Push to ban Welcome to Sex book shelved as Wagga councillors vote on controversial move

On Monday morning, Councillor Mick Henderson flagged an intention to withdrew his notice of motion that called for the removal of Welcome to Sex from the library's physical and online collections.

The publication, which was released in May by Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes, has been controversial because some readers have likened it to watching pornography, while others describe it as informative.

Noting the absence of the mayor, general manager and with the recent month-long suspension of Cr Rod Kendall, Cr Henderson told the chamber on Monday night he had withdrawn the motion, which was "requested by the community," due to the lack of councillors and staff at the meeting.

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"Due to the sensitivity of this subject and the serious community concerns about this book, I believe most or all councillors, general manager and staff should be in attendance to debate and answer questions," he said.

"This will also give the community time to assess the book themselves and make their own comments and judgement on it."

However Cr Dan Hayes blocked the withdrawal of the motion and proposed an alternative that expressed the council's support for the book to remain in the library's physical and online collections.

The motion, seconded by Cr Jenny McKinnon, also noted that the Library Act 1939 (NSW) does not allow councils to ban books.

"The chaos, resources and time lost, caused by Cr Henderson putting up a motion then trying to withdraw it has turned the ridiculous into the embarrassing and the absurd, regardless of the intention," Cr Hayes said.

"This [amended] motion says parenting is the responsibility of parents, not local government, librarians and certainly not councillors.

"If you don't want your child reading this book, then parent them, supervise them, talk to them. Don't outsource your parenting to others then cry foul when you don't like it."

In response to queries from Cr Tim Koschel about where the physical copies of the book were located, the library manager told councillors they were in the children section for six to 12-year-olds.

Cr Koschel then requested an amendment, which was seconded by Cr Henderson, to have the book relocated to the youth section.

"While it's up to us how we parent our children, it's also our right... when our children are going to different places like the library ... to make sure our children are safe, and this is just another way [of doing that]," Cr Koschel said.

Acknowledging the council can't ban books, he said it was important to "move it to a more appropriate section of the library".

"I know there might be people who object to that and say that anyone can hire it, but I think it's our responsibility to have the age appropriate books in the right section," Cr Koschel said.

The councillor drew a parallel to placing the book in the wrong section of the library with vaping.

"It's like saying we'll just leave the vapes out there and the children won't vape," Cr Koschel said.

He said just as there are protections to prevent children from obtaining vapes, there needs to be an "extra level" of protection put in place.

Cr Henderson endorsed that sentiment, saying some of the content in the book he "would not have his grandchildren reading" and said it is "inappropriate for the age group it is targeted or available to".

Cr Richard Foley raised concern this was also in breach of the law.

"Unfortunately we have a problem ... because the guidelines [say] ... the librarians should not exercise censorship," he said.

"That's there in the guidelines ... if someone wants to go and run for Parliament and change the law, that's about the only way [to get around this]. As an organisation, council is hands off from being able to censor ... we can't even request censorship."

Cr Koschel's amendment was voted down, while Cr Hayes' motion to endorse the book was passed with the support of councillors McKinnon, Foley and Parkins.

Councillors Koschel and Henderson voted against the motion.

Cr Kendall is currently suspended and Cr Georgie Davies was absent.

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