by Sahar Foladi and Cam Lucadou-Wells
The recent Greater Dandenong Council meeting saw debate shut down on a motion for a second “peace” meeting over the controversial Afghan Bazaar naming dispute.
Greens councillor Rhonda Garad accused Labor councillors of guillotining debate on her notice of motion on 11 March, which sought a “more inclusive” peace talk round with more stakeholders and councillors.
She also unsuccessfully sought for the Afghan Bazaar name to be removed from council marketing material until the issue was resolved.
Earlier, councillors unanimously backed a motion raised by Phillip Danh that noted “diverse and genuinely-held views” on the issue and restated council’s quest for a community consultation.
Cr Garad said Labor-aligned councillors were “working together to sabotage democratic fairness around debating items and also without giving due consideration to my notice of motion, which was very important in terms of fairness to the community.
“They chose to back a motion which really praised their efforts and denied there’s other groups they are leaving out,” she said.
“I think it was a very aggressive approach, suspending standing orders, gagging debates – this behaviour is more seen in Federal parliament, it’s unnecessary at council level.
“This is just strong man tactics to appear to be dominant and appear to crush me.
“They can crush me all they like but when they crush what I put up, that’s the community they’re not considering and not hearing.
“It’s the community they are hurting.”
Cr Danh said it was time to show leadership by working for and with the communities on the sensitive topic.
“Councillors unanimously endorsed a motion calling for peace and calm in our communities. Our job is to work for our community, not ourselves.
“It’s the job of all leaders, including councillors, to unite our community and not divide them for political purposes. This is about taking leadership and calling for calm and peace.
“I acknowledge the pain and trauma experienced by many in the community, particularly for those of Hazara background.
“We must engage with sensitivity and respect the voices of everyone in our communities. This includes promoting the voices of youth, women and the broader public.
“I am proud that Greater Dandenong is the most culturally diverse community in Australia and we must continue to work towards peace and harmony.
“We are stronger together because despite our different backgrounds, we are united by our love for community and proud identity as Australians.”
In response to Cr Danh’s inference that she was using the Hazara community for “political” self-promotion, Cr Garad says she had long stood up for them.
“I feel insulted for them that he’s taken this tack,” Cr Garad – who is also standing as a Greens candidate in Bruce at the upcoming federal election.
“I stood with them after Hazaras had been bombed and children slaughtered two years ago. I’m standing with those people who have suffered and given so much.
“If you can’t stand with people in pain and suffering, what are you doing in public life? Why would you stand against it?
“What I’m hearing from Labor is – we’re in a multicultural community, so shut up. When standing up against genocide … it’s ‘we’re in a multicultural community, shut up’.
“When you stop listening, it’s not the way to peace.”
Cr Bob Milkovic says notices of motions should’ve been processed in a “diplomatic and democratic way” rather than how it was dealt.
“I don’t know what they were doing and why they’ve done it to be honest.
“It’s hard to work out what those Labor guys think and do. There must be something behind it but what and how, I don’t know, it’s hard to say.
“Both notices of motions (Cr’s Garad’s and Danh’s) were done to the safe affect, everybody was calling for peace, nobody wants people to fight in the streets.
Whilst acknowledging the arguments from both groups, the issue had “blown out of proportion”, Cr Milkovic said.
“We can name the place whatever we want it makes no difference, people can decide or we can decide at the end of the day if two groups of people can’t decide whether it should be Bamyan or Kabul or Afghan, we would just call it Dandenong Bazaar.”
