A Brisbane councillor has been directed to apologise and reimburse the city council after distributing a pamphlet on the Israel-Palestine conflict deemed “propaganda” by an independent review. The ruling follows a heated exchange between Trina Massey, the Greens representative for the Gabba ward, and Adrian Schrinner, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane. Massey has been accused of inflaming tensions, while she alleges defamation and is contemplating legal action.
The controversy began when Massey mailed her spring newsletter to thousands of constituents in August 2023, featuring a two-page article titled “Khalil’s Story.” The newsletter aimed to present a historical perspective on the Middle East but faced backlash for its perceived inflammatory language. Some residents expressed concerns that the timeline presented in the piece was one-sided, omitting significant events like the Holocaust and the attacks on October 7. One resident described the content as “pure hate speech,” suggesting it misrepresented Jewish history in the region.
In response to the complaints, the Brisbane Council’s ethics committee, composed of councillors from the Labor and LNP parties, unanimously endorsed the findings of a review conducted by FairFact Consulting Services. The report concluded that Massey breached multiple behavioural standards, characterising the article as “essentially propaganda” that could make members of the Jewish community feel unsafe and targeted.
While the review did not label the article as antisemitic, it recommended that Massey issue a public apology in her next ward newsletter and on social media. She is also required to repay Brisbane City Council half of the $20,000 cost of publication and undergo training on the council’s code of conduct at her own expense.
Massey defended her work, stating that her intention was to critique “Zionism” and the actions of the state of Israel rather than target Jewish individuals. In a social media statement from September 2024, she remarked, “Some of the information included in my newsletter may be uncomfortable to read, but this is the nature of truth telling.” Notably, the article was not authored by Massey but was a paid contribution from academic and rapper Dr. Jamal Nabulsi, who received $2,800 for his 500-word piece.
Lord Mayor Schrinner expressed strong disapproval of Massey’s newsletter, claiming it contradicted efforts to maintain social cohesion within the city. He stated, “She used Hamas talking points,” referencing warnings from intelligence agencies like ASIO about the dangers of inflammatory political rhetoric. Schrinner further expressed his disgust at the material, asserting that it was offensive to the Jewish community.
The Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies also condemned Massey’s actions, with president Jason Steinberg joining Schrinner at City Hall. Steinberg noted that many community members reported feeling unsafe in specific areas. Following the recent violence in Bondi, Massey condemned Hamas and expressed support for the safety of Jewish people, stating that “antisemitism has no place in our community.”
Massey has not publicly responded to requests for comment but released a statement through her party, describing Schrinner’s remarks as “shameful” and “defamatory.” She indicated that she would explore her options in response to the accusations. “It is disgraceful that this LNP politician would cynically exploit the nation’s grief in an attempt to silence my community’s strong advocacy for peace,” she said.
The situation continues to develop as both sides navigate the implications of the review and its recommendations, highlighting the complexities surrounding discussions of sensitive geopolitical issues within local governance.
