Gay parents book ban faces new vote

Cumberland City Council will vote on a motion to alter or remove the May 1 amendment to the Cumberland Library Strategy at the next council meeting on May 15.

Almost 50,000 residents of the Cumberland area and members of the public signed petitions to reverse the ban through Equality Australia and Change.org.

One petitioner said "it's so incredibly normal for kids to have same sex parents. These kids should get to see their families in books just like kids from other families do".

The amendment affecting eight libraries in Cumberland Council, supported by councillor Steve Christou, was condemned as a "shameless move" by federal MP Stephen Bates.

The May 1 council vote passed with six in favour of the ban and five against. One councillor left the meeting during consideration of the amendment.

On May 9, four Cumberland councillors, from outside Mr Christou's ward, lodged a motion to alter or rescind the resolution.

Councillor Kun Huang apologised to Cumberland constituents over the book ban saying "unfortunately, as your elected representatives, we have collectively disappointed you".

"I've always supported diversity, and it is my strongest belief that diversity is our greatest strength," he said.

"No one should be discriminated against based on their race, religion, or sexual orientation. No family should be discriminated against based on their family composition. No child should be made to feel they do not belong.

"And no elected representative should have the power to ban books at your local library on a whim. This kind of censorship by politicians should have no place in Australia."

Council meeting plans show the revision was also influenced by a May 8 letter sent from NSW arts minister John Graham warning that funding to the libraries could be cut if the amendment went ahead.

Mr Graham said the ban would go against the NSW Guidelines on Freedom of Access to Information under the Libraries Act 1939.

The guidelines highlighted that reviews of library books should not "be used as a means of removing materials believed to be controversial, contentious or disapproved of by sections of the community".

"Public libraries provide an unbiased source of information and ideas, with collections that meet the diverse and evolving needs of their communities," the guidelines state.

"This means that different points of view on contemporary and historical issues will be represented, including on controversial issues, as far as reasonably possible."

The Cumberland City Council meeting is scheduled for May 15.