Merri-bek City Council will continue to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and to fly the Palestinian flag, while also providing funding to support Palestinians arriving in Merri-bek.   

At its March meeting, Council resolved to also alter its procurement policy to avoid doing business with companies who manufacture, distribute or benefit from weapons used in war and to continue to investigate any existing contracts that may be linked to the war in Gaza. 

Council will provide up to $10,000 to faith, cultural and asylum seeker organisations to assist their support of recently arrived families from Palestine in Merri-bek.  Council also endorsed submitting a motion to the National General Assembly of Local Governments in relation to the war in Gaza, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and related matters. 

The decisions at the March meeting follow earlier resolutions passed at Council’s November 2023 meeting, where Council resolved to fly the Palestinian flag and called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.