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 the western Sydney suburbs of Auburn and Merrylands, made the decision last Wednesday.

Former mayor and current councillor Steve Christou put forward the amendment ‘that council take immediate action to rid same sex parents books/materials in council’s library service’.

The motion passed with six councillors for the amendment and five against, reported the Sydney Morning Herald. 

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

The book features a gay male couple and their son on the cover.  

Former mayor and current councillor Steve Christou (pictured) put forward the amendment ‘that council take immediate action to rid same sex parents books/materials in council’s library service’. 

‘This is not Marrickville or Newtown, this is Cumberland City Council, and we need to respect the wishes of our residents,’ Mr Christou said during the debate. 

He said the council’s religious and conservative community did not want ‘controversial issues going against their beliefs indoctrinated into their libraries’. 

Mayor Lisa Lake voted against the ruling.

‘If it’s not a banned book then certainly there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be available to someone who may be seeking it through our libraries, and it’s certainly not a matter for us to censor,’ Lake said. 

‘It’s not reflective of the principles that Cumberland City Council upholds generally in our community.’ 

Mr Christou rejected the suggestion the ban was discriminatory, telling the Herald that the book was sexualising young children.

‘Children are innocent and should be allowed to enjoy appropriate story reading time in their libraries without being burdened by issues of sexualisation,’ he told the paper. 

Daily Mail Australia approached Cumberland City Council for comment.