Byron Shire Councillors have supported a motion put forward at Thursday's ordinary meeting for Ethical Procurement Policy in Compliance with International Human Rights Law.

The motion appears to have brought a war of words to the Northern Rivers, causing division in the community.

Byron Council staff said, 'The proposal to strengthen these commitments through greater alignment with international human rights standards is consistent with Council's policy direction. However, given the complexity and potential breadth of the proposed changes, it is essential to proceed with caution and utmost diligence. A thorough assessment is required to ensure full compliance with Council's legal, operational, and financial obligations, and to mitigate the risk of unintended consequences which could affect Council’s governance, financial position and service delivery.'

'Implementing the actions proposed in the Motion would require a significant increase in staff time, legal oversight, and procurement resourcing.'

The advice was ignored, the motion passed, and two press releases were sent by the Northern Rivers Friends of Palestine and the Northern Rivers Jewish Community Association.

NORTHERN RIVERS FRIENDS OF PALESTINE

Byron Shire Council today voted to boycott companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements, taking a step forward in protecting ratepayers’ money from human rights abuses.

“In 2024 we said ‘Not In Our Name’ — and now we’re saying ‘Not With Our Money’,” said Subhi Awad from Northern Rivers Friends of Palestine. “Our community, and communities across this country, do not want our money going to bombing hospitals and killing kids. This isn’t about division or anything else, it’s about basic human decency. It’s another clear signal to the government that we want sanctions on Israel and another huge win for the boycott movement.”

The original motion was co-sponsored by Greens Councillor Elia Hauge. Her motion was foreshadowed by Labor councillor Asren Pugh, whose motion was similar but removed the 2025 list of companies that listed in Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese’s report, From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide. Cr Pugh’s motion referred only to a smaller 2020 UN list of companies. Cr Pugh’s motion was carried.

Cr Hauge has said: “Ethical procurement is core council business. People here don’t want their rates funding companies that demolish homes, displace families, or profit from killing civilians. This is good governance — and good conscience.”

Greens Cr Michelle Lowe, who seconded Cr Hauge’s motion, has said, “This motion asks us to live up to our existing values, to listen to our community and to take meaningful action in solidarity with those facing atrocities. It is the least we can do and it’s exactly what is expected of us as community representatives. Collectively we have power.”

Northern Rivers Friends of Palestine welcomed the progress but pledged to continue campaigning for full divestment from all companies complicit in Israel’s war crimes.

THE NORTHERN RIVERS JEWISH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

The NSW Jewish community condemns the decision of some Byron Shire councillors to import division and hatred into our communities by supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions is not a peace-based movement, its leaders openly oppose dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, reject a two-state solution, and advocate for the dismantling of the world’s only Jewish state.

The Byron Shire decision will have no impact on the global conflict raging in the middle east but will risk feeding the antisemitism and bigotry already running rampant on our streets. Councillors were provided with compelling evidence of this escalating hate in the region and chose to ignore it. 

Stunningly, councillors admitted during debate that no work has been undertaken to examine the cost of this decision to ratepayers.

The motion includes an order that council will be “ceasing to conduct business” with any business named on an opaque United Nations list that includes Airbnb, Booking.com, TripAdvisor.com and Expedia. This list is intended as advisory only and has been criticised for politicisation by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Canada.

It is unclear what that will mean for the thousands of short-term rental providers, tourism operators and hospitality businesses in the region.

Council must answer questions about whether it will continue to collect rates and levies from businesses and owners which operate with these providers, and if so, how it can justify doing so.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman said, “This isn’t just virtue signalling, this will cost rate payers and council must tell them how much.

"Weighing into an overseas conflict will not bring peace to the Middle East but is causing clear rifts between Byron community members where they were previously harmonious, undermining local cohesion and hurting both the Jewish and broader local community."

Northern Rivers Jewish Community Association President Annalee Atia said, “The Byron Shire Council conducted no meaningful engagement with its constituents on this divisive and highly contentious matter and despite several attempts, has chosen to ignore important input from the local Jewish community, causing irreversible harm with their decision to adopt this motion and greatly affecting their relationship with one of its minority communities.

“Many misinformed and divisive statements were made on the day. We respect that councillors hold strong personal views, but motions that single out one nationality or community are discriminatory by nature and have real, negative implications for our local community.”

It appears that the effects of the Gaza war have reached the Northern Rivers.