CEO of Upper Lachlan Shire Council Alex Waldron celebrates receiving the award for excellence. Photo: Supplied.
The Upper Lachlan Shire Council (ULSC) has been honoured with a NSW award for excellence for staging a family event celebrating diversity – an event that its neighbouring council, Goulburn-Mulwaree, had been forced to cancel because of threats of violence.
Rainbow Storytime with drag artist Betty Confetti, an event that celebrates diversity and inclusion in the community, was scheduled for last year at the Goulburn library, but was cancelled when staff were threatened.
Chief Executive Officer of ULSC, Alex Waldron, said when she heard that Goulburn – and other local government areas across the state had cancelled its storytime events because of homophobic threats – she knew she had to do something.
“There are few moments in life when you know you can’t stay quiet, and you need to stand up and say, no, I can’t accept this,” she said.
“As an openly gay female CEO I knew this would be controversial and I knew it would stir up homophobia and bigotry that would be aimed towards me. I even expected a petition or protest, but I hadn’t, however, anticipated the level of vitriol, threats of violence or attempt to run me off the road that followed my invitation to Betty Confetti.”
Ms Waldron, after receiving unanimous support from the council, invited Betty Confetti to do her Rainbow Storytime event in the Upper Lachlan Shire – at the Gunning and Crookwell libraries.
“We just wanted to invite her to a safe place, a place where she would be welcomed – and she was really happy that we did,” Ms Waldron said.
Both ULSC events were booked out, with full registrations, including people attending from Goulburn where the event had been cancelled.
Ms Waldron said she, her partner and their four children attended both events.
“It’s all about showing that not everyone is the same. Some of us are different shapes or colours or come from different places; that’s what makes it all interesting.”
She said she was honoured to accept the award on behalf of the council, in front of 700 local government professionals, which recognised leadership in community services through a particular project initiative, innovation in management or leadership practices, on behalf of a community “that stood up to be counted”.
Betty Confetti’s Rainbow Storytime was a sell-out in the Upper Lachlan Shire after being cancelled in neighbouring Goulburn. Photo: Facebook.
“Council felt it was important to show leadership in this area, to promote the love of reading and to send the strong message to the next generation that it is OK to be different,” she said.
“Diversity and inclusion, along with freedom of choice, are what makes Australia a special place to live, and that is something we should all be proud of and protect.
“Our amazing library staff and manager worked hard to make this event the most fabulous storytime event ever held in Crookwell and Gunning libraries. Being the front-line staff along with Council’s customer services meant they were subjected to daily abuse about the decision, but they remained resolute.”
ULSC Mayor Pam Kensit said the award validated the “progressive leadership shown by the Upper Lachlan Shire Council CEO, library staff and councillors to deliver such an important event”.
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