29-05-2023
As the CEO, Mayor and all Councillors of Upper Lachlan Shire Council, we wish to make a joint statement regarding disturbing leaflets and misinformation being spread regarding rainbow story time.
Propaganda spreading hatred, vilification, and attempting to force the cancellation of rainbow story time later this year has no place in our community. Upper Lachlan Shire Council, Mayor and Councillors will receive and note these type of emails only and no further response will be made.
Rainbow story time is about embracing everyone in our community. The books are read by a drag entertainer dressed in brightly coloured, sparkly drag, and are intended as a fun way to encourage reading, acceptance of diversity and inclusion. Story time includes titles such as;
‘You’re fabulous just the way you are’
It’s a closed event where parents are free to choose to attend with their children, or not to attend with their children, the choice is theirs.
Choice is an important part of the freedoms we are lucky to enjoy in our community and Australia as a whole. If we remove choice and inclusivity then where will we be?
Drag as a form of creative expression has existed in Australian theatre and cultural performance for decades so we are shocked to find this kind of hatred and homophobia still exists, please do not let it infiltrate our community.
Upper Lachlan Shire Council will continue holding specialised story time sessions at our libraries throughout the year that promote visible diversity and inclusion, and freedom of expression. This includes Aboriginal Dreamtime stories read by First Nations people, sensory story time, rural based story time, simultaneous story time and many more.
CEO Alex Waldron
Mayor Pam Kensit
Deputy Mayor Mandy McDonald
Councillor Darren O’Brien
Councillor Jo Marshall
Councillor Lauren Woodbridge
Councillor John Searl
Councillor Nathan McDonald
Councillor Paul Culhane
Councillor Susan Reynolds