Agenda of Extraordinary Meeting of Council

WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCILLORS

Councillor G

Mayor

Councillor Greg

Conkey OAM

Councillor D

Deputy Mayor

Councillor Dallas Tout

Councillor Y

Councillor Yvonne Braid

Councillor P

Councillor Paul Funnell

Councillor D

Councillor Dan Hayes

Councillor V

Councillor Vanessa Keenan

Councillor R

Councillor Rod Kendall

Councillor T

Councillor Tim Koschel

Councillor K

Councillor Kerry Pascoe

QUORUM

The quorum for a meeting of the Council is a majority of the Councillors of the Council who hold office for the time being who are eligible to vote at the meeting.

COUNCIL MEETING ROOM

Reports submitted to the Extraordinary Meeting of Council to be held on Wednesday 22 April 2020.

Extraordinary Meeting of Council AGENDA AND BUSINESS PAPER

Wednesday 22 April 2020

ORDER OF BUSINESS:

CLAUSE PRECIS PAGE

PRAYER 2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY 2

APOLOGIES 2

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 2

Notices of Motions of Rescission

NOR-1 NOTICE OF RESCISSION - SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIPS 3

Councillor Report

CR-1 COUNCILLOR REPORT - APOLOGY TO OUR SISTER CITY AND FRIENDS IN CHINA 6

QUESTIONS/BUSINESS WITH NOTICE 9

PRAYER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

APOLOGIES

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Report submitted to the Extraordinary Meeting of Council on Wednesday 22 April 2020

NOR-1

Notice of Motions of Rescission

NOR-1 NOTICE OF RESCISSION - SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIPS

Councillor: The Mayor , Councillor Greg Conkey OAM

Councillor Dan Hayes

Councillor Rod Kendall

Summary:

The purpose of this notice of rescission is to rescind a resolution of Council from the 14 April 2020 Ordinary meeting to repeal and sever, any and all Sister City agreements associated with China.

Recommendation

That Council rescinds Resolution No. 20/125 from the 14 April 2020 Ordinary Council Meeting, which reads as follows:

That Council:

a repeal and sever, any and all Sister City agreements, Friendship programmes and arrangements, and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) associated with the People’s Republic of China

b notify our Sister City Committee of this decision of Council

Report

A rescission motion signed by the Mayor, Councillor Greg Conkey OAM, Councillor Dan Hayes and Councillor Rod Kendall has been received by Council to rescind the abovementioned resolution.

A copy of the rescission motion is attached.

Financial Implications

N/A

Policy and Legislation

Wagga Wagga City Council Code of Meeting Practice

Link to Strategic Plan

Community Leadership and Collaboration

Objective: We have strong leadership

Outcome: We have leaders that represent us

Risk Management Issues for Council

N/A

Internal / External Consultation

N/A

Attachments

1 ⇩.

Notice of Rescission - Sister City Relationships

Report submitted to the Extraordinary Meeting of Council on Wednesday 22 April 2020

CR-1

Councillor Report

CR-1 COUNCILLOR REPORT - APOLOGY TO OUR SISTER CITY AND FRIENDS IN CHINA

Author: The Mayor, Councillor Greg Conkey OAM

Recommendation

That Council:

a authorise the Mayor to write a letter of apology and recommitment to our sister city and friends in China

b apologise to the community for the harm and reputational damage the previous resolution has caused

Report

Earlier this year, our Council celebrated that it had been making decisions for 150 years.

Over that time, there have been 268 elected members who have sat in the Chamber and did what they thought was right for the city and the region. There have been 44 Mayors during that time.

I doubt any Mayor has needed to write a report such as the report I bring to you now.

On Tuesday night, with the support of just three Councillors, a resolution was passed by Wagga Wagga City to:

a repeal and sever, any and all Sister City agreements, Friendship programmes and arrangements, and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) associated with the People’s Republic of China

b notify our Sister City Committee of this decision of Council

This act has been overwhelmingly condemned by our own Councillors, our own community and by people across the country.

The procedures were immediately put in place to correct this wrong. I am confident that the Extraordinary Meeting which will consider this report, will also rescind the resolution passed by three Councillors on Tuesday 14 April 2020.

Sadly, when poor decisions are made there is often harm that can’t be undone. This may well be one of those times. We must never-the-less endeavour as best we can to right these wrongs.

The purpose of this report is to seek the endorsement of Council to write a letter to Mr Wang Xiliang, Mayor of Kunming on behalf of the city. This letter will confirm the commitment of our city to the relationships we have with our friends in China. In the letter I will express our regret for any concern the resolution on Tuesday night might have caused. I will circulate a draft letter prior to the meeting.

Over 30 years ago, the elected members of Council sought to form a Sister City relationship with our friends in China.

Over the next three decades, elected members and Mayors of this Council have built trust, good will and respect with our friends in China.

There is much to share from these relationships. We are the food bowl of our Country and a leading agricultural producer. China imports these commodities. We also consume the products and technology that China excels in delivering. These circumstances alone support the hand of friendship which was extended by elected members of our city so many years ago.

But our relationship with our friends in China is so much more than exports and about markets and the economy.

It is about sharing our respective cultures. Recognising and applauding the differences between us. Our relationship is about sitting at the same table and building respect, trust and admiration in our mutual engagements.

This environment was created by all these elected Mayors and elected members who have served on the Council and I applaud their astute leadership and the sincerity in which they have built a foundation for this relationship with many cultures in our own city.

It is in this context that I formally acknowledge the overwhelming regret expressed by an outstanding majority of our community at the resolution passed last Tuesday night. That three elected members could shake the very foundation of goodwill which the reputation of this city is built upon is a lesson for us all about the significant decisions we make and the impact they have on the people we represent, the broader community and, most importantly, our friends.

It is appropriate that we extend our hand to our friends in China and assure them that it is a hand which will always be extended to them with sincerity, humility and trust.

A very few people made the decision on Tuesday which I am sure will be overturned. The overwhelming message from our community which has been clearly and loudly articulated is that we are an inclusive community offering safety and friendship to all people. I have no doubt a large number of our community have grieved with the appreciation of the harm caused by the decision of last Tuesday.

I am confident that tonight’s meeting will correct the embarrassing decision of last Tuesday.

As a Council and as a community, lets show the world that we haven’t changed – we are the same community with a proud history of leading regional initiatives.

A letter to our friends in China is a start towards reclaiming the reputation and confidence in the compassion and inclusiveness of our city.