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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Catie McLeod and Tamsin Rose

Three Sydney councillors who voted for a same-sex book ban were from one party. What’s behind it?

Steve Christou OLC Helen Hughes Sydney Parramatta Cumberland Labor
Steve Christou handing out how to vote cards in 2022
Steve Christou, the councillor who proposed a ban on a same-sex parenting book in Cumberland City libraries, is a member of the Our Local Community party. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

A Western Sydney council sparked widespread controversy and condemnation after voting to place a blanket ban on same-sex parenting books from local libraries.

The Cumberland City ban – proposed by the former mayor and current councillor Steve Christou – was to be imposed on its eight council-run libraries, but was reversed just two weeks later.

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