feel, by some people, unwelcome and anything that can be done publicly to show to them that this city officially acknowledges their presence is worth doing.”
But several other councillors, including Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery, worried about singling out refugees and creating racist tensions by installing the sign.
Cr Bradbery spoke of “hatred and vitriol” which erupted in Melbourne between anti-immigration groups and anti-racist protestors over the weekend.
“We haven’t had that experience in this city, and nor would I want it,” he said.
“I would hate to have a sign that welcomes refugees on those big coloured boards – one at Waterfall, one on Picton Road and elsewhere – because I could see it happening that some redneck… using it as a opportunity to deface such a sign.
“I don’t want a bit of rag hanging up in the streets of Wollongong indicating that we welcome refugees, I just want it to be built into psyche and reinforce that its part of our ethos.”
Instead, he suggested a banner be put on the council’s website, which would protect the message from “those who would want to denigrate, demean or put up an alternative”.
“I can see the graffiti artists now, working on it and making a mess of it and just causing more heartache – ‘refos out’, and all that sort of stuff I have seen around in other places.”
After voting down Cr Takacs motion by a majority, councillors voted unanimously to place an online banner on the council’s website and review it after 12 months.
Councillor Leigh Colacino said he did not think the sign was necessary as it was already clear that refugees and immigrants were welcome in Wollongong.
But others spoke in support of a banner, sign or physical symbol of welcome, suggesting the message could be incorporated into public art or other aspects of the city.
Earlier in the meeting, spokeswoman from Refugee Action Collective Illawarra, Margaret Perrott spoke in favour of the sign, recalling her experience in Melbourne recently.
“Last year while struggling down a very uneven pavement in Fitzroy cursing the council, when across the road I saw a large banner on a public building stating ‘Yarra City Council Welcomes Refugees’,” she told councillors.
“Immediately I forgave the council and stopped grumbling about the pavement. Pavements are important, but people are far, far more important.
“Placing a banner would give heart to the refugees in our community and a message to the community that Wollongong council and the community care about people.”