A new logo designed to encourage inclusion and diversity in a West Australian city has been linked to the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell and labelled a "misspend" of public money.
The City of Albany last night approved an emblem consisting of four puzzle pieces, each representing a marginalised group.
The LGBTQIA+ community, Indigenous Australians, culturally diverse people and those living with disabilities were consulted on the design, according to city documents.
It was created after community surveys found young people in Albany did not always feel welcomed in the city.
Multiple councillors voiced strong support for the progressive puzzle design, with all but one councillor offering their vote of endorsement.
Cr Thomas Brough praised the intent of the creation, but said he believed it could "fragment" the community, rather than bind it.
He also said the logo, which was anticipated to require $3,600 for printing and promotion, could be a "misspend of public money".
"You can't genuinely demonstrate inclusivity and valuation of human uniqueness with a logo," Cr Brough said.
"This logo politicises identity characteristics such that, in a quest to become inclusive, it becomes an epitaph for Animal Farm: all citizens are included but some citizens are more included than others."
He also said it "signals virtue" without being virtuous.
Virtue signalling is an expression used to describe actions taken to appear virtuous, without sincerity.
Mayor Dennis Wellington told Cr Brough to "sit down" following his speech.
Real need for logo
Albany Youth Advisory Council chairperson Kore Ford uses they/them pronouns and has lived experience of venues that are not queer-friendly.
They said the logo was essential in ensuring young people felt safe in Albany.
The 19-year-old said stickers featuring the logo would be created and placed at the entrance of council spaces and participating businesses, to show people they would be accepted within that space.
"After some consultation with young people we found that some people from the high-risk and marginalised communities didn't feel welcome at all city venues or events," they said.
They said the Youth Advisory group was grateful to have the support of the council and looked forward to the logos being publicly displayed in the future.
The implementation of the logo had been three years in the making, with half-a-dozen official consultation meetings.
Council documents showed a "high reputational risk" was identified by city officers who feared staff and community members may not support what the logo represented.
