Cumberland City council bans same-sex parenting books from the city’s libraries

A Sydney council has voted to ban same-sex parenting books.

Cumberland City Council, which includes Sydney’s western suburbs of Auburn and Merrylands, made the decision last Wednesday.

Former mayor and current councilor Steve Christou introduced the amendment “that the council take immediate action to remove same-sex parent books/materials from the council’s library service.”

The motion was passed with six councilors in favor of the amendment and five against, the Sydney Morning Herald.

Mr Christou held up a photo of a book called Same-Sex Parents by author Holly Duhig, which he said had sparked complaints from his constituents.

Former mayor and current councilor Steve Christou (pictured) has tabled the amendment ‘that the council take immediate action to remove same-sex parent books/materials from the council’s library service’.

Holluy Duhig’s book, titled ‘Same-Sex Parents’, features two men and a child on the cover.

“This is not Marrickville or Newtown, this is Cumberland City Council, and we must respect the wishes of our residents,” he said during the debate.

He said the council’s religious and conservative community did not want “controversial issues that went against their beliefs to be indoctrinated into their libraries.”

Mayor Lisa Lake voted against the ruling.

“If it’s not a banned book, there’s certainly no reason why it shouldn’t be available to someone who seeks it through our libraries, and it’s certainly not ours to censor,” Lake said.

“It does not reflect the principles that the Cumberland City Council generally upholds in our community.”